Whom royal James himself had crown'd, Of Scotland's ancient diadem: "Though Scotland's King hath deeply swore1 Till finds King James meet time to see IX. Though inly chafed at this delay, When deadliest hatred fired its foes, The vengeful Douglas bands. XI. Crichtoun! though now thy miry court Of mouldering shields the mystic sense," Scutcheons of honour, or pretence, Quarter'd in old armorial sort, Remains of rude magnificence. Nor wholly yet had time defaced Thy lordly gallery fair; Nor yet the stony cord unbraced, Still rises unimpair'd below, Or, from thy grass-grown battlement, XII. Another aspect Crichtoun show'd, 'Twas a brave race, before the name MS." But the huge mass could well oppose." MS.-"Of many a mouldering shield the sense." The pit, or prison vault.-See Appendix, Note 2 Z. 7 See Appendix, Note 3 A. 8 MS.-"Well might his gentle Lady mourn, Doom'd ne'er to see her Lord's return." XIII. Such the command of Royal James, Here while they dwelt, did Lindesay's wit Oft cheer the Baron's moodier fit; Lord Marmion's powerful mind, and wise,- XIV. It chanced, as fell the second night, That on the battlements they walk'd, And, by the slowly fading light, Of varying topics talked ; And, unaware, the Herald-bard Said, Marmion might his toil have spared, In travelling so far; For that a messenger from heaven XV. Sir David Lindesay's Tale. "Of all the palaces so fair,* Built for the royal dwelling, And in its park in jovial June, But June is to our sovereign dear King James's June is ever spent.8 XVI. "When last this ruthful month was come, And in Linlithgow's holy dome The King, as wont, was praying; While, for his royal father's soul, The chanters sung, the bells did toll, The Bishop mass was sayingFor now the year brought round again? The day the luckless king was slain JEFFREY. The sport of hunting was also followed with success in the neighbourhood, from which circumstance it probably arises that the ancient arms of the city represent a black greyhound bitch tied to a tree.... The situation of Linlithgow Palace is eminently beautiful. It stands on a promontory of some elevation, which advances almost into the midst of the lake. The form is that of a square court, composed of buildings of four stories high, with towers at the angles. The fronts within the square, and the windows, are highly ornamented, and the size of the rooms, as well as the width and character of the staircases, are upon a magnificent scale. One banquet-room is ninety-four feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty-three feet high, with a gallery for music. The king's wardrobe or dress In Scotland there are about twenty palaces, castles, and ing-room, looking to the west, projects over the walls, so as remains, or sites of such, "Where Scotia's kings of other years" had their royal home. "Linlithgow, distinguished by the combined strength and beauty of its situation, must have been early selected as a royal residence. David, who bought the title of saint by his liberality to the Church, refers several of his charters to his town of Linlithgow; and in that of Holyrood expressly bestows on the new monastery all the skins of the rams, ewes, and lambs, belonging to his castle of Linlitcu, which shall die during the year.... The convenience afforded for the sport of falconry, which was so great a favourite during the feudal ages, was probably one cause of the attachment of the ancient Scottish monarchs to Linlithgow and its fine lake. to have a delicious prospect on three sides, and is one of the most enviable boudoirs we have ever seen."-SIR WALTER SCOTT's Miscellaneous Prose Works, vol. vii. p. 382, &c. In Katharine's aisle the Monarch knelt, And eyes with sorrow streaming; Through the stain'd casement gleaming; But, while I marked what next befell, It seem'd as I were dreaming. So stately gliding on, Seem'd to me ne'er did limner paint Who propp'd the Virgin in her faint,- XVII. "He stepp'd before the Monarch's chair, And stood with rustic plainness there, And little reverence made; Nor head, nor body, bow'd nor bent, And words like these he said, In a low voice, but never tone,1 So thrill'd through vein, and nerve, and bone : 'My mother sent me from afar, Sir King, to warn thee not to war,— Woe waits on thine array; If war thou wilt, of woman fair,2 The wondering Monarch seem'd to seek The Marshal and myself had cast 1 MS.-"In a low voice-but every tone 2 MS.-"And if to war thou needs wilt fare snare." MS.-"But events, since I cross'd the Tweed, Have undermined my sceptic creed XVIII. While Lindesay told his marvel strange, He mark'd not Marmion's colour change, But, after a suspended pause, The Baron spoke :-" Of Nature's laws That never superhuman cause Could e'er control their course. And, three days since, had judged your aim To Lindesay did at length unfold At Gifford, to his train. Nought of the Palmer says he there, seems To mention but as feverish dreams. XIX. "In vain," said he, " to rest I spread And, by their wild dominion led, So sore was the delirious goad, I took my steed, and forth I rode, And, as the moon shone bright and cold, So hollow, and so faintly blown, XX. But scarce could trust my eyes, 4 MS.—“In vain," said he, "to rest I laid led, And, by their wild dominion sway'd, sped, My heart within me burn'd." 5 MS." And yet it was so low and drear." I've fought, Lord-Lion, many a day,1 In single fight, and mix'd affray, And ever, I myself may say, Have borne me as a knight; Seem'd starting from the gulf below,- And as I placed in rest my spear, I scarce could couch it right. XXI. "Why need my tongue the issue tell? High o'er my head, with threatening hand, Yet did the worst remain : My dazzled eyes I upward cast,- Their sight, like what I saw ! Full on his face the moonbeam strook,- I saw the face of one who, fled3 To foreign climes, has long been dead,— For ne'er, from vizor raised, did stare So grimly and so ghast. Thrice o'er my head he shook the blade; But when to good Saint George I pray'd, (The first time ere I ask'd his aid,) He plunged it in the sheath; And, on his courser mounting light, He seem'd to vanish from my sight: The moonbeam droop'd, and deepest night Sunk down upon the heath.- 'Twere long to tell what cause I have To know his face, that met me there, Call'd by his hatred from the grave, To cumber upper air: XXII. Marvell'd Sir David of the Mount; Then, learn'd in story, 'gan recount 1 MS.-"I've been, Lord-Lion, many a day, In combat single, or mêlée." 2 MS.-"The spectre shook his naked brand, Yet doth the worst remain: MS. "I knew the face of one long dead, Or who to foreign climes hath fled. . . Such chance had happ'd of old, When once, near Norham, there did fight With Brian Bulmer bold, "And such a phantom, too, 'tis said, And fingers, red with gore, And yet, whate'er such legends say, On mountain, moor, or plain, Should bowne them with the rising day, A truant-boy, I sought the nest, While rose, on breezes thin, Saint Giles's mingling din. And o'er the landscape as I look, To me they make a heavy moan, XXV. But different far the change has been,' Oft giving way, where still there stood And tamed the glaring white with green : A martial kingdom's vast array. XXVI. For from Hebudes, dark with rain, From west to east, from south to north, And charger's shrilling neigh; While frequent flash'd, from shield and lance, The sun's reflected ray. 1 MS." But, oh! far different change has been, See Appendix, Note 3 E. 3 MS." A thousand said the verse? I ween, Thousands on thousands there were seen, That whitened all the heath between." ♦ Here ends the stanza in the MS. 5 Seven culverins so called, cast by one Borthwick. XXVII. Thin curling in the morning air, The wreaths of failing smoke declare To embers now the brands decay d, Where the night-watch their fires had made. XXVIII. Nor mark'd they less, where in the air Highest and midmost, was descried The royal banner floating wide; The staff, a pine-tree, strong and straight, Pitch'd deeply in a massive stone, Which still in memory is shown, Yet bent beneath the standard's weight Whene'er the western wind unroll'd, With toil, the huge and cumbrous fold, And gave to view the dazzling field, Where, in proud Scotland's royal shield, The ruddy lion ramp'd in gold.9 XXIX. Lord Marmion view'd the landscape bright,—1 Until within him burn'd his heart, Such glance did falcon never dart, For, by St. George, were that host mine, In glorious battle-fray!" 6 Each of these feudal ensigns intimated the different rans of those entitled to display them. 7 See Appendix, Note 3 F. 8 MS." The standard staff, a mountain pine, Pitch'd in a huge memorial stone, That still in monument is shown.” 9 See Appendix, Note 3 G. 10 MS.-"Lord Marmion's large dark eye flash'd light, It kindled with a chief's delight, For glow'd with martial joy his heart, As upon battle-day." |