Edmund, the Admiral, Tunstal there, With thee their charge will blithely share ; There fight thine own retainers too, Beneath De Burg, thy steward true." "Thanks, noble Surrey!" Marmion said, Nor further greeting there he paid; But, parting like a thunder-bolt, First in the vanguard made a halt, Where such a shout there rose Of "Marmion! Marmion!" that the cry Up Flodden mountain shrilling high, Startled the Scottish foes. XXV. Blount and Fitz-Eustace rested still With Lady Clare upon the hill; On which, (for far the day was spent,) The western sun-beams now were bent. The cry they heard, its meaning knew, Could plain their distant comrades view: Sadly to Blount did Eustace say, "Unworthy office here to stay! No hope of gilded spurs to-day.- And sudden, as he spoke, From the sharp ridges of the hill, All downward to the banks of Till, Was wreathed in sable smoke; Volumed and vast, and rolling far, Nor martial shout, nor minstrel tone, At times one warning trumpet blown, At times a stifled hum, Told England, from his mountain-throne King James did rushing come. Scarce could they hear, or see their foes, Until at weapon-point they close.— They close, in clouds of smoke and dust, With sword-sway, and with lance's thrust; And such a yell was there, Of sudden and portentous birth, As if men fought upon the earth, O life and death were in the shout, Recoil and rally, charge and rout, And triumph and despair. Long looked the anxious squires; their eye Could in the darkness nought descry. XXVI. At length the freshening western blast Aside the shroud of battle cast; And, first, the ridge of mingled spears Then marked they, dashing broad and far The broken billows of the war, And plumed crests of chieftains brave, Floating like foam upon the wave; But nought distinct they see: Wide raged the battle on the plain; Spears shook, and faulchions flashed amain; Fell England's arrow-flight like rain; Crests rose, and stooped, and rose again, Wild and disorderly. Amid the scene of tumult, high They saw lord Marmion's falcon fly: And stainless Tunstall's banner white, And Edmund Howard's lion bright, Still bear them bravely in the fight; And many a rugged Border clan, With Huntley, and with Home. XXVII. Far on the left, unseen the while, Stanley broke Lennox and Argyle; Though there the western mountaineer Rushed with bare bosom on the spear, And flung the feeble targe aside, And with both hands the broad-sword plied: "Twas vain:-But Fortune, on the right, With fickle smile, cheered Scotland's fight. Then fell that spotless banner white, The Howard's lion fell; Yet still Lord Marmion's falcon flew With wavering flight, while fiercer grew Around the battle yell. The Border slogan rent the sky! A Home! a Gordon! was the cry; Loud were the clanging blows; Advanced,-forced back,-now low, now high, The pennon sunk and rose; As bends the bark's mast in the gale, When rent are rigging, shrouds, and sail, |