Or where the sable pine-trees shade
Dark Tomantoul and Auchnaslaid,
Dromouchty or Glenmore.

And yet, whate'er such legends say
Of warlike demon, ghost, or fay,
On mountain, moor, or plain,
Spotless in faith, in bosom bold,
True son of chivalry should hold
These midnight terrors vain;
For seldom have such spirits power
To harm, save in the evil hour
When guilt we meditate within,

Or harbor unrepented sin.".

Lord Marmion turned him half aside,
And twice to clear his voice he tried,
Then pressed Sir David's hand,-
But nought, at length, in answer said;
And here their further converse staid,
Each ordering that his band

Should bowne them with the rising day,
To Scotland's camp to take their way.
Such was the King's command.

470

475

480

485

XXIII.

Early they took Dun-Edin's road,

And I could trace each step they trode.
Hill, brook, nor dell, nor rock, nor stone,

Lies on the path to me unknown.

Much might it boast of storied lore;
But, passing such digression o’er,
Suffice it that their route was laid
Across the furzy hills of Braid.

G

490

495

115

They passed the glen and scanty rill,
And climbed the opposing bank, until
They gained the top of Blackford Hill.

XXIV.

Blackford! on whose uncultured breast,
Among the broom and thorn and whin,
A truant-boy, I sought the nest,
Or listed, as I lay at rest,

While rose, on breezes thin,
The murmur of the city crowd,
And, from his steeple jangling loud,
Saint Giles's mingling din.

Now, from the summit to the plain,
Waves all the hill with yellow grain;

500

505

510

And o'er the landscape as I look,

Nought do I see unchanged remain,

Save the rude cliffs and chiming brook.

To me they make a heavy moan,

Of early friendships past and gone.

XXV.

But different far the change has been,
Since Marmion, from the crown
Of Blackford, saw that martial scene
Upon the bent so brown:

Thousand pavilions, white as snow,
Spread all the Borough-moor below,
Upland and dale and down:-
A thousand did I say? I ween,

520

Thousands on thousands there were seen,

That chequered all the heath between

525

The streamlet and the town;

515

In crossing ranks extending far,

Forming a camp irregular;

Oft giving way, where still there stood

Some relics of the old oak wood,

That darkly huge did intervene,

And tamed the glaring white with green: Mol

In these extended lines there lay

A martial kingdom's vast array.)

XXVI.

For from Hebudes, dark with rain,
To eastern Lodon's fertile plain,
And from the Southern Redswire edge
To farthest Rosse's rocky ledge;
From west to east, from south to north,
Scotland sent all her warriors forth.
Marmion might hear the mingled hum
Of myriads up the mountain come;
The horses' tramp and tingling clank,
Where chiefs reviewed their vassal rank,
And charger's shrilling neigh;

And see the shifting lines advance,

530

mage expressim

While frequent flashed from shield and lance,

The sun's reflected ray.

535

540

545

XXVII.

Thin curling in the morning air,

The wreaths of failing smoke declare

To embers now the brands decayed,

Where the night-watch their fires had made.
They saw, slow rolling on the plain,

Full many a baggage-cart and wain,

550

And dire artillery's clumsy car,

By sluggish oxen tugged to war;

And there were Borthwick's Sisters Seven, Corone.

And culverins which France had given.
Ill-omened gift! the guns remain

The conqueror's spoil on Flodden plain.

555

560

XXVIII.

Nor marked they less, where in the air
A thousand streamers flaunted fair;

Various in shape, device, and hue,
Green, sanguine, purple, red, and blue,
Broad, narrow, swallow-tailed, and square,
Scroll, pennon, pensil, bandrol, there

O'er the pavilions flew.

Highest and midmost, was descried

The royal banner floating wide;

The staff, a pine-tree, strong and straight,
Pitched deeply in a massive stone,
Which still in memory is shown,

Yet bent beneath the standard's weight,
Whene'er the western wind unrolled
With toil the huge and cumbrous fold,
And gave to view the dazzling field,
Where, in proud Scotland's royal shield,
The ruddy lion ramped in gold.

XXIX.

Lord Marmion viewed the landscape bright,

He viewed it with a chief's delight,

Until within him burned his heart,

And lightning from his eye did part,
As on the battle-day;

Such glance did falcon never dart,

When stooping on his prey.

"Oh! well, Lord-Lion, hast thou said,

Were but a vain essay:

585

Thy King from warfare to dissuade

For, by Saint George, were that host mine,
Not power infernal nor divine

590

Should once to peace my soul incline,

Till I had dimmed their armor's shine
In glorious battle-fray!"

Answered the Bard, of milder mood:

That kings would think withal,

When peace and wealth their land has blessed,

'Tis better to sit still at rest

Than rise, perchance to fall."

595

For on the smoke-wreaths, huge and slow,

That round her sable turrets flow,

The morning beams were shed,

And tinged them with a lustre proud,

Like that which streaks a thunder-cloud.

610