Then to the cupbearer he said, 'Do me one kindly deed,

And should my better days return, full rich shall be thy meed;

He gathers wisdom that hath roamed seven twelve months and a day;

My daughter now hath fifteen years, fame speaks her sweet and fair,

bride so gay,

And crave her of her courtesy to pledge

the palmer gray.'

her for my heir.

They 've robed that maid, so poor and pale,

In silk and sandals rare;

And pearls, for drops of frozen hail,
Are glistening in her hair.

VERSES FROM IVANHOE

Published in 1819.

I

THE CRUSADER'S RETURN

From Chapter xvii.

HIGH deeds achieved of knightly fame,
From Palestine the champion came;
The cross upon his shoulders borne,
Battle and blast had dimmed and torn.
Each dint upon his battered shield
Was token of a foughten field;
And thus, beneath his lady's bower,
He sung, as fell the twilight hour:

'Joy to the fair!—thy knight behold,
Returned from yonder land of gold;
No wealth he brings, nor wealth can
need,

Save his good arms and battle-steed;
His spurs to dash against a foe,
His lance and sword to lay him low;
Such all the trophies of his toil
Such- and the hope of Tekla's smile!

Joy to the fair! whose constant knight
Her favor fired to feats of might!
Unnoted shall she not remain
Where meet the bright and noble train;
Minstrel shall sing, and herald tell -
"Mark yonder maid of beauty well,
'Tis she for whose bright eyes was won
The listed field at Ascalon!

From Chapter xxxi. "The fire was spreading rapidly through all parts of the castle, when Ulrica, who had first kindled it, appeared on a turret, in the guise of one of the ancient furies, yelling forth a war-song, such as was of yore chanted on the field of battle by the scalds of the yet heathen Saxons. Her long dishevelled gray hair flew back from her uncovered head, the inebriating delight of gratified vengeance contended in her eyes with the fire of insanity. and she brandished the distaff which she held in her hand, as if she had been one of the Fatal Sisters, who spin and abridge the thread of human life. Tradition has preserved some wild strophes of the barbarous hymn which she