An Historical and Descriptive Account of Cumnor Place, Berks, with Biographical Notices of the Lady Amy Dudley and of Anthony Forster, Esq., Sometime M.P. for Abingdon

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John Henry Parker, 1850 - 147 pages
 

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Page 112 - Silver'd the walls of Cumnor Hall, And many an oak that grew thereby. Now nought was heard beneath the skies, The sounds of busy life were still, Save an unhappy lady's sighs, That issued from that lonely pile.
Page 116 - The oaks were shatter'd on the green ; Woe was the hour — for never more That hapless Countess e'er was seen ! And in that Manor now no more Is cheerful feast and sprightly ball ; For ever since that dreary hour Have spirits haunted Cumnor Hall. The village maids, with fearful glance Avoid the ancient moss-grown wall ; Nor ever lead the merry dance Among the groves of Cumnor Hall. Full many a traveller oft hath sigh'd, And pensive wept the Countess' fall, As wandering onwards they've espied The...
Page 114 - tis not beauty lures thy vows ; Rather ambition's gilded crown Makes thee forget thy humble spouse. "Then, Leicester, why, again I plead (The injured surely may repine), Why didst thou wed a country maid, When some fair princess might be thine?
Page 114 - The village maidens of the plain Salute me lowly as they go ; Envious they mark my silken train, Nor think a Countess can have woe. " The simple nymphs ! they little know How far more happy 's their estate ; To smile for joy than sigh for woe — To be content — than to be great.
Page 113 - No lark more blithe, no flower more gay; And like the bird that haunts the thorn, So merrily sung the livelong day. " If that my beauty is but small, Among court ladies all despised, Why didst thou rend it from that hall, Where, scornful Earl, it well was prized?
Page 109 - Forster's house, who then lived in the aforesaid manor-house ; and also prescribed to Sir Richard Varney (a prompter to this design), at his coming hither, that he should first attempt to poison her, and if that did not take effect, then by any other way whatsoever to dispatch her.
Page 113 - I'm told, is Beauty's throne, Where every lady's passing rare, That eastern flowers, that shame the sun, Are not so glowing, not so fair. Then, Earl, why didst thou leave the...
Page 110 - ... been hanged for a colour of their sin, and the doctor remained still well assured that, this way taking no effect, she would not long escape their violence, which afterwards happened thus : For Sir Richard Varney...
Page 105 - London, cried piteously and blasphemed God, and said to a gentleman of worship of mine acquaintance, not long before his death that all the devils in hell did teare him in pieces. The wife also of Bald Butler, kinsman to my lord, gave out the whole fact a little before her death.
Page 115 - The simple nymphs ! they little know How far more happy's their estate ; To smile for joy, than sigh for woe — To be content, than to be great. " How far less blest am I than them ? Daily to pine and waste with care ! Like the poor plant that, from its stem Divided, feels the chilling air. " Nor, cruel Earl ! can I enjoy The humble charms of solitude ; Your minions proud my peace destroy, By sullen frowns or pratings rude. " Last night, as sad I chanced to stray, The village death-bell smote my...

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