Her Father did with joy behold,—
Exulting in its imagery;

A Banner, fashioned to fulfil
Too perfectly his headstrong will:
For on this Banner had her hand

Embroidered (such her Sire's command)
The sacred Cross; and figured there
The five dear wounds our Lord did bear;
Full soon to be uplifted high,

And float in rueful company!

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355

365

It was the time when England's Queen 360 Twelve years had reigned, a Sovereign dread; Nor yet the restless crown had been Disturbed upon her virgin head; But now the inly-working North Was ripe to send its thousands forth, A potent vassalage, to fight In Percy's and in Neville's right, Two Earls fast leagued in discontent, Who gave their wishes open vent; And boldly urged a general plea, The rites of ancient piety

370

And sunshine to a dangerous strife;
That Banner, waiting for the Call,
Stood quietly in Rylstone-hall.

It came; and Francis Norton said,
"O Father! rise not in this fray-
The hairs are white upon your head;
Dear Father, hear me when I say
It is for you too late a day!

380

Bethink you of your own good name:
A just and gracious Queen have we,
A pure religion, and the claim
Of peace on our humanity.—
'Tis meet that I endure your scorn;
I am your son, your eldest born;
But not for lordship or for land,
My Father, do I clasp your knees;
The Banner touch not, stay your hand,
This multitude of men disband,
And live at home in blameless ease;
For these my brethren's sake, for me;
And, most of all, for Emily!"

Tumultuous noises filled the hall;
And scarcely could the Father hear

That name-pronounced with a dying fall—
The name of his only Daughter dear,
As on the banner which stood near

385

390

395

401

He glanced a look of holy pride,
And his moist eyes were glorified;
Then did he seize the staff, and say;

405

66

Thou, Richard, bear'st thy father's name,

Keep thou this ensign till the day

When I of thee require the same:
Thy place be on my better hand;-
And seven as true as thou, I see,
Will cleave to this good cause and me."
He spake, and eight brave sons straightway
All followed him, a gallant band!

Thus, with his sons, when forth he came
The sight was hailed with loud acclaim
And din of arms and minstrelsy,
From all his warlike tenantry,

410

415

All horsed and harnessed with him to ride,— A voice to which the hills replied!

But Francis, in the vacant hall,
Stood silent under dreary weight,-
A phantasm, in which roof and wall
Shook, tottered, swam before his sight;
A phantasm like a dream of night!
Thus overwhelmed, and desolate,
He found his way to a postern-gate;
And, when he waked, his languid eye
Was on the calm and silent sky;
With air about him breathing sweet,

420

425

And earth's green grass beneath his feet; 430 Nor did he fail ere long to hear

A sound of military cheer,

Faint-but it reached that sheltered spot;

He heard, and it disturbed him not.

There stood he, leaning on a lance

Which he had grasped unknowingly,

Had blindly grasped in that strong trance,

435

That dimness of heart-agony;

There stood he, cleansed from the despair
And sorrow of his fruitless prayer.

440

The past he calmly hath reviewed:

But where will be the fortitude

Of this brave man, when he shall see

That Form beneath the spreading tree,
And know that it is Emily?

445

view

He saw her where in open
She sate beneath the spreading yew-
Her head upon her lap, concealing
In solitude her bitter feeling:
"Might ever son command a sire,

450

The act were justified to-day."

This to himself-and to the Maid,

Whom now he had approached, he said—

"Gone are they,-they have their desire;

455

And I with thee one hour will stay,
To give thee comfort if I may."

She heard, but looked not up, nor spake; And sorrow moved him to partake

Her silence; then his thoughts turned round, And fervent words a passage found.

"Gone are they, bravely, though misled; With a dear Father at their head! The Sons obey a natural lord;

460

The Father had given solemn word
To noble Percy; and a force

465

Still stronger bends him to his course.
This said, our tears to-day may fall
As at an innocent funeral.

In deep and awful channel runs
This sympathy of Sire and Sons;
Untried our Brothers have been loved
With heart by simple nature moved;
And now their faithfulness is proved:
For faithful we must call them, bearing
That soul of conscientious daring.
-There were they all in circle-there
Stood Richard, Ambrose, Christopher,
John with a sword that will not fail,
And Marmaduke in fearless mail,

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475

And those bright Twins were side by side; 480
And there, by fresh hopes beautified,
Stood He, whose arm yet lacks the power
Of man, our youngest, fairest flower!
I, by the right of eldest born,
And in a second father's place,
Presumed to grapple with their scorn,
And meet their pity face to face;
Yea, trusting in God's holy aid,
I to my Father knelt and prayed;

485

And one, the pensive Marmaduke,
Methought, was yielding inwardly,
And would have laid his purpose by,
But for a glance of his Father's eye,
Which I myself could scarcely brook.

66

Then be we, each and all, forgiven! Thou, chiefly thou, my Sister dear,

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495

Whose pangs are registered in heaven

The stifled sigh, the hidden tear,

And smiles, that dared to take their place,

Meek filial smiles, upon thy face,

500

As that unhallowed Banner grew
Beneath a loving old Man's view.
Thy part is done-thy painful part;
Be thou then satisfied in heart!
A further, though far easier, task
Than thine hath been, my duties ask;
With theirs my efforts cannot blend,
I cannot for such cause contend;
Their aims I utterly forswear;
But I in body will be there.
Unarmed and naked will I go,

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510

Be at their side, come weal or woe:

On kind occasions I may wait,

See, hear, obstruct, or mitigate.

Bare breast I take and an empty hand.".

515

Therewith he threw away the lance,

Which he had grasped in that strong trance; Spurned it, like something that would stand Between him and the pure intent

Of love on which his soul was bent.

"For thee, for thee, is left the sense

Of trial past without offence

520

1 See the Old Ballad,-"The Rising of the North."