At Ladykirk the cover lay,
Where, steep and high, a birken brae
Hangs o’er the river Tweed:
Hence many a fox the hounds have driven,
Whose dirtied brush has oft been given,
The foremost horseman’s meed.
This bank, in former days, has been
Sad witness of a different scene;
When Norham’s border castle rang
With England’s war foreboding clang;
When threatened feud was heard to sound
Defiance to the Scottish ground;
When cannon roared from Norham’s wall,
The English border clans to call:
Then flew the fox this brae of birk,
And far from Scottish Ladykirk;
And sought he, much against his will,
The safe retreat of Chiviot hill.
VI.
Hither the hounds have bent their way,
And hither come the sportsmen gay:
Sure such a sight was never seen,
At tournament, or listed green.
The neighing steeds were seen to prance,
As through the copse-wood green they came:
The sounding whip displaced the lance,
And sport has banished feudal flame.
In every face a smile of joy,
From titled peer, to huntsman-boy;
In every eye a flash of fire;
A flash of hope, but not of ire:
In every heart joy’s transport bounds,
As into cover dash the hounds:
And in they dash with such a clang,
That Norham’s empty castle rang:
And every bush in tremor shook,
And every sapling waved on high;
Each horseman gazed with eager look,
Or listened for the joyous cry:
And sideways on their steeds they sat,
With side-placed cap, or side-placed hat.
VII.
But when they hear the well known hound
Proclaim the rascal to be found,
High beats each gallant sportsman’s heart
To take the lead, or have the start.
And now the banks of Ladykirk
Ring with the pack’s melodious cry;
And waves its head, each verdant birk,
To merry notes of extacy.
O! how the hounds together dash,
And make the greenwood cover crash.
Poor Reynard! all your hopes are vain;
In vain you strive to tarry here;
Go seek the fields, or plains so drear;
At Ladykirk you can’t remain;
To Tweed’s green banks now bid adieu,
They ne’er again shall greet your view;
No more her murm’ring streams shall cheer,
With soothing notes, your listening ear.
VIII.
Now peeping from the copse so green,
The Fox’s cunning head is seen,
His ready ears turned back:
His open mouth his terror shows;
For time put off, full well he knows,
Will bring the eager pack.
So down towards the Tweed he steels,
With outstretched brush, and nimble heels;
When, hark! a horseman from below
Has given the welcome Tallyho!
Amazement filled the listening crew;
The note was strange, the voice was new:
Wondered they much who it could be
That shouted with such melody;
For such a voice, or such a sound,
Ne’er till this moment cheered a hound.
IX.
And round they gazing looked, when, lo!
The Goblin Groom is seen below,
Dressed as he was last night;
Save that a cap, place hat, he wore,
And neater looked he than before,
His leathers were more tight.
He strode a poney, lank and lean,
That looked as if astray ’t had been:
Dun was its hue, with flowing mane;
The tail was black, and like a train
Swept far behind the scented plain,
Save, when at speed, he whisking spread
It round the Goblin’s fated head;
Or to the spur, the sure reply
Was lashed across the Goblin’s thigh:
On every side, above, below,
The whisking tail was seen to flow.