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

140 THE LAY OF [CANTO IV.
Or else he will the combat take'Gainst Musgrave, for his honour's sake.
No knight in Cumberland so good,
But William may count with him kin and blood.
Knighthood he took of Douglas' sword,1
When English blood swell'd Ancram's ford; 2
And but Lord Dacre's steed. was wight,
And bare him ably in the flight,
Himself had seen him dubb'd a knight.
For the young heir of Branksome's line,
God be his aid, and God be mine;
Through me no friend shall meet his doom;
*Here, while I live, no foe finds room.
Then, if thy Lords their purpose urge,
Take our defiance loud and high;
Our slogan is their lyke-wake 3 dirge,
Our moat, the grave where they shall lie."
occasionally referred to their own oath. The form of excusing
bills, or indictments, by Border oath, ran thus: " You shall
swear by heaven above you, hell beneath you, by your part
of Paradise, by all that God made in six days and seven
nights, and by God himself, you are whart out sackless of art,
part, way, witting, ridd, kenning, having, or recetting of any
of the goods and cattels named in this bill. So help you
God." —listory of Cumberland, Introd. p. xxv.
1 See Appendix, Note E 2.
2 The battle of Ancram Moor, or Penielhench, was fought
A. D. 1545. The English, commanded by Sir Ralph Evers,
and Sir Brian Latoun, were totally routed, and both their
leaders slain in the action. The Scottish army was commanded by Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, assisted by
the Laird of Buccleuch and Norman Lesley.
8 Lyke-wake, the watching a corpse previous to interment.