XXVIII Nought of the bridal will I tell, Which after in short space befell; Nor how brave sons and daughters fair Blessed Teviot's Flower and Cranstoun's heir: XXIX With naked foot, and sackcloth vest, The standers-by might hear uneath,g Silent and slow, like ghosts, they glide And there they kneeled them down; From many a garnished niche around, XXX And slow up the dim aisle afar, With sable cowl and scapular,h And snow-white stoles, in order due, Taper, and host, and book they bare, With holy cross he signed them all, And fortunate in field. Then mass was sung, and prayers were said, And solemn requiem for the dead; g Hardly. h A narrow piece of cloth worn by monks over the rest of their dress, reaching almost to the feet.-Halliwell. And bells tolled out their mighty peal, The hymn of intercession rose; SOLVET SÆCLUM IN FAVILLA; While the pealing organ rung; XXXI Hymn for the Dead. That day of wrath, that dreadful day, O! on that day, that wrathful day, HUSHED is the harp-the Minstrel gone. To linger out his pilgrimage? No-close beneath proud Newark's tower, G And flourished, broad, Blackandro's oak, And noble youths, the strain to hear, MARMION; A TALE OF FLODDEN FIELD. A Poem. IN SIX CANTOS. Alas! that Scottish Maid should sing The combat where her lover fell! That Scottish Bard should wake the string, G 2 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY, LORD MONTAGU, &c. &c. &c. THIS ROMANCE IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR, ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION, 1808. It is hardly to be expected, that an Author, whom the Public has honoured with some degree of applause, should not be again a trespasser on their kindness. Yet the Author of MARMION must be supposed to feel some anxiety concerning its success, since he is sensible that he hazards, by this second intrusion, any reputation which his first Poem may have procured him. The present Story turns upon the private adventures of a fictitious character; but is called a Tale of Flodden Field, because the hero's fate is connected with that memorable defeat, and the causes which led to it. The design of the Author was, if possible, to apprize his Readers, at the outset, of the date of his Story, and to pare them for the manners of the Age in which it is laid. Any Historical narrative, far more an attempt at Epic composition, exceeded his plan of a Romantic Tale; yet he may be permitted to hope, from the popularity of THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL, that an attempt to paint the manners of the feudal times, upon a broader scale, and in the course of a more interesting story, will not be unacceptable to the Public. The Poem opens about the commencement of August, and concludes with the defeat of Flodden, 9th September, 1513. |