But on the holy cross he swore A brave revenge to take, On Denmark's proud and bloody sons, For Athelgiva's sake. This vow in Kenwurth's glorious field The gallant earl did pay; When Alfred's better star prevail'd, And England had her day. That day the Dane full dearly paid The price of lovers' blood: That day in Hubba's cloven helm The Saxon javelin stood. The bodies of the hapless three A single grave contains; And in the choir, with dirges due, Are laid their cold remains. Lord Ardolph on his children's tomb Inscribed th' applauding verse; And long the monks, in gothic rhyme, Their story did rehearse. And often pointing to the skies, The cloister'd maids would cry, "To those bright realms, in bloom of youth, Did Athelgiva fly." FOOTNOTE: [Footnote 1: The famous _Reafen_, or enchanted standard, in which the Danes put great confidence. It contained the figure of a raven, which had been inwoven, by the three sisters of Hinguar and Hubba, with many magical incantations, and which, by its different movements, prognosticated, as the Danes believed, the good or bad success of any enterprise.] THE BATTLE OF CUTON MOORE. In the year 1138, David, king of Scotland, invaded the north of England with a numerous army, in aid of the claim of the empress Matilda, his niece, against king Stephen. The fury of his massacres and ravages enraged the northern barons, who assembled an army and encamped near Northallerton. On Monday the 22nd of August, 1138, the standard was raised on Cowton Moor, three miles north of Northallerton, and after a severe contest the Scots were defeated and ten thousand of their number slain; the rest, with king David and prince Henry his son, retreated with difficulty to Carlisle. This engagement is sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, but generally the _Battle of the Standard_, from a long pole, "Like the mast of some tall ammiral," which Thurstan, archbishop of York, brought from the convent of Beverley. This was drawn on a four-wheeled carriage; and had on the top of it a silver crucifix, under which were suspended the banners of St. Peter of York, St. John of Beverley, and St. Wilfred of Ripon, and above all, in a silver pix, the consecrated host. The following ballad was first printed, by Mr. Evans, in 1784. The welkin[2] darke o'er Cuton Moore With drearye cloudes did low're-- The woeful carnage of that daye Sall Scotlande aye deplore. The river Tees full oft dyd sighe, As she roll'd her wynding floode, That ever her sylver tyde soe cleare Shoulde bee swell'd with human bloode! Kyng Davyd hee stode on the rising hille, And the verdante prospecte view'd; And hee sawe that sweete river that o'er the moore Roll'd on her sylver floode.