The Austrian nobles made their vow,

So hot their heart and bold, « On Switzer carles we'll trample now,

And slay both young and old.”

With clarion loud, and banner proud,

From Zurich on the lake, In martial and fair

array, Their onward march they make.

pomp

“ Now list, ye lowland nobles all,

Ye seek the mountain strand, Nor wot ye what shall be your

lot In such a dangerous land.

“ I rede ye, shrive you of your sins,

Before you further go;
A skirmish in Helvetian hills

May send your souls to woe.”

“ But where now shall we find a priest

Our shrift that he may hear ?"-
“ The Switzer priest* has ta'en the field,

He deals a penance drear.

“ Right heavily upon your head

He'll lay his hand of steel ;
And with his trusty partizan

Your absolution deal.”_

'Twas on a Monday morning then,

The corn was steep'd in dew,
And merry maids had sickles ta’en,

When the host to Sempach drew.

The stalwart men of fair Lucerne

Together have they join'd;

* All the Swiss clergy who were able to bear arms fought in this patriotic war.

The pith and core of manhood stern,

Was none cast looks behind.

It was the Lord of Hare-castle,

And to the Duke he said,

“ Yon little band of brethren true

Will meet us undismay'd.”—

“ O Hare-castle, * thou heart of hare !"

Fierce Oxenstern replied. “ Shalt see then how the

game

will fare, The taunted knight replied.

There was lacing then of helmets bright,

And closing ranks amain ;
The peaks they hew'd from their boot-points

Might well nigh load a wain.t

* In the original, Haasenstein, or Hare-stone.

+ This seems to allude to the preposterous fashion, during the middle ages, of wearing boots with the points or peaks

And thus, they to each other said,

Yon handful down to hew

Will be no boastful tale to tell,

The peasants are so few.”

The gallant Swiss confederates there,

They pray'd to God aloud, And he display'd his rainbow fair

Against a swarthy cloud.

Then heart and pulse throb’d more and more

With courage firm and high,
And down the good confed’rates bore

On the Austrian chivalry.

turned upwards, and so long, that in some cases they were fastened to the knees of the wearer with small chains. When they alighted to fight upon foot, it would seem that the Austrian gentlemen found it necessary to cut off these peaks, that they might move with the necessary activity.

The Austrian Lion* 'gan to growl,

And toss his mane and tail ; And ball, and shaft, and cross-bow bolt

Went whistling forth like hail.

Lance, pike, and halberd, mingled there,

The game was nothing sweet ; The boughs of many a stately tree

Lay shiver'd at their feet.

The Austrian men-at-arms stood fast,

So close their spears they laid ; It chafed the gallant Winkelried,

Who to his comrades said

“ I have a virtuous wife at home,

A wife and infant son ;

* A pun on the Archduke's name, Leopold.