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The lay of the last minstrel. Illustr. ed
The lay of the last minstrel Illustr ed Author:Walter Scott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. CANTO SECOND. If thou wouldst view fair Melrose aright, Go visit it by the pale moonlight; For the gay beams of lightsome day... more » Gild, but to flout, the ruins gray. When the broken arches are black in night, And each shafted oriel glimmers .white ; When the cold light's uncertain shower Streams on the ruined central tower; When buttress and buttress, alternately, Seemed framed of ebon and ivory ; When silver edges the imagery, And the scrolls that teach thee to live and die; When distant Tweed is heard to rave, And the owlet to hoot o'er the dead man's grave, Then go—but go alone the while— Then view St. David's ruined pile ; And, home returning, soothly swear, Was never scene so sad and fair! Short halt did Deloraine make there; Little recked he of the scene so fair. With dagger's hilt, on the wicket strong, He struck full loud, and struck full long. The porter hurried to the gate— " Who knocks so loud and knocks so late?"— " From Branksome I," the warrior cried ; And straight the wicket opened wide : For Branksome's chiefs had in battled stood, To fence the rights of fair Melrose ; And lands and livings, many a rood, Had gifted the shrine for their souls' repose. Bold Deloraine his errand said ; The porter hent his humble head; With torch in hand, and feet unshod, And noiseless step, the path he trode : The arched cloisters, far and wide, Rang to the warrior's clanking stride; Till, stooping low his lofty crest, He entered the cell of the ancient priest, And lifted his barred aventayle, To hail the Monk of St. Mary's aisle. " The Ladye of Branksome greets thee by me; Says, that the fated hour is come, And that to-night I shall watch with thee, To win the treasure ...« less