Marmion Part 4

When as the Palmer came in hall, Nor lord, nor knight, was there more tall, Or had a statelier step withal, Or look'd more high and keen; 475 For no saluting did he wait, But strode across the hall of state, And fronted Marmion where he sate, As he his peer had been.

But his gaunt frame was worn with toil; 480 His cheek was sunk, alas the while!

And when he struggled at a smile, His eye look 'd haggard wild: Poor wretch! the mother that him bare, If she had been in presence there, 485 In his wan face, and sun-burn'd hair, She had not known her child.

Danger, long travel, want, or woe, Soon change the form that best we know-- For deadly fear can time outgo, 490 And blanch at once the hair; Hard toil can roughen form and face, And want can quench the eye's bright grace, Nor does old age a wrinkle trace More deeply than despair. 495 Happy whom none of these befall, But this poor Palmer knew them all.

XXIX.

Lord Marmion then his boon did ask; The Palmer took on him the task, So he would march with morning tide, 500 To Scottish court to be his guide.

'But I have solemn vows to pay, And may not linger by the way, To fair St. Andrews bound, Within the ocean-cave to pray, 505 Where good Saint Rule his holy lay, From midnight to the dawn of day, Sung to the billows' sound; Thence to Saint Fillan's blessed well, Whose spring can frenzied dreams dispel, 510 And the crazed brain restore: Saint Mary grant, that cave or spring Could back to peace my bosom bring, Or bid it throb no more!'

x.x.x.

And now the midnight draught of sleep, 515 Where wine and spices richly steep, In ma.s.sive bowl of silver deep, The page presents on knee.

Lord Marmion drank a fair good rest, The Captain pledged his n.o.ble guest, 520 The cup went through among the rest, Who drain'd it merrily; Alone the Palmer pa.s.s'd it by, Though Selby press'd him courteously.

This was a sign the feast was o'er; 525 It hush'd the merry wa.s.sel roar, The minstrels ceased to sound.

Soon in the castle nought was heard, But the slow footstep of the guard, Pacing his sober round. 530

x.x.xI.

With early dawn Lord Marmion rose: And first the chapel doors unclose; Then, after morning rites were done, (A hasty ma.s.s from Friar John,) And knight and squire had broke their fast, 535 On rich substantial repast, Lord Marmion's bugles blew to horse: Then came the stirrup-cup in course: Between the Baron and his host, No point of courtesy was lost; 540 High thanks were by Lord Marmion paid, Solemn excuse the Captain made, Till, filing from the gate, had pa.s.s'd That n.o.ble train, their Lord the last.

Then loudly rung the trumpet call; 545 Thunder'd the cannon from the wall, And shook the Scottish sh.o.r.e; Around the castle eddied slow, Volumes of smoke as white as snow, And hid its turrets h.o.a.r; 550 Till they roli'd forth upon the air, And met the river breezes there, Which gave again the prospect fair.

INTRODUCTION TO CANTO SECOND.

TO THE REV JOHN MARRIOTT, A. M.

Ashestiel, Ettrick Forest.

The scenes are desert now, and bare Where flourish'd once a forest fair, When these waste glens with copse were lined, And peopled with the hart and hind.

Yon Thorn--perchance whose p.r.i.c.kly spears 5 Have fenced him for three hundred years, While fell around his green compeers-- Yon lonely Thorn, would he could tell The changes of his parent dell, Since he, so grey and stubborn now, 10 Waved in each breeze a sapling bough; Would he could tell how deep the shade A thousand mingled branches made; How broad the shadows of the oak, How clung the rowan to the rock, 15 And through the foliage show'd his head, With narrow leaves and berries red; What pines on every mountain sprung, O'er every dell what birches hung, In every breeze what aspens shook, 20 What alders shaded every brook!

'Here, in my shade,' methinks he'd say, 'The mighty stag at noon-tide lay: The wolf I've seen, a fiercer game, (The neighbouring dingle bears his name,) 25 With lurching step around me prowl, And stop, against the moon to howl; The mountain-boar, on battle set, His tusks upon my stem would whet; While doe, and roe, and red-deer good, 30 Have bounded by, through gay green-wood.

Then oft, from Newark's riven tower, Sallied a Scottish monarch's power: A thousand va.s.sals muster'd round, With horse, and hawk, and horn, and hound; 35 And I might see the youth intent, Guard every pa.s.s with crossbow bent; And through the brake the rangers stalk, And falc'ners hold the ready hawk, And foresters, in green-wood trim, 40 Lead in the leash the gazehounds grim, Attentive, as the bratchet's bay From the dark covert drove the prey, To slip them as he broke away.

The startled quarry bounds amain, 45 As fast the gallant greyhounds strain; Whistles the arrow from the bow, Answers the harquebuss below; While all the rocking hills reply, To hoof-clang, hound, and hunters' cry, 50 And bugles ringing lightsomely.'

Of such proud huntings, many tales Yet linger in our lonely dales, Up pathless Ettrick and on Yarrow, Where erst the outlaw drew his arrow. 55 But not more blithe that silvan court, Than we have been at humbler sport; Though small our pomp, and mean our game, Our mirth, dear Marriott, was the same.

Remember'st thou my greyhounds true? 60 O'er holt or hill there never flew, From slip or leash there never sprang, More fleet of foot, or sure of fang.

Nor dull, between each merry chase, Pa.s.s'd by the intermitted s.p.a.ce; 65 For we had fair resource in store, In Cla.s.sic and in Gothic lore: We mark'd each memorable scene, And held poetic talk between; Nor hill, nor brook, we paced along, 70 But had its legend or its song.

All silent now--for now are still Thy bowers, untenanted Bowhill!

No longer, from thy mountains dun, The yeoman hears the well-known gun, 75 And while his honest heart glows warm, At thought of his paternal farm, Round to his mates a brimmer fills, And drinks, 'The Chieftain of the Hills!'

No fairy forms, in Yarrow's bowers, 80 Trip o'er the walks, or tend the flowers, Fair as the elves whom Janet saw By moonlight dance on Carterhaugh; No youthful Baron's left to grace The Forest-Sheriff's lonely chase, 85 And ape, in manly step and tone, The majesty of Oberon: And she is gone, whose lovely face Is but her least and lowest grace; Though if to Sylphid Queen 'twere given, 90 To show our earth the charms of Heaven, She could not glide along the air, With form more light, or face more fair.

No more the widow's deafen'd ear Grows quick that lady's step to hear: 95 At noontide she expects her not, Nor busies her to trim the cot; Pensive she turns her humming wheel, Or pensive cooks her orphans' meal, Yet blesses, ere she deals their bread, 100 The gentle hand by which they're fed.

From Yair,--which hills so closely bind, Scarce can the Tweed his pa.s.sage find, Though much he fret, and chafe, and toil, Till all his eddying currents boil,-- 105 Her long descended lord is gone, And left us by the stream alone.

And much I miss those sportive boys, Companions of my mountain joys, Just at the age 'twixt boy and youth, 110 When thought is speech, and speech is truth.

Close to my side, with what delight They press'd to hear of Wallace wight, When, pointing to his airy mound, I call'd his ramparts holy ground! 115 Kindled their brows to hear me speak; And I have smiled, to feel my cheek, Despite the difference of our years, Return again the glow of theirs.

Ah, happy boys! such feelings pure, 120 They will not, cannot long endure; Condemn'd to stem the world's rude tide, You may not linger by the side; For Fate shall thrust you from the sh.o.r.e, And pa.s.sion ply the sail and oar. 125 Yet cherish the remembrance still, Of the lone mountain, and the rill; For trust, dear boys, the time will come, When fiercer transport shall be dumb, And you will think right frequently, 130 But, well I hope, without a sigh, On the free hours that we have spent, Together, on the brown hill's bent.

When, musing on companions gone, We doubly feel ourselves alone, 135 Something, my friend, we yet may gain, There is a pleasure in this pain: It soothes the love of lonely rest, Deep in each gentler heart impress'd.

'Tis silent amid worldly toils, 140 And stifled soon by mental broils; But, in a bosom thus prepared, Its still small voice is often heard, Whispering a mingled sentiment, 'Twixt resignation and content. 145 Oft in my mind such thoughts awake, By lone Saint Mary's silent lake; Thou know'st it well,--nor fen, nor sedge, Pollute the pure lake's crystal edge; Abrupt and sheer, the mountains sink 150 At once upon the level brink; And just a trace of silver sand Marks where the water meets the land.

Far in the mirror, bright and blue, Each hill's huge outline you may view; 155 s.h.a.ggy with heath, but lonely bare, Nor tree, nor bush, nor brake, is there, Save where, of land, yon slender line Bears thwart the lake the scatter'd pine.

Yet even this nakedness has power, 160 And aids the feeling of the hour: Nor thicket, dell, nor copse you spy, Where living thing conceal'd might lie; Nor point, retiring, hides a dell, Where swain, or woodman lone, might dwell; 165 There's nothing left to fancy's guess, You see that all is loneliness: And silence aids--though the steep hills Send to the lake a thousand rills; In summer tide, so soft they weep, 170 The sound but lulls the ear asleep; Your horse's hoof-tread sounds too rude, So stilly is the solitude.

Nought living meets the eye or ear, But well I ween the dead are near; 175 For though, in feudal strife, a foe Hath laid Our Lady's chapel low, Yet still, beneath the hallow'd soil, The peasant rests him from his toil, And, dying, bids his bones be laid, 180 Where erst his simple fathers pray'd.

If age had tamed the pa.s.sions' strife, And fate had cut my ties to life, Here have I thought, 'twere sweet to dwell, And rear again the chaplain's cell, 185 Like that same peaceful hermitage, Where Milton long'd to spend his age.

'Twere sweet to mark the setting day, On Bourhope's lonely top decay; And, as it faint and feeble died 190 On the broad lake, and mountain's side, To say, 'Thus pleasures fade away; Youth, talents, beauty thus decay, And leave us dark, forlorn, and grey;'

Then gaze on Dryhope's ruin'd tower, 195 And think on Yarrow's faded Flower: And when that mountain-sound I heard, Which bids us be for storm prepared, The distant rustling of his wings, As up his force the Tempest brings, 200 'Twere sweet, ere yet his terrors rave, To sit upon the Wizard's grave; That Wizard Priest's, whose bones are thrust, From company of holy dust; On which no sunbeam ever shines-- 205 (So superst.i.tion's creed divines)-- Thence view the lake, with sullen roar, Heave her broad billows to the sh.o.r.e; And mark the wild-swans mount the gale, Spread wide through mist their snowy sail, 210 And ever stoop again, to lave Their bosoms on the surging wave; Then, when against the driving hail No longer might my plaid avail, Back to my lonely home retire, 215 And light my lamp, and trim my fire; There ponder o'er some mystic lay, Till the wild tale had all its sway, And, in the bittern's distant shriek, I heard unearthly voices speak, 220 And thought the Wizard Priest was come, To claim again his ancient home!

And bade my busy fancy range, To frame him fitting shape and strange, Till from the task my brow I clear'd, 225 And smiled to think that I had fear'd.

But chief, 'twere sweet to think such life, (Though but escape from fortune's strife,) Something most matchless good and wise, A great and grateful sacrifice; 230 And deem each hour, to musing given, A step upon the road to heaven.

Yet him, whose heart is ill at ease, Such peaceful solitudes displease; He loves to drown his bosom's jar 235 Amid the elemental war: And my black Palmer's choice had been Some ruder and more savage scene, Like that which frowns round dark Loch-skene.

There eagles scream from isle to sh.o.r.e; 240 Down all the rocks the torrents roar; O'er the black waves incessant driven, Dark mists infect the summer heaven; Through the rude barriers of the lake, Away its hurrying waters break, 245 Faster and whiter dash and curl, Till down yon dark abyss they hurl.

Rises the fog-smoke white as snow, Thunders the viewless stream below, Diving, as if condemn'd to lave 250 Some demon's subterranean cave, Who, prison'd by enchanter's spell, Shakes the dark rock with groan and yell.

And well that Palmer's form and mien Had suited with the stormy scene, 255 Just on the edge, straining his ken To view the bottom of the den, Where, deep deep down, and far within, Toils with the rocks the roaring linn; Then, issuing forth one foamy wave, 260 And wheeling round the Giant's Grave, White as the snowy charger's tail, Drives down the pa.s.s of Moffatdale.

Marriott, thy harp, on Isis strung, To many a Border theme has rung: 265 Then list to me, and thou shalt know Of this mysterious Man of Woe.

CANTO SECOND.

THE CONVENT.

1.

THE breeze, which swept away the smoke Round Norham Castle roll'd, When all the loud artillery spoke, With lightning-flash, and thunder-stroke, As Marmion left the Hold,-- 5 It curl'd not Tweed alone, that breeze, For, far upon Northumbrian seas, It freshly blew, and strong, Where, from high Whitby's cloister'd pile, Bound to Saint Cuthbert's Holy Isle, 10 It bore a bark along.

Upon the gale she stoop'd her side, And bounded o'er the swelling tide, As she were dancing home; The merry seamen laugh'd, to see 15 Their gallant ship so l.u.s.tily Furrow the green sea-foam.

Much joy'd they in their honour'd freight; For, on the deck, in chair of state, The Abbess of Saint Hilda placed, 20 With five fair nuns, the galley graced.

II.

'Twas sweet, to see these holy maids, Like birds escaped to green-wood shades, Their first flight from the cage, How timid, and how curious too, 25 For all to them was strange and new, And all the common sights they view, Their wonderment engage.

One eyed the shrouds and swelling sail, With many a benedicite; 30 One at the rippling surge grew pale, And would for terror pray; Then shriek'd, because the seadog, nigh, His round black head, and sparkling eye, Rear'd o'er the foaming spray; 35 And one would still adjust her veil, Disorder'd by the summer gale, Perchance lest some more worldly eye Her dedicated charms might spy; Perchance, because such action graced 40 Her fair-turn'd arm and slender waist.

Light was each simple bosom there, Save two, who ill might pleasure share,-- The Abbess, and the Novice Clare.

III.

The Abbess was of n.o.ble blood, 45 But early took the veil and hood, Ere upon life she cast a look, Or knew the world that she forsook.

Fair too she was, and kind had been As she was fair, but ne'er had seen 50 For her a timid lover sigh, Nor knew the influence of her eye.

Love, to her ear, was but a name, Combined with vanity and shame; Her hopes, her fears, her joys, were all 55 Bounded within the cloister wall: The deadliest sin her mind could reach Was of monastic rule the breach; And her ambition's highest aim To emulate Saint Hilda's fame. 60 For this she gave her ample dower, To raise the convent's eastern tower; For this, with carving rare and quaint, She deck'd the chapel of the saint, And gave the relic-shrine of cost, 65 With ivory and gems emboss'd.

The poor her Convent's bounty blest, The pilgrim in its halls found rest.