Sir Walter Scott

It Was an English Ladye Bright

It Was an English Ladye Bright - meaning Summary

Love Rules Despite Tragedy

This narrative ballad recounts an English lady who loves a Scottish knight despite her family’s opposition. Gifts and insults escalate into violence: the lady dies in her lover’s arms after drinking wine, he kills her brother in revenge, then takes the cross and dies fighting in Palestine. Refrain and tone insist that love remains dominant even amid tragedy and cross-border conflict.

Read Complete Analyses

It was an English ladye bright, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) And she would marry a Scottish knight, For Love will still be lord of all. Blithely they saw the rising sun When he shone fair on Carlisle wall; But they were sad ere day was done, Though Love was still the lord of all. Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall; Her brother gave but a flask of wine, For ire that Love was lord of all. For she had lands both meadow and lea, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall, And he swore her death, ere he would see A Scottish knight the lord of all. That wine she had not tasted well (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) When dead, in her true love's arms, she fell, For Love was still the lord of all! He pierced her brother to the heart, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall:-- So perish all would true love part That Love may still be lord of all! And then he took the cross divine, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall, And died for her sake in Palestine; So Love was still the lord of all. Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) Pray for their souls who died for love, For Love shall still be lord of all!

default user
PoetryVerse just now

Feel free to be first to leave comment.

8/2200 - 0