Marmion: Canto V. - The Court Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBBCDDCEEFFGHHIIJJ A DDKKLMMNOPPPQPPPQEEP NNNPNRMR A SSTRRTOLKOOKOKAAUVVV W D RXTYYTBBVZA2VNNB2C2C 2B2AAQD2BBZEE2E2E2EE 2E2E2 D F2F2PBBG2G2PEEG2EEG2 PPG2G2G2G2H2H2RQD2RI 2I2AAPPG2G2 A G2G2G2G2OOOQQJ2J2IIG 2G2F2F2G2F2G2VVG2G2G 2G2G2G2K2K2PL2L2L2P A DDWWWC2C2AM2G2G2G2M2 G2G2C2C2N2N2G2G2G2G2 G2G2PWWPAAAP A VVO2QQQQO2PG2G2PG2PP PG2G2IIEEPP L2 L2H2| I | A |
| - | |
| The train has left the hills of Braid | B |
| The barrier guard have open made | B |
| So Lindesay bade the palisade | B |
| That closed the tented ground | C |
| Their men the warders backward drew | D |
| And carried pikes as they rode through | D |
| Into its ample bound | C |
| Fast ran the Scottish warriors there | E |
| Upon the Southern band to stare | E |
| And envy with their wonder rose | F |
| To see such well appointed foes | F |
| Such length of shaft such mighty bows | G |
| So huge that many simply thought | H |
| But for a vaunt such weapons wrought | H |
| And little deemed their force to feel | I |
| Through links of mail and plates of steel | I |
| When rattling upon Flodden vale | J |
| The clothyard arrows flew like hail | J |
| - | |
| II | A |
| - | |
| Nor less did Marmion's skilful view | D |
| Glance every line and squadron through | D |
| And much he marvelled one small land | K |
| Could marshal forth such various band | K |
| For men at arms were here | L |
| Heavily sheathed in mail and plate | M |
| Like iron towers for strength and weight | M |
| On Flemish steeds of bone and height | N |
| With battle axe and spear | O |
| Young knights and squires a lighter train | P |
| Practised their chargers on the plain | P |
| By aid of leg of hand and rein | P |
| Each warlike feat to show | Q |
| To pass to wheel the croupe to gain | P |
| The high curvet that not in vain | P |
| The sword sway might descend amain | P |
| On foeman's casque below | Q |
| He saw the hardy burghers there | E |
| March armed on foot with faces bare | E |
| For vizor they wore none | P |
| Nor waving plume nor crest of knight | N |
| But burnished were their corslets bright | N |
| Their brigantines and gorgets light | N |
| Like very silver shone | P |
| Long pikes they had for standing fight | N |
| Two handed swords they wore | R |
| And many wielded mace of weight | M |
| And bucklers bright they bore | R |
| - | |
| III | A |
| - | |
| On foot the yeomen too but dressed | S |
| In his steel jack a swarthy vest | S |
| With iron quilted well | T |
| Each at his back a slender store | R |
| His forty days' provision bore | R |
| As feudal statutes tell | T |
| His arms were halbert axe or spear | O |
| A crossbow there a hagbut here | L |
| A dagger knife and brand | K |
| Sober he seemed and sad of cheer | O |
| As loth to leave his cottage dear | O |
| And march to foreign strand | K |
| Or musing who would guide his steer | O |
| To till the fallow land | K |
| Yet deem not in his thoughtful eye | A |
| Did aught of dastard terror lie | A |
| More dreadful far his ire | U |
| Than theirs who scorning danger's name | V |
| In eager mood to battle came | V |
| Their valour like light straw on flame | V |
| A fierce but fading fire | W |
| - | |
| IV | D |
| - | |
| Not so the Borderer bred to war | R |
| He knew the battle's din afar | X |
| And joyed to hear it swell | T |
| His peaceful day was slothful ease | Y |
| Nor harp nor pipe his ear could please | Y |
| Like the loud slogan yell | T |
| On active steed with lance and blade | B |
| The light armed pricker plied his trade | B |
| Let nobles fight for fame | V |
| Let vassals follow where they lead | Z |
| Burghers to guard their townships bleed | A2 |
| But war's the Borderer's game | V |
| Their gain their glory their delight | N |
| To sleep the day maraud the night | N |
| O'er mountain moss and moor | B2 |
| Joyful to fight they took their way | C2 |
| Scarce caring who might win the day | C2 |
| Their booty was secure | B2 |
| These as Lord Marmion's train passed by | A |
| Looked on at first with careless eye | A |
| Nor marvelled aught well taught to know | Q |
| The form and force of English bow | D2 |
| But when they saw the lord arrayed | B |
| In splendid arms and rich brocade | B |
| Each Borderer to his kinsman said | Z |
| 'Hist Ringan seest thou there | E |
| Canst guess which road they'll homeward ride | E2 |
| Oh could we but on Border side | E2 |
| By Eusedale glen or Liddell's tide | E2 |
| Beset a prize so fair | E |
| That fangless Lion too their guide | E2 |
| Might chance to lose his glistering hide | E2 |
| Brown Maudlin of that doublet pied | E2 |
| Could make a kirtle rare ' | - |
| - | |
| V | D |
| - | |
| Next Marmion marked the Celtic race | F2 |
| Of different language form and face | F2 |
| Avarious race of man | P |
| Just then the chiefs their tribes arrayed | B |
| And wild and garish semblance made | B |
| The chequered trews and belted plaid | G2 |
| And varying notes the war pipes brayed | G2 |
| To every varying clan | P |
| Wild through their red or sable hair | E |
| Looked out their eyes with savage stare | E |
| On Marmion as he passed | G2 |
| Their legs above the knee were bare | E |
| Their frame was sinewy short and spare | E |
| And hardened to the blast | G2 |
| Of taller race the chiefs they own | P |
| Were by the eagle's plumage known | P |
| The hunted red deer's undressed hide | G2 |
| Their hairy buskins well supplied | G2 |
| The graceful bonnet decked their head | G2 |
| Back from their shoulders hung the plaid | G2 |
| A broadsword of unwieldy length | H2 |
| A dagger proved for edge and strength | H2 |
| A studded targe they wore | R |
| And quivers bows and shafts but oh | Q |
| Short was the shaft and weak the bow | D2 |
| To that which England bore | R |
| The Islesmen carried at their backs | I2 |
| The ancient Danish battle axe | I2 |
| They raised a wild and wondering cry | A |
| As with his guide rode Marmion by | A |
| Loud were their clamouring tongues as when | P |
| The clanging sea fowl leave the fen | P |
| And with their cries discordant mixed | G2 |
| Grumbled and yelled the pipes betwixt | G2 |
| - | |
| VI | A |
| - | |
| Thus through the Scottish camp they passed | G2 |
| And reached the city gate at last | G2 |
| Where all around a wakeful guard | G2 |
| Armed burghers kept their watch and ward | G2 |
| Well had they cause of jealous fear | O |
| When lay encamped in field so near | O |
| The Borderer and the Mountaineer | O |
| As through the bustling streets they go | Q |
| All was alive with martial show | Q |
| At every turn with dinning clang | J2 |
| The armourer's anvil clashed and rang | J2 |
| Or toiled the swarthy smith to wheel | I |
| The bar that arms the charger's heel | I |
| Or axe or falchion to the side | G2 |
| Of jarring grindstone was applied | G2 |
| Page groom and squire with hurrying pace | F2 |
| Through street and lane and market place | F2 |
| Bore lance or casque or sword | G2 |
| While burghers with important face | F2 |
| Described each new come lord | G2 |
| Discussed his lineage told his name | V |
| His following and his warlike fame | V |
| The Lion led to lodging meet | G2 |
| Which high o'erlooked the crowded street | G2 |
| There must the baron rest | G2 |
| Till past the hour of vesper tide | G2 |
| And then to Holyrood must ride | G2 |
| Such was the king's behest | G2 |
| Meanwhile the Lion's care assigns | K2 |
| A banquet rich and costly wines | K2 |
| To Marmion and his train | P |
| And when the appointed hour succeeds | L2 |
| The baron dons his peaceful weeds | L2 |
| And following Lindesay as he leads | L2 |
| The palace halls they gain | P |
| - | |
| VII | A |
| - | |
| Old Holyrood rung merrily | D |
| That night with wassail mirth and glee | D |
| King James within her princely bower | W |
| Feasted the chiefs of Scotland's power | W |
| Summoned to spend the parting hour | W |
| For he had charged that his array | C2 |
| Should southward march by break of day | C2 |
| Well loved that splendid monarch aye | A |
| The banquet and the song | M2 |
| By day the tourney and by night | G2 |
| The merry dance traced fast and light | G2 |
| The maskers quaint the pageant bright | G2 |
| The revel loud and long | M2 |
| This feast outshone his banquets past | G2 |
| It was his blithest and his last | G2 |
| The dazzling lamps from gallery gay | C2 |
| Cast on the Court a dancing ray | C2 |
| Here to the harp did minstrels sing | N2 |
| There ladies touched a softer string | N2 |
| With long eared cap and motley vest | G2 |
| The licensed fool retailed his jest | G2 |
| His magic tricks the juggler plied | G2 |
| At dice and draughts the gallants vied | G2 |
| While some in close recess apart | G2 |
| Courted the ladies of their heart | G2 |
| Nor courted them in vain | P |
| For often in the parting hour | W |
| Victorious Love asserts his power | W |
| O'er coldness and disdain | P |
| And flinty is her heart can view | A |
| To battle march a lover true | A |
| Can hear perchance his last adieu | A |
| Nor own her share of pain | P |
| - | |
| VIII | A |
| - | |
| Through this mixed crowd of glee and game | V |
| The King to greet Lord Marmion came | V |
| While reverent all made room | O2 |
| An easy task it was I trow | Q |
| King James's manly form to know | Q |
| Although his courtesy to show | Q |
| He doffed to Marmion bending low | Q |
| His broidered cap and plume | O2 |
| For royal was his garb and mien | P |
| His cloak of crimson velvet piled | G2 |
| Trimmed with the fur of martin wild | G2 |
| His vest of changeful satin sheen | P |
| The dazzled eye beguiled | G2 |
| His gorgeous collar hung adown | P |
| Wrought with the badge of Scotland's crown | P |
| The thistle brave of old renown | P |
| His trusty blade Toledo right | G2 |
| Descended from a baldric bright | G2 |
| White were his buskins on the heel | I |
| His spurs inlaid of gold and steel | I |
| His bonnet all of crimson fair | E |
| Was buttoned with a ruby rare | E |
| And Marmion deemed he ne'er had seen | P |
| A prince of such a noble mien | P |
| - | |
| IX | L2 |
| - | |
| The monarch's form was middle size | L2 |
| For feat of strength | H2 |
Sir Walter Scott
(1)
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Marmion: Canto V. - The Court is a poem by Sir Walter Scott. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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