The morning beams were shed,
And tinged them with a luster proud,
Like that which streaks a thundercloud.
Such dusky grandeur clothed the height
Where the huge castle 1 holds its state,
And all the steep slope down,

Whose ridgy back heaves to the sky,
Piled deep and massy, close and high,
Mine own romantic town!

But northward far, with purer blaze,
On Ochil 2 mountains fell the rays,
And, as each heathy top they kissed,
It gleamed a purple amethyst.
Yonder the shores of Fife 3 you saw;
Here Preston-Bay and Berwick-Law;5
And, broad between them rolled,

6

The gallant Frith the eye might note,
Whose islands on its bosom float,
Like emeralds chased in gold.
Fitz-Eustace' heart felt closely pent;
As if to give his rapture vent,
The spur he to his charger lent,

And raised his bridle hand,

And, making demivolt 7 in air,

Cried, "Where's the coward that would not dare

To fight for such a land!"

The Lindesay smiled his joy to see,

Nor Marmion's frown repressed his glee.

1 Edinburgh Castle, on a hill in the central part of the city. 2 A range of low mountains northwest of Edinburgh.

A county bordering on the Frith of Forth.

4 East of Edinburgh.

5 A hill east of Edinburgh, near the coast of the North Sea.

6 Frith of Forth.

7 See Glossary.

XXXI.

Thus while they looked, a flourish proud,
Where mingled trump, and clarion loud,
And fife, and kettledrum,

And sackbut1 deep, and psaltery,1
And war pipe with discordant cry,
And cymbal clattering to the sky,
Making wild music bold and high,
Did up the mountain come;

The whilst the bells, with distant chime,
Merrily tolled the hour 2 of prime,
And thus the Lindesay spoke:

"Thus clamor still the war notes when
The King to mass his way has ta'en,
Or to Saint Catherine's 3 of Sienne,
Or Chapel of Saint Rocque.4
To you they speak of martial fame,
But me remind of peaceful game,
When blither was their cheer,
Thrilling in Falkland-woods the air,
In signal none his steed should spare,
But strive which foremost might repair
To the downfall of the deer.

XXXII.

"Nor less," he said, "when looking forth
I view yon Empress of the North

1 See Glossary.

Sit on her hilly throne,

2 Six A. M., the hour for morning prayer.

3 A convent just outside the walls of Edinburgh.

4 A small chapel on the Borough-moor.

5 A royal forest twenty-five miles north of Edinburgh.

6 That is, Edinburgh.

Her palace's imperial bowers,
Her castle, proof to hostile powers,
Her stately halls and holy towers

Nor less," he said, "I moan

To think what woe mischance may bring,
And how these merry bells may ring
The death dirge of our gallant King;

1

Or with the larum 1 call

The burghers 2 forth to watch and ward,3
'Gainst southern sack and fires to guard
Dun-Edin's leaguered 5 wall. -

But not for my presaging thought,
Dream conquest sure, or cheaply bought!
Lord Marmion, I say nay:

God is the guider of the field,

He breaks the champion's spear and shield,-
But thou thyself shalt say,

When joins yon host in deadly stowre,"
That England's dames must weep in bower,
Her monks the death mass sing;

For never saw'st thou such a power
Led on by such a King."

And now, down winding to the plain,
The barriers of the camp they gain,
And there they made a stay.-
There stays the Minstrel, till he fling
His hand o'er every Border string,
And fit his harp the pomp to sing,

Of Scotland's ancient Court and King,
In the succeeding lay.

3 The watch was the night guard; the ward, the day guard: hence "watch and ward" was to guard day and night.

4 Plunder.

6 Battle.

5 Beleaguered; besieged.

7 The palisade which inclosed the camp.

CANTO FIFTH.

THE COURT.

I.

HE train has left the hills of Braid;

THE

The barrier guard have open made

(So Lindesay bade) the palisade

That closed the tented ground;

Their men the warders backward drew,
And carried pikes 1 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,
To see such well-appointed foes;
Such length of shafts, such mighty bows,
So huge that many simply thought
But for a vaunt 2 such weapons wrought,
And little deemed their force to feel,
Through links of mail, and plates of steel,
When, rattling upon Flodden vale,
The cloth-yard arrows flew like hail.

II.

Nor less did Marmion's skillful view
Glance every line and squadron 3 through,
And much he marveled one small land

Could marshal forth such various band:
For men at arms were here,

Heavily sheathed in mail and plate,

1 "Carried pikes,” i.e., saluted, as in the modern "Present arms!" 3 Soldiers drawn up in the form of a square.

2 Show.

4 See Glossary.

Like iron towers for strength and weight,
On Flemish steeds of bone and height,
With battle-ax and spear.

Young knights and squires, a lighter train,
Practiced their chargers on the plain,
By aid of leg, of hand, and rein,
Each warlike feat to show,

To pass,1 to wheel, the croupe1 to gain,
And high curvet,1 that not in vain 2
The sword sway might descend amain
On foeman's casque below.

He saw the hardy burghers there

March armed, on foot, with faces bare,
For visor they wore none,

1

Nor waving plume, nor crest of knight;
But burnished were their corselets 1 bright,
Their brigantines, 1 and gorgets1 light,

1

1 See Glossary.

2 Horsemen add weight to their stroke by the action of the horse.

3 Under the feudal system a man held property from his lord, and in return was obliged to fight for him when summoned, and to appear with forty days' provisions.