THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. Walter Scott

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       And hop’st thou thence unscathed to go:

       No, by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no!

       Up drawbridge, grooms—what, warder, ho

       Let the portcullis fall.”

       Lord Marmion turned—well was his need,

       And dashed the rowels in his steed,

       Like arrow through the archway sprung,

       The ponderous gate behind him rung:

       To pass there was such scanty room,

       The bars descending razed his plume.

       XV

      The steed along the drawbridge flies,

       Just as it trembled on the rise;

       Nor lighter does the swallow skim

       Along the smooth lake’s level brim:

       And when Lord Marmion reached his band,

       He halts, and turns with clenched hand,

       And shout of loud defiance pours,

       And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

       “Horse! horse!” the Douglas cried, “and chase!”

       But soon he reined his fury’s pace:

       “A royal messenger he came,

       Though most unworthy of the name.

       A letter forged! Saint Jude to speed!

       Did ever knight so foul a deed!

       At first in heart it liked me ill,

       When the King praised his clerkly skill.

       Thanks to St. Bothan, son of mine,

       Save Gawain, ne’er could pen a line:

       So swore I, and I swear it still,

       Let my boy-bishop fret his fill.

       Saint Mary mend my fiery mood!

       Old age ne’er cools the Douglas blood,

       I thought to slay him where he stood.

       ‘Tis pity of him, too,” he cried:

       “Bold can he speak, and fairly ride,

       I warrant him a warrior tried.”

       With this his mandate he recalls,

       And slowly seeks his castle halls.

       XVI

      The day in Marmion’s journey wore;

       Yet, ere his passion’s gust was o’er,

       They crossed the heights of Stanrig Moor.

       His troop more closely there he scanned,

       And missed the Palmer from the band.

       “Palmer or not,” young Blount did say,

       “He parted at the peep of day;

       Good sooth it was in strange array.”

       “In what array?” said Marmion, quick.

       “My lord, I ill can spell the trick;

       But all night long, with clink and bang,

       Close to my couch did hammers clang;

       At dawn the falling drawbridge rang,

       And from a loophole while I peep,

       Old Bell-the-Cat came from the keep,

       Wrapped in a gown of sables fair,

       As fearful of the morning air;

       Beneath, when that was blown aside,

       A rusty shirt of mail I spied,

       By Archibald won in bloody work

       Against the Saracen and Turk:

       Last night it hung not in the hall;

       I thought some marvel would befall.

       And next I saw them saddled lead

       Old Cheviot forth, the earl’s best steed;

       A matchless horse, though something old,

       Prompt in his paces, cool, and bold.

       I heard the sheriff Sholto say,

       The earl did much the master pray

       To use him on the battle-day;

       But he preferred”—”Nay, Henry, cease

       Thou sworn horse-courser, hold thy peace.

       Eustace, thou bear’st a brain—I pray

       What did Blount see at break of day?”

       XVII

      “In brief, my lord, we both descried

       (For then I stood by Henry’s side)

       The Palmer mount, and outwards ride,

       Upon the earl’s own favourite steed:

       All sheathed he was in armour bright,

       And much resembled that same knight,

       Subdued by you in Cotswold fight:

       Lord Angus wished him speed.”

       The instant that Fitz-Eustace spoke,

       A sudden light on Marmion broke:

       “Ah! dastard fool, to reason lost!”

       He muttered; “‘Twas nor fay nor ghost

       I met upon the moonlight wold,

       But living man of earthly mould.

       O dotage blind and gross!

       Had I but fought as wont, one thrust

       Had laid De Wilton in the dust,

       My path no more to cross.

       How stand we now?—he told his tale

       To Douglas; and with some avail;

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