of Mogamonti's rabe. 117 



winds were chill, but April was in unison with her past 

 life, one of storm and sunshine, and now about to close, 

 as respected this world's turmoils, amid the beautiful 

 scenes of woodland and of river. Two monasteries were 

 founded by the countess on that memorable day ; Lacock, 

 which she designed for her own abode, in which holy 

 canonesses might dwell, continually and devoutly serving 

 the Most High ; the other, the priory of Henton, of the 

 Carthusian order.* It was believed that the countess 

 in thus founding these religious establishments, desired 

 to perform the vows of her husband, which he made 

 during his great perils, when returning from Gascony to 

 England. A few years more, and the bright sun which 

 beamed on the day of the foundation of Lacock nunnery, 

 looked down on a dark marble stone, which men placed, 

 with heavy hearts, over the remains of its noble foundress. 

 " As I stood, in a moody day of the declining year," wrote 

 one, f who has recorded with deep feeling the long- forgotten 

 history of the Lady Ela, "and thought of her youthful 

 romantic history, a gleam of pale sunshine struggled 

 through the dark drapery of ivy, and fell upon the spot. 

 At the same moment a wintry bird, which had taken 

 shelter among the branches, piped one small note; no 

 other sound was heard amid the profound silence of the 

 place, and as the short note ceased, the gleam faded also." 

 * Book of Lacock. f Historian of Lacock Abbey. 



