SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF

EDWARD THE MARTYR.

Crowned, A. D. 975. Reigned near four years. Died, (unmarried,) by the hands of a ruffian, employed by Elfrida, his mother-in-law, at Corfe Castle, in the isle of Purbeck, 978. Buried at Warham, afterwards removed to Shaftsbury.

PRINCIPAL EVENTS.

Commotions raised by the Clergy respecting the marriages of Priests. A Plague, and great mortality of cattle. In an assembly of the Peers and Commons the floor gave way, many were killed; Dunstan escaped unhurt, it was supposed by miracle.

EMINENT PERSONS.

The Earl, or Duke of Mercia, who took part with Elfrida and the Clergy, against the King. Dunstan, Ethelgar, and Eltrick, Archbishops of Canterbury.

COTEMPORARY SOVEREIGNS.

Pope.

Benedict VII. 975.

Emperors.

Of the East-Basilius II. 975.

Of the West-Otho II. 973.

Kings.

Of France-Lothaire, 954.

Of Scotland-Culenus, 972. Kenneth III. 277.

EDWARD

EDWARD THE MARTYR.

"Cut off even in the blossom of my sin, "Unhousell'd, unannointed, unanneal'd,

"No reck❜ning made, but sent to my account, "With all my imperfections on my head."

"I have given suck, and know

"How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me;
“I wou'd, while it was smiling in my face,
"Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
"And dash'd the brains out."

SHAKESPEARE.

FROM RADCLIFFE's ivy mantled towers,

Where "foul deeds rise" in midnight gloom,

To haunt guilt's wakeful, ling'ring hours,
And warn the murd'rer of his doom;

LEWIS! from where thy spectres glide,
And sable plumed assassins wait,
Where malice, deck'd in monkish pride,
Allures some victim to her fate;

From, FUSELI! thy touch of fire,

Enthusiastic, madly bold

Much aid my muse may well require,

For fell a tale as e'er was told.

ELFRIDA!

ELFRIDA! had wild fiction's page

Thy fiend-like outline dar'd to shew,

This all enlighten'd critic age

Had damn'd the lines that drew thee so!

Reader! howe'er the hardy task

My feeble pen may ill beseem,

Your patience I shall boldly ask,
While I attempt, to tell a DREAM.

WHERE mould'ring CORFE's antique remains
Attract the passing trav'ler's eye,

Recal the scene of former reigns,
And tell of ages long gone by;

With toil and thought my nerves unstrung,
I woo'd repose; old Somnus smiled,
The gale through moss clad fragments sung,
And fancy thus my sense beguil'd:

Methought the blast grew loud, and long, and keen, The barren heath grew dark, and wide,and drear, For shelter scarce a trembling leaf was seen,

And direst noises mock'd th' uncertain ear!

And

And now it seem'd as if the yell

Of Evil Spirits, high in air,

Mix'd with the winds, now, like the knell
From some deep toned sepulchral bell,

Or, as the ling'ring groan of sad despair,

Upon the terror stricken heart it fell,

Yet, what these sounds might bode no living man could tell.

Ne'er did such fearful torrents leave the sky, Ne'er from such angry clouds did torrents pour, Ne'er did such light'ning paralize the eye,

Nor ever thunder burst with such indignant

roar.

An hour so dread, a desert place so wild,
Might well the stoutest, firmest, heart subdue,
Convert the soul of manhood to a child,

And with big drops the forehead pale bedew.

Amid the countless wonders of the night,

While sulph'rous flashes breaking o'er the

Dark were her tresses which a blood-stained veil

Confined, a diadem her temple bound,

'Twas more than terrible to hear her wail,

Cold ran my heart's-blood at the mournful sound!

Guilty ELFRIDA!" was her ceaseless cry,

The breast she beat gave back a hollow groan; "Guilty ELFRIDA !" echo made reply,

And nature shook with horrors not her own.

Of martyr'd EDWARD's step-dame 'twas the shade, (So fancy whisper'd to my fear-struck mind) Who, nightly thus compell'd, confession made, Yet from confession no relief might find.

"Ambition!" shriek'd the form, "thou hateful

name,

"Thou worst of evils, cause of all my woe,

"Not less corrosive thy detested flame

6.6

"Than fires that scorch my guilty heart below!

Sage Peers, of my aspiring hopes aware, "Opposed me to protect my hapless son,

"That son who should have been a mother's care,

"Became her hate, and we were both undone. DUNSTAN,