48 



THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. 



[Book T. 



As boon from ancient comrade, crave — 

 A Christian's mass, a soldier's grave." 

 Bruce press'd his dying hand — its grasp 

 Kindly replied : but, in his clasp, 



It stiffen'd and grew cold — 

 " And, O farewell ! " the victor cried, 

 " Of chivalry the flower and pride. 



The arm in battle bold, 

 The courteous mien, the noble race, 

 The stainless faith, the manly face ! — 

 Bid Ninian's convent light their shrine, 

 For late-wake of De Argentine. 

 O'er better knight on death-bier laid, 

 Torch never gleam'd nor mass was said." 



The Alington family were lords of the manor of New- 

 market, in Suffolk, after the Argentines, 

 from the time of Edward IV. until the 

 reign of George III., when the manor, 

 with Cheveley and other property, went 

 into the possession of the Manners, 

 Dukes of Rutland. 



The Alington family, like that of 

 Argentine, also dates as far back as the 

 Conquest, when SiR HiLDEBRAND DE 

 Alington, Under Marshal of William I. 

 at the battle of Hastings, had Alington 

 Castle by gift of that king. 



Sir Alan de Alington " was in great favour with 

 William Rufus and a great devisor of building, and was 

 thought to be the chief doer for the building of Westminster 

 Hall, which then was Palatium Regium, and by King 

 Henry I. converted to the use it now is, and much beautified 

 by Edward III." His son. 



Sir Solomon de Alington, Knight, " was in great 

 authority in the reign of Henry I., and builded the Castle 

 of Alington, where he erected one notable tower after his 

 own name, called the ' Solomon's Tower.' " His descendant, 

 Sir William Alington, Knight, Privy Councillor to 

 King Henry VI., treasurer of Normandy in the time of 



