The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott ... Notes & life of the author.

CANTDO V. THE COMBAT. 829
Still at the gallop pricked the Knight,
HIis merry-men followed as they.might.
Along thy banks, swift Teith! they ride,
And in the race they mock thy tide;
Tonry and Lendrick now are past,
And Deanstown lies behind them cast?
They rise, the bannered towers of Doune,
They sink in distant woodland soon;
Blair-Drummond sees the hoofs strike fire,
They sweep like breeze through Ochtertyre;
They mark just glance and disappear
The lofty brow of ancient Keir;
They bathe their coursers' sweltering sides,
DarkForth! amid thy sluggish tides,
And on the opposing shore take ground,
With plash, with scramble, and with bound.
Right hand they leave thy cliffs, Craig-forth,
A.nd soon the bulwark of the North,
Grey Stirling, with her towers and town,
Upon their fleet career looked down,
X'IAs up the flinty path they strained,
Sudden his steed the leader reined;
A signal to his squire he flung,
Who instant to his stirrup sprung:|" Seest thou, De Vaux, that woodsman grey,
Who town-ward holds the rocky way,
Of stature tall and poor array?
IMark'st thou the firm, yet active stride,
With which he scales the mountain side?
iKnow'st thou from whence he comes, or whom?'
"No, by my word;-a burly groom
lie seems, who in the field or chase
A Baron's train would nobly grace."
"Out, out, De Vaux! can fear supply
And jealousy, no sharper eye?
Afar, ere to the hill he drew,
That stately form and step I knew;
Like form in Scotland is not seen,
Treads not such step on Scottish green.'Tis James of Douglas, by saint Serle!
The uncle of the banished Earl
Away, away, to court. to show
The near approach of dreaded foe:
The king must stand upon his guard;
Douglas and he must meet prepared."
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