Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame, XXII. THE FORCE OF PRAYER *; OR, THE FOUNDING OF BOLTON PRIORY. A TRADITION. 1806. What is good for a bootless bene ? ' With these dark words begins my Tale; And their meaning is, whence can comfort spring When Prayer is of no avail? "What is good for a bootless bene?” The Falconer to the Lady said; And she made answer 66 ENDLESS SORROW!" * See the White Doe of Rylstone, Vol. iv. She knew it by the Falconer's words, -Young Romilly through Barden woods And holds a greyhound in a leash, The pair have reached that fearful chasm, How tempting to bestride! For lordly Wharf is there pent in With rocks on either side. This striding-place is called THE STRID, A name which it took of yore: A thousand years hath it borne that name, And shall a thousand more. And hither is young Romilly come, And what may now forbid That he, perhaps for the hundredth time, Shall bound across THE STRID? He sprang in glee,—for what cared he That the river was strong, and the rocks were steep?But the greyhound in the leash hung back, And checked him in his leap. The Boy is in the arms of Wharf, Now there is stillness in the vale, If for a lover the Lady wept, From death, and from the passion of death;- She weeps not for the wedding-day Her hope was a further-looking hope, He was a tree that stood alone, Long, long in darkness did she sit, 66 In Bolton, on the field of Wharf, The stately Priory was reared; And the Lady prayed in heaviness Oh! there is never sorrow of heart 1808. XXIII. DION. (SEE PLUTARCH). 1. SERENE, and fitted to embrace, With self-sufficing solitude, But with majestic lowliness endued, Might in the universal bosom reign, And from affectionate observance gain Help, under every change of adverse fate. |