1822.] 
I wept not till they were: till the proud Gordon 
Had with his life-blood dyed my father’s sword, 
In guerdon that he thinn’d my fathers lineage ; 
And then | wept my sons; and as the Gordon 
Lay at my feet, there was atearforhim, | __ 
Which mningled with the rest. We had been friends, 
Had shar’d the banquet and the chace together; 
Fought side by side; and our first cause of stiife,— 
Woe to the pride of both,—was but a light one. 
} Vipont. 
You are at feud, then, with the mighty Gordon. 
* You with some three-score lances, and the 
Gordon 
Leading a thousand followers. 
From this disparity of strength, the 
Templar apprehends considerable dan- 
ger to his friend, and resists all his 
entreaties to join Gordon, who, it ap- 
pears, is as yet ignorant of the person 
of his hereditary foe, and whom De 
Vipont proposes to himself to conci- 
liate,—a result which, the old knight 
remarks, may possibly take place, 
when his 
; ———— priestly zeal and knightly valour 
Shall force the grave to render up the dead. 
In the second scene we find the 
Regent of Scotland in full council, 
surrounded by his peers, between 
whom a lively and characteristic dis- 
pute is carried on, seasoned with the 
sarcastic remarks of old Swinton, who 
stands apart and neglected. Young 
Adam Gordon is forcibly struck with 
the warlike mien and sage observa- 
tions of the venerable warrior, and 
courteously requests his name. De 
Vipont cautiously takes him aside, 
and, on pronouncing the hated word, 
is compelled to exert all his energy, 
to repress the fury with which the 
young chieftain would sweep to his 
revenge. He is, however, prevailed 
on to submit to present circumstances, 
and is subsequently so much impress- 
ed with the urgent necessity of call- 
ing Swinton’s wisdom to the public 
aid, that he himself requests him to 
speak. 
Swinton. 
Nay, if that voice commands me, speak I will; 
it sounds as if the dead lays charge on me. 
He proceeds accordingly to point 
out the errors of the Regent’s general- 
ship, who has drawn up his array 
upon the hill, tier above tier, exposed 
to the full effect of the English 
archery; and recommends, in the first 
instance, an attempt to disperse that 
effective force of the enemy. The 
Regent superciliously enquires what 
this scheme promises. 
Swinton. 
This much at least— J 
Darkling we shall not die; the peasant’s shaft, 
Loosen’d perchance without an aim or purpose, 
Shall not drink up the life-blood we derive 
From those fam’d ancestors, who made their breasts 
‘This frontier’s barrier fer a thousand years. ’ 
-We'll meet these Southrous bravely hand to hand, 
Montuiy Mac, No. 371.. 
News from Parnassus, No. X1X. 25 
And eye to eye, and weapon against weapon 
Each _ who falls shall see the foe who strikes 
im. 
While our good blades are faithful to the hilts, 
And our good hands to these good bladesare faithful, 
Blow shall meet blow, and none fall unaveng’d; 
We shall not bleed alone. 
Regent. 
And this is all 
Your wisdom hath devis’d ? 
Swinton. 
Not all; for would pray you, noble lords, 
(If one, amongst the guilty guiltiest, might,) 
For this one day to charm to ten hours’ rest 
The never-dying worm of deadly teud, 
That gnaws our vexed hearts,—think no one foe 
Save Bdwgart and his host,—days will remain, 
Ay, days by far too many will remain, 
To avenge old feuds or ick for precedence, 
Let this one day be Scotland’s. For myself, 
If there is any here may claim from me 
(As well may chance,) a debt of blood and hatred, 
My life is his to-morrow, unresisting, 
So he to-day will let me do the best 
‘That my old arm may achieve for the dear country 
That’s mother to us both. 
(Gordon shows much emotion during this 
and the preceding speech of Swinton. 
Regent. 
It is adream! a vision! If one troop 
Rush down upon the archers, all will follow, 
And order is destroy’d. We’ll keep the battle-rank 
Our fathers wont todo. Nomore on’t.—Ho! 
Where be those youths seek knighthood from our 
sword? 
Herald. 
Here are the Gordon, Somerville, and Hay, 
And Hepburn, with a score of gallants mores 
_ Regent. 
Gordon, stand forth. 
Gordon. 
1 pray, your Grace, forgive me. 
-Regent. 
How! seek you not for knighthood? 
Gordon. : 
I do thirst for’t. 
But, pardoa me, ’tis from another sword. 
Regent. 
It is your sovereign’s,—seek you for a worthier? 
Gordon. 
Who would drink purely, seeks the secret fountain, 
How small soever; not the general streain, 
Tho’ it be wide and pi fy lord, 1 seek 
The boon of knigasuood from the honour’d weapon 
Of the best knight, and of the sagest leader, 
That ever grac’d a ring of chivalry,— 
Therefore I beg the boon, on bended knee, 
Even from Sir Alan Swinton, 
The offended Regent taunts the 
youth bitterly with kneeling to him 
that slew his father; and the vehement 
retort of the latter is rebuked by the 
gravity of Sir Alan, who, with much 
emotion, draws the sword by which 
the father fell, to lay it in honour and 
in friendship on the shoulder of the 
son. 
Swinton. 
Alas! brave youth, ’tis I should kneel to you, 
And tendering thee the hilt of the fell sword 
That made thee fatherless, bid thee use the point 
After thine own discretion. For thy boon,— 
Trumpets, beready,—In the Holiest name, 
And in our Lady’s and St. Andrew’s name, 
I dub thee knight. Arise,Sir Adam Gordon! 
Be faithful, brave, and, O! be fortunate, 
Should this ill hour permit. 
[The trumpets sound; the Heralds cry 
Largesse; and the attendants shoul, A 
Gordon! a Gordon!) 
in the face of their country’s dan- 
ger, these two generous hearts are thus 
nobly reconciled, and determine to 
execute their proposed enterprize 
against the English bowmen, although 
aware that the mortified Regent will 
. E afford 
