Rough with the gore of Pictish kings : ODE VIII. THE CRUSADE. By the Same. Bound for holy Palestine, “ Syrian virgins, wail and weep, “ English Richard ploughs the deep! “ Tremble, watchmen, as ye spy, " From distant towers, with anxious eye, “ The radiant range of shield and lance “ Down Damascus' hills advance : « From Sion's turrets as afar “ Ye ken the march of Europe's war! “ Saladin, thou paynim king “ From Albion's isle revenge we bring! “ On Acon's spiry citadel, Blondel led the tuneful band, Soon we kiss'd the sacred earth renew'd : “ Lo, the toilsome voyage past, “ Heaven's favour'd hills appear at last !. “ Object of our holy vow, “ We tread the Tyrian vallies now. " From Carmel's almond-shaded steep “ We feel the cheering fragrance creep: “ O’er Engaddi's shrubs of balm “ Waves the date-empurpled palm ; “ See, Lebanon's aspiring head “ Wide his immortal umbrage spread! “ Hail Cavalry, thou mountain hoar, By mocking pagans rudely trod, bright; " For thee, from Britain's distant coast, “ Lo, Richard leads his faithful host! “ Aloft in his heroic hand, “ Blazing like the beacon's brand, “ O'er the far-affrighted fields, " Resistless Kaliburn he wields. “ Proud Saracen, pollute no more “ The shrines by martyrs built of yore! " From each wild mountain's trackless crown “ In vain the gloomy castles frown: “ Thy battering engines, huge and high, “ In vain our steel-clad steeds defy; “ And rolling in terrific state, “ On giant-wheels harsh thunders grate. “ When eve has hush'd the buzzing camp, “ Amid the moon-light vapours damp, “ Thy necromantic forms, in vain, “ Haunt us on the tented plain, “ We bid those spectre-shapes avaunt, “ Salem, in antient majesty « Arise, and lift thee to the sky! “ Soon on thy battlements divine “ Shall wave the badge of Constantine. “ Ye Barons, to the sun unfold “ Our Cross with crimson wove and gold !" |