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My fairest earldom would I give To bid Clan-Alpine's Chieftain live! 820 Hast thou no other boon to crave?

860 Hark! as my lingering footsteps slow retire,

No other captive friend to save?"
Blushing, she turn'd her from the King,
And to the Douglas gave the ring,
As if she wish'd her sire to speak
825 The suit that stain'd her glowing cheek.-
"Nay, then, my pledge has lost its force, 865
And stubborn justice holds her course.
Malcolm, come forth!" And at the word,
Down kneel'd the Græme to Scotland's
Lord.

830 For thee, rash youth, no suppliant sues,
From thee may Vengeance claim her dues,
Who, nurtured underneath our smile,
Hast paid our care by treacherous wile,
And sought, amid thy faithful clan,
835 A refuge for an outlaw'd man,

Dishonoring thus thy loyal name.
Fetters and warder for the Græme!"
His chain of gold the King unstrung,
The links o'er Malcolm's neck he flung,
840 Then gently drew the glittering band,
And laid the clasp on Ellen's hand.

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Some Spirit of the Air has waked thy string!

'Tis now a seraph bold, with touch of fire,
'Tis now the brush of Fairy's frolic
wing.

Receding now, the dying numbers ring
Fainter and fainter down the rugged

dell,

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O, Brignall banks are wild and fair,
And Greta woods are green,
And you may gather garlands there
Would grace a summer queen.
5 And as I rode by Dalton-hall,
Beneath the turrets high,

10

15

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"If, maiden, thou wouldst wend with me,
To leave both tower and town,
Thou first must guess what life lead we,
That dwell by dale and down.1

And if thou canst that riddle read,

As read full well you may,

Then to the greenwood shalt thou speed,
As blithe as Queen of May."

Yet sung she, "Brignall banks are fair,
And Greta woods are green;
I'd rather rove with Edmund there,
Than reign our English queen.

25 "I read you, by your bugle-horn,
And by your palfrey good,

30

I read you for a ranger sworn,
To keep the king's greenwood."
"A ranger, lady, winds his horn,
And 'tis at peep of light;

His blast is heard at merry morn,
And mine at dead of night."

Yet sung she, "Brignall banks are fair,
And Greta woods are gay;

35 I would I were with Edmund there,
To reign his Queen of May!

1 valley and hill

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