In which the wine and ale is good, 350
’Twixt Newcastle and Holy-Rood. 
But that good man, as ill befalls,
Hath seldom left our castle walls,
Since, on the vigil of St. Bede,
In evil hour, he cross’d the Tweed, 355
To teach Dame Alison her creed. 
Old Bughtrig found him with his wife;
And John, an enemy to strife,
Sans frock and hood, fled for his life. 
The jealous churl hath deeply swore, 360
That, if again he venture o’er,
He shall shrieve penitent no more. 
Little he loves such risks, I know;
Yet, in your guard, perchance will go.’

XXII.

Young Selby, at the fair hall-board, 365
Carved to his uncle and that lord,
And reverently took up the word. 
’Kind uncle, woe were we each one,
If harm should hap to brother John. 
He is a man of mirthful speech, 370
Can many a game and gambol teach;
Full well at tables can he play,
And sweep at bowls the stake away. 
None can a lustier carol bawl,
The needfullest among us all, 375
When time hangs heavy in the hall,
And snow comes thick at Christmas tide,
And we can neither hunt, nor ride
A foray on the Scottish side. 
The vow’d revenge of Bughtrig rude, 380
May end in worse than loss of hood. 
Let Friar John, in safety, still
In chimney-corner snore his fill,
Roast hissing crabs, or flagons swill: 
Last night, to Norham there came one, 385
Will better guide Lord Marmion.’—­
‘Nephew,’ quoth Heron, ’by my fay,
Well hast thou spoke; say forth thy say,’—­

XXIII

’Here is a holy Palmer come,
From Salem first, and last from Rome; 390
One, that hath kiss’d the blessed tomb,
And visited each holy shrine,
In Araby and Palestine;
On hills of Armenie hath been,
Where Noah’s ark may yet be seen; 395
By that Red Sea, too, hath he trod,
Which parted at the Prophet’s rod;
In Sinai’s wilderness he saw
The Mount, where Israel heard the law,
’Mid thunder-dint and flashing levin, 400
And shadows, mists, and darkness, given. 
He shows Saint James’s cockle-shell,
Of fair Montserrat, too, can tell;
  And of that Grot where Olives nod,
Where, darling of each heart and eye, 405
From all the youth of Sicily,
  Saint Rosalie retired to God.

XXIV.