Marmion

Still rises unimpair’d below, 
The court-yard’s graceful portico; 
Above its cornice, row and row    
  Of fair hewn facets richly show 
    Their pointed diamond form, 
  Though there but houseless cattle go, 
    To shield them from the storm.

  And, shuddering, still may we explore, 
    Where oft whilom were captives pent, 
  The darkness of thy Massy More; 
    Or, from thy grass-grown battlement, 
May trace, in undulating line, 
The sluggish mazes of the Tyne. 

XII.

Another aspect Crichtoun show’d, 
As through its portal Marmion rode; 
But yet ‘twas melancholy state 
Received him at the outer gate;

For none were in the Castle then,   
But women, boys, or aged men. 
With eyes scarce dried, the sorrowing dame, 
To welcome noble Marmion, came;

Her son, a stripling twelve years old, 
Proffer’d the Baron’s rein to hold;    

For each man that could draw a sword 
Had march’d that morning with their lord, 
Earl Adam Hepburn,-he who died 
On Flodden, by his sovereign’s side.

Long may his Lady look in vain!    
She ne’er shall see his gallant train, 
Come sweeping back through Crichtoun-Dean. 
‘Twas a brave race, before the name 
Of hated Bothwell stain’d their fame.

XIII.

And here two days did Marmion rest,
  With every rite that honour claims,
Attended as the King’s own guest;-
  Such the command of Royal James,
Who marshall’d then his land’s array,
Upon the Borough-moor that lay.     

Perchance he would not foeman’s eye
Upon his gathering host should pry,
Till full prepared was every band
To march against the English land.

Here while they dwelt, did Lindesay’s wit 
Oft cheer the Baron’s moodier fit;
And, in his turn, he knew to prize
Lord Marmion’s powerful mind, and wise,-
Train’d in the lore of Rome and Greece,
And policies of war and peace.             

XIV.

It chanced, as fell the second night, 
  That on the battlements they walk’d, 
And, by the slowly fading light, 
  Of varying topics talk’d;

And, unaware, the Herald-bard  
Said, Marmion might his toil have spared, 
  In travelling so far; 
For that a messenger from heaven