And led his sumpter-mules along,And ambling palfrey, when at need Him listed ease his battle-steed. The last and trustiest of the four, On high his forky pennon bore;Like swallow’s tail, in shape and hue, Flutter’d the streamer glossy blue, Where, blazon’d sable, as before, The towering falcon seem’d to soar.Last, twenty yeomen, two and two, In hosen black, and jerkins blue, With falcons broider’d on each breast, Attended on their lord’s behest.Each, chosen for an archer good, Knew hunting-craft by lake or wood; Each one a six-foot bow could bend, And far a cloth-yard shaft could send;Each held a boar-spear tough and strong, And at their belts their quivers rung. Their dusty palfreys, and array, Show’d they had march’d a weary way.
IX.
‘Tis meet that I should tell you now, How fairly arm’d, and order’d how, The soldiers of the guard,With musket, pike, and morion, To welcome noble Marmion, Stood in the Castle-yard;Minstrels and trumpeters were there, The gunner held his linstock yare, For welcome-shot prepared:Enter’d the train, and such a clang, As then through all his turrets rang, Old Norham never heard.
X.
The guards their morrice-pikes advanced, The trumpets flourish’d brave, The cannon from the ramparts glanced, And thundering welcome gave.A blithe salute, in martial sort, The minstrels well might sound, For, as Lord Marmion cross’d the court, He scatter’d angels round.‘Welcome to Norham, Marmion! Stout heart, and open hand! Well dost thou brook thy gallant roan, Thou flower of English land!’
XI.
Two pursuivants, whom tabarts deck, With silver scutcheon round their neck, Stood on the steps of stone,By which you reach the donjon gate, And there, with herald pomp and state,
