While chafed the impatient squire like thunder,
Old Hubert shouts, in fear and wonder,—­ 20
’Help, gentle Blount! help, comrades all! 
Bevis lies dying in his stall: 
To Marmion who the plight dare tell,
Of the good steed he loves so well?’—­
Gaping for fear and ruth, they saw 25
The charger panting on his straw;
Till one, who would seem wisest, cried,—­
’What else but evil could betide,
With that cursed Palmer for our guide? 
Better we had through mire and bush 30
Been lantern-led by Friar Rush.’

II.

  Fitz-Eustace, who the cause but guess’d,
    Nor wholly understood,
  His comrades’ clamorous plaints suppress’d;
    He knew Lord Marmion’s mood. 35
  Him, ere he issued forth, he sought,
  And found deep plunged in gloomy thought,
    And did his tale display
  Simply, as if he knew of nought
    To cause such disarray. 40
Lord Marmion gave attention cold,
Nor marvell’d at the wonders told,—­
Pass’d them as accidents of course,
And bade his clarions sound to horse.

III.

Young Henry Blount, meanwhile, the cost 45
Had reckon’d with their Scottish host;
And, as the charge he cast and paid,
‘Ill thou deservest thy hire,’ he said;
’Dost see, thou knave, my horse’s plight? 
Fairies have ridden him all the night, 50
  And left him in a foam! 
I trust, that soon a conjuring band,
With English cross, and blazing brand,
Shall drive the devils from this land,
  To their infernal home:  55
For in this haunted den, I trow,
All night they trampled to and fro.’—­
The laughing host look’d on the hire,—­
’Gramercy, gentle southern squire,
And if thou comest among the rest, 60
With Scottish broadsword to be blest,
Sharp be the brand, and sure the blow,
And short the pang to undergo.’ 
Here stay’d their talk,—­for Marmion
Gave now the signal to set on. 65
The Palmer showing forth the way,
They journey’d all the morning day.

IV.

The green-sward way was smooth and good,
Through Humbie’s and through Saltoun’s wood;
A forest-glade, which, varying still, 70
Here gave a view of dale and hill,
There narrower closed, till over head
A vaulted screen the branches made. 
‘A pleasant path,’ Fitz-Eustace said;
’Such as where errant-knights might see 75
Adventures of high chivalry;
Might meet some damsel flying fast,
With hair unbound, and looks aghast;