THE LEGEND OF ROSE HOC HE. 



rounded by all the emblems of religion, and with a splinter of 

 the true cross in his right hand, the penitent Baron breathed 

 his last. He lay for three days and nights in the chancel, in 

 great state ; and was interred on the fourth morning, with 

 all the ceremonies that both Ursulines and Dominicans could 

 bestow. 



The days of mourning passed over : Rose Roche exercised 

 her resignation ; and Dhu Castle became a different place 

 to what it had been during the latter days of the defunct 

 Baron, and mirth and music were exchanged for the rude 

 revelry of Cormac More. Her hall was filled with guests; 

 at the board she did the honours nobly; and when she 

 visited the green wood, with her gold-belled hawks and gal- 

 lant retinue, she looked as if she had been ennobled from the 

 Conquest, and in bearing and attire seemed " every inch a 

 queen." 



But amid all this splendour and magnificence, poor Rose 

 had her own secret causes of inquietude. Beauty, accom- 

 panied by broad lands, could not but induce suitors without 

 number to come forward, and never was woman, not except- 

 ing Penelope herself, more vigorously besieged. From past 

 experience, Rose was not ambitious to exchange wealth and 

 liberty for becoming the wife of some doughty baron, who 

 would probably undervalue her charms, just as much as he 

 would over-estimate his own great condescension in giving her 

 his name. A tender recollection of one, long since lost, would 

 cross her mind occasionally; and in her solitary hours the 

 black-eyed page haunted her imagination. Accordingly she 

 eschewed all offers for her hand with excellent discretion. 

 Few were offended, she managed her rejections so pru- 

 dently : and through the first year of widowhood neither lands 

 nor liberty were lost. 



The consort of the wise Ulysses herself could not have held 

 out for ever. Rose was severely pressed ; for, finding them- 

 selves foiled by her ready wit and good discretion, when they 

 attacked her singly, her lovers, from necessity, agreed to 

 coalesce, and determined that one should be accepted, and 

 the remainder be pledged to support the acquired rights of 

 the fortunate candidate, as report said King Henry had re- 

 solved to gift a favourite noble with the person and estates of 

 the beautiful widow. 



This agreement of her suitors was politely but decisively 



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