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The Past 1
The Banner of Broughton Tower 3
Giltstone Rock 15
Crier of Claife 19
Cuckoo of Borrodale 29
King Eveling 38
Sir Lancelot Threlkeld 44
Pan on Kirkstone 66
Saint Bega 73
Harts-Horn Tree 81
Bekan's Ghyll 88
The Chimes of Kirk-Sunken 102
The Raven on Kernal Crag 106
Lord Derwentwater's Lights 110
Laurels on Lingmoor 124
Vale of St. John 136
The Luck of Edenhall 143
Hob-Thross 153
The Abbot of Calder 162
The Armboth Banquet 170
Britta in the Temple of Druids 179
The Lady of Workington Hall 191
Altar upon Cross Fell 199
Willie o' Scales 209
Ermengarde 217
Gunilda 227
The Shield of Flandrensis 234
The Rooks of Furness 242
King Dunmail 255
The Bridals of Dacre 266
Threlkeld Tarn 279
Robin the Devil 284
The Lay of Lord Lucy of Egremond 295
Sölvar How 312
The Church among the Mountains 323
THE PAST.
(IN SIGHT OF DACRE CASTLE.)
Through yon old archway grey and broken
Rides forth a belted knight;
Upon his breast his true-love's token
And armour glittering bright.
His arm a fond adieu is waving,
And answering waves a hand
From one whose love her grief is braving--
The fairest of the land.
The trumpet calls, and plain and valley
Give forth their armed men;
And round the red-cross flag they rally,
From every dale and glen.
And she walks forth in silent sorrow,
Who was so blest to-day,
And thinks on many a lone to-morrow
In those old towers of grey.
From many a piping throat so mellow
The joyful song bursts forth:
On many a field the corn so yellow
Makes golden bright the earth.
And mountains o'er the green woods frowning
Close round the banner'd walls;
While mid-day sunshine, all things crowning,
In summer splendour falls.
But ours is not the age they walk in;
It is the years of yore:
And ours is not the tongue they talk in;
'Tis language used no more.
Yet many an eye in silence bending
O'er this unmurmur'd lay,
Beholds that knight the vale descending,
And feels that summer's day.
Lives it then not? Yes; and when hoary
Beneath our years we stand,
That scene of summer, love, and glory,
Shall still be on the land.
Truth from the earth itself shall perish
Ere that shall be no more;
The heart in song will ever cherish
What has been life of yore.