With malice foul and fiendlike breath
She fans the rising flame:

"A fearless votary came I here, "Nor dreamed of pious wiles; "I spied no danger in his looks, "No ambush in his smiles.

"Oh! would to Heaven this fatal spot "That I had never seen!

"What, though he bears an angel's face "Yet Satan lurks within."

The patient hermit deeply sighs,
And kneels the King before;
Think not he kneels to sooth his rage,
Or mercy to implore.

Inspired he seems; his faithful hopes
Are fixed on God above;

His arms are crossed upon his breast,
His lips begin to move.

"O source supreme of light and truth!
"Thou God to whom alone

"The evil treasure of the heart

"And all its thoughts are known!

"The cry of death that hunts me down "Has reached thy throne on high; "Thou knowest thy servant all too weak "To strive with treachery.

"Forget me not in this my need,

"Nor heavenly aid delay;

"Rise in thy strength, Almighty Power,

Thy red right arm display."

He spoke, the fervent prayer prevailed,
Nature the influence owned;
Trembled the earth, and loured the sky,
The rooted forest groaned.

The sacred island's rocky base

Is cleft from shore to shore ;

The guilty Princess shrieks aloud,
She sinks-to rise no more.

Yet, ere the cavern's horrid jaws
Were seen again to close,

Forth issuing from the depths of hell
A cloud sulphureous rose.

Whilst all the world in brightness lay
There thickest gloom was spread;
Woe to the King, and to his train!
Their bosoms shook with dread.

Soft blows the wind, the murky cloud
Is rolled in flakes away:

Who then is seen on bended knee?
Who then is heard to pray?

He who beheld the yawning chasm
His perjured daughter's grave,
Now seeks with tears and piteous plaint
His forfeit life to save.

And much he rues his hasty threats, And fears the wrath of Heaven: "One boon I crave," the hermit cries, "And thou shalt be forgiven."

Light boon it was, and easy price,
Such pardon to obtain,-

That none of womankind should e'er
The chaste retreat profane.

So it fell out in after time

(For true the voice of fame), When many a church was dedicate To holy Cuthbert's name,

That never maid nor matron dared
This privilege to slight;

Apart they stood an outlawed band,
Nor mixed in mystic rite.

Ye who believe this legend wild,
A fabling poet's dream,

If chance your wandering footsteps lead
To Wear's romantic stream;

Would ye the distant days recall
Of superstition's reign,

Go search the storied pavement round
In Durham's massy fane.

Where lifts the blessed font on high
Its rich embroidered cone,
Between the northern cloister-port
And holy water stone;

There still is traced the bonnding line
Monastic rigour drew,-

Weak barrier now 'gainst female foot,

A cross of marble blue.

W. N. D.

DR. BARRINGTON,

LATE LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM.

THE somewhat uncommon christian name of this good man, viz Shute," gave occasion to many witticisms. The author of a satirical poem called "Speculum," published in Durham many years ago, and which is now exceedingly scarce, thus punningly writes of Dr. Barrington.

Of Shute the Bishop I'll say nothing, he
Performs his duty rightly, and is not
Enough in way of scandal; though his see
(This I must say) is far too rich a lot.
Tho' I say Shute the Bishop, credit me
I would not have his worthy lordship shot,
For, as I'm told, he does a deal of good
Within his diocese, and so he should.

:

HORSE STEALING.

UR poets and historians who have touched on local subjects furnish us with innumerable proofs that from the middle of the sixteenth century, down to the insurrection of 1715, horse-stealing was practised to a great extent all over the Borders. The thieves were, for the most part stationed on the marches, or at no great distance from them; and many lived in the immediate vicinity of Bewcastle in Cumberland. That district was evidently chosen by the delinquents, as a favourite place of resort, from its central position, and from the extensive tracts of moors which divide it from the more fertile, and populous parts of the country. Indeed, so notorious had it become, for the evil practices of its population, that, during the last fifty years, if, in any of the adjoining countics in England or Scotland, a good horse chanced to disappear, the uprightness of the virtuous inhabitants of Bewcastle was almost certain to be called in question.

Some time prior to the year 1732, at Chipchase castle, which was then in possession of the Heron family, a favourite hunting horse was, one morning, discovered to have been taken from the stable. Information was instantly carried to head quarters, and the owner himself prepared to depart in search of the animal. Buckling on his brand, he and his servant mounted a couple of horses, and, suspecting the thief had retreated in a north western direction, took the direct road to Bewcastle. It was past mid-day when they approached the little fortalice of that name, and presently they discovered the object of their search, pasturing amongst a number of cattle, in a field which was surrounded by a high stone wall. The personage who occupied the enclosure was speedily found: Heron acquainted him with his errand, and pointing to the animal claimed it as his property. The knave replied that the beast had been put there by a relative, whom he could not suffer to be accused as a thief, without considering the imputation as an affront to himself, and therefore he hoped that Heron, from the respectability of his appearance, would not deny him the satisfaction of a gentleman. To this the other readily agreed, and the Bewcastle man lost no time in providing his weapon. Heron being a good swordsman found himself more closely beset in the encounter than he anticipated, for his opponent was a very powerful man skill however, ultimately triumphed over strength, and the lord

Heron

of Chipchase was, by the spectators acknowledged to be conqueror. Notwithstanding this, the vanquished man with the pertinacity for which he was remarkable, refused to surrender the horse. again mounted; he and his servant proceeded to the enclosure; a mutual neigh passed between the animals; the captive steed recognized his visitors, and approached at a graceful trot the limit of his liberty. With great sagacity the riders drew off as if to depart, and the spirited hunter rallying vigorously, cleared the wall at a bound, and jovially joined the returning party. Spurring onward at a brisk pace, they met with no further interruption, and reached Chipchase in safety towards night fall.-R. White's MSS.

BARONS OF THE COUNTY OF DURHAM.

FROM BANKS's EXTINCT BARONAGE.

EFORE the conquest, it is probable the Bishops
of Durham were Counts Palatine:* it is, how-
ever clear that they were so (according to
Camden) in the Conqueror's time, and that
their power was very great.
For it was a

maxim in those days that the bishop has as
large a power in his bishoprick, as the king
out of it: they had power to levy taxes, make
truces with the Scots, and raise defensible men

within the bishoprick from sixteen to sixty. They could call a parliament, and create barons to sit in it; of whom the prior of Durham, Hilton of Hilton, Conyers of Sockburn, Bulmer of Brancepeth, Surtesse of Dinsdale, Hansard of Evenwood, are said to have been some. There is, amongst the old rolls of Durham, an account of the parliaments and the subsidies granted by them, with several acts of their council, which then consisted of many noble and prudent persons called barons. But they, like those of Chester, were merely tetular without rank amongst the barons of the realm.

• The Palatinate jurisdiction of the bishop is now transferred to the crown by an act of parliament passed in 1836, intituled 6 and 7 Wm. 4, cap. 19.