Page:Marmion - Walter Scott (ed. Bayne, 1889).pdf/166

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
136
MARMION.
To Wolsey's hand the papers 'bring,That he may show them to the King: And, for thy well-earn'd meed,Thou holy man, at Whitby's shrine695A weekly mass shall still be thine, While priests can sing and read.—What ail'st thou?—Speak!'—For as he tookThe charge, a strong emotion shook His frame; and, ere reply,700They heard a faint, yet shrilly tone,Like distant clarion feebly blown, That on the breeze did die;And loud the Abbess shriek'd in fear,'Saint Withold, save us!—What is here!705 Look at yon City Cross!See on its battled tower appearPhantoms, that scutcheons seem to rear,And blazon'd banners toss!'—
XXV.Dun-Edin's Cross, a pillar'd stone,710Rose on a turret octagon; (But now is razed that monument,  Whence royal edict rang, And voice of Scotland's law was sent  In glorious trumpet-clang.715O! be his tomb as lead to lead,Upon its dull destroyer's head!—A minstrel's malison is said.)—Then on its battlements they sawA vision, passing Nature's law,720 Strange, wild, and dimly seen;Figures that seem'd to rise and die,Gibber and sign, advance and fly,While nought confirm'd could ear or eye Discern of sound or mien.725Yet darkly did it seem, as thereHeralds and Pursuivants prepare,With trumpet sound, and blazon fair,
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.