Attendant on a King-at-arms,

Whose hand the armorial truncheon held,

That feudal strife had often quelled,

When wildest its alarms.

VII.

He was a man of middle age;

In aspect manly, grave, and sage,
As on king's errand come;
But in the glances of his eye,
A penetrating, keen, and sly

Expression found its home;

The flash of that satiric rage,
Which, bursting on the early stage,

Branded the vices of the age,

And broke the keys of Rome.

On milk-white palfrey forth he paced;

His cap of maintenance was graced

With the proud heron-plume.

From his steed's shoulder, loin, and breast,

Silk housings swept the ground,

With Scotland's arms, device, and crest,

Embroidered round and round.

The double tressure might you see,

First by Achaius borne,

The thistle, and the fleur-de-lis,

And gallant unicorn.

So bright the king's armorial coat,

That scarce the dazzled eye could note,

In living colours blazoned brave,

The Lion, which his title gave.

A train, which well beseemed his state,
But all unarmed, around him wait.

Still is thy name in high account,

And still thy verse has charms,

Sir David Lindesay of the Mount,
Lord Lion King-at-Arms!

N

Down from his horse did Marmion spring

Soon as he saw the Lion-King,

For well the stately Baron knew,

To him such courtesy was due,

Whom royal James himself had crowned,

And on his temples placed the round

Of Scotland's ancient diadem;

And wet his brow with hallowed wine,
And on his finger given to shine

The emblematic gem.

Their mutual greetings duly made,

The Lion thus his message said :

"Though Scotland's King hath deeply swore,

Ne'er to knit faith with Henry more,

And strictly hath forbid resort

From England to his royal court,

Yet, for he knows Lord Marmion's name,

And honours much his warlike fame,

My liege hath deemed it shame, and lack

Of courtesy, to turn him back;

And, by his order, I, your guide,

Must lodging fit and fair provide,

Till finds King James meet time to see

The flower of English chivalry."

IX.

Though inly chafed at this delay,

Lord Marmion bears it as he may.

The Palmer, his mysterious guide,
Beholding thus his place supplied,
Sought to take leave in vain :

Strict was the Lion-King's command,

That none, who rode in Marmion's band,

Should sever from the train :

"England has here enow of spies
In Lady Heron's witching eyes;"
To Marchmount thus, apart, he said,
But fair pretext to Marmion made.
The right-hand path they now decline,
And trace against the stream the Tyne.

X.

At length up that wild dale they wind,

Where Crichtoun-Castle crowns the bank;

For there the Lion's care assigned

A lodging meet for Marmion's rank.

That Castle rises on the steep

Of the green vale of Tyne;

And far beneath, where slow they creep
From pool to eddy, dark and deep,

Where alders moist, and willows weep,

You hear her streams repine.

The towers in different ages rose e;

Their various architecture shows

The builders' various hands;

A mighty mass, that could oppose,
When deadliest hatred fired its foes,

The vengeful Douglas bands.

XI.

Crichtoun! though now thy miry court

But

pens the lazy steer and sheep,

Thy turrets rude, and tottered Keep,