But who shall teach my harp to gain A sound of the romantic strain, Whose Anglo-Norman tones whilere Could win the royal Henry's ear, 140 Famed Beauclerk call'd, for that he loved The minstrel, and his lay approved? Who shall these lingering notes redeem, Decaying on Oblivion's stream; Such notes as from the Breton tongue 145 Marie translated, Blondel sung?-- O! born, Time's ravage to repair, And make the dying Muse thy care; Who, when his scythe her hoary foe Was poising for the final blow, 150 The weapon from his hand could wring, And break his glass, and shear his wing, And bid, reviving in his strain, The gentle poet live again; Thou, who canst give to lightest lay 155 An unpedantic moral gay, Nor less the dullest theme bid flit On wings of unexpected wit; In letters as in life approved, Example honour'd, and beloved,-- 160 Dear ELLIS! to the bard impart A lesson of thy magic art, To win at once the head and heart,-- At once to charm, instruct, and mend, My guide, my pattern, and my friend! 165 Such minstrel lesson to bestow Be long thy pleasing task,--but, O! No more by thy example teach,-- What few can practise, all can preach,-- With even patience to endure 170 Lingering disease, and painful cure, And boast affliction's pangs subdued By mild and manly fortitude. Enough, the lesson has been given: Forbid the repetition, Heaven! 175 Come listen, then! for thou hast known, And loved the Minstrel's varying tone, Who, like his Border sires of old, Waked a wild measure rude and bold, Till Windsor's oaks, and Ascot plain, 180 With wonder heard the northern strain. Come listen! bold in thy applause, The Bard shall scorn pedantic laws; And, as the ancient art could stain Achievements on the storied pane, 185 Irregularly traced and plann'd, But yet so glowing and so grand,-- So shall he strive, in changeful hue, Field, feast, and combat, to renew, And loves, and arms, and harpers' glee, 191 And all the pomp of chivalry. CANTO FIFTH. THE COURT. I. The train has left the hills of Braid; The barrier guard have open made (So Lindesay bade) the palisade, That closed the tented ground; Their men the warders backward drew, 5 And carried pikes as they rode through, Into its ample bound. Fast ran the Scottish warriors there, Upon the Southern band to stare. And envy with their wonder rose, 10 To see such well-appointed foes; Such length of shafts, such mighty bows, So huge, that many simply thought, But for a vaunt such weapons wrought; And little deem'd their force to feel, 15 Through links of mail, and plates of steel, When rattling upon Flodden vale, The cloth-yard arrows flew like hail. II.