To waft her back to Whitby fair. The courteous speech that passed between. Fair lady, grieve e'en from my heart, Think not discourtesy, But lords' commands must be obeyed; To your good kinsman, Lord Fitz-Clare."- She deemed she heard her death-doom read. "Nay, holy mother, nay," Fitz-Eustace said; "the lovely Clare Will be in Lady Angus' care, In Scotland while we stay; And, when we move, an easy ride Befitting Gloster's heir; H Nor thinks, nor dreams, my noble lord, To harass Lady Clare. Her faithful guardian he will be, That e'en to stranger falls, 20 Till he shall place her, safe and free. Within her kinsman's halls." He spoke, and blushed with earnest grace; 25 And Clare's worst fear relieved. For much of state she had,— Composed her veil, and raised her head, And—“ Bid,” in solemn voice she said, "Thy master, bold and bad, 30 35 xxxi 5 The records of his house turn o'er, And, when he shall there written see, Drove the Monks forth of Coventry, 10 Bid him his fate explore! Prancing in pride of earthly trust, His charger hurled him to the dust, God judge 'twixt Marmion and me; And I a poor recluse; 15 Yet oft, in holy writ, we see Even such weak minister as me 20 66 Fitz-Eustace, we must march our band; Saint Anton' fire thee! wilt thou stand By this good light! if thus we stay, 30 Lord Marmion, for our fond delay, Come, don thy cap, and mount thy horse ; Let him take living, land, and life; And if it be the King's decree, That I must find no sanctuary, In that inviolable dome, Where even a homicide might come, And safely rest his head, Though at its open portals stood, Thirsting to pour forth blood for blood, The kinsmen of the dead; xxxii 5 10 Yet one asylum is my own, Where kings have little power. Weeping and wailing loud arose 15 20 To cheer her strove in vain. BUT scant three miles the band had rode, xxxiii And sudden, close before them showed, Broad, massive, high, and stretching far, 5 And held impregnable in war. On a projecting rock they rose, And round three sides the ocean flows; The fourth did battled walls inclose, 10 And double mound and fosse. By narrow drawbridge, outworks strong, To the main court they cross. It was a wide and stately square: And towers of various form, 15 Here was square keep, there turret high, The gathering ocean-storm. 20 HERE did they rest.—The princely care xxxiv Of Douglas, why should I declare, Or say they met reception fair? Or why the tidings say, Which, varying, to Tantallon came, 5 By hurrying posts, or fleeter fame, With every varying day? And, first, they heard King James had won Etall, and Wark, and Ford; and then, Such acts to chronicles I yield; Go seek them there, and see: Mine is a tale of Flodden Field, And not a history. At length they heard the Scottish host |