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When, from beneath the greenwood tree,
Rode forth Lord Howard's chivalry ;
His men at arms, with glaive and spear,
Brought up the battle's glittering rear.
There many a youthful knight, full keen
To gain his spurs, in arms was seen;
With favour in his crest, or glove,
Memorial of his ladye-love.

So rode they forth in fair array,

Till full their lengthened lines display;

Then called a halt, and made a stand,

And cried, "St George, for merry England!"

XX.

Now every English eye, intent,

On Branksome's armed towers was bent;

So near they were, that they might know
The straining harsh of each cross-bow;
On battlement and bartizan

Gleamed axe, and spear, and partizan;

Falcon and culver,* on each tower,

Stood prompt their deadly hail to shower;

And flashing armour frequent broke

From eddying whirls of sable smoke,
Where, upon tower and turret head,
The seething pitch and molten lead
Reeked, like a witch's cauldron red.
While yet they gaze, the bridges fall,
The wicket opes, and from the wall
Rides forth the hoary Seneschal.

XXI.

Armed he rode, all save the head,

His white beard o'er his breast-plate spread;

Unbroke by age, erect his seat,

He ruled his eager courser's gait;

Forced him, with chasten'd fire, to prance,

And, high curvetting, slow advance:

* Ancient pieces of artillery.

In sign of truce, his better hand
Displayed a peeled willow wand;
His squire, attending in the rear,
Bore high a gauntlet on a spear.
When they espied him riding out,
Lord Howard and Lord Dacre stout

Sped to the front of their array,

To hear what this old knight should say.

XXII.

"Ye English warden lords, of you

Demands the Ladye of Buccleuch,

Why, 'gainst the truce of Border-tide,

In hostile guise ye dare to ride,

With Kendal bow, and Gilsland brand,

And all yon mercenary band,

Upon the bounds of fair Scotland?

My Ladye reads you swith return;
And, if but one poor straw you burn,
Or do our towers so much molest,
As scare one swallow from her nest,

St Mary! but we'll light a brand,

Shall warm your hearths in Cumberland."

XXIII.

A wrathful man was Dacre's lord,

But calmer Howard took the word:

"May't please thy Dame, Sir Seneschal,

To seek the castle's outward wall,
Our pursuivant-at-arms shall shew,

Both why we came, and when we go."-
The message sped, the noble Dame

To the wall's outward circle came;

Each chief around leaned on his spear,

To see the pursuivant appear.

All in Lord Howard's livery dressed,

The lion argent decked his breast;

He led a boy of blooming hue-
O sight to meet a mother's view!
It was the heir of great Buccleuch.
Obeisance meet the herald made,
And thus his master's will he said.

XXIV.

"It irks, high Dame, my noble Lords,

'Gainst ladye fair to draw their swords;
But yet they may not tamely see,
All through the western wardenry,
Your law-contemning kinsmen ride,
And burn and spoil the Border-side;
And ill beseems your rank and birth
To make your towers a flemens-firth.*
We claim from thee William of Deloraine,
That he may suffer march-treason pain:+

It was but last St Cuthbert's even

He pricked to Stapleton on Leven,
Harried the lands of Richard Musgrave,

And slew his brother by dint of glaive.
Then, since a lone and widowed Dame
These restless riders may not tame,

* An asylum for outlaws. + Border treason. + Plundered.

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