And, with their cries discordant mixed, THUS through the Scottish camp they passed, vi Where all around, a wakeful guard, Armed burghers kept their watch and ward. 5 When lay encamped, in field so near, At every turn, with dinning clang, 10 The armourer's anvil clashed and rang; Or axe, or faulchion, to the side Of jarring grindstone was applied. 15 Page, groom, and squire, with hurrying pace, Through street, and lane, and marketplace, Bore lance, or casque, or sword; While burghers, with important face, 20 And then to Holy-Rood must ride,— Such was the King's behest. Meanwhile the Lion's care assigns A banquet rich, and costly wines, To Marmion and his train; And when the appointed hour succeeds, The Baron dons his peaceful weeds, And following Lindesay as he leads, 30 The palace-halls they gain. OLD Holy-Rood rung merrily, That night, with wassell, mirth, and glee; King James within her princely bower By day the tourney, and by night The masquers quaint, the pageant bright, This feast outshone his banquets past; 35 vii 5 10 15 20 At dice and draughts the gallants vied; 25 Courted the ladies of their heart, Nor courted them in vain ; For often, in the parting hour, O'er coldness and disdain; Nor own her share of pain. 30 THROUGH this mixed crowd of glee and game, viii The King to greet Lord Marmion came, While, reverend, all made room. For royal were his garb and mien, 5 His cloak, of crimson velvet piled, 10 Trimmed with the fur of martin wild; His vest, of changeful satin sheen, The dazzled eye beguiled; His gorgeous collar hung adown, Wrought with the badge of Scotland's crown, 15 His trusty blade, Toledo right, Descended from a baldric bright; 20 His bonnet, all of crimson fair, And Marmion deemed he ne'er had seen A prince of such a noble mien. THE Monarch's form was middle size; ix For feat of strength, or exercise, And auburn of the darkest dye His short curled beard and hair. Light was his footstep in the dance, And firm his stirrup in the lists; And, oh he had that merry glance, That seldom lady's heart resists. Lightly from fair to fair he flew, 5 10 And loved to plead, lament, and sue;— Suit lightly won, and shortlived pain! For monarchs seldom sigh in vain. I said he joyed in banquet bower; And charged him, as her knight and love, For her to break a lance; And strike three strokes with Scottish brand, And march three miles on Southron land, 15 And bid the banners of his band In English breezes dance. And thus, for France's Queen he drest His inmost counsels still to share; And thus, for both, he madly planned And yet, the sooth to tell, 20 Nor England's fair, nor France's Queen, 25 Were worth one pearl-drop, bright and sheen, From Margaret's eyes that fell,— His own Queen Margaret, who, in Lithgow's bower, All lonely sat, and wept the weary hour. THE QUEEN sits lone in Lithgow pile, The war against her native soil, Upon the harp to play. Fair was her rounded arm, as o'er The strings her fingers flew ; xi 5 And as she touched and tuned them all, 10 And laughed, and blushed, and oft did say 20 She could not, would not, durst not play! G |