Ossian Collection > Aspects of poetry

XII.] 'THE WHITE DOE OF RYLSTONE: 357
Emily had wrought with her own hands, but against
her will, in obedience to her father.
' That banner, waiting for the call,
Stood quietly in Rylstone Hall.'
At length the call came, and at the summons Norton
and his sons go forth to join the two Earls, who were
in arms for the Catholic cause. With eight sons he
went ; but one, Francis, the eldest, would not go. He,
and his only sister, who had received the Reformed
faith long ago from their mother ere she died, now look
with sorrow and foreboding on the rash enterprise, in
which their father and brothers are going forth. Francis
makes one effort to avert their fate ; he throws him-
self at his father's feet, and though he knew he would
be scorned as a recreant, entreats him to hold his
hand, and not to join the rising, urging many reasons,
— most of all, would he thus forsake his only daughter ?
In vain — the old man goes forth from the hall, and
is received with shouts by the assembled tenantry, and
all together, squire and vassals, march off to Brance-
peth Castle, the trysting-place.
Here was a passage of which Scott would have made
much ; the gathering around the old hall of the yeomen
of Rylstone, their marching forth, and their reception
by their confederates at Brancepeth. Of this there is
scarce a hint in Wordsworth. He turns aside, wholly
occupied with the brother and sister left behind.