"Sir James the Ross" गीत

It's all those Scottish lords and chiefs
Of high war-like name,
The bravest is Sir James the Ross,
That knight of many fame.

His growth was of the tuft that firmed
That crowned the mountain air,
And waving over his shoulder flew
His locks of yellow hair.

The chief then of the high clan Ross,
That firm undaunted being;
Five hundred warriors drew their swords
Beneath his high command.

In blood to fight twice hard he stood
Against the English king,
And two and twenty opening springs
This blooming youth had seen.

And fair Mathilda dear he loved,
That maid of beauty rare,
Yet Margaret on the Scottish throne
Was never half so fair.

Long had he woo' d and long she refused
With seeming scorn and pride,
Yet oft her eyes confessed the love
Her fearful words denied.

At last she dressed his well-tried feat
And allowed his tender claim,
And vow' d to him her virgin heart
That owned an equal fame.

One night they met as they did walk
Close in a shady wood,
And on the· bank beside this brook,
A blooming sulting stood.

Concealed· beneath this underwood
A crafty Daniel lay,
A brother to Sir John Graham,
To hear what they would say.

Thus the maid began: Dear sir,
Our passion disapproves
And bids me wed Sir John Graham
And leave the youth I love.

What do I hear is this I vow,
Sir John the Ross replied,
And will Mathilda wed Graham
When sworn to be my bride?

His sword shall sooner pierce my heart
Than rob me of my charm.
He pressed her to his beating breast
Fast locked within his arms.

I spoke to try thy love, she said,
I'll never wed man but thee,
The grave shall be my bridegroom bed
If Graham my husband be.

They parted thus, the sun was set;
Up hasty Daniel flies,
And turn thee, turn thee, beardless youth
He loud insulting cries.

And turned around this fearless chief
And soon his sword he drew,
For Daniel bled before his breast
And pierced his tartans through.

It's for my brother's spited love,
His wrong sits on my arm.
Three paces back this youth retired
To save himself from harm.

And turning swift his hand he raised,
Pierced Daniel's head above,
And through the brain and crashing bone
His sharp-edged weapon drove.

He staggered and reeled and tumbled down
Like a lump of breathless clay.
You follow my foe, cries gallant Ross,
And stately drove away.

To the green woods he gave read
Unto Lord Bolden's hall,
And at Mathilda's window stood,
And this began to call:

Is thou asleep, my dear,
Awake, my love, awake.
A luckless lover calls on thee
A long farewell to take.

For I have slain fierce Daniel Graham,
His blood it's on my sword
And far, far distant are my men
That shall desist [or assist] their lord.

To Skye I'll now direct my way
Where my two brothers bide;
I'll raise the valiants of that isle
To combat on my side.

Do not go, the maid replies;
With me 'til morning stay,
For dark and dreary is the night
And dangerous is the way.

All night I'll watch you in the park,
My foot-page back I'll send
In hopes to rouse the Ross's men
Their master to defend.

Beneath the bush she laid him down,
Wrapped within his plaid,
And trembling for her lover's fate
A distance stood the maid.

Swift flew the page over hills and dales
'Til in the lonely glen
He met the furious John Graham
And twenty of his men.

Where do you go, little page, he said,
So late who do descend?
I go to rouse the Ross's men
Their master to defend.

For he have slain fair Daniel Graham,
His blood it's on his sword,
And far, far distant are his men
That should assist their lord.

And has he slain my brother dear,
The furious Graham replied,
His honour blast my name, hesaid,
By me at morning dies.

Tell me where is Sir James the Ross,
I will thee well reward.
He sleeps unto Lord Bolden's park,
Mathilda is his guard.

They picked their staves with furious moves
And scoured along the way;
They reached Lord Bolden's lofty tower
By the dawning of the day.

Mathilda stood outside the gate,
To whom Graham did say:
Have you seen Sir James the Ross last night
Or did he pass this way?

Last day at noon, Mathilda cries,
Sir James the Ross passed by;
He picked his staves with furious moves
And onward past did drive.

By this he is at Edinburgh town,
If horse and men him good.
Your page then lied who said he was
Here sleeping in this wood.

She wrung her hands and tore her hair.
Brave Ross thou art betrayed,
And ruined by those very means
For whence I helped thy name.

By this the valiant knight awoke,
The virgin's shriek he heard,
He then rose up and drew his sword
When this fierce band appeared.

Your sword last night my brother slain,
His blood yet dims its shine,
And e'er the setting of the sun
Your blood shall reek on mine.

Your word is well, the chief replied,
But deeds will prove the men.
Set by your men and hand to hand
I'll try what valour can.

0 boasting high those cowards heard,
My hearty [or haughty?] sword he fear.
In showing from those folding fields
If he'll keep in the rear.

With dauntless steps he onward drove,
And dared him to the fight.
Graham gave back and from his aim
For well he knew its might.

Up comes his foe, his bravest foe,
And sank down beneath his sword,
And still they scorn the poor revenge
And sought this hearty [or haughty?] lord.

Behind him basely came Graham,
And pierced him through the side.
Out spouting comes the crimson tide
And all his tartans dyed.

But still the sword cut not the grip
Nor felled him to the ground,
Till through his enemy's heart with steel
He had forced this mortal wound.

Graham like a tree overthrown with wind
Fell breathless on the clay
And down beside him sinks brave Ross,
A-fainting, dying lay.

The sad Mathilda saw him fall.
0 spare his life, she cries,
Lord Bolden's daughter begs his life
Let her not be denied.

Her well-known voice the hero knew,
He raised his half-closed eyes,
And fixes them on the weeping maid
And weakly this replied:

In vain Mathilda begs the life,
My debt shall rest tonight.
My race is run, here doom, my love,
Then closed his eyes and died.

The sword yet warm from his left side
With frantic hand she drew,
I come, Sir James the Ross, she cries,
I come to follow you.

She lain the hilt against the ground,
And bared her snow-white breast,
And fell upon her lover's face
To sink to endless rest.

Another Version

Of all the Scottish northern chiefs
Of high and war-like fame,
The bravest was Sir James the Ross,
A knight of mighty name.

The fair Mathilda dear he loved,
A maid of high renown
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And bid her wed Sir James the Ross.

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Art thou asleep, Mathilda dear?
Awake, my love, I say,
A luckless lover on thee calls
A long farewell to take.

For I have slain Sir Donald Graham,
His blood lies on my sword,
And far, far distant are my men,
They can't assist their lord.

To Skye I'll now direct my way
Where my two brothers abide,
And rouse the combat of the ...
And combat on my side.

0 do not go, the maid replied,
With me 'til morning stay,
For dark and distant is the road
And dangerous is the way.

All night I'll watch you in the park,
My faithful page I'll send
To run and raise the Ross's clan
Their master to defend.

Swift ran the page o'er hill and dale
'Til in a lonely glen
He met the fierce Sir John Graham
With fifth of his men.

Where goest thou, little page, he said,
So late who did thee send?
I have to raise the Ross's clan
Their master to defend.

For he have slain Sir Donald Graham,
His blood lies on his sword,
And far, far distant are his men
That can't assist their lord.

Tell me where is Sir John the Ross,
I will thee well reward.
He sleeps within Lord Bohun's park,
Mathilda is his guide.

Outside the gate Mathilda stood,
To her the Graham did say:
Saw you Sir John the Ross,
Last night did he pass this way?

Last day at noon, Mathilda said,
Sir John the Ross passed by;
He spurred his steed with furious move,
'Tis onward fast did hie.

By this he's in Edinburgh
If horse and men holds good.
'Tis false, said he, your page told me
He sleeps within your wood.

She wrung her hands and tore her hair.
Brave Ross you are betrayed
And wounded by those means, she cried,
Of whence I hoped thine aid.

By this the gallant knight awoke,
The virgin's squeaks he heard,
And up he rose and drew his sword
As the undaunted band appeared.

Last day your sword my brother slew,
His blood yet dim with shine (it shines),
And e'er the setting of the sun,
Yours will reek on mine.

Your words are great, replied the chief,
But deeds approve the man,
Set by your band and hand to hand
We'll try what valour can.

Four of his men, the bravest four,
Fell down beneath his sword,
But still he scorned the high revenge
That sought their hearty [or haughty?] lord.

Behind him beastly came the Graham
And pierced him through the side
And spurting came the purple blood.

The sad Mathilda saw him fall.
0 spare his life, she cried;
Lord Bohun's daughter begs his life,
Let her not be denied.

Her loving voice the hero heard,
And raised his death-closed eyes,
And fixed them on the weeping maid
And weakly thus replied:

In vain Mathilda begs the life
Of death's arrest denied,
My race is run, adieu my love,
And closed his eyes and died.