XXXIV.

Here did they rest.—­The princely care
Of Douglas, why should I declare,
Or say they met reception fair? 995
  Or why the tidings say,
Which, varying, to Tantallon came,
By hurrying posts, or fleeter fame,
  With every varying day? 
And, first, they heard King James had won 1000
  Etall, and Wark, and Ford; and then,
  That Norham Castle strong was ta’en. 
At that sore marvell’d Marmion;—­
And Douglas hoped his Monarch’s hand
Would soon subdue Northumberland:  1005
  But whisper’d news there came,
That, while his host inactive lay,
And melted by degrees away,
King James was dallying off the day
  With Heron’s wily dame.—­ 1010
Such acts to chronicles I yield;
  Go seek them there, and see: 
Mine is a tale of Flodden Field,
  And not a history.—­
At length they heard the Scottish host 1015
On that high ridge had made their post,
 Which frowns o’er Millfield Plain;
And that brave Surrey many a band
Had gather’d in the Southern land,
And march’d into Northumberland, 1020
  And camp at Wooler ta’en. 
Marmion, like charger in the stall,
That hears, without, the trumpet-call,
  Began to chafe, and swear:—­
’A sorry thing to hide my head 1025
In castle, like a fearful maid,
  When such a field is near! 
Needs must I see this battle-day: 
Death to my fame if such a fray
Were fought, and Marmion away! 1030
The Douglas, too, I wot not why,
Hath ’bated of his courtesy: 
No longer in his halls I’ll stay.’ 
Then bade his band they should array
For march against the dawning day. 1035

INTRODUCTION TO CANTO SIXTH.

To Richard Heber, Esq.

Mertoun-House, Christmas.

Heap on more wood!—­the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it will,
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still. 
Each age has deem’d the new-born year
The fittest time for festal cheer:  5
Even, heathen yet, the savage Dane
At Iol more deep the mead did drain;
High on the beach his galleys drew,
And feasted all his pirate crew;
Then in his low and pine-built hall, 10
Where shields and axes deck’d the wall,
They gorged upon the half-dress’d steer;
Caroused in seas of sable beer;
While round, in brutal jest, were thrown
The half-gnaw’d rib, and marrow-bone, 15
Or listen’d all, in grim delight,
While scalds yell’d out the joys of fight. 
Then forth, in frenzy, would they hie,
While wildly-loose their red locks fly,
And dancing round the blazing pile, 20
They make such barbarous mirth the while,
As best might to the mind recall
The boisterous joys of Odin’s hall.