As he his peer had been. But his gaunt frame was worn with toil; Poor wretch! the mother that him bare, And blanch at once the hair; Hard toil can roughen form and face,1 More deeply than despair. Happy whom none of these befall,2 XXIX. Lord Marmion then his boon did ask, MS. Hard toil can alter form and face, roughen youthful grace, And want can quench the eyes of grace."] dim MS.-" Happy whom none such woes befall."] 8 [MS." So he would ride with morning tide."] Within the ocean-cave to pray, Where good Saint Rule his holy lay, Saint Mary grant, that cave or spring XXX. And now the midnight draught of sleep. The page presents on knee. Lord Marmion drank a fair good rest, Though Selby press'd him courteously. 1 See Appendix, Note S. 2 St. Fillan was a Scottish saint of some reputation. Although Popery is, with us, matter of abomination, yet the common people still retain some of the superstitions connected with it. There are in Perthshire several wells and springs dedicated to St. Fillan, which are still places of pilgrimage and offerings, even among the Protestants. They are held powerful in cases of madness; and, in some of very late occurrence, lunatics have been left all night bound to the holy stone, in confidence that the saint would cure and unloose them before morning. [See various notes to the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.] 3 [MS. "The cup pass'd round among the rest."] [MS.-"Soon died the merry wassel roar."] D 1 The minstrels ceased to sound. But the slow footstep of the guard, XXXI. With early dawn Lord Marmion rose : And knight and squire had broke their fast, Lord Marmion's bugles blew to horse: Hig thanks were by Lord Marmion paid, And shook the Scottish shore; Which gave again the prospect fair. ["In Catholic countries, in order to reconcile the pleasures of the great with the observances of religion, it was common, when a party was bent for the chase, to celebrate mass, abridged and maimed of its rites, called a hunting-mass, the brevity of which was designed to correspond with the impatience of the audience." -Note to The Abbot." New Edit.] 2 [MS.-"Slow they roll'd forth upon the air."] MARMION. INTRODUCTION TO CANTO SECOND. TO REV. JOHN MARRIOTT, A.M. Ashestiel, Ettrick Forest. THE scenes are desert now, and bare, Where flourish'd once a forest fair,1 When these waste glens with copse were lined, Yon Thorn-perchance whose prickly spears How broad the shadows of the oak, 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,) 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, Have bounded by, through gay green-wood. Then oft, from Newark's2 riven tower, Sallied a Scottish monarch's power: A thousand vassals muster'd round, With horse, and hawk, and horn, and hound; And I might see the youth intent, Guard every pass with crossbow bent; And through the brake the rangers stalk, 1 Mountain-ash. LMS.-"How broad the ash his shadows flung, |