A crowd, that from the castle came, It chanced that on that very morn And soon those honoured dear remains For me, I loathed my wretched life, Till time, and thought, and holy men, They raised my heart to that pure source No more the slave of human pride, The bold Sir Bertram now no more, But poor and humble Benedict, My lands I gave to feed the poor, This sweet sequestered vale I chose, My noble friend approved my choice; And here I carved her beauteous form, Full fifty winters, all forlorn, My life I've lingered here; And thou, dear brother of my heart, The sad remembrance of thy fate Yet not unpitied passed my life, The Percy and his noble son Oft the great earl, from toils of state But length of life is length of woe; But thou the honours of thy race, He ceased, and on the lovely pair While they with thanks and pitying tears His mournful tale repaid. And now what present course to take, They ask the good old sire, And, guided by his sage advice, To Scotland they retire. Meantime their suit such favour found At Raby's stately hall, Earl Neville and his princely spous Now gladly pardon all. She, suppliant at her nephew's throne, The royal grace implored : To all the honours of his race The youthful earl still more and more Nine noble sons to him she bore, [Warkworth Castle, in Northumberland, stands very boldly on a neck of land near the sea-shore, almost surrounded by the river Coquet, (called by our old Latin historians Coqueda,) which runs with a clear rapid stream, but when swollen with rain becomes violent and dangerous. About a mile from the Castle, in a deep romantic valley, are the remains of an Hermitage; of which the chapel is still entire. This is hollowed with great elegance in a cliff near the river, as are also two adjoining apartments, which probably served for the sacristy and vestry, or were ap propriated to some other sacred uses: for the former of these, which runs parallel with the chapel, is thought to have had an altar in it, at which mass was occasionally celebrated, as well as in the chapel itself. Each of these apartments is extremely small; for that which was the principal chapel does not in length exceed eighteen feet; nor is more than seven feet and a half in breadth and height; it is, however, very beautifully designed and executed in the solid rock; and has all the decorations of a complete gothic Church, or Cathedral in miniature. But what principally distinguishes the chapel, is a small tomb or monument, on the south side of the altar; on the top of which lies a female figure, extended in the manner that effigies are usually exhibited, praying on ancient tombs. This figure, which is very delicately designed, some have ignorantly called an image of the Virgin Mary; though it has not the least resemblance to the manner in which she is represented in the Romish churches, who is usually erect, as the object of adoration, and never in a prostrate or recumbent posture. Indeed the real image of the blessed Virgin probably stood in a small nich, still visible beind the altar; whereas the figure of a Bull's Head, which is rudely carved at this Lady's feet, the usual place for the crest in old monuments, plainly proves her to have been a very different personage. About the tomb are several other figures; which, as well as the principal one above-mentioned, are cut in the natural rock, in the same manner as the little chapel itself, with all its ornaments, and the two adjoining apartments. What slight traditions are scattered through the country concerning the origin and foundation of this hermitage, tomb, &c, are delivered to the reader in the preceding rhymes. It is universally agreed, that the founder was one of the Bertram family, which had once considerable possessions in Northumberland, and were anciently Lords of Bothel Castle, situate about ten miles from Warkworth; he has been thought to be the same Bertram that endowed Brinkburn Priory, and built Brenkshaugh Chapel, which both stand in the same winding valley higher up the river. But Brinkburn Priory was founded in the reign of King Henry I., whereas the form of the Cothic windows in this chapel, especially of those near the altar, is found rather to resemble the style of architecture that prevailed about the reign of King Edward III. And indeed that the sculpture in this chapel cannot be much older, appears from the crest which is placed at the Lady's feet on the tomb; for Camden informs us, that armorial crests did not become hereditary till about the reign of King Edward II. These appearances, still extant, strongly confirm the account given in the poem, and plainly prove that the Hermit of Warkworth was not the same person that founded Brinkburn Priory in the twelfth century, but rather one of the Bertram family who lived at a later period. It will, perhaps, gratify the curious reader to be informed, that from a word or two formerly legible over one of the chapel doors, it is believed that the text there inscribed was that Latin verse of the Psalmist, which is in our translation, (Ps. xlii. 3.) MY TEARS HAVE BEEN MY MEAT DAY AND NIGHT. It is also certain, that the memory of the first Hermit was held in such regard and veneration by the Percy family, that they afterwards maintained a Chantry Priest, to reside in the Hermitage, and celebrate Mass in the chapel, whose allowance, uncommonly liberal and munificent, was continued down to the dissolution of the monasteries; and then the whole salary, together with the Hermitage and all its dependencies, reverted back to the family, having never been endowed in Mortmain. St. 54. Adjoining to the Cliff, which contains the Chapel of the Hermitage, are the remains of a small building, in which the Hermit dwelt. This consisted of one lower apartment, with a little bed-chamber over it, and is now in ruins: whereas the Chapel, cut in the solid rock, is still very entire and perfect. St. 63. In the little island of Coquet, near Warkworth, are still seen the ruins of a Cell, which belonged to the Benedictine Monks of Tinemouth-Abbey. St. 77. This is a Bull's Head, the crest of the Widdrington family. All the figures, &c. here described are still visible, only somewhat effaced with length of time. St. 93. In Lower Normandy are three places of the name of Percy: whence the family took the surname De Percy. St. 123. Wark Castle, a fortress belonging to the English, and of great note in ancient times, stood on the southern bank of the river Tweed, a little to the east of Tiviotdale, and not far from Kelso. It is now entirely destroyed.-PERCY. [This ballad was written by the marvellous boy,' Thomas Chatterton, who died, by his own hand, it would seem, in 1770, aged seventeen years, nine months, and some days. It is one of the 'Poems' which he gave to the world as having been written by Thomas Rowley, parish preeste of St. John's, in the HE featherd songster chaunticleer Kynge Edwarde sawe the ruddie streakes And herde the raven's croakynge throte 'Thou'rt ryght,' quod hee, for by the Godde That syttes enthron'd on hyghe! Charles Bawdin, and hys fellowes twaine, Thenne wythe a jugge of nappy ale Syr Canterlone thenne bendedd lowe, But whenne hee came, hys children twaine, Wyth brinie tears dydd wett the floore, 'O goode Syr Charles!' sayd Canterlone, 'Badde tydings I doe brynge.' Speke boldlie, manne,' sayd brave Syr Charles; Whatte says thie traytor kynge?' 'I greeve to telle; before yonne sonne Hee hathe uponne hys honnour sworn, 'Wee all must die,' quod brave Syr Charles; "Of thatte I'm not affearde; Whatte bootes to lyve a little space? Thanke Jesu, I'm prepard: Butt telle thye kynge, for myne hee's not, I'de sooner die to-daie, Thanne lyve hys slave, as manie are, Thenne Canterlone hee dydd goe out, To gett all thynges ynne reddyness |