No more the flave of human pride,
Vain hope, and fordid care:
I meekly vow'd to spend my life
In penitence and prayer.

The bold Sir Bertram now no more,
Impetuous, haughty, wild

But poor and humble benedict,
Now lowly, patient, mild;

My lands I gave to feed the poor,
And facred altars raife;
And here a lonely Anchorite
I came to end my days.

This fweet fequefter'd vale I chofe, Thefe rocks and hanging grove; For oft befide that murmuring ftream My love was wont to rove.

My noble friend approv'd my choice; This bleft retreat he gave:

And here I carv'd her beauteous form,
And fcoop'd this holy cave.

Full fifty winters, all forlorn,
My life I've lingered here;

And daily o'er this fculptured faint
I drop the penfive tear.

And thou dear brother of

So faithful and fo true,

my heart,

Yet not unpitied pafs'd my life,
Forfaken, or forgot,

The PERCY and his noble Sons
Would grace my lowly cot.

Oft the great Earl from toils of state,
And cumbrous pomp of power,
Would gladly feek my little cell
To fpend the tranquil hour.

But length of life is length of woe,
I lived to mourn his fall:

I liv'd to mourn his godlike Sone,
And friends and followers all.

But thou the honours of thy race,
Lov'd youth, fhalt now reftore;
And raife again the PERCY name
More glorious than before.

He ceas'd, and on the lovely pair
His choiceft bleffings laid :
While they with thanks and pitying tears
His mournful tale repaid.

And now what prefent course to take
They asked the good old fire;
And guided by his fage advice

To Scotland they retire.

Mean-time their fuit fuch favour found

At RABY's ftately hall,

Earl Neville and his princely Spouse

Now gladly pardon all.

She fuppliant at her Nephew's throne
The royal grace implor'd:

To all the honours of his race
The PERCY was reftor'd.

The youthful Earl ftill more and more
Admir'd his beauteous dame;
NINE noble SoNs to him fhe bore,
All worthy of their name.

*King Henry V. Anno 1414,

The account given in the foregoing ballad of Young PERCY, the fon of HOTSPUR, is confirmed by the following Extract from an old Chronicle formerly belonging to Whitby Abbey.

THE END OF THE BALLAD.

" HENRY PERCY, the fon of Sir HENRY PERCY, "flayne at Shrewefbury, and of ELIZABETH, the "daughter of the Erle of Marche, after the death of "his Father and Grauntfyre, was exiled into Scot"land in the time of king Henry the Fourth: but "in the time of king Henry the Fifth, by the labour "of JOHANNE the countes of Weftmerland, (whose Daughter ALLANOR he had wedded in coming into England,) he recovered the King's grace, and the "countye of Northumberland, fo was the fecond Erle "of Northumberland.

66

66

"And of this Alianor his wife, he begate IX "Sonnes, and III Daughters, whofe names be JoHANNE, that is buried at Whytbye: THOMAS, lord Egremont: KATHARYNE GRAY of Rythyn: Sir "RAFFE PERCY: WILLIAM PERCY, a Byfhopp: "RICHARD PERCY: JOHN, that dyed wITHOUT "ISSUE: [another JOHN, called by Vincent † Jo,, hannes Percy fenior de Warkworth':] GEORGE "PERCY, Clerk: HENRY that dyed WITHOUT ISSUE: "ANNE "[befides the eldeft fon and fucceffor here omitted, because he comes in below, viz.]

" HENRY PERCY, the third Erle of Northumberland.

Vid. Harl. MSS. No 692. (26.) in the British Museum.

* i. e. remained an Exile in Scotland during the Reign of king Henry IV. In Scotia exulavit tempore Henrici Regis quarti. Lat. MS. penes Duc. North.

† See his Great Baronag. No. 20. in the Heralds Office.

I

POSTSCRIPT.

TT will perhaps gratify the curious Reader to be informed, that from a word or two formerly legible over one of the Chapel Doors, it is believed that the Text there infcribed was that Latin verfe of the Pfalmift, which is in our Translation,

MY TEARS HAVE BEEN MY MEAT
DAY AND NIGHT.

It is alfo certain, that the memory of the firft Hermit was held in such regard and veneration by the PERCY Family; that they afterwards maintained a Chantry Prieft, to refide in the Hermitage, and celebrate Mafs in the Chapel Whofe allowance, uncommonly liberal and munificent, was continued down to the Diffolution of the Monafteries; and then the whole Salary, together with the Hermitage and all its dependencies, reverted back to the Family, having never been endowed in mortmain. On this account we have no Record, which fixes the date of the Foundation, or gives any particular account of the first Hermit; but the following Inftrument will fhew the liberal Exhibition afforded to his Succeffors. It is the Patent granted to the laft Hermit in 1532, and is copied from an ancient MS. book of Grants, &c. of the VIth Earl of Northumberland, in Henry the VIIIths time t.

SIR GEORGE LANCASTRE PATENT OF XX MERKS BY YERE.

" HENRY Erle of Northumberland, &c. KNOWE youe that I the faid Erle, in confideration of the diligent and thankfull service, that my wellbeloved Chap

* Pfal. xlii. 3.

Duc. Northumb.

+ Claffed, F. 1. No. 1. penes