"'And it shall pass beneath the Cross, And save King Robert's vow, But other hands shall bear it back, Not, James of Douglas, thou!' "Now, by thy knightly faith, I pray, Sir Simon of the Lee-- For truer friend had never man Than thou hast been to me-- "If ne'er upon the Holy Land 'Tis mine in life to tread, Bear thou to Scotland's kindly earth The relics of her dead." The tear was in Sir Simon's eye As he wrung the warrior's hand-- "Betide me weal, betide me woe, I'll hold by thy command. "But if in battle front, Lord James, 'Tis ours once more to ride, No force of man, nor craft of fiend, Shall cleave me from thy side!" And aye we sail'd, and aye we sail'd, 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 armèd 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 turn'd aside, From the Cross in jeopardie! "Have down, have down, my merry men 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 ye 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, Not 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 honour'd 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, O but his glance was high!-- "There is not one of all my men But is as bold as I.