ENGLISH FORAY. 165 



But hark ! what horn so loud doth blow 



That it shakes the green palace of high Ben-y-gloe ; 



At the gate now stops a herald his steed, 



And towards the King's table he passes with speed. 



" To horse, King Jamie ! to horse and away ! 

 For the English are coming in martial array ; 

 Your lands they waste, your people they slay, 

 Then to horse, King Jamie, to horse and away ! " 



Up started King Jamie, and summoned his court 

 " Thou hast shown me, Earl, right princely sport; 

 But what thou hast heard the herald tell, 

 Commands me this moment to bid thee farewell. 



" But thou, Lord Atholl, till morn must wait, 

 Then marshal your vassals and follow me straight. 

 Mount ! mount ! my nobles, for I'll away, 

 Though dark be the night, nor wait for day." 



King Jamie is gone through mist and gloom, 

 And the Earl now seeks that fatal room, 

 Where the Witch, with blood to glut his spite, 

 Already had hid the woful wight. 



But when on the lock was the Earl's hand laid, 

 " Alas ! that the King," sweet Willie thus said, 

 " Exposed to the dangers of darkness should go, 

 But if I were Lord Atholl it should not be so ; 



" For rather of these towers I'd make 

 A bonfire for my Sovereign's sake, 

 Which, spreading wide its friendly light, 

 Should guide him safe through the dangers of night." 



Lord Atholl, his head was hot with wine, 

 He heard and adopted sweet Willie's design, 

 He bade his vassals the palace forsake, 

 And each in his hand a firebrand take. 



And he burnt the palace so stately and fair, 



With hangings so rich and pictures so rare, 



And with vessels of silver and vessels of gold, 



And swift through the chambers the bright flames rolled. 



But hark ! who shrieks in pain and fright ? 



The fire has seized on the woful wight, 



Who close in his master's room did he, 



And whom none had warned from the flames to fly. 



