Poetry > Lady of the lake

212
THE LADY OF THE LAKE.
Canto V
Save as an outlaw’d desperate man,
The chief of a rebellious clan,
Who in the Regent’s court and sight,
With ruffian dagger stabb’d a knight:
Yet this alone might from his part
Sever each true and loyal heart.”
VI.
Wrothful at such arraignment foul,
Dark lower’d the clansman’s sable scowl.
A space he paused, then sternly said,
“ And heard’st thou why he drew his blade ?
Heard’st thou that shameful word and blow
Brought Roderick’s vengeance on his foe ?
What reck’d the Chieftain if he stood
On Highland heath, or Holy-Rood ?
He rights such wrong where it is given,
If it were in the court of heaven.”—
“ Still was it outrage ;—yet, ’tis true,
Not then claim’d sovereignty his due ;
While Albany, with feeble hand,
Held borrow’d truncheon of command,
The young King, mew’d in Stirling tower,
Was stranger to respect and power.1
1 There is scarcely a more disorderly period in Scottish historj
than that which succeeded the battle of Flodden, and occupied
the minority of James Y. Feuds of ancient standing broke out
like old wounds, and every quarrel among the independent no¬
bility, which occurred daily, and almost hourly, gave rise to fresh