Who seeks a throne seeks torment: woman's part And they were kin: yet Mary's gentle grace VI. Here rest the harmed and harmful. 66 Sculptured lies, "Stone-mocking pageants, brag their splendid lives. "A charnel house of festering bones supplies "The dank arena where the Churchman strives. "This truly grants but weakling aid to faith, Behold! this teeming world is all a tomb: And with it mixture in the general strife. Each preys on each, and each one each survives A gentle sigh-and lo! a myriad lives; "Tis all too hard: but wreck of falling years Hath shown a gleam full bright to pierce the mist That surges upwards from this fount of tears Light of a world of light, a risen Christ! Aye then, blame not such shrines: a life in death, VII. My thought ran o'er the story of the world, A stately mass up-reared a motley height To swell its volume, and work out their share. Some built with dross, some heaped on gems and gold, The worth of each one's work was yet untold, Then came some sound of waters, voice of storm, I hold our Shrine-by many minds contrived, CHARLES LEWIS TUPPER. NOTES. § 1. Edward the Confessor, the last of the Saxon Kings of England, founded Westminster Abbey. He was present at the Consecration, on Innocents' Day, December 28th, 1065 A.D. He rose from a sick bed to attend the ceremony, and died eight days after it. The favourite project of his life was a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Obvious State reasons prevented its fulfilment. The building of the Abbey was the work of piety he proposed to himself in its stead. § 5. Edward I. brought the Chair of Scone to England. It is a rough stone upon which the Kings of Scotland used to be crowned. It is supposed to ensure to its possessors sovereignty over Scotland. It has been the subject of one war and several treaties. It is placed close to Edward I's grave, which is a plain sarcophagus, with no ornament or title on it whatever [stanzas 1-4]. Richard II. is buried in the Abbey. Henry IV., who deprived him of his kingdom and (probably) of his life, was seized with the fit which proved fatal, whilst praying near his former Sovereign's grave. He was carried out, and died almost immediately afterwards in the Jerusalem Chamber close by [stanzas 5-7]. Mary Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth, are both buried in the Abbey [stanzas 8, 9]. |