Logs for the Christmas Fire. A selection of tales ... in prose and verse, riddles, charades, ... jokes, etc. By ... J. H. ... H. J. Hatch, ... and J. F. T. Wiseman

Front matter

LOGS FOR THE CHRISTMAS FIRE LONDON : PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUAK'K AND PARLIAMENT STREET Heap on more logs ! — the wind is chill, But let it whistle as it will We 'II keep our Christmas merry still. —Scott LOGS FOR THE CHRISTMAS FIRE A SELECTION OF TALES OF FICTION AND ROMANCE IN PROSE AND VERSE RIDDLES, CHARADES, DOUBLE ACROSTICS, CONUNDRUMS, ANAGRAMS, JOKES, &c. BY REV. J. HARRIS, M.A. REV. H. J. HATCH, M.A. AND JAMES F. T. WISEMAN AUTHORS OF 'THE PAGLESHAM OYSTER ' Heap on more logs ! the wind is chill, But let it whistle as it will We '11 keep our Christinas merry still' — SCOTT LONDON SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. CHELMSFORD : E. DURRANT AND CO.

Preface

. Assuredly to our mind there cannot be imagined or described any scene more refreshing or more cheering than a group of happy faces assembled round the Christmas fire. Many branches of a family have no opportunity, save at merry Christmas, of thus meeting together ; and certainly these agree able gatherings can be found nowhere in such fulness of joy as in happy England, indicating as they do a just appreciation of that scene so little understood by other nations, but so dear to all English hearts, ' Home.' Then from the younger por tion we may expect to hear the ringing laugh, when some humorous pun or side-splitting joke strikes upon the ear, while those who have seen ' o'er many yule logs burning,' and whose scanty locks approach in whiteness the snow-flakes falling fast without, will, though a smile may illume their features at these bursts of hilarious mirth of youth and childhood, seize this opportunity of instilling into their minds the time-honoured adage, ' It is good to be merry and wise.' Knowing how imperative it is at this season, ' when Winter pours her sleety floods,' and the howling wind enters unbidden through every crack and crevice, that a good fire should shed its genial influence around ; and since nothing adds so much to its cheering blaze as a good supply of well-seasoned logs, it is for this purpose we present to such groups our modest offering.

PREFACE.

. VI ' Logs for the Christmas fire,' cut from various trees and dried with a larch amount of trouble, containing a pro/t^ue indicating the pith of the trio, a cata/t^ue showing the various brandies, and an epi/^ue in which we take our leaves. Al though we do not presume — fir be it from us — to write a treatise on the variety of trees from which our logs are cut, we hope, kind Reader, that yule like them and be induced to exclaim, ' A perfect treat" tis ! " Then certainly each of us willow yew a debt of gratitude. i'Vr-fetched as some of our {f)oaks may be found, they must be taken aspeuned, and though not all poplar, should not be cut up by critics and made a (h)as/t of. In any case, we are determined not to pine even though our Christmas serial does not bear off the palm, or get to /^gerheads with any old fogies who delight to bark at their neighbours who prefer the comic to the serious, and whose saturnine disposition and sallow complexion would lead us to conclude that in endeavouring to please the younger branches of the community we must neces sarily fail to gratify the elder.

A fig for such ! for who in the tace of life does not hope to earn his laurels and to wear his bays ? To keep up their spirits when at sea, our naval tars are accustomed to pitch into something which is mm in its taste; we landsmen shall be satisfied with some shrub. This may be considered ' sat sapi&nti? sufficient for the Wiseman ; and since too much of a good thing is said to be good for nothing, we do not intend to Harris your minds by Hatching many more puns. Therefore we shall simply remark that our only desire is to add to the enjoyment of Christmas gatherings, not by the scintilla tions of genius, but rather by the sparks thrown out by these 'LOGS FOR THE CHRISTMAS FIRE. TAGIv i 85 I31 i57 16S 216 217 219 226 234 255 268 294 CONTENTS. Preface, with illustration. Logs Isoline : A Tale of Hadleigh Castle, with illustrations by the author . f.F.T. Wiseman Rev. H. f. Hatch.

The Heir of Raven's Nest De La Fontaine's Fables in English Verse Contemplations on Nature Rev. f Harris. /. F. T. Wiseman. Rev. H. f. Hatch. I. F. T Wiseman. Fernley Vicarage Elysium Electrified Lines addressed to a Little Girl on her Eighth Birthday Rev. f. Harris. William Button and Emma Day : A pathetic Ballad ..... f.F.T. Wiseman. f.F.T. Wiseman. Rev. H. f. Hatch. William Tell Charades, Double Acrostics, etc. Charades, Double Acrostics, etc. Rev. f. Harris. Charades, Double Acrostics, Riddles, etc. f. F. T. Wiseman. Epilogue a i 26 60 84 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ' Heap on more logs ! the wind is chill, But let it whistle as it will We'll keep our Christmas merry still? — Scott . Frontispiece Hadleigh Castle from the South-east, 1874 Page To face page Hadley Castle, 1274 The Tournament Ruins of Hadleigh Castle, HADLEIGH CASTLE FROM THE SOUTH-EAST. 1874. isoline: A TALE OF HADLEIGH CASTLE A.D. I272.

Introduction

Where Thames' broad billows seaward glide Mingled with Medway's surging tide ; Where countless ships at offing stay, Or smoothly cleave their liquid way, Or when before the fresh'ning gale Swells proudly forth the arching sail, And all majestically sweep Their courses o'er the surging deep ; B ISOLINE: 2 Where at a glance the eye contains Kent's fertile hills and Essex' plains ; Where Sheppy's cliffs the livelong day Glisten beneath the crystal spray, And in the distance Thanet's Isle Far oceanward is seen to smile ; Where winds the Thames its oozy way Past Canvey's Isle, past Hadley's ray,1 There on a hill whose wooded brow Slopes boldly from the plain below, A hoary ruin greets the eye, Casting huge shadows o'er the sky ; Its mould'ring wall and crumbling stone Of glories tell, departed, gone ; Six centuries have hurried past Since first it braved the wintry blast ; Reared while the English sceptre yet Was swayed by fourth Plantagenet,2 By that good earl3 who ventured still To thwart the tyrant's cruel will ; Alike his threats and wiles withstood, Nor stained his hands in guiltless blood.

Here did he raise this massive pile, This symbol meet of feudal style ; Here kept he almost regal court, Here his retainers favours sought, Here vassals bent on humble knee, And swore their oaths of fealty. A ruin now, to Time a prey, Grandeur and strength long passed away. What tales its massive walls could tell Of warlike deeds, of beauty's spell, 1 From the Norman-French ' Rie,' a shore, coast, or bank. Your uncle must not know but you are dead. I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports, And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world, Will not offend thee. 2 Henry III. 3 Hubert de Burgh, who was the custodian of Prince Arthur, built this castle in the year 1 23 1, and who, notwithstanding the promises of reward made by the tyrant John, to induce him to murder his charge, or the threats if he refused to carry out his diabolical plans, was not to be corrupted.

Arthur. Oh heaven ! I thank you Hubert. Hubert. Silence ; no more. Go closely in with me, Much danger do I undergo for thee. — Shakspeare. King John, Act iv. sc. I. Hubert. Adieu ! B 2 Of pageants gay, of courtly dance, Of knights unhorsed, of splinter'd lance, Of minstrel's song, of deadly feud, Of wassail stained with purple blood. — Where are they now ? The baron stern, The motley mime,1 the lowly kern, The noble dame, the warrior brave — All mould'ring in the silent grave. And dare I now with sportive pen People these crumbling walls again, Again call back from that dread bourne From whence no mortal can return, Those high-born dames, those barons bold, Who trod of yore this castle old, And weave with aid of fancy's eye A tale of early chivalry ? A jester or mimic. ISOLINE: 4 Canto I.— THE JOURNEY. i Slow sank the sun.

The sombre hue Of twilight gray deep shadows threw Alike o'er linn and glade, Low moaned the wind with hollow sigh, The woods gave back the owlet's cry, The flitting bat swept idly by, While deeper grew the shade ; O'er sterile plain, o'er grassy lea, O'er hazel copse and forest tree, O'er fertile hill and dale, O'er Regeneia's castled mound,1 That grimly in the distance frowned, Night cast her gloomy veil. 2 Far o'er the hill of Assandune,2 From eastern wave the yellow moon 1 Regeneia, Rayleigh, a village formerly the head of the barony of Suene, Earl of Essex, who built a castle here of which nothing now remains but some earthworks, known in the neighbourhood as 'Rayleigh Mount.' — Wright's Essex. 2 Assandune, or Ashingdon, famous for the battle fought there between Canute and Edmund Ironside, though some suppose Ashdown near Saffron Waldon to have been the spot, but this must be an error. — Vide Gough.'s Additions to Camdcn. with Canute for the crown.

After having in vain made several attempts upon London, which was preserved by Edmund's bravery, Canute fixed his quarters in Essex. The same year the Danes left Essex to invade Mercia, but were driven back, and a great battle was fought at Assandune, in which by the treachery of the ealdorman Edric, Edmund was defeated. (Wright's History of Essex.) The Danish dynasty in England had been very oppressive to the natives. An Englishman meeting a Dane on a bridge was obliged to stand aside till the Dane had passed over ; if he did not make a low reverence when he passed a Dane In the year 1016 Ethelred died at London, and left his son, Edmund Ironside, to struggle Broke slowly through the gloom, Aside night's sable mantle thrown, Her mellowed rays refulgent shone, While massive wall and turret stone Distinctive forms assume ; Slowly along the steep incline Where twined the tendrils of the vine,1 A horseman wound his way.

The dancing moonbeams' silver light Flashed from the armour of the knight, From corslet, shield, and falchion bright, From lance and pennon gay. 3 From head to heel a coat of mail, 'Gainst which nor sword nor spear avail, His stalwart limbs encased ; From plated boot to burganet,2 The flexile rings so closely set, Were supple as the silken net O'er beauty's features placed ; he was liable to be severely beaten. The tribute that was extorted from the native English was fixed by Canute (after the death of Edmund Ironside, which occurred the same year that the battle of Assandune was fought) at upwards of 80,000/., and it was collected with merci less severity. Leland. Collectan. See Saxon Chron., p. 151. Hardicanute levied an additional tax of upwards of 33,000/. for the payment of his fleet and army.

The Danish tribute or Danegeld was discontinued after the accession of Edward the Confessor. When he was one day shown the great heap of money which had been collected for the payment of the Danish tribute, he started back in apparent terror, and declared he saw the devil dancing and capering over it. He ordered it directly to be paid back to the people, and Danegeld was abolished for ever. — Ingulph, p. 66 ; Johan. Brompton, p. 142. 2 ' From plated boot, ' &c. The burganet or helmet of this reign covered the whole head and rested on the shoulders, and by degrees assumed a barrel form bulging at the sides. The flat-topped cylindrical helmet of the two preceding reigns, viz. Richard I. and John, descended no lower than the ears. The gorget-plastron, or, as it was sometimes called, the harbergeon or haubergeon, was the little coat or jacket of mail for protecting the throat, sometimes drawn up to meet the nasal or avantayle of the helmet ; the hauberk was the tunic or coat of mail descending from the throat to below the knee, and in this reign was first composed of rings so interlaced and riveted together as to form a complete garment of themselves without the leathern foundation of former reigns, viz. in that of William I., the hauberk being a tunic of leather with rings of iron stitched flat upon it.

Stephen, on his great seal, appears in a hauberk of rings set edgewise, an improvement upon the flat-ringed armour in point of security, though a very great addition of weight to the wearer. In this reign (Stephen's) Richard, Constable of 1 We find in Doomsday Book there was a park here (Rayleigh) containing ' six arpenni ' (600 perches) of vineyard, and producing in a good season ' twenty modii' (about 1 60 gallons) of wine. ISOLINE .- Where stayed the hauberk's hood of mail The gorget met the avantayle, And fell his shoulders o'er ; Suspended from his neck his shield, Tuebor on its burnished field ' As blazoned motto bore. 4 His stalwart form inured to war, Athletic, tall, and muscular, Seemed cast in giant mould ; His well-turned head, where clust'ring grew Long curling hair of chestnut hue, The lofty brow, and eye of blue Of manly beauty told ; The cheek embrowned by Syrian sun, And cross that on his surcoat shone,2 Told surely he had fought and won His spurs in Holy Land.

Full oft the brazen trump of fame Did far and near the deeds proclaim Of Guy de Waterville, the same Who fought when Edward's band Chester, appears in a suit of tegulated armour, composed of small square plates of steel lap ping over each other like tiles instead of being cut into scales or mascles. The chain mail (as it was called, to distinguish it from the flat -ringed or rings set edgeways, called single mail) was introduced into England from Asia, where it is still worn. — Planche's British Costume. tured that the custom originated with the Crusaders both for the purpose of distinguish ing the many different leaders serving under the cross, and to veil the iron armour, so apt to heat excessively when exposed to the direct. rays of the sun. The date of its first appearance in Europe, and the circumstance of the knights of St. John and of the Temple being so attired in their monumental effigies, are certainly arguments in savour of the supposi tion.—Planche's British Costume. 1 'Tuebor,' I will defend.

The knight's shield of this reign was flatter and straight at top, and generally emblazoned. — Ibid. 2 ' Surcoat.' The Normans adopted the long Saxon robe, wearing it over their armour as a surcoat, and called it by the name of bliaus. The modern ' smock-frock ' is almost an exact counterpart of the Norman surcoat. — ■ Dr. Doran's Habits and Men. Besides the surcoat two other military gar ments are common to the period : the wambeys or gambeson, and the haqueton or acketon. They were wadded and quilted tunics, the first of leather stuffed wilh wool, and the second of buckskin filled with cotton. These were sometimes worn by persons of distinction in lieu of the hauberk, in which case these garments were stitched with silk or gold thread, and rendered extremely ornamental. — Sir Samuel Meyrick.

The surcoat worn over the coat of mail, usually made of silk of one uniform colour, but sometimes variegated, sometimes richly embroidered, and sometimes altogether of cloth of gold or silver. It has been conjee- In Palestine by glory lured, Outnumber'd met the Paynim horde, And left their bones unsepulchred To whiten on its strand, 5 Jet-black his horse, of Flemish blood A warrior better ne'er bestrode In tournament or sight ; So stout of heart, so good at need. Though strong in frame not scant of speed, I wot he was a noble steed ; Though now in weary plight, Like ocean's waves, his heaving flank Dappled with foam, uprose and sank, Blood oozing from his reeking side Mingled with sweat his crimson tide, While drooping limbs splashed o'er with cla Told of a long and toilsome way ; His rider clad from head to heel In all his panoply of steel, In sooth a heavy load ; Ere yet the horn of chanticleer Or lark proclaimed the dawn was near From Cressing Temple1 rode. 6 I say Sir Guy de Waterville 2 Left Cressing ere the matin trill Of soaring lark or cockcrow shrill Had woke the echoes round ; 1 Cressing Temple, as its name implies, belonged to the Knights Templars ; it was granted to them by Stephen in the year 115 1, and was made a commandery or preceptory.

Preceptories were benefices possessed by the most eminent Templars created by the chief master, and named Præceptores Templi. Of these there were sixteen in England, of which Cressing Temple was the first in importance. — Monast. Anglic, vol. ii. p. 543. 2 ' De Waterville. ' Of this family was the gallant Sir William de Watervil, who ac companied King Richard I. to the Holy Land, and acquired fame by his magnanimous con duct at the taking of Ptolemais, and in other actions. Robert of Gloucester speaks of him in his rhyming chronicle : — ' King Richard with gud intent To yat cite of Tafes went. ISOLINE : While yet the early dawn-streaks fell He crossed o'er Folkbourne's wooded dell, Where trickling flows St. Germain's well, For holy deeds renowned. On, on he spurs past Cheping Hill, Where Panta,1 there a murm'ring rill, Meanders slowly by.

He marks the little streamlet flow, Winding along the meads below, Pure as the flakes of falling snow Or early infancy. Not as on that disastrous day When to the ' deep-mouthed ' clarion's bray Saxon and Dane in dread array Were marshall'd on its banks ; When that brave earl with flashing brand, On morn he sent after sir Robert Salkevill, Sir William Watervile, strength and honour to preserve it."' This ceremony gave Chandos the rank of knight banneret, which it is surprising that he, who had seen so many stricken fields, had not received before. This order of knighthood was the most honourable, being conferred only on the field of battle. All the treatises of heraldry say that it must be conferred after the battle, although in this case we see an instance of its being obtained before the fight, the strict rule being probably waived in consideration of the knight's former fields.

It is generally supposed that this order, which took precedence of all others below barons, and whose members were anciently called to Parliament by summons, originated in the reign of Edward I., but Edmondson, in his Body of Heraldry, says they were first created in 736 ; he does not, however, quote any authority in support of his assertion. The last knight-banneret created in England was Sir John Smith, who was advanced to the dignity, after the battle of Edge Hill in 1642, for rescuing the royal standard ; he was slain in battle at Alresford, in Hampshire. — Johncs, 1 ' Panta.' The ancient name for the river Blackwater. The antiquity of this name appears from this passage in the chronicle of Ralph de Coggeshall, who, speaking of the old city of Ithanchester, or, as he names it, Stancaster, says, ' Civitas Stancaster stelit super ripam rivoli de Pante, currentis per Maldunum.' See also Bede's Eccles.

Hist., b. 3, c. 22. Sir Hubart and Sir Robert of Turnham, Sir Bertram Brandes and John de St. John.' There were three knights-bannerets of this family all living at the same time in this county in the reign of Edward I. The seat of the Watervills was Pantfield Hall, in the parish of Panfield or Pangfield. — Barnes's History of Edward III. ; Fuller's Church His tory; Knight- Bannerets, temp. Edward I., sol. 45. A knight-banneret was a knight made on the field of battle with the ceremony of cutting off the point of his standard or pennon, and making it into a banner. — Popu lar Encyclopedia. Froissart, describing the ceremony of making Sir John Char.dos a knight banneret, says : ' Sir John Chandos advanced in front of the battalions with his banner un cased in his hand. He presented it to the prince (Edward the Black Prince), saying, " My lord, here is my banner.

I present it to you, that I may display it in whatever manner shall be most agreeable to you ; for, thanks to God, I have now sufficient lands to enable me to do so, and maintain the rank which it ought to hold." The prince, Don Pedro being present, took the banner in his hands, which was blazoned with a sharp stake gules on a field argent. After having cut off the tail to make it square, he displayed it, and, returning it to him by the handle, said: " Sir John, I return you your banner. God give you Byrhtnoth of black Northumberland, Hurled on the Danes his gallant band, And died amid their ranks. Then flew the arrows thick as hail, Then jav'lin pierced the yielding mail, Then mingled with the dying wail Arose the victors' shout. Then were its shores with victims strow'd, Then rolled its waves in angry flood, Then were its waters red with' blood That told the Saxon rout.

How many blue-eyed Saxons ' there Were smitten by the Danish spear In sooth 'twere hard to tell. Leofsunu of old Sturmere, Byrhtnoth the earl, fierce Wulfmaer, Wulfstan the brave, and Godric, here With Ælfwine fighting fell.2 1 ' Blue-eyed Saxons. ' Ely, at the latter of which places he refreshed his men, and he gave then many of his estates to the Abbey. When he arrived at Maldon, he immediately prepared to encounter the in vaders, but they were held asunder for a time by the Panta stream (Black Water), whose tide was up, and they could not pass or injure each other but by their arrows. The impatience of the two armies to encounter each other is graphically described in the poem, as well as the obstinate struggle which ensued when they met together. Wulfstan, the son of Byrhtnoth, behaved no less bravely than his father.

Wulf maer, the nephew of the Earl, is slain, and Byrhtnoth rushes on to avenge his death, but is himself borne down with a dart. As he falls, he cuts down with his axe the Dane who was rushing on to plunder him of his arms, and while dying, encourages his men to defend their country. Perhaps the most interesting part of the poem is that which describes the followers of Byrhtnoth encourag ing one another to avenge his death. Ælfwine first spoke, then Leofsunu, a native of Sturmere: Then (sad relief) from the bleak coast that hears The German Ocean roar, deep-blooming, strong, And yellow-hair'd, the blue-eyed Saxon came. Thomson. 2 This battle, sought against the Danish invaders in 993, was the subject of many poems amongst the Anglo-Saxons, from among which there still remains a long fragment des cribing the battle and the death of the Ealdor man Byrhtnoth.

The Ely and Ramsay his tories dwell on the good qualities of Byrhtnoth, on his piety and generosity, and on his strength and bravery. It appears that he had no long time before defeated and destroyed a party of Danes at Maldon, and that afterwards he had gone to Northumberland, of which county he was (according to the Ely historian) a native. In the meantime, another and a larger party of Danes arrived at Maldon ; on hearing which Byrhtnoth hastened back to meet them, ' fearful of their gaining even a single foot by his delay.' On the way he passed Ramsey and ' Leofsunu gemœlde and his lirrde ahof, ' Leofsunu spoke, and raised his linden buckler, bord to geboorge, he tham beorne oncwcei. the shield for protection, he addressed the warriors : "Ic beet gehate, bœt ic heonon nelle " I declare this, that I will not hence ISOLINE .- 7 While mused Sir Guy a martial glow Flushed deeply o'er his cheek and brow, His curtal axe at saddle bow He seized with nervous hand ; Though centuries away had sped Since rolled those waves with slaughter red, Again the dying and the dead Seem stretched upon the strand : 'Charge! charge! again, ye Saxon Thanes!

Drive from your shores those ruffian Danes, Relentless charge, while one remains ! ' Loud did the warrior cry. The hills gave back the echoing sound, His startled charger spurned the ground, Guy knew not till he gazed around He'd been in reverie. So long he rode, and musingly, He wist not he had hurried by Ad Ansum's famous mound ; ' fleon flotes trym, ac wille furtSor gan, urecan on gewinne minne wine-drihten. flee a footstep, but that I will advance, to avenge in the battle my beloved lord. They about Sturmere shall not need to reproach with words me who am a steadfast man, Ne person me embe Sturmere stede fœste hœle<5 wordune ætwitan, nu min wine gecranc, J>æt ic hlafordleas now my friend is dead, that I lordless ham siSie. journey home ; that I leave the battle, but me shall the weapon take, edge and iron."

He full wild with rage fought firmly, flight he despised.' Wende fram wige, ac me sceal wœpen niman, ord and iren." he fill yrre wod, feaht fastlice, fleam he forhogode.' The fragment of the poem ends in the midst of these exhortations, with Godric, who, after encouraging his companions, rushes into the conflict and hews down his enemies on every side. The result of the battle was disastrous — the Danes gained the field, and the Abbot of Ely searched for the body of Byrhtnoth and buried it honourably in his church. The whole that remains of this poem is published in Thorpe's Analecta Angto-Saxonica. 1 ' Ad Ansum.' Witham or Cheping Hill. There is no doubt that this was the site of the old Roman station called Ad Ansum, of which considerable remains are now visible. They consist of a circular camp, defended by a double vallum almost levelled within on the south side, but very visible on the S.W. ; the works are lower on the west side, as it is there defended by the river, and a road runs through it from north to south. — Morant.

HADLELGH CASTLE. 11 Where Edward, worthy of his sire, Avvless of heart, his eye of fire, Raised massive wall and turret spire, And set a rampart round.1 'Twas he whose stalwart arm compell'd On many a red ensanguined field Northmen and Pict alike to yield Before his conqu'ring sword ; Brought back those who had vainly striv'n Against the foe, by terror driv'n, Allegiance to the Dane had giv'n, And crushed the murd'ring horde. S Now tints the sun the purpling east, In all his roseate splendour dress'd, And murky mist and vapours gray Roll imperceptibly away. Pendent from every bush and tree, Danced in the sunlight merrily The drops of sparkling dew ; Amid each silvery gleam of light Their varying tints flash on the sight, Now emerald green, now diamond bright, Now gems of pearly hue. Each woodland flower at evening's close That drooping lay in calm repose, Hid in its leafy shade, Peeps from amid the less'ning gloom, While opening bud and fragrant bloom Again distil their sweet perfume O'er coppice, wood, and glade.

Up springs the lark, and from the skies Pours down his matin melodies 1 By the following passage, translated from the Saxon Chronicle, we learn that a town was built here in the year 913 by King Edward the Elder, the son of King Alfred. 'After this, in the summer betwixt gang days and midsummer, went King Edward with some of his force into Essex, to Maldon, and encamped there while the men built and fortified the town of Witham. And many of the people submitted to him, who were before under ISOLLNE : 12 High poised on soaring wing. The owlet shuns the beaming day, While joyously from every spray The mavis trills her grateful lay, And makes the welkin ring. 9 Onward he sped, mid heath and brake, Past Terling's clear and placid lake, Past stately hall, by modest manse Where stretched the wood in wide expanse, Amid whose old and gnarled trees (Where harmless swells the fiercest breeze) Gleamed in the morning light A peaceful chapel, nestling there, Half hidden 'neath the foliage rare, Its moss-clad wall, and turret square, Broke on the horseman's sight.

Here from his foes Kent's noble earl, Then powerless as the meanest churl, A traitor base proclaimed, When nought could 'suage the bitter mood Of Henry, thirsting for his blood, Before its sacred altar stood And sanctuary claimed.1 Alike forgot his loyalty, His victories by land and sea, His age alike forgot. Sir Godfrey Cracomb's ruthless band Too well obeyed their king's command, And, seizing with remorseless hand, Had torn him from the spot.2 the power of the Danes.' — Ingram's Saxon Chron. 1 'Terling Manor.' This manor was origi nally part of the endowment of the Abbey of Ely, but was taken fiom it by William the Conqueror, on account of the protection found there by the fugitive Saxons, and it was given to Ralph Peverel ; it afterwards passed to Robert de Bruce and to the Bohuns, earls of Essex and Hertford, as lords paramount.