15. The wind blew, the hoarse ivy shook over her head, She listen'd.. nought else could she hear; The wind fell; her heart sunk in her bosom with dread, For she heard in the ruins distinctly the tread 16. Behind a wide column half breathless with fear She crept to conceal herself there: That instant the moon o'er a dark cloud shone clear, And she saw in the moonlight two ruffians appear, And between them a corpse did they bear. 17. Then Mary could feel her heart-blood curdle cold; It blew off the hat of the one, and behold 18. "Curse the hat!" he exclaims; "Nay, come on till we hide "The dead body," his comrade replies. She beholds them in safety pass on by her side, 19. She ran with wild speed, she rush'd in at the door, She gaz'd in her terror around, Then her limbs could support their faint burthen no more, And exhausted and breathless she sank on the floor, Unable to utter a sound. 20. Ere yet her pale lips could the story impart, Her eyes from that object convulsively start, When the name of her Richard she knew! 21. Where the old Abbey stands, on the common hard by, His gibbet is now to be seen; His irons you still from the road may espy; The traveller beholds them, and thinks with a sigh Of poor Mary, the Maid of the Inn. Bristol, 1796. DONICA. "IN Finland there is a Castle which is called the New Rock, moated about with a river of unsounded depth, the water black, and the fish therein very distasteful to the palate. In this are spectres often seen, which foreshow either the death of the Governor, or of some prime officer belonging to the place; and most commonly it appeareth in the shape of a harper, sweetly singing and dallying and playing under the water." "It is reported of one Donica, that after she was dead, the Devil walked in her body for the space of two years, so that none suspected but she was still alive; for she did both speak and eat, though very sparingly; only she had a deep paleness on her countenance, which was the only sign of death. At length a Magician coming by where she was then in the company of many other virgins, as soon as he beheld her he said, Fair Maids, why keep you company with this dead Virgin, whom you suppose to be alive?' when, taking away the magic charm which was tied under her the body fell down lifeless and without motion." The following Ballad is founded on these stories. They are to be found in the notes to The Hierarchies of the Blessed Angels; a Poem by Thomas Heywood, printed in folio by Adam Islip, 1635. arm, HIGH on a rock whose castled shade In ancient strength majestic stood The fisher in the lake below Nor ever swallow in its waves Her passing wing would wet. The cattle from its ominous banks In wild alarm would run, Though parch'd with thirst, and faint beneath The summer's scorching sun. For sometimes when no passing breeze All white with foam and heaving high And when the tempest from its base And ever then when death drew near The Lord of Arlinkow was old, A bloom as bright as opening morn Far was her beauty known, for none Her parents loved the Maiden much, Together did they hope to tread The eve was fair and mild the air, And brightly o'er the water stream'd The liquid radiance wide; Donica's little dog ran on And gamboll'd at her side. Youth, health, and love bloom'd on her cheek, Her full dark eyes express In many a glance to Eberhard |