“I used to see along the stream

The white sail sailing down, That wafted food in better times

To yonder peaceful town.

“ Henry! I never now behold

The white sail sailing down ;
Famine, Disease, and Death, and Thou

Destroy that wretched town.

“ I used to hear the traveller's voice

As here he past along,
Or maiden as she loiter'd home

Singing her even song.

“ No traveller's voice may now be heard,

In fear he hastens by,
But I have heard the village maid

“ I used to see the youths row down

And watch the dripping oar, As pleasantly their viol's tones

Came soften'd to the shore.

“ King Henry, many a blacken’d corpse

I now see floating down !
Thou bloody man! repent in time

And leave this leager'd town.”

“ I shall go on,” King Henry cried,

“ And conquer this good land, Seest thou not, Hermit, that the Lord

Hath given it to my hand ?”

The Hermit heard King Henry speak,

And angrily look'd down ;.. His face was gentle, and for that

More solemn was his frown.

• What if no miracle from heaven

The murderer's arm controul,
Think you for that the weight of blood

Lies lighter on his soul ?

“ Thou conqueror King, repent in time

Or dread the coming woe !
For, Henry, thou hast heard the threat,

And soon shalt feel the blow!"

King Henry forced a careless smile,

As the Hermit went his way; But Henry soon remember'd him

Upon his dying day.

1798.

A BALLAD,

OF A YOUNG MAN THAT WOULD READ UNLAWFUL

BOOKS, AND HOW HE WAS PUNISHED.

VERY PITHY AND PROFITABLE.

CORNELIUS Agrippa went out one day,
His Study he lock'd ere he went away,
And he gave the key of the door to his wife,
And charged her to keep it lock'd on her life.

“ And if any one ask my Study to see,
I charge you trust them not with the key ;
Whoever may beg, and entreat, and implore,
On your life let nobody enter that door.”

There lived a young man in the house, who in vain
Access to that Study had sought to obtain ;
And he begg'd and pray'd the books to see,
Till the foolish woman gave him the key.

On the Study-table a book there lay,
Which Agrippa himself had been reading that day,
The letters were written with blood within,
And the leaves were made of dead men's skin.

And these horrible leaves of magic between
Were the ugliest pictures that ever were seen,
The likeness of things so foul to behold,
That what they were is not fit to be told.

The young man, he began to read
He knew not what, but he would proceed,
When there was heard a sound at the door.
Which as he read on grew more and more.

And more and more the knocking grew,
The young man knew not what to do ;
But trembling in fear he sat within,.
Till the door was broke, and the Devil came in.