BY WILLIAM STROUD.

[About 1620.]

WHEN whispering winds that creeping steal,
Distil soft passions through the heart;

And when at every touch we feel

Our senses join and bear a part;
When threats can make
A heart-string ache;-
Philosophy

Can scarce deny

Our souls are made of harmony.

When unto heavenly joys we fain
Whate'er the soul affecteth most;

Which only thus we can explain,
By Music of the heavenly host;
Whose lays, we think,
Make stars to wink ;-

Philosophy

Will ne'er deny

Our souls consist of harmony.

O lull me, lull me, charming Air!

My senses rock with wonders sweet:
Like snow on wool thy fallings are;

Soft, like a spirit's, are thy feet!—
Grief, who needs fear,

That hath an ear?

Down let him lie,

And slumb'ring die,

And change his soul for harmony!

JAMIESON.

THE RED-CROSS KNIGHT.*

BLOW, Warder! blow thy sounding horn,
And thy banner wave on high;

For the Christians have fought in the Holy Land,
And have won the victory!

Loud, loud the warder blew his horn,

And his banner waved on high:

"Let the mass be sung, and the bells be rung,
And the feast eat merrily!"

Then bright the castle banners shone

On every tower on high,

And all the minstrels

sang

aloud

term,

For the Christians' victory:

And loud the warder blew his horn,

On every turret high,—

"Let the mass be sung, and the bells be rung,
And the feast eat merrily!"

The warder he looked from the tower on high,

As far as he could see:

"I see a bold Knight! and by his red cross,
He comes from the East country."

* The preceding Ballads of this Selection may be distinguished by the "Ancient Ballads;" being supposed to be, generally speaking, and in their original state, not less than two hundred years old. Those that follow, have, for the most part, been written within the last seventy years; and several of them, since the commencement of the present Century.

THE RED-CROSS KNIGHT.

Then loud that warder blew his horn;

And called, till he was hoarse,—

"There comes a bold Knight, and on his shield bright He beareth a flaming cross."

Then down the Lord of the castle came,

The Red-cross Knight to meet ;

And when the Red-cross Knight he 'spied,

Right loving he did him greet:

"Thou 'rt welcome here, Sir Red-cross Knight,

For thy fame's well known to me!

And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung, And we'll feast right merrily!"

66

Oh, I am come from the Holy Land,
Where Christ did live and die;

Behold the device I bear on my shield,

The Red-cross Knight am I :

And we have fought in the Holy Land.

And we've won the victory;

For with valiant might, did the Christians fight,
And made the proud Pagans fly."

“Thou 'rt welcome here, dear Red-cross Knight!

Come, lay thy armour by;

And, for the good tidings thou dost bring,

We'll feast us merrily:

For all in my castle shall rejoice,

That we've won the victory;

And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung,

And the feast eat merrily!"

Oh, I cannot stay" (cried the Red-cross Knight),

But must go to my own country;

Where manors and castles will be my reward,

And all for my bravery."

"Oh! say not so, thou Red-cross Knight!

But if you'll bide with me,

With manors so wide, and castles beside,
I'll honour thy bravery."

"I cannot stay (cried the Red-cross Knight),
Nor can I bide with thee:

But I must haste to my king and his knights,
Who 're waiting to feast with me."

"Oh! mind them not, dear Red-cross Knight!
But stay and feast with me;

And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung, And we'll banquet merrily!"

"I cannot stay (cried the Red-cross Knight), Nor can I feast with thee:

But I must haste to a pleasant bower,

Where a lady's waiting for me!"

"O say not so, dear Red-cross Knight,
Nor heed that fond lady;

For she can 't compare with my daughter so rare,
And she shall attend on thee."

"Now must I go (said the Red-cross Knight),
For that lady I'm to wed;

And the feast-guests and bride-maids all are met,
And prepared the bridal bed!"

"Now nay! now nay! thou Red-cross Knight,

My daughter shall wed with thee:

And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung, And we'll feast right merrily!"

And now the silver lute's sweet sound
Re-echoed through the hall,

And in that lord's fair daughter came,
With her ladies clad in pall;

That lady was decked in costly robes,

And shone as bright as day;

And with courtesy sweet the knight she did greet,
And pressed him for to stay.

66

'Right welcome, brave Sir Red-cross Knight!
Right welcome unto me:

And here I hope long time thou 'lt stay,

And bear us company;

And for thy exploits in the Holy Land,
That hath gained us the victory,

The mass shall be sung, and the bells be rung,
And we'll feast right merrily!"

'Though ever thou press me, lady fair!
I cannot stay with thee."

That lady frowned, to hear that knight

So slight her courtesy.

"It grieves me much, thou lady fair!
That here I cannot stay;

For a beauteous lady is waiting for me,
Whom I've not seen many a day."

"Now fie on thee, uncourteous knight!
Thou shouldst not say me nay:

As for the lady that's waiting for thee,
Go see her another day.

So say no more; but stay, brave knight !

And bear us company;

And the mass shall be sung, and the bells shall be rung,

And we'll feast right merrily!"