Marmion . uby stone; And often did she lookOn that Avhich in her hand she bore,With velvet bound, and Ijroidcred oer, Her breviary such a place, so lone, so dawning pale, or twilight dim, It fearful would ha^e beenTo meet a form so richly dressed,With book in hand, and cross on breast, And such a woful mien,Fitz-Eustace, loitering with his bow,To practise on the gull and her, at distance, gliding slow. And did by Mary swear,—Some lovelorn Fay she might have , in Romance, some spell-bound Queen;For neer, in work-day Avorld, was seen A form so Avitching fair. Once
Marmion . uby stone; And often did she lookOn that Avhich in her hand she bore,With velvet bound, and Ijroidcred oer, Her breviary such a place, so lone, so dawning pale, or twilight dim, It fearful would ha^e beenTo meet a form so richly dressed,With book in hand, and cross on breast, And such a woful mien,Fitz-Eustace, loitering with his bow,To practise on the gull and her, at distance, gliding slow. And did by Mary swear,—Some lovelorn Fay she might have , in Romance, some spell-bound Queen;For neer, in work-day Avorld, was seen A form so Avitching fair. Once walking thus, at evening tide. It chanced a gliding sail she spied. And, sighing, thought — The Abbess, there. Perchance, does to her home repair; Her peaceful rule, Avhere Duty, free, Walks hand in hand with Charity; Where oft Devotions tranced glow Can such a glimpse of heaven bestow, That the enraptured sisters see High vision, and deep mystery; The very form of Hilda fair. CANTO XL THE BATTLE. 245. Hovering upon the sunny air, And smiling on her Aotaries prayer. Oh, wherefore, to my duller eye. Did still the Saint her form deny! Was it, that, seared by sinful scorn, My heart could neither melt nor l)ui-n ? Or lie my warm affections low, With him that taught them first to glow? Yet, gentle Abbess, well 1 knew. To pay thy kindness grateful due. And well could brook the mild command. That ruled thy simple maiden band. How different now! condemned to bide My doom from this dark tyrants pride. — But Marmion has to learn, ere long. That constant mind, and hate of wrong, 246 3IABMI0N. canto vi. Descended to a feeble girl, From Red De Clare, stout Glostcrs Earl: Of such a stem, a sapling weak, He neer shall bend, although he break. But sec! — what makes this armor here? — For in her path there layTarge, corselet, helm; — she viewed them near,The breastplate pierced! — Ay, much I fear,Weak fence wert thou gainst foemans hath made fatal entrance here. As the
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