Will build their savage fortunes only there; | were. MONASTERY OF OLD BANGOR.* scorn CASUAL INCITEMENT. A BRIGHT-HAIRED company of youthful Beautiful strangers, stand within the pale craves THE oppression of the tumult-wrath and Angli by name; and not an angel waves swerve coast; gations to other prose writers are frequent-obligations which, even if I had not a pleasure in courting, it would have been presumptuous to shun, in treating an historical subject. I must, however, particularise Fuller, to whom I am indebted in the sonnet upon Wicliffe, and in other instances. And upon the Acquittal of the Seven Bishops I have done little more than versify a lively description of that event in the memoirs of the first Lord Lonsdale. "Ethelforth reached the convert of Bangor he perceived the monks, twelve hundred in number, offering prayers for the success of their countrymen : If they are praying against us,' he exclaimed, they are fighting against us;' and he ordered them to be first attacked: they were destroyed; and, appalled by their fate, the courage of Brocmail wavered, and he fled from the field in dismay. Thus abandoned by their leader, his army soon gave way, and Ethelforth obtained a decisive conquest. Ancient Bangor itself soon fell into his hands, and was demolished; the noble monastery was levelled to the ground: its library, which is mentioned as a large one, the collection of ages, the repository of the most precious monuments of the ancient Britons, was consumed, half-ruined walls, gates, and rubbish, were all that remained of the magnificent edifice. "- See Turner's valuable history of the Anglo-Saxons. The account Bede gives of this remarkable event, suggests a most striking warning against national and religious prejudices. Taliesin was present at the battle which preceded this desolation. For them, and for their land. The earnest Subjects of Saxon ELLA-they shall sing GLAD TIDINGS. FOR ever hallowed be this morning fair, And blest the silver cross, which ye, instead Chanting in barbarous ears a tuneful prayer, Of ignorance, that ran so rough and high, These good men humble by a few bare See the original of this speech in Bede.. The conversion of Edwin, as related by him is highly interesting and the breaking up of this council accompanied with an event so striking and characteristic, that I am tempted to give it at length, in a translation. "Who, exclaimed the king, when the council was ended, shall first desecrate the altars and the temples? I, answered the chief priest, for who more fit than myself, through the wisdom which the true God hath given me to destroy, for the good example of others, what in foolishness I worshipped? Immediately, casting away vain superstition, he besought the king to grant him, what the laws did not allow to a priest, arms and a courser; which mounting, and furnished with a sword and lance, he proceeded to destroy the idols. The crowd, seeing this, thought him mad-he, however, halted not, but approaching he profaned the temple, casting against it the lance which he had held in his hand, and, exulting in acknowledgment of the true God, he ordered his companions to pull down the temple, with all its inclosures. The place is shown where those idols formerly stood, not far from York, at the source of the river Derwent, and is at this day called Gormund Gaham." lore; CONVERSION. PROMPT transformation works the novel To desecrate the fane which heretofore Is overturned; the mace, in battle heaved Drops, and the god himself is seen no more. Temple and altar sink, to hide their shame Amid oblivious weeds. "Oh, come to me, Ye heavy laden!" such the inviting voice Heard near fresh streams, t—and thousands, who rejoice In the new rite-the pledge of sanctity, Shall, by regenerate life, the promise claim. APOLOGY. NOR Scorn the aid which fancy oft doth lend Outshining nightly tapers, or the blaze raise Of good works, mingling with the visions The soul to purer worlds: and who the line Shall draw, the limits of the power define, That even imperfect faith to man afford..? Rites that console the spirit, under grief Which ill can brook more rational relief: Hence prayers are shaped amiss, and dirges [is smooth For those whose doom is fixed! The way For power that travels with the human heart: sung Confession ministers, the pang to soothe SECLUSION. BUT what if one, through grove or flowery Indulging thus at will the creeping feet On a wild coast, rough monitors to feed LANCE, shield, and sword relinquished-Thy diligence, thy unrelaxing use at his side A bead-roll, in his hand a clasped book, vel manu signari, vel ore illius se benedici, gaudebant. Verbis quoque horum exhortatoriis diligenter auditum præbebant."-Lib. iii., cap. 26. Of a long life; and, in the hour of death, SAXON MONASTERIES, AND LIGHTS AND BY such examples moved to unbought The people work like congregated bees ;! *He expired dictating the last words of a translation of St. John's Gospel. † See in Turner's History, vol. iii., p. 528, the account of the erection of Ramsey monastery. Penances were removable by the perfor mances of acts of charity and benevolence Eager to build the quiet fortresses MISSIONS AND TRAVELS. NOT sedentary all there are who roam To scatter seeds of life on barbarous shores; Or quit with zealous step their knee-worn floors To seek the general mart of Christendom; Whence they, like richly-laden merchants, come To their beloved cells :-or shall we say That, like the red-cross knight, they urge their way, To lead in memorable triumph home ALFRED. BEHOLD a pupil of the monkish gown, cares. And Christian India, through her widespread chime, In sacred converse gifts with Alfred shares. HIS DESCENDANTS. CAN aught survive to linger in the veins Of their protection, gentle virtues thrive; bloom. INFLUENCE ABUSED. URGED by ambition, who with subtlest skill Changes her means, the enthusiast as a dupe Shall soar, and as a hypocrite can stoop, And turn the instruments of good to ill, Moulding the credulous people to his will. Such Dunstan :- from its Benedictine coop Issues :he master mind, at whose fell swoop The chaste affections tremble to fulfil Their purposes. Behold, pre-signified, The night of spiritual sway! his thoughts, his dreams, Do in the supernatural world abide : So vaunt a throng of followers, filled with pride In shows of virtue pushed to its extremes, And sorceries of talent misapplied. DANISH CONQUESTS. WOE to the crown that doth the cowl obey!t Dissension checks the arms that would re strain The incessant rovers of the Northern main And widely spreads once more a pagan sway But gospel-truth is potent to allay + The violent measures carried on under the influence of Dunstan for strengthening the Benedictine order, were a leading cause of the * Through the whole of his life Alfred was second series of Danish invasions.-Sce Tursubject to grievous maladies. ner. THE COUNCIL OF CLERMONT. AND shall," the Pontiff asks, "profane ness flow From Nazareth-source of Christian piety, From Bethlehem, from the mounts of agony And glorified ascension? Warriors go, With prayers and blessings we your path will sow; Like Moses hold our hands erect, till ye Have chased far off by righteous victory These sons of Amalek, or laid them low!" "God willeth it," the whole assembly cry; Shout which the enraptured multitude astounds! [reply: The Council-roof and Clermont's towers 'God willeth it," from hill to hill rebounds, And in awe-stricken countries far and nigh Through "nature's hollow arch," the voice resounds.t CRUSADES. THE turbaned race are poured in thicken- And soft Italia feels renewed alarms; [arms. Their tents, and check the current of their Then blame not those who, by the mightiest lever Known to the moral world, imagination, Upheave (so seems it) from her natural station [(was never All Christendom-they sweep alongSo huge a host !)-to tear from the unbeliever [vation. The precious tomb, their haven of sal RICHARD I. REDOUBTED king, of courage leonine, + The decision of this council was believed to be instantly known in remote parts of Europe. |