Attempt > Volume 1 and Select writings

178
THE ATTEMPT
Dnmtfulir.
A BALLAD.
The ladie sits within her hower—
An angry heart an’ sair has she;
Sair mourns she for her dear lord, slain
By Moubray’s deed o’ treacherie.
An’ in her how’r she sits alane,
An’ neither high nor low will see,
An’ for revenge o’ Bruntfield’s bluid
Her widow’d heart cries greedilie.
Young Stephen owre to France has gane,
An’ there has learn’d the swordsman’s art—
That he may richt his father’s wrangs,
An’ plunge his steel in Moubray’s heart.
An’ to the king’s court has he hied;
An’, ’fore the king and nobles a’,
Has charged fause Moubray with the deed
That caused his father dear to fa’.
An’, on his bended knee, he cries,
“ A boon, a boon, my true liege lord;
Xow, grant me leave to this fause loon,
To prove his guilt at point o’ sword.”
When word was to fause Moubray brought,
A loud an’ scornfu’ laugh laughed he—
Says, “ His maun be a weel-skilled arm
That in the fight wad conquer me ! ”
The twa are met in deidly fight,
An’ thick an’ fast the blows fly roun’,
Till ae fell thrust o’ Moubray’s sword
Lays Stephen lifeless on the groun’.
The dame has heard the bluidy tale,
Hae tear she wept, nae word spak she ;
But, now, alas ! there are but twa
To richt kis wrangs instead o’ three.
An’ syne young Eoger’s gane to France,
An’ there has learn’d the swordsman’s art—
That he may richt his twa foul wrangs,
An’ plunge his steel in Moubray’s heart.
An’ if young Stephen’s heart was brave,
A braver heart has he, I trow;
An’ if young Stephen’s arm was stout,
A stouter arm has Boger now.
An’ he has ta’en a solemn aith—.
An’ keep it solemnly will he—
That he will hae fause Moubray’s life,
Or in the fight himsel’ will dee.
An’ he has met his deidly foe,
An’ fast, an’ fierce, an’ lang they fight;
For Moubray is a buirdly man,
An’ Boger is a skilful wight.