At length the freshening western blast Aside the shroud of battle cast; And, first, the ridge of mingled spears Above the brightening cloud appears; 775 And in the smoke the pennons flew, As in the storm the white sea-mew. Then mark'd they, dashing broad and far, The broken billows of the war, And plumed crests of chieftains brave, 780 Floating like foam upon the wave; But nought distinct they see: Wide raged the battle on the plain; Spears shook, and falchions flash'd amain; Fell England's arrow-flight like rain; 785 Crests rose, and stoop'd, and rose again, Wild and disorderly. Amid the scene of tumult, high They saw Lord Marmion's falcon fly: And stainless Tunstall's banner white, 790 And Edmund Howard's lion bright, Still bear them bravely in the fight; Although against them come, Of gallant Gordons many a one, And many a stubborn Badenoch-man, 795 And many a rugged Border clan, With Huntly, and with Home. XXVII. Far on the left, unseen the while, Stanley broke Lennox and Argyle; Though there the western mountaineer 800 Rush'd with bare bosom on the spear, And flung the feeble targe aside, And with both hands the broadsword plied. 'Twas vain:--But Fortune, on the right, With fickle smile, cheer'd Scotland's fight. 805 Then fell that spotless banner white, The Howard's lion fell; Yet still Lord Marmion's falcon flew With wavering flight, while fiercer grew Around the battle-yell. 810 The Border slogan rent the sky! A Home! a Gordon! was the cry: Loud were the clanging blows; Advanced,--forced back,--now low, now high, The pennon sunk and rose; 815 As bends the bark's mast in the gale, When rent are rigging, shrouds, and sail, It waver'd 'mid the foes. No longer Blount the view could bear: 'By Heaven, and all its saints! I swear 820 I will not see it lost! Fitz-Eustace, you with Lady Clare May bid your beads, and patter prayer,-- I gallop to the host.' And to the fray he rode amain, 825 Follow'd by all the archer train. The fiery youth, with desperate charge, Made, for a space, an opening large,-- The rescued banner rose,-- But darkly closed the war around, 830 Like pine-tree rooted from the ground, It sank among the foes. Then Eustace mounted too:--yet staid, As loath to leave the helpless maid, When, fast as shaft can fly, 835 Blood-shot his eyes, his nostrils spread, The loose rein dangling from his head, Housing and saddle bloody red, Lord Marmion's steed rush'd by; And Eustace, maddening at the sight, 840 A look and sign to Clara cast, To mark he would return in haste, Then plunged into the fight. XXVIII.