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

640 Trni LA.D OT'ZIE LAR1 CANTSIB: B
Adventurers they, from far who roved,
To live by battle which they loved.
There the Italian's clouded face,
The swarthy Spaniard's. there you trace;
The mountain-loving SWvitzer there
More freely breathed in mountain-air,
The Fleming there despised the soil,
That paid so ill the labourer's toil;
Their rolls showed French and German nauW
And merry England's exiles came,
To share, with ill-concealed disdain,
Of Scotland's pay the scanty gain..All brave in arms, well'trained to wield
The heavy halbert, brand, and shield;
In camps, licentious, wild, and bold;
In pillage, fierce and uncontrolled;
And now, by holytide and feast,
From rules of discipline releasedo
IV.
They held debate of bloody fray,
Fought'twixt Loch-Katrine and Achray.
Fierce was their speech and, mid their word.
Their hands oft grappled to their swords;
Nor sank their tone to spare the ear
Of wounded comrades groaning near,
Whose mangled limbs, and bodies gored,
Bore token of the mountain sword,
Though, neighbouring to the court of guard,
Their prayers and feverish wails were heardy —
Sad burdened to the ruffian joke,
And savage oath by fury spoke!At length upstarted John of Brent,
A yeoman from the banks' of Trent;
A stranger to respect or fear,
In peace a chaser of the deer,
In host a hardy mutineer,
But still the boldest of the crew,
When deed of danger was to do.
He grieved, that day their games cut short,
And marr'd the dicers' brawling sport,
And shouted loud, "Renew the bowl}
And, while a merry catch I troll,
Let each the buxom chorus bear,
Like brethren of the brand and slpe.au