158 THE FALCON. 
And merrily thus in shine and shade, 
Gay glancing through the forest glade, 
On rides the noble cavalcade, 
To moorlands wild and grey ; 
And then the noble sport is high! 
The jess is loosed, the hood thrown by ; 
And leurre the jolly falconers cry ; 
And wheeling round the falcons fly 
Impatient of their prey. 
A moment and the quarry ’s ta’en; 
The falconers’ cry sounds forth amain ; 
The true hawk soars and soars again, 
Nor once the game is missed! 
And thus the jocund day is spent, 
In jolly sport and merriment : 
And baron bold were well content, 
To fell his wood, and pawn his rent 
For the hawk upon his wrist! 
Oh gay goshawk and tercel bold, 
Then might ye rule it as ye “ wold;” 
Then sate ye on a perch of gold, 
And kings were your compeers! 
