The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, with memoir of the author.

46 ROKEBY. [CANTO 1.
False to thy patron or thine oath
Trait'rous or perjured, one or both.
Slave! hast thou kept thy promise plight,
To slay thy leader in the fight? "
Then from his seat the soldier sprung,
And Wycliffe's hand he strongly wrung;
His grasp, as hard as glove of mail,
Forced the red blood-drop from the nail" A health! " he cried; and, ere he quaffd,
Flung from him Wycliffe's hand, and laugh'd:
"Now, Oswald Wycliffe, speaks thy heart!
Now play'st thou well thy genuine part!
Worthy, but for thy craven fear,
Like me to roam a buccaneer.
What reck'st thou of the Cause divine,
If Mortham's wealth and lands be thine?
What carest thou for beleaguer'd York,
If this good hand have done its work?
Or what though Fairfax and his best
Are reddening Marston's swarthy breast,
If Philip Mortham with them lie,
Lending his life-blood to the dye?-1
Sit, then! and as mid comrades free
Carousing after victory,
When tales are told of blood and fear,
That boys and women 2 shrink to hear,
1 [MS. —" And heart's-blood lend to aid the dye?
Sit, then! and as to comrades boon
Carousing for achievement won."]
2 [MS. —" That boys and cowards," &c.]