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That heart, fhe faid, is lightly priz❜d,
Which is too lightly won;
And long fhall rue that eafy maid,
Who yields her love too soon.

Lord PERCY made a folemn feaft
In Alnwick's princely hall;

And there came lords, and there came knights,
His chiefs and barons all.

With waffel mirth, and revelry

The castle rung around:

Lord PERCY, call'd for fong and harp,
And pipes of martial found.

The Minstrels of thy noble house,
All clad in robes of blue,
With filver crefcents on their arms
Attend in order due.

The great atchievements of thy race They fung: their high command: "How valiant Mainfred o'er the feas "Firft led his northern band.*

"Brave Galfred next to Normandy
"With venturous Rollo came;
"And from his Norman Castles won
"Affum'd the PERCY name.t

See Dugdale's Baronage, pag. 269, &c.

In lower Normandy are three places of the name of PERCY: whence the family took the furname of De PERCY.

"They fung, how in the conqueror's fleet
"Lord William fhip'd his powers,
"And gain'd a fair young Saxon bride
"With all her lands and towers. *

"Then journeying to the Holy Land,
"There bravely fought and dy'd:
"But firft the filver Crefcent wan,
"Some Paynim Soldan's pride.

"They fung how Agnes, beauteous heir,
"The queen's own brother wed
"Lord Jofceline, fprung from Charlemagne,
"In princely Brabant bred. †

* William de Percy, (fifth in descent from Galfred or Geffrey de Percy, fon of Mainfred,) affifled in the conquest of England, and had given him the large poffeffions in Yorkshire, of Emma de Porte, (fo the Norman writers name her,) whose father, a great Saxon lord, had been slain fighting along with Harold. This young lady, William from a principle of honour and generofity, married: for having had all her lands beftowed upon him by the conqueror, "he (to use the "words of the old Whitby Chronicle) wedded hyr that

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was very heire to them, in difcharging of his confci"ence." See Harl. MSS. 692. (26)-He died at Mountjoy near Jerufalem in the firft crufade.

+ Agnes de Percy, fole heirefs of her houfe, married Fofceline de Lovain, youngest fon of Godfrey Barbatus, duke of Brabant, and brother of queen Adeliza, fecond wife of king Henry I. He took the name of Percy, and was ancestor of the earls of Northumberland. His fon lord Richard de Percy was one of the twenty-fix barons, chofen to fee the Magna Charta duly obferved.

"How he the PERCY name reviv'd, "And how his noble line

"Still foremost in their country's cause "With godlike ardour shine:"

With loud acclaims the liftening crowd
Applaud the masters' fong,
And deeds of arms and war became
The theme of every tongue.

Now high heroic acts they tell,
Their perils paft recall:

When, lo! a damfel young and fair
Step'd forward thro' the hall.

She Bertram courteously addrefs'd;
And kneeling on her knee;
Sir knight, the lady of thy love
Hath fent this gift to thee.

Then forth the drew a glittering helme
Well-plated many a fold,

The cafque was wrought of tempered fteel,
The crest of burnish'd gold.

Sir knight, thy lady fends thee this,
And yields to be thy bride,
When thou haft prov'd this maiden gift
Where sharpeft blows are try❜d.

Young Bertram took the fhining helme
And thrice he kifs'd the fame :
Trust me, I'll prove this precious cafque
With deeds of noblest fame.

Lord PERCY and his baron's bold
Then fix upon a day

To fcour the marches, late opprefs'd
And Scottish wrongs repay.

The knights affembled on the hills
A thousand horfe and more;
Brave Widdrington, tho' funk in years,
The PERCY-ftandard bore.

Tweed's limpid current foon they pass,
And range the borders round;
Down the green flopes of Tiviotdale
Their bugle horns refound.

As when a lion in his den
Hath heard the hunters' cries,
And rushes forth to meet his foes,
So did the DOUGLAS rife.

Attendant on their chief's command
A thoufand warriors wait;
And now the fatal hour drew on
Of cruel keen debate.

A chofen troop of Scottish youths
Advance before the reft;

Lord PERCY mark'd their gallant mein,
And thus his friend addrefs'd.

Now, Bertram, prove thy Lady's helme, Attack yon forward band;

Dead or alive I'll refcue thee,

Or perish by their hand.

Young Bertram, bow'd with glad affent,
And fpur'd his eager fteed,
And calling on his Lady's name.
Rufh'd forth with whirlwind speed.

As when a grove of Sapling oaks
The livid lightning rends;
So fiercely 'mid the oppofing ranks
Sir Bertram's fword defcends.

This way and that he drives the fteel,
And keenly pierces thro';
And many a tall and comely knight
With furious force he flew

Now clofing faft on every fide
They hem Sir Bertram round:
But dauntless he repels their rage,
And deals forth many a wound.

The vigour of his fingle arm
Had well-nigh won the field;
When ponderous fell a Scottish axe,
And clove his lifted shield.

Another blow his temples took,
And reft his helme in twain
That beauteous helme his lady's gift!
His blood bedewed the plain.

Lord PERCY faw his champion fall
Amid the unequal fight

And now, my noble friends, he faid,
Let's fave this gallant knight.

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