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Stay and detain him till I reach the castle.

[Exit Lady RANDOLPH.

Anna. Oh happiness! where art thou to be found? I see thou dwellest not with birth and beauty, 'Tho' grac'd with grandeur and in wealth array'd : Nor dost thou, it would seem, with virtue dwell; Else had this gentle lady miss'd thee not.

Enter GLENALVON.

Glen. What dost thou muse on, meditating maid? Like some entranc'd and visionary seer,

On earth thou stand'st, thy thoughts ascend to heaven. Anna. Would that I were, e'en as thou say'st, a

seer,

To have my doubts by heavenly vision clear'd! 320 Glen. What dost thou doubt of? What hast thon

to do

With subjects intricate? Thy youth, thy beauty,
Cannot be questioned: think of these good gifts;
And then thy contemplations will be pleasing.

Anna. Let women view yon monument of woe,
Then boast of beauty: who so fair as she!
But I must follow; this revolving day

Awakes the mem'ry of her antient woes. [Exit ANNA. Glen. [solus] So!-Lady Randolph shuns me; by and by

I'll woo her as the lion wooes his brides.

The deed's a doing now, that makes me lord
Of these rich valleys, and a chief of pow'r.
The season is most apt; my sounding steps
Will not be heard amidst the din of arms.

Randolph has liv'd too long: his better fate
Had the ascendant once, and kept me down:
When I had seiz'd the dame, by chance he came,
Rescu'd, and had the lady for his labour;
1 'scap'd unknown; a slender consolation!
Heav'n is my witness that I do not love
To sow in peril, and let others reap
The jocund harvest. Yet I am not safe :
By love or something like it, stung, inflam'd,
Madly I blabb'd my passion to his wife,
And she has threaten'd to acquaint him of it.
The way of woman's will I do not know :
But well I know the Baron's wrath is deadly.
I will not live in fear: the man I dread
Is as a Dane to me: ay, and the man
Who stands betwixt me and my chief desire,
No bar but he; she has no kinsman near;
No brother in his sister's quarrel bold;
And for the righteous cause, a stranger's cause,
I know no chief that will defy Glenalvon.

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Exit.

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Court, &c. Enter Servants and a Stranger at onedoor, and Lady RANDOLPH and ANNA at another.

WHA

Lady Randolph.

HAT means this clamour? Stranger, speak secure ; Hast thou been wrong'd? Have these rude men pre

sum'd

To vex the weary traveller on his way?

F. Ser. By us no stranger ever suffered wrong;
This man with outcry wild has called us forth ;
So sore afraid he cannot speak his fears.

Enter Lord RANDOLPH and a young man, with their swords drawn and bloody.

Lady R. Not vain the stranger's fears! how fares my lord.

Lord R. That it fares well, thanks to this gallant

youth,

Whose valour sav'd me from a wretched death!

As down the winding dale I walk'd alone,

At the cross way four armed men attack'd me:
Rovers, I judge, from the licentious camp,
Who would have quickly laid lord Randolph low,
Had not this brave and generous stranger come,
Like my good angel, in the hour of fate,

And mocking danger, made my foes his own.

They turn'd upon him, but his active arm

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Struck to the ground, from whence they rose no more,
The fiercest two; the others fled amain,

And left him master of the bloody field.
Speak, lady Randolph; upon beauty's tongue
Dwell accents pleasing to the brave and bold.
Speak noble dame, and thank him for thy lord.
Lady R. My lord, I cannot speak what now I feel.
My heart o'erflows with gratitude to Heav'n,

And to this noble youth, who, all unknown
Το you and yours, deliberated not,

Nor paus'd at peril, but humanely brave,
Fought on your side against such fearful odds.
Have you not learn'd of him, whom we should thank?
Whom call the saviour of lord Randolph's life?
Lord R. I ask'd that question, and he answered not:
But I must know, who my deliverer is.

[To the Stranger. Stran. A low-born man, of parentage obscure, Who nought can boast but his desire to be

A soldier and to gain a name in arms.

Lord R. Whoe'er thou art, thy spirit is ennobl❜d By the great King of kings! thou art ordain'd And stamp'd a hero, by the sovereign hand Of Nature! blush not, flower of modesty As well as valour, to declare thy birth.

Stran. My name is Norval: on the Grampion hills My father feeds his flocks; a frugal swain, Whose constant cares were to increase his store,

And keep his only son, myself, at home.

For I had heard of battles, and I long'd

To follow to the field some warlike lord:

And Heav'n soon granted what my sire deny'd.
This moon which rose last night, round as my shield,
Had not yet fill'd her horns, when, by her light,
A band of fierce barbarians, from the hills,
Rush'd like a torrent down upon the vale,
Sweeping our flocks and herds. The shepherds fled
For safety and for succour. I alone,

With bended bow, and quiver full of arrows,
Hover'd about the enemy, and mark’d

The road he took; then hasted to my friends,
Whom, with a troop of fifty chosen men,
I met advancing. The pursuit I led,
'Till we o'ertook the spoil-encumber'd foe.
We fought and conquer'd. Ere a sword was drawn,
An arrow from my bow had pierc'd their chief,
Who wore that day the arms which now I wear.
Returning home in triumph, I disdain'd
The shepherd's slothful life; and having heard
That our good king had summoned his bold peers
To lead their warriors to the Carron side,

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I left my father's house, and took with me
A chosen servant to conduct my steps:-

Yon trembling coward, who forsook his master.
Journeying with this intent, I pass'd these towers,
And, Heaven-directed, came this day to do
The happy deed that gilds my humble name.

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Was ever tale

Lord Ran. He is as wise as brave. With such a gallant modesty rehears'd ?

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