The warriors on the turrets high, Moving athwart the evening sky, Seemed forms of giant height : Their armour, as it caught the rays, Flashed back again the western blaze, In lines of dazzling light, II. St George's banner, broad and gay, Less bright, and less, was flung; The evening gale had scarce the power To wave it on the Donjon tower, So heavily it hung. The scouts had parted on their search, The castle gates were barr'd; Above the gloomy portal arch, Timing his footsteps to a march, The warder kept his guard, Low humming, as he paced along, Some ancient Border gathering song. III. A distant trampling sound he hears Beneath a pennon gay; a A horseman darting from the crowd, Beneath the sable palisade, His bugle-horn he blew ; The warder hasted from the wall, And joyfully that Knight did call, a This word properly applies to a flight of water-fowl; but is applied, by analogy, to a body of horse. IV. "Now broach ye a pipe of Malvoisie, Bring pasties of the doe, And quickly make the entrance free, And every minstrel sound his glee, Lord Marmion waits below." Then to the Castle's lower ward The iron-studded gates unbarred, Raised the portcullis' ponderous guard, The lofty palisade unsparred, And let the draw-bridge fall. V. Along the bridge Lord Marmion rode, Proudly his red-roan charger trod, His helm hung at the saddle bow; Well, by his visage, you might know A token true of Bosworth field; His eye-brow dark, and eye of fire, His forehead, by his casque worn bare, His square-turned joints, and strength of limb, VI. Well was he armed from head to heel, A falcon hovered on her nest, With wings outspread, and forward breast; E'en such a falcon, on his shield, Soared sable in an azure field: The golden legend bore aright, "WHO CHECKS AT ME, TO DEATH IS DIGHT." Blue was the charger's broidered rein; Blue ribbons decked his arching mane; The knightly housing's ample fold Was velvet blue, and trapp'd with gold. VII. Behind him rode two gallant squires, |