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THE BARONS' STONES—BURY ST. EDMUNDS.In Memoriam. November 20th, 1214.
An ancient town, with stirring memories
Of many a deed enacted long ago,
A stretch of hoary ruins, witnessing
All silently but surely to a past
Of wealth and grandeur, and one central group
Secluded in wild beauty tells a tale
Of interest supreme. For these fantastic shapes
Of solid masonry, so strong, so firm,
That the destructive elements of time
Have failed to wear away,—that the rude hands
Of ruthless spoilers have left standing yet,
These open up a train of history
Through long, long centuries, and dynasties
All strangely varied, to a distant day
When our loved land of liberty received
The promise of her future strength and light.
Of many a deed enacted long ago,
A stretch of hoary ruins, witnessing
All silently but surely to a past
Of wealth and grandeur, and one central group
Secluded in wild beauty tells a tale
Of interest supreme. For these fantastic shapes
Of solid masonry, so strong, so firm,
That the destructive elements of time
Have failed to wear away,—that the rude hands
Of ruthless spoilers have left standing yet,
These open up a train of history
Through long, long centuries, and dynasties
All strangely varied, to a distant day
When our loved land of liberty received
The promise of her future strength and light.
Here, then, was reared an early Christian church,
And here a Christian king had sepulture,
And gave his honoured name to the old town.
Rebuilt, and yet again rebuilt, at length
Rose to his memory a splendid fane,
Majestic nucleus of an abbey grand
Where riches, influence gathered. Hither, then,
Came noble, princely, kingly devotees,
And paid their lowly homage, and bestowed
Their choicest treasure at St. Edmund's shrine.
And scarce a rival knew the old spot then.
And here a Christian king had sepulture,
And gave his honoured name to the old town.
Rebuilt, and yet again rebuilt, at length
Rose to his memory a splendid fane,
Majestic nucleus of an abbey grand
Where riches, influence gathered. Hither, then,
Came noble, princely, kingly devotees,
And paid their lowly homage, and bestowed
Their choicest treasure at St. Edmund's shrine.
And scarce a rival knew the old spot then.
But above all the glory of the past
Shines out in Abbey annals one event
That makes it widely famous. In a day
When England groaned beneath deep-seated wrongs,
Shines out in Abbey annals one event
That makes it widely famous. In a day
When England groaned beneath deep-seated wrongs,
