Stephenson: The Ettrick Shepherd 



The henchman was stalworth his buckler that bore ; 

 He had bowmen behind him and billmen before : 

 He had Bellenden, Thorleshope, Reddlefordgreen, 

 And Hab o' the Swire, and Jock of Poldean; 

 And Whitstone, and Halston, and hard-riding Hugh, 

 Were all at the back of bold Wat o' the Cleuch. 



As Wat o' the Cleuch came down through the dale. 

 The hinds stood aghast and the maidens grew pale ; 

 The ladies to casement and palisade ran, 

 The vassals to loop-hole and low barbican. 

 And saw the bold Borderers trooping along, 

 Each crooning his war-note or gathering-song: 

 Oh, many a rosy cheek c?ianged its hue. 

 When sounded the slogan of Wat o' the Cleuch ! 



And there was kid from Cocket-dale, 

 And mutton from the banks of Kaile, 

 With head of ox, and ham of steer, 

 And rib of roe, and haunch of deer. 

 All placed before the mountaineer. 



The shades of eve In softest hue 



Began to tint the Cheviot blue; 



But a darker, gloomier veil was wore 



On the swarthy brows of Lammermore; 



While in the vale stood these between 



Dun Ruberslaw and Eildon green. 



One coned with rock, one cleft in three. 



Like ancient dome and monasteiy 



That for due penance, praise, and shrift, 



Their unassuming heads uplift. 



In midst of mighty city's bound 



With towers and ramparts circled round. 



[Wordsworth] 



THE STRANGER 



Being a Further Portion of The Recluse, a Poem 



Fair was the scene and wild — a lonely tarn 

 Lay bosomed in the hill; and it was calm 

 As face of slumbering childhood — yea, so calm 

 That magic mirror of the mountain reign 

 Was spread, that vision scarcely could discern 

 The water from the land, or rightly mark 

 The greensward patch, the hazel bush, the rock, 

 From those fair copies on the element, 

 The shadow from the substance — save that one 

 Was softer and more delicately green. 



