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And still he repeats to all he meets,
-"Could I find the sword again!"-

Which words he follows with a groan,
As if his heart would break;

And, oh! that groan has so strange a tone,
It makes all hearers quake!

The villagers round know well its sound,
And when they hear it poured,

-"Hark! hark!" they cry; "the Seeker Guy
Groans for the Wizard's sword."-

Twice twenty springs on their fragrant wings
For his wound have brought no balm;
For still he's found......But, hark! what sound
Disturbs the midnight calm?

Good peasants, tell, why rings that knell ?
-""Tis the Seeker-Guy's we toll:
"His race is run; his search is done.".
God's mercy on his soul!

DUNSTANBOROUGH CASTLE.

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HE ruins of this strong and noble building, stand on an eminence above the sea, two miles east-south-east from Embleton, and six miles north-east from Alnwick. Nothing now remains but the outworks on the west and south sides, which with stupendous basalt cliffs to the sea, enclose a plain, nearly square, consisting of about nine acres. The Keep and interior, if there ever were any, are entirely gone, the plough-share having passed within the walls. The Whinstone rocks to the north are perpendicular, of a columniary form, about thirty feet in height, black and horrible; the shore rugged, covered with broken rocks overgrown with sea weed. The most modern part of the castle, seems to be a square tower of considerable height and excellent masonry, placed on projecting point of the cliff-on each corner of it there has been

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an exploratory turret. The gateway forming the great entrance to the castle, is built in a very remarkable style-it is formed by a circular arch with a portico and inner gate, and is defended by two heavy semi-circular towers, uniting with the superstructure of the gateway these towers after rising about twenty feet, and containing two tiers of apartments, support turrets of a square form, now so very rugged and ruinous, as not to allow a conjecture as to their original height. The wall, which extends to the cliffs on the sea banks, is guarded by two square bastions and a small sallyport, and is terminated by a square tower with a gateway. Near to the eastern tower are the remains of a chapel. Immediately below this, is the vortex called the Rumble Churn, so graphically described by Lewis. This gulph has a grand and awful appearance. You look immediately down upon the abyss, where as the tide rushes up, the waters are lifted many feet above the common level, rising towards the walls of the towers, as if they would surmount the cliff, and deluge the plain. The breaking of the waves in foam over the extreme point of the rocks, the heavy spray, the noise of the disturbed waters, and the groan which echo returns through the desolate towers, are noble though tremendous.

Though this castle was probably a British strength, and afterwards a Roman Castellum, yet it does not appear to have been mentioned till the beginning of the 14th century, when it belonged to Thomas Earl of Lancaster, grandson of Henry III. and general of the confederate army which opposed Edward III. He was also owner of Pontefract castle, where he was taken by the King's troops, and beheaded as

a traitor-though afterwards he was canonized. The Castle, owing to the treason of its owner, became forfeited to the crown, but it was restored to the family, in the subsequent reign.

In 1462, the Castle was destroyed by Edward IV. and dismantled, since which time it appears to have lain in ruins. Of the condition of the castle in the reign of Edward VI., we can form a good idea from what is contained in a small tract quoted by Hodgson in his History of Northumberland, and intitled "A boke of the state of the Frontiers and Marches betwixt England and Scotland written by Sir Robert Bowes, Knight, at the request of Lord Marquis Dorsett, the Warden general 1550. 5°. E. 6." “The Castle of Dunstanborough" says the Knight "is in wonderfull great decay, and the utter wall thereof might be repayred with no great charge, and also the Gatehowse and a howse for a constable. And then surely it would be a great refuge to the inhabitants of these parts, yff enemies came to annoy them, eitheir arriving by sea or coming by land out of Scotland, so that they brought no great ordynaunce or power to remayne any long tyme theire." The suggestion as to its repair, does not however appear to have been ever carried into effect. In the reign of Elizabeth, Dunstanborongh once more belonged to the crown, and so continued till James I. granted it to the Greys of Wark-by subsequent descent and purchases it became the property of the Tankerville family, in whose possession it now is.

The above account, extracted from Mackenzie, Hodgson and other local writers, describes the castle as it was a few years ago, and no visible alteration appears to have taken place in the ruins, since the date of their publications.

We cannot quit this subject, without alluding to an incident which occurred a few years ago, to a pedestrian party from North Shields. They arrived at the village of Dunstan near the Castle, at that time which the people of the "North Countrie" so beautifully and poetically call "The Gloamin.” The day had been one of most unsullied brilliancy, and the last beams of the departing sun were gilding the venerable ruins. One of the party asked a little ragged urchin to shew them the Castle.-"No thank you sir" said the boy, "I dont want to see him-its just about the time when he starts!" A particular stress was laid on the pronoun, and it was necessary to ask for an explanation as to who and what this mysterious He was-"Why sir" said the little fellow, "Guy the Seeker, if you want to meet him I don't—he never meddles wi any body, but I'd rather not have his company!" A sixpence however dissipated all his fear, and he acted as Cicerone to the party, who did not while among the ruins meet with a greater "Guy" than their guide.

An enquiry amongst the peasantry shewed that the Legend obtained very general credence, and one old woman averred in the most positive manner, that she had met the Seeker!

The tourist through the Northern counties should not neglect a visit to Dunstanborough-It will amply repay him-as a scene of wild and savage grandeur it is unequalled, and the Tales of Romance interwoven with its History, give an additional interest to its mouldering towers.

THE BIRTWHISTLE WICHT.

A Border Ballad.

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EW famlies have been more celebrated for raids and forays, than the Border clan of Birtwhistle. The one who is the subject of the following ballad, appears to be Andro o' the Birtwhistle, as he was called. If not altogether a traditionary personage, he lived in the reign of Henry VIIth, and his character has been handed down to us, as a man famed for deeds of gallantry, as well as

of foraging. In fact he was a sort of Border Du VAL. His descendants are said, in every respect, to have trod in his footsteps, even to the close of the 18th century; and there are now old Border farmers, who will speak of losing cattle in their young days, and end the narration by saying, "it was done by them Birtwhistles." The present descendants of the clan, are potters and tinklers well known in all the Northern dales, and who are said to possess the honesty, if not the gallantry, of their more daring ancestors.

THE BIRTWHISTLE WICHT.

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REDE ye tak tent o' the Birtwhistle wicht,
He forays by day, and he raids by the nicht;

He cares na for warden, for baillie, or reeve,

Ye may post him at kirk,' and he'll laugh in his sleeve;

He'd harry, tho' Hairibee tree were in sicht,

So daring a chiel is the Birtwhistle wicht!

The door of a Northern village church, is not merely used, for the purpose of posting

The Tyne, and the Tarras, the Tweed, and the Till,
They never could stop him, and troth! never will;
At the mirk hour o' midnicht, he'll cross the dark fen,
He knows every windin o' valley and glen;

Unscath'd he can roam, tho' na star shed its licht,
For wha wad dare question the Birtwhistle wicht ?

The proud Lord o' Dilston, has deer in his park,
He has keepers to watch them, and ban-dogs to bark;
The Baron o' Thirlwall has owsen and kye,
And auld Gaffer Featherstone's pigs i' the stye-
The priest canna claim them, or tythe them of richt,
But they a' will pay tythe to the Birtwhistle wicht!

The Prior o' Brinkburn is telling his beads,
He patters his avés, and mutters his creeds;

At each pause o' the choir, he starts, when the breeze

Booms its dirge thro' the tower, or sichs through the trees;
He prays to the Virgin to shield him thro' nicht,
From the powers o' Hell, and the Birtwhistle wicht!

Fair lasses o' Cheviot, he bodes ye na gude,
He'll ne'er kneel at altar, nor bow to the roode;
But tell ye, your eyne ha' the gowan's bright sheen,
The whiles he's preparin your mantles o' green.
He'll grieve ye, and leave ye—alas, for the plicht!
For reckless in love, is the Birtwhistle wicht.

O! gin he were ta'en to the Hairibee tree,

There'd be starers and gazers, of every degree;

There'd be shepherds from shielings, and knichts from their ha's, And his neck-verse2 would gain him unbounded applause;

But it's na in a hurry ye'll witness that sicht,

For wary and cute is the Birtwhistle wicht!

D.

parochial or parliamentary notices; it is the place for announcements of every description requiring publicity, and placards of Charity sermons, will be often found there, along with those of Auctions, Tradesmens' advertisements, rewards for discovery of malefactors, &c., &c.

These latter used formerly, and indeed within the memory of man, to be read aloud in the church, and it was no uncommon thing after the benediction at the close of the

prayers, to hear the clerk bawl out " Sheep stealing! Whereas, &c., &c." Such unseemly

exhibitions have been very properly prohibited by act of parliament. By a figure of speech, a worthy who had had a reward so offered for his apprehension, was said to have been "posted at kirk."

2 The "neck-verse" was the beginning of the 51st Psalm, "Miserere mei" &c. Hairibee was the common place of execution for all Border marauders.

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