23.

Yet other trials he must meet,

For soon a close and piercing heat
Relax'd each loosen❜d limb;

The sweat stream'd out from every part,
In short quick beatings toil'd his heart,
His throbbing eyes grew dim.

24.

Along the wide and wasted land

A stream of fire through banks of sand
Its molten billows spread;
Thin vapours tremulously light

Hung quivering o'er the glowing white,
The air he breathed was red.

25.

A Paradise beyond was seen,
Of shady groves and gardens green,
Fair flowers and fruitful trees,
And flowing fountains cool and clear,
Whose gurgling music reach'd his ear
Borne on the burning breeze.

26.

How should he pass that molten flood?
While gazing wistfully he stood,

A Fiend, as in a dream,

"Thus!" answer'd the unutter'd thought, Stretch'd forth a mighty arm, and caught And cast him in the stream.

27.

Sir Owen groan'd, for then he felt
His eyeballs burn, his marrow melt,
His brain like liquid lead,

And from his heart the boiling blood
Its agonizing course pursued
Through limbs like iron red.

28.

Yet, giving way to no despair,
But mindful of the aid of prayer,

Lord, Thou canst save!" he said

And then a breath from Eden came,

d;

With life and healing through his frame The blissful influence spread.

29.

No Fiends

may now his

way oppose,

The gates of Paradise unclose,

Free entrance there is given;

And songs of triumph meet his ear,

Enrapt, Sir Owen seems to hear

The harmonies of Heaven.

30.

"Come, Pilgrim! take thy foretaste meet,

Thou who hast trod with fearless feet

St. Patrick's Purgatory,

For after death these seats divine,

Reward eternal, shall be thine

And thine eternal glory.”.

31.

Inebriate with the deep delight,

Dim grew the Pilgrim's swimming sight,

His senses died away;

And when to life he woke, before
The Cavern-mouth he saw once more
The light of earthly day.

Westbury, 1798.

THE CROSS ROADS.

The tragedy related in this Ballad happened about the year 1760, in the parish of Bedminster, near Bristol. One who was present at the funeral told me the story and the circumstances of the interment, as I have versified them.

1.

THERE was an old man breaking stones
To mend the turnpike way;

He sate him down beside a brook,

And out his bread and cheese he took,
For now it was mid-day.

2.

He leant his back against a post,
His feet the brook ran by;

And there were water-cresses growing,
And pleasant was the water's flowing,
For he was hot and dry.

3.

A soldier with his knapsack on

Came travelling o'er the down;
The sun was strong and he was tired;
And he of the old man enquired

"How far to Bristol town?"

4.

"Half an hour's walk for a young man,
By lanes and fields and stiles;
But you the foot-path do not know,
And if along the road you go

Why then 't is three good miles."

5.

The soldier took his knapsack off,

For he was hot and dry;

And out his bread and cheese he took, And he sat down beside the brook

To dine in company.

6.

"Old friend! in faith," the soldier says, "I envy you almost ;

My shoulders have been sorely prest,

And I should like to sit, and rest

My back against that post.

7.

"In such a sweltering day as this

A knapsack is the devil;

And if on t' other side I sat,

It would not only spoil our chat,

But make me seem uncivil.”