“Now, say not so, thou holy friar, I pray thee, say not so! My love he had the truest heart; O, he was ever true! "And art thou dead, thou much-loved youth, And didst thou die for me? Then farewell, home; for evermore A pilgrim I will be. "But first, upon my true-love's grave My weary limbs I'll lay ; And thrice I'll kiss the green-grass turf That wraps his breathless clay." "Yet stay, fair lady; rest awhile Beneath this cloister wall : See, through the hawthorn blows the cold wind, * "Oh! stay me not, thou holy friar; I O stay me not, I pray! No drizzly rain that falls on me, Can wash my fault away." "Yet stay, fair lady, turn again, And dry those pearly tears; For see, beneath this gown of gray, Thy own true love appears. "Here, forced by grief, and hopeless love, These holy weeds I sought; And here, amid these lonely walls, "But haply (for my year of grace Is not yet past away), † * Lear, act 3, sc. 4. + At the end of their first year of noviciate or probation, they were per Might I still hope to win thy love, "Now, farewell grief, and welcome joy Once more unto my heart; For since I've found thee, lovely youth! THROUGH Nannau's * Chase, as Howel passed, A chief esteemed both brave and kind; Starting, he bent an eager ear How should the sounds return again? mitted to renounce the monastic life, and to decline entering into the order in which their trial had been passed. The Gray Friars were the Fran ciscans. * This ancient domain is situated about three miles to the north of the town of Dolgelly, in Merionethshire. Then sudden anger flashed his eye, And deep revenge he vowed to take, On that bold man who dared to force His red-deer from the forest brake. Unhappy chief! would nought avail? Three ravens gave the note of death, As through mid air they winged their way, Then o'er his head, in rapid flight, They croak-they scent their destined prey. Ill-omened bird! as legends say, Who hast the wondrous power to know, While health fills high the throbbing veins, The fated hour when blood must flow. Blinded by rage, alone he passed, Nor sought his ready vassals' aid: But, what his fate, lay long unknown, For many an anxious year delay'd. A peasant marked his angry eye, And saw him reach the Lake's dark bourne; He saw him near a Blasted Oak, But never from that hour return. Three days pass'd o'er, no tidings came; Yet knew not where to point their way. His vassals ranged the mountain's height, But all in vain their eager search, They ne'er must see their lord again. Yet fancy, in a thousand shapes, Bore to his home the chief once more; * Some saw him on high Moel's top, Some saw him on the winding shore. With wonder fraught, the tale went round, Amazement chained the hearer's tongue; Oft by the moon's pale shadowy light, Pale lights on Cadez' † rocks were seen, And midnight voices heard to moan ; 'T was even said, the Blasted Oak, Convulsive, heaved a hollow groan. And to this day the peasant still, Ten annual suns had held their course, As oft she traced his manly form. Yet still to hope her heart would cling, Of travel fond, perhaps her lord To distant lands had steered his way. * Probably, Moel-FRYN. + Cader Idris. 'T was now November's cheerless hour, Which drenching rains and clouds deface; Dreary bleak Robell's tract appeared, And dull and dark each valley's space. Loud o'er the weir the hoarse flood fell, And angry frowned the ev'ning sky. A stranger passed Llanelltid's bourne, The portal reached-the iron bell Loud sounded round the outward wall; Quick sprung the warder to the gate, To know what meant the clam'rous call. "O, lead me to your lady soon, Say it is my sad lot to tell, To clear the fate of that brave knight Then, as he crossed the spacious hall, Still o'er his harp old Mordred hung, And touched the notes for grief's worn ear. The lady sat amidst her train A mellowed sorrow marked her look; "O could I spread one ray of hope, |