At dawn the towers of Stirling rang
With soldier step and weapon clang,
While drums, with rolling note, foretell
Relief to weary sentinel.
Through narrow loop and casement barr’d,
The sunbeams sought the Court of Guard,
And, struggling with the smoky air,
Deaden’d the torches’ yellow glare.
In comfortless alliance shone
The lights through arch of blacken’d stone,