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It happened on a fummer's day,
Led by the fragrant breeze,
I wander'd forth to take the air.
Among the green-wood trees.

Sudden a band of rugged Scots,
That near in ambush lay,
Mofs-troopers from the border-fide,
There feiz'd me for their prey.

My fhrieks had all been fpent in vain, But heaven, that faw my grief, Brought this brave youth within my call, Who flew to my relief.

With nothing but his hunting fpear,
And dagger in his hand,

He fprung like lightning on my foes.
And caus'd them foon to ftand.

He fought, till more affiftance came;
The Scots were overthrown;
Thus freed me, captive, from their bands,
To make me more his own.

O happy day! the youth replied:
Bleft were the wounds I bare!

From that fond hour fhe deign'd to fmile,
And liften to my prayer.

And when the knew my name and birth,
She vowed to be my bride;

But oh we fear'd, (alas, the while !)
Her princely mother's pride:

H 2

Sifter of haughty BOLINGBROLE*
Our houfe's ancient foe,

To me I thought a banish'd wight,
Could ne'er fuch favour fhew.

Defpairing then to gain confent;
At length to fly with me
I won this lovely timorous maid,
To Scotland bound are we.

This evening, as the night drew on,
Fearing we were purfued,

We turn'd adown the right hand path,
And gain'd this lonely wood.

Then lighting from our weary fleeds,
To fhun the pelting shower,
We met thy kind conducting hand,
And reach'd this friendly bower.

Now reft ye both, the Hermit faid;
A while your cares foregoe:
Nor, Lady, fcorn my humble bed;
We'll pafs the night below.t

*

Joan, countess of Weftmoreland, mother of the young Lady, was daughter of John of Gaunt, and halffifter of king Henry ÏV.

t Adjoining to the cliff, which contains the Chapel of the Hermitage, are the remains of a fmall building, in which the Hermit dwelt. This confifted of one lower Apartment, with a little Bed-chamber over it, and is now in ruins: whereas the Chapel, cut in the folid rock, is still very intire and perfect.

THE END OF THE FIRST PART.

THE

HERMIT of WARK WORTH.

A

Northumberland BALLA D.

L

FIT THE SECOND.

OVELY fmil'd the blushing morn,
And every form was fled

But lovelier far, with fweeter finile,
Fair ELEANOR left her bed.

She found her HENRY all alone,

And cheer'd him with her fight;
The youth confulting with his friend,
Had watch'd the livelong night.

What fweet furprize o'erpower'd her breast?
Her cheek what blushes dyed,

When fondly he befought her there

To yield to be his bride.

Within this lonely Hermitage

There is a chapel meet:

Then grant, dear maid, my fond requeft,
And make my blifs compleat.

O HENRY, when thou deign't to fuc,
Can I thy fuit withstand?

When thou, lov'd youth, haft won my heart,
Can I refuse my hand?

For thee I left a father's fmiles,
And mother's tender care;
And whether weal or woe betide,
Thy lot I mean to fhare.

And wilt thou then, O generous maid,
Such matchlefs favour show,
To fhare with me a banish'd wight
My peril, pain, or woe.

Now heaven, I truft, hath joys in store
To crown thy conftant breaft.:
For, know, fond hope affures my heart
That we fhall foon be bleft.

Not far from hence ftands Coquet Isle
Surrounded by the fea;

There dwells a holy friar, well-known
To all thy friends and thee :*

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*In the little island of Coquet, near Warkworth, are still feen the ruins of a Cell, which belonged to the Benedictine monks of Tinemouth-Abbey.

Thus they in fweet and tender talk
The lingering hours beguile :
At length they see the hoary fage
Come from the neighbouring ifle.

With pious joy and wonder mix'd,
He greets the noble pair,
And glad confents to join their hands
With many a fervent prayer.

Then ftrait to RABY's diftant walls
He kindly wends his way;
Mean-time in love and dalliance fweet
They spend the livelong day.

"And now, attended by their host,
The Hermitage they view'd,
Deep-hewn within a craggy cliff,
And over-hung with wood.

And near a flight of shapely fteps,
All cut with niceft skill,

And piercing thro' a stony Arch,

Ran winding up the hill.

There deck'd with many a flower and herb

His little Garden ftands;

With fruitful trees in fhady rows,
All planted by his hands.

;

Then, fcoop'd within the folid rock,
Three facred Vaults he fhows
The chief a Chapel, neatly arch'd,
On branching Columns rofe.

Each proper ornament was there,
That should a chapel grace:
The Lattice for confeffion fram'd,
And Holy-water Vafe.

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