Lily began: 'I meant to have two parts about Sir Maurice going out
to fight when he was very young, and then about his brothers being
killed, and King Charles knighting him, and his betrothed, Phyllis
Crossthwayte, embroidering his black engrailed cross on his banner,
and then the taking the castle, and his being wounded, and escaping,
and Phyllis not thinking it right to leave her father; but I have not
finished that, so now you must hear about his return home.'
'A romaunt in six cantos, entitled Woe woe,
By Miss Fanny F. known more commonly so,'
muttered Claude to himself; but as Lily did not understand or know
whence his quotation came, it did not hurt her feelings, and she went
merrily on:-
''Tis the twenty-ninth of merry May;
Full cheerily shine the sunbeams to-day,
Their joyous light revealing
Full many a troop in garments gay,
With cheerful steps who take their way
By the green hill and shady lane,
While merry bells are pealing;
And soon in Beechcroft's holy fane
The villagers are kneeling.
Dreary and mournful seems the shrine
Where sound their prayers and hymns divine;
For every mystic ornament
By the rude spoiler's hand is rent;
Scarce is its ancient beauty traced
In wood-work broken and defaced,
Reft of each quaint device and rare,
Of foliage rich and mouldings fair;
Yet happy is each spirit there;
The simple peasantry rejoice
To see the altar decked with care,
To hear their ancient Pastor's voice
Reciting o'er each well-known prayer,
To view again his robe of white,
And hear the services aright;
Once more to chant their glorious Creed,
And thankful own their nation freed
From those who cast her glories down,
And rent away her Cross and Crown.
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