Part II
And aye we sailed and aye we sailed,
Across the weary sea,
Until one morn the coast of Spain
Rose grimly on our lee.
And as we rounded to the port,
Beneath the watch-tower’s wall,
We heard the clash of the atabals,
And the trumpet’s wavering call.
“Why sounds yon Eastern music here
So wantonly and long,
And whose the crowd of armed men
That round yon standard throng?”
“The Moors have come from Africa
To spoil and waste and slay,
And King Alonzo of Castile
Must fight with them to-day.”
“Now shame it were,” cried good Lord James,
“Shall never be said of me,
That I and mine have turned aside
From the Cross in jeopardie!
“Have down, have down, my merrymen all—
Have down unto the plain;
We’ll let the Scottish lion loose
Within the fields of Spain!”
“Now welcome to me, noble Lord,
Thou and thy stalwart power;
Dear is the sight of a Christian Knight,
Who comes in such an hour!
“Is it for bond or faith you come,
Or yet for golden fee?
Or bring ye France’s lilies here,
Or the flower of Burgundie?”
“God greet thee well, thou valiant King,
Thee and thy belted peers—
Sir James of Douglas am I called,
And these are Scottish spears.
“We do not fight for bond or plight,
Nor yet for golden fee;
But for the sake of our blessed Lord,
Who died upon the tree.
“We bring our great King Robert’s Heart
Across the weltering wave,
To lay it in the holy soil
Hard by the Saviour’s grave.
“True Pilgrims we, by land or sea,
Where danger bars the way;
And therefore are we here, Lord King,
To ride with thee this day!”
The King has bent his stately head,
And the tears were in his eyne—
“God’s blessing on thee, noble Knight,
For this brave thought of thine!
“I know thy name full well, Lord James;
And honoured may I be,
That those who fought beside the Bruce
Should fight this day for me!
“Take thou the leading of the van,
And charge the Moors amain;
There is not such a lance as thine
In all the host of Spain!”
The Douglas turned towards us then,
Oh, but his glance was high!—
“There is not one of all my men
But is as bold as I.
“There is not one of all my Knights
But bears as true a spear—
Then onwards, Scottish gentlemen,
And think King Robert’s here!”