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longer any power over you. At a very little distance from 
Willey-hou, the stream of the Gypsies must have protected 
the fugitive in his flight to Wold- Newton. His prize turned 
out to be a vase of unknown material, and equally strange 
in form and colour, ( vasculum materia incognita, coloris 
insoliti, et formes inusitatce.) This extraordinary cup was 
soon talked about far and near, and at last it was given to 
King Henry I. — for it was in his reign that this event 
occurred. Henry subsequently presented it to his brother- 
in-law, King David of Scotland ; and many years afterwards 
the second King Henry, visiting the Scottish court, was 
shown this wonderful cup, and begged it of William the 
Lion, who then occupied the Scottish throne. " This 
story," says William of Newburgh, "may appear strange, 
and people would not believe it if it had not been attested by 
the most trustworthy witnesses." 
And, in fact, there may have been some truth in it ; for 
it is not impossible that somebody digging into the tumulus 
may have found an urn which, from its rarity, may have been 
thought not unworthy to be presented to the King, and that 
the legend may have been added to give more interest to it. 
It is a common legend, and has been repeated under various 
forms and circumstances. 
This legend, as we see, existed early in the twelfth century, 
or more than seven hundred years ago. I learnt, during my 
visit to the spot, that it still exists, though in a debased form. 
The peasantry now tell us that, one winter's night, a farmer 
returning from market heard, much to his astonishment, 
sounds of mirth and revelry proceed from Willey-hou, 
whereupon he rode up to the hill to ascertain the cause of 
this extraordinary occurrence. As he approached, a little 
dapper man presented himself with a cup of welcome. The 
farmer, supposing it to be silver, drank the contents, and 
setting spurs to his horse rode off with the treasure, but on 
