He wears their motto on his blade,1
Their blazon o'er his towers display'd;
Yet loves his sovereign to oppose,
More than to face his country's foes.
And, I bethink me, by St. Stephen,
But e'en this morn to me was given 2
A prize, the first fruits of the war,
Ta'en by a galley from Dunbar,

vourer of the royal cause. The castle and barony were sold in the beginning of the eighteenth century to President Dalrymple of North Berwick, by the then Marquis of Douglas.

1A very ancient sword, in possession of Lord Douglas, bears, among a great deal of flourishing, two hands pointing to a heart, which is placed betwixt them, and the date 1329, being the year in which Bruce charged the Good Lord Douglas to carry his heart to the holy land. The following lines (the first couplet of which is quoted by Godscroft as a popular saying in his time) are inscribed around the emblem :

"So mony guid as of ye Dovglas beinge,
Of ane surname was ne'er in Scotland seine.

"I will ye charge, efter yat I depart,

To holy grawe, and thair bury my hart;

Let it remane ever BOTHE TYME AND HOWR,

To ye last day I sie my Saviour.

"I do protest in tyme of al my ringe,

Ye lyk subject had never ony keing."

This curious and valuable relic was nearly lost during the Civil War of 1745-46, being carried away from Douglas Castle by some of those in arms for Prince Charles. But great interest having been made by the Duke of Douglas among the chief partisans of the Stuart, it was at length restored. It resembles a Highland claymore, of the usual size, is of an excellent temper, and admirably poised.

2 MS." But yester morn was hither driven.”

A bevy of the maids of Heaven.

Under your guard, these holy maids
Shall safe return to cloister shades,
And, while they at Tantallon stay,
Requiem for Cochran's soul may say."
And, with the slaughter'd favourite's name,
Across the Monarch's brow there came
A cloud of ire, remorse and shame.

XVI.

In answer nought could Angus speak;
His proud heart swell'd well-nigh to break;
He turn'd aside, and down his cheek

A burning tear there stole.

His hand the Monarch sudden took,

That sight his kind heart could not brook: "Now, by the Bruce's soul,1

Angus, my hasty speech forgive!
For sure as doth his spirit live,
As he said of the Douglas old,

I well may say of you,

That never King did subject hold,
In speech more free, in war more bold,
More tender and more true: 2

Forgive me, Douglas, once again." —
And, while the King his hand did strain,
The old man's tears fell down like rain.

1 The two next lines are not in the original MS.

2 "O, Dowglas! Dowglas!

Tendir and trew."

-The Houlate.

To seize the moment Marmion tried,
And whisper'd to the King aside:
"Oh! let such tears unwonted plead
For respite short from dubious deed!
A child will weep a bramble's smart,
A maid to see her sparrow part,1
A stripling for a woman's heart:
But woe awaits a country, when
She sees the tears of bearded men.
Then, oh! what omen, dark and high,
When Douglas wets his manly eye!"

XVII.

Displeased was James, that stranger view'd And tamper'd with his changing mood. "Laugh those that can, weep those that may," Thus did the fiery Monarch say, "Southward I march by break of day; And if within Tantallon strong, The good Lord Marmion tarries long, Perchance our meeting next may fall At Tamworth, in his castle-hall." The haughty Marmion felt the taunt, And answer'd, grave, the royal vaunt: "Much honour'd were my humble home, If in its halls King James should come; But Nottingham has archers good, And Yorkshire men are stern of mood; Northumbrian prickers wild and rude.

1 MS." A maid to see her love depart."