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173
LOCHLEVEN CASTLE.
The Lake was singing round the Isle,
In freedom leapt and laughed each wave,
While mourned the captive Queen the while,
And all her hours to grieving gave.
In freedom leapt and laughed each wave,
While mourned the captive Queen the while,
And all her hours to grieving gave.
Blither round the Tower the bright sea-mew
With pinion spread and joyous din
In wide aërial freedom flew
While she a prisoner pined within.
With pinion spread and joyous din
In wide aërial freedom flew
While she a prisoner pined within.
The wind, the free unfettered wind,
Piped merrily as it passed her cell,
Mocking the Lady there confined,
In gloomy donjon doomed to dwell.
Piped merrily as it passed her cell,
Mocking the Lady there confined,
In gloomy donjon doomed to dwell.
From out the grated window she,
Leaning against the rusty bars,
The bonnie buds of Spring could see,
And view the gladness of the stars;
Leaning against the rusty bars,
The bonnie buds of Spring could see,
And view the gladness of the stars;
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And mark the green leaves of the grove
Clapping and whispering in their glee;
And bear the laverock hymn its love
In trills of heavenly melodie.
Clapping and whispering in their glee;
And bear the laverock hymn its love
In trills of heavenly melodie.
So days of sparkling joy went by,
And nights of soft and beauteous gloom;
And dim grew Mary's star-bright eye,
And paled, as blossoms pale, her bloom.
And nights of soft and beauteous gloom;
And dim grew Mary's star-bright eye,
And paled, as blossoms pale, her bloom.
The country basked in Summer's smile
When, wet with tears and girt with steel,
Came Mary to this lonely isle
A faction's fury doomed to feel.
When, wet with tears and girt with steel,
Came Mary to this lonely isle
A faction's fury doomed to feel.
And Summer rained from cloudless skies
Her music and her roses down;
And Autumn, gorgeous in his dyes,
Strode sober through his harvests brown;
Her music and her roses down;
And Autumn, gorgeous in his dyes,
Strode sober through his harvests brown;
And Winter to the Lomonds came,
Ghost-like, and left; and Spring awoke,
And Earth burst out in flowery flame,
And music from the woodlands broke.
Ghost-like, and left; and Spring awoke,
And Earth burst out in flowery flame,
And music from the woodlands broke.
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And Life had charms for Mary still,
And love, a fountain sealed before,
Flowed in her heart, a wasteful rill
Kings might have sipped,—and sighed for more.
And love, a fountain sealed before,
Flowed in her heart, a wasteful rill
Kings might have sipped,—and sighed for more.
The memories of former years,
A beauteous Vision, o'er her mind
Like sunshine flashed, but fringed with tears,
And leaving deepest night behind.
A beauteous Vision, o'er her mind
Like sunshine flashed, but fringed with tears,
And leaving deepest night behind.
And thus beneath Despair's black wing
She sat in silence and in grief,
Till Hope broke forth, as breaks in Spring
From the dead branch the living leaf.
She sat in silence and in grief,
Till Hope broke forth, as breaks in Spring
From the dead branch the living leaf.
Yet, yet the future might atone
For all the errors of the past—
Her actions, all too much unknown,
In clearer, truer light be cast.
For all the errors of the past—
Her actions, all too much unknown,
In clearer, truer light be cast.
Her labours for the common weal
Each grateful lip might yet confess
—Then, ch! what misery to feel
A captive's utter powerlessness
Each grateful lip might yet confess
—Then, ch! what misery to feel
A captive's utter powerlessness
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While thus, with changeful smile and tear,
Despair and Hope alternate rose,
With none around to help or cheer
She told the Evening Wind her woes:—
Despair and Hope alternate rose,
With none around to help or cheer
She told the Evening Wind her woes:—
“O sunset in the glowing West!
Glorious for every eye but mine!
To me thou warnest Summer's haste,—
Another priceless day's decline!
Glorious for every eye but mine!
To me thou warnest Summer's haste,—
Another priceless day's decline!
O moments unenjoyed by me,—
O hours of gold, slow-slipping by!
A string of radiant pearls are ye,
A lone unnecklaced Queen am I!
O hours of gold, slow-slipping by!
A string of radiant pearls are ye,
A lone unnecklaced Queen am I!
The lowliest-born in all my land
Holds the dear boon denied to me,
And, poor and 'pressed, may yet command
The one best blessing—libertie!
Holds the dear boon denied to me,
And, poor and 'pressed, may yet command
The one best blessing—libertie!
The village maiden meets her swain
At evening on the quiet lea:
One heart, one thought unites them twain,—
But is there heart has thought of me?
At evening on the quiet lea:
One heart, one thought unites them twain,—
But is there heart has thought of me?
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Why was my every action seen
With coldness or suspicion still?
Or wherefore was I crowned a Queen
To govern by another's will?
With coldness or suspicion still?
Or wherefore was I crowned a Queen
To govern by another's will?
I loved my people and my land,
Dear to this heart as aught of Earth;
For here my sires long held command,
And here my mother gave me birth.
Dear to this heart as aught of Earth;
For here my sires long held command,
And here my mother gave me birth.
And thou, O cruel brother mine!
What did I to deserve thy hate?
On thee I bade fair fortune shine,
And lifted thee to high estate.
What did I to deserve thy hate?
On thee I bade fair fortune shine,
And lifted thee to high estate.
Yet thou didst league with lawless men,
And coldly unconcerned hast stood,
While they compelled th' ignoble pen
With oath profane and violence rude.
And coldly unconcerned hast stood,
While they compelled th' ignoble pen
With oath profane and violence rude.
Reft of my freedom and my fame,
Reft of my kingdom and my crown,
I yet unanswered urge the claim
Of mother yearning for her son.
Reft of my kingdom and my crown,
I yet unanswered urge the claim
Of mother yearning for her son.
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Were mine the convent's calm retreat,
Its holy pastimes and its prayers,
Nothing again should tempt my feet
To leave it for a crown of cares!”
Its holy pastimes and its prayers,
Nothing again should tempt my feet
To leave it for a crown of cares!”
Her sorrows caught an idling page;
And, when she ceased, he sighed, “Ah me!
The linnet in its sunless cage
'Plains not more sweetly to be free.
And, when she ceased, he sighed, “Ah me!
The linnet in its sunless cage
'Plains not more sweetly to be free.
If none will try the dangerous task
To free our Lady, then will I;
And for the hazard I will ask
A passing love-blink of her eye!”
To free our Lady, then will I;
And for the hazard I will ask
A passing love-blink of her eye!”
He told the Lady his design,
The crimson colouring all his cheek;
She smiled—to him approving sign—
But hope so faint forbade to speak.
The crimson colouring all his cheek;
She smiled—to him approving sign—
But hope so faint forbade to speak.
The Master o'er his cups delayed
At evening in the Castle-hall:
Beside him on the board were laid
The keys that kept a Queen in thrall.
At evening in the Castle-hall:
Beside him on the board were laid
The keys that kept a Queen in thrall.
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The youth remarked the Master's ease,
And thought upon the hapless Queen:
He dropt his 'kerchief on the keys,
And with the prize escaped unseen.
And thought upon the hapless Queen:
He dropt his 'kerchief on the keys,
And with the prize escaped unseen.
The door is wide! the prisoner free!
Misplaced were thanks with danger nigh;
“Lady, there's life and libertie
Lost in the time we talk: O, fly!”
Misplaced were thanks with danger nigh;
“Lady, there's life and libertie
Lost in the time we talk: O, fly!”
They lock the gate, and to the shore
Hurry with noiseless footfall down,
Enter the boat, and bend the oar,
And westering stretch them to'ard the town,
Hurry with noiseless footfall down,
Enter the boat, and bend the oar,
And westering stretch them to'ard the town,
Kinross! amid a green retreat
Sleeping in moonbeams bathed, and dew,
Where sworn their rightful Queen to meet
Brave hearts and arms were waiting true.
Sleeping in moonbeams bathed, and dew,
Where sworn their rightful Queen to meet
Brave hearts and arms were waiting true.
Out from the frowning shade they sweep;
The waters plash, though skimmed with care;
When, hark! from out th' awakened keep
A shot rings on the startled air.
The waters plash, though skimmed with care;
When, hark! from out th' awakened keep
A shot rings on the startled air.
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From the dear mark the ball flies wide;
Hope yet gives strength; the oars dip fast;
By royal hand an oar is plied;
The keys into the Lake are cast.
Hope yet gives strength; the oars dip fast;
By royal hand an oar is plied;
The keys into the Lake are cast.
The skiff skims lightly o'er the Lake,
The bending rowers work with zeal:
Sudden! swift and resounding break
The red gleam and the rattling peal!
The bending rowers work with zeal:
Sudden! swift and resounding break
The red gleam and the rattling peal!
The wild gull starts with 'wildered screech:
But safe beneath the moon's sweet smile
They row, beyond the cannon's reach,
Relaxing from the useless toil.
But safe beneath the moon's sweet smile
They row, beyond the cannon's reach,
Relaxing from the useless toil.
A silver shield, the round moon shed
Its guiding radiance o'er the Queen,
And every wavelet bowed its head,
And smooth the waters stretched serene.
Its guiding radiance o'er the Queen,
And every wavelet bowed its head,
And smooth the waters stretched serene.
Then, Willie Douglas, did thy breast
Receive a bright abiding joy
When the fair Queen her debt confest,
And bent on thee a grateful eye!
Receive a bright abiding joy
When the fair Queen her debt confest,
And bent on thee a grateful eye!
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And now with nervous stroke they near,
And throbbing heart, th' approaching land;
And now the friendly hail they hear,
And now the keel grates on the sand.
And throbbing heart, th' approaching land;
And now the friendly hail they hear,
And now the keel grates on the sand.
Upon a green round-rising mound
She stood—still by the peasant shewn
Within Lethangie's favoured bound;
And still as “Mary's Knowe” 'tis known.
She stood—still by the peasant shewn
Within Lethangie's favoured bound;
And still as “Mary's Knowe” 'tis known.
The loyal lords with Hamilton
There bade her welcome to the shore;
They knelt and kissed her hand each one,
And new and firm allegiance swore.
There bade her welcome to the shore;
They knelt and kissed her hand each one,
And new and firm allegiance swore.
They set her on a fleet-limbed steed,
And gathered round her in a band;
Then south away they spurred with speed,
Resolved with her to fall or stand.
And gathered round her in a band;
Then south away they spurred with speed,
Resolved with her to fall or stand.
1868.
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