1 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 rein'd his fury's pace; "A royal messenger he came, Though most unworthy of the name.- At first in heart it liked me ill, When the King praised his clerkly skill. With this his mandate he recalls, And slowly seeks his castle's halls. XVI. The day in Marmion's journey wore ; "In what array ?" said Marmion, quick. As fearful of the morning air ; Beneath, when that was blown aside, By Archibald won in bloody work, Old Cheviot forth, the Earl's best steed; I heard the Sheriff Sholto say, The Earl did much the Master* pray To use him on the battle-day; But he preferr'd"-" 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) * His eldest son, the Master of Angus. The Palmer mount, and outwards ride, Upon the Earl's own favourite steed; Lord Angus wish'd him speed." 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; "Twas therefore gloom'd his rugged brow. Will Surrey dare to entertain, 'Gainst Marmion, charge disproved and vain? Small risk of that, I trow. Yet Clare's sharp questions must I shun; O what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive!— A Palmer too!-no wonder why I felt rebuked beneath his eye: I night have known there was but one, XVIII. Stung with these thoughts, he urged to speed His troop, and reach'd, at eve, the Tweed, Where Lennel's convent closed their march: (There now is left but one frail arch, Yet mourn thou not its cells; Our time a fair exchange has made ; Hard by, in hospitable shade, A reverend pilgrim dwells, Well worth the whole Bernardine brood, That e'er wore sandal, frock, or hood.) |