le 
‘. oo 
$ 
Me 
4 
" move 
1808.) 
‘ever, passed this incident over without 
notice, and bid lis clarions sound to 
‘horse-—the Palmer shewing forth the 
way. After travelling some space, they 
met issuing froma wood a gallant train 
op princely steeds; and a herald advan- 
ced with a message from the King of 
‘Scotland, that jalthough he bad sworn ne- 
ver to knit faith with the King of England 
more, order was given to provide fic and 
fair lodging for Lord Marion, who was 
’ conducted to Crichton Castle. Here the 
ambassador rested two days; anid to 
amuse Lord Marmion’s leisure, ihe Scot- 
tish herald, Lord Lyon, kmg at arms, 
took occasion, as they walked on the bat- 
tlements by the siowly fading light of 
evening, to relate a wondrous tale, serv- 
lug to prove that the embassy of Mar- 
mion would be unsuccessful, since a su- 
pematural interposition had failed to 
the resolution of the king.— 
.© James If. late King of Scotland, ‘had 
been deposed, and slain in battle by his 
_ rebellious subjects, under countenance 
of his sen, the king now reigning. ‘This 
‘happened in the month of June; and 
ever since, the monarch had kept the an- 
shiversary of this disastrous event with 
every symptom of religious penitence. 
During the present year, the king had 
punctually observed all the accustumed 
ceremonies in the huly dome of St. Ca- 
therine, part of the palace of Linlithgow. 
Ov a sudden a ghostly wight stepped 
from the crowd, and, gliding stately up 
to the monarch, in a low and thrilling 
yoice warned the king to abstain from 
war, and jmimediately vanished,” 
_ Marmion changed colour at this re~ 
-cital, aud in his turn related to Lord 
Lyon his adventure at the inn; stating, 
“that in consequence of the st ory told 
by the host, of which, however, he made 
little account, he repaired at night to the 
camp upon the Wold, and blew his bugle 
horn, when, to his terror and amazement, 
he instantly viewed in the ring, © in form 
distinct of shape and hue, 2 mounted 
-ehampion rise.” In the furious course 
which they ran against each other, Mar- 
“mion’s charger fell. Phe spectre thrice 
* shook his paked sword over the head of 
Marmion, who, by the fight of the moon, 
discovered the vindictive face of one 
_ ghastly and grim, w hom he had mortally 
injured, and who was toug since number- 
ed with the dead. But on Marimion’s 
«praying to St. George for aid, the spec- 
tre plunged his sword in the she: uh, and 
mounting lightly on his courser, in a mo- 
nent vanished from his sight. 
 Moysniyx Mac., No. 176, 
Remarks on the Poctic Romance of Marmion. 
225 
Daring the time thus passed by Lord 
Marmion at Crichton Castle, King James 
had been empioyed in marshalling bis 
forces; and orders now arrived tor the 
English ambassador to proceed to the 
Scottish camp. On the next morning 
the band set out on their way towards 
Edinburgh; till from the summit of a hill 
Marmion saw ip the plain below “ the 
vast array” of the Scottish sovereign—= 
the royal banner exbibitiug the sion 
ramped in gold, floating conspicuous in 
the milst of the host. Alter feasting 
their eyes with the glorious sight, aud 
listening with rapture to the sound “ of 
mingled trump and clarion loud,” they 
descended to the camp; and thus, withe 
out any occurrence either of good or all 
fortune, terminates the present Canto. 
The description, however, of the journey 
and the camp, furnishes some animated 
verses, of which the followmg may be 
adduced as a favourable specimen :— 
Fyrom -the Hebrides dark with rain 
To Eastern Lodon’s fertile plain, 
And from the Southern Redswire edge 
‘Zo farthest Ros:e’s rocky ledge, 
From West to East, from South to North* 
Scotland sent all her warriors forth; 
Marmion might hear the mingled hum 
Of myriads up the mountain come; 
The horse’s tramp, and tingling clank, 
Where chiefs reviewed their vassal ranky 
And charger’s shrilling neigh 5 
»And see the shifting lines advance, 
While frequent flaslied trem shield and lance 
The sun’s reflected ray. 
6 BO ee” See 
Still on the spot Lord Marmion stayed, 
For fairer scene he nt’er surveyed. , 
When sated with the martial show 
Thet peopled ail the plain below, 
The wandering eye could o’er it go, 
And mark the-distant city glow 
With gloomy splendor red: 
For on the smoke-wreaths huge and slow. 
That round her sable turrets flo 
‘The morning beams were slfed ; 
And tinged them with a lustre proud 
Like that which stréaks a thunder-cloud. 
Such dhaley grandeur clothed the height 
Where the huge castle holds its state 5 
And all the steep slope down, 
Whuse ridgy back heaves tothe sky, 
Piled deep and massy ciose and high 
Mine owa romantic town, 
CANTO V, 
On deseending from the hills of Braid 
into the enemy’s camp, Lord Manion 
was ‘much astonished at the maguitude 
and martial appearance of the Scotrish 
army; aud the different bodies of which 
it composed are deseribed-in spi- 
tig nied 
