THE BRIDAL OF MAWORTH. 55 



Ne'er altered much his fixed and constant gaze, 



Save when remembrance changed it to amaze. 



Why knelt he long, with arms in suppliance crossed, 



Before the shrine in beauteous Lanercost ? 



Why had his hand such lavish wealth bestowed 



To rear those walls so sumptuously endowed ? 



Alone he passed the solitary day, 



Or with some holy priest retired to pray ; 



And nightly sought his chapel's dreary aisle, 



Where rows of dead in ghastly sculpture smile. 



There were who knew, but would with caution tell, 



Lest that was proved which not to know was well. 



But, on the night young Beuth was lost, the clang 



Of clashing arms within the castle rang, 



And through the gates, locked trebly fast and barred, 



Dusk figures glided by the trembling guard. 



Nay more, a body, dripping with its blood, 



Two murd'rers bore away into the wood. 



'Twas strange! and then for these portents a cause, 



Ranulph could long defy the warden laws 



When Scotland's David and Earl Hen'ry came 



Against their lord, to urge the Saxon's claim, 



Gils Beuth's, whose sudden death had brought such change 



As now they witnessed, 'twas to them most strange." 



Thus circling on the busy whisper sped. 



" But what to them what meddling Saxon bled? 



Lord Robert sure his pleasure's will might do, 



If not on friends, at least upon a foe ; 



They were his vassals, and whate'er his will 



Twas theirs to honour with submission still." 



Such were the tales with which suspicion chained 



His servants' ears, and long in pairs detained. 



More darkly certain from each tongue they grew, 



And repetition proved them wholly true. 



First a stray word, with skilful bias sent 



Wide of the mark, but true to the intent. 



Then half a hint, but, lest revealed too plain, 



With dext'rous double home it runs again : 



Then more direct. " Strange words had struck an ear 



Which chance intruded on his walks too near." 



Thus plain, all's told, they wonder it should strike 



Others the same " how strange ! all thought alike ! " 



What long had shocked some individual breast, 



Told but to one, electrifies the rest ; 



And, since no hearer wishes to refute 



His own belief, 'tis placed beyond dispute. 



