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As in their ferocity, therefore, was founded their sense of virtue, and their hope of immortality, we cannot wonder at the cruelties which marked their course. "The cruel Guthrum," says one of our oldest historians, "arrived in England A. D. 878, at the head of an army of Pagan Danes, no less cruel than himself, who, like inhuman savages, destroyed all before them with fire and sword, involving cities, towns, and villages, with their inhabitants, in devouring flames; and cutting those in pieces with their battle-axes, who attempted to escape from their burning houses. The tears, cries, and lamentations of men, women, and children, made no impressions on their unrelenting hearts; even the most tempting bribes, and the humblest offers of becoming their slaves, had no effect. All the towns through which they passed exhibited the most deplorable scenes of misery and desolation; as venerable old men lying with their throats cut before their own doors; the streets covered with the bodies of young men and children, without heads, legs, or arms; and of matrons and virgins, who had been first publicly dishonoured, and then put to death*"

It was into the camp of this ferocious leader of piratical invasion, that our patriot king, the unrivalled Alfred, was introduced, in the disguise of a harper; a stratagem which, enabling him to detect the insecurity of his foes, and their want of discipline, led, very shortly afterwards, to their compleat defeat at Eddington in Wiltshire.

With Alfred the first result of victory was clemency and benevolence; to Guthrun and his followers, now prostrate at his feet, he profered, not only mercy and forgiveness, but protection and territory, provided they would abandon paganism, embrace christianity, and be regulated by the laws of civilized society.

To these terms Guthrun joyfully, and, as the event proved, sincerely acceded, himself and thirty of his officers being immediately baptized in the presence of Alfred. Part of his army was sent into Northumber land, and the remainder, with their chief and his * J. Walingford, apud Gale, tom. 1. p. 536.

retinue, settled in East Anglia, Guthrun fixing on the scite of Hadleigh, in Suffolk, as a central situation for his capital, or heard-liege.t

Here he continued to reside and reign nearly eleven years, inviolably observing the laws and the religion of Alfred, and preserving his own people within the strictest bounds of peace and good order. No stronger proof, indeed, can be given of the integrity and fidelity of Guthrun, than that no sooner had he ceased to govern, than the Danes of East Anglia showed signs of turbu lence and disaffection, and took the earliest opportunity of co-operating with their countryman Hastings, in his invasion of England, A. D. 893.

Guthrun died, according to the testimony of history, a sincere convert to christianity, about the year 889, and was buried within the ground now occupied by the present church of Hadleigh. An ornamental gothic arch, in the wall of the south aisle, is said to mark the grave where this celebrated warrior rests. It is evidently, however, of a date some centuries posterior to the age of him over whom it is placed, and was probably designed merely to rescue from oblivion the traditionary spot of his interment.

In consequence of some repairs which, in 1767, were carried on in this church, termed, in the will of Dr. Pykenham, Ecclesia Sanctæ Mariæ, the supposed tomb of Guthrun was opened; when, deep beneath the surface, was discovered a massy grave of stone, the floor of which was tesselated with small square glazed tiles, and covered with some light blue ashes; circumstances which seem to corroborate the record, and the local appropriation of antiquity.

O stay thee, stranger, o'er this hallow'd ground In solemn silence pause! Here sleeps the chief Whom royal Alfred, with a christian's zeal, From deeds of savage slaughter, from the rites Of Odin, bath'd in blood and breathing war, Turn'd to the living God GUTHRUN THE DANE.

+ From this Saxon term head-liége, appears to have been derived the modern name of Hadleigh. Vide Weever's Funeral Monuments,

Here oft, repentant of the erring course
That stain'd his dawn of manhood, hath he bow'd
His head in meekness; with a pilgrim's faith
Abjur'd the idols of his native land;

Pray'd for redeeming grace; and, sighing deep,
Dropp'd the lone tear upon his Saviour's cross:
Then, hence retiring, with a patriot's care,
Rul'd his brief realm, and kept his vow of peace.

O ye, who, mid the strife of battle, burn With lust of fame or pow'r! Say, have ye felt, E'en in the glow of conquest, when the car In triumph bore you o'er the tented field, Felt ye a throb of joy so keenly sweet, Such thrilling rapture as did Guthrun feel, When, free from ruthless rage, and thirst of blood, The storm of vengeful passion lull'd to rest, Here, prostrate at St. Mary's shrine, he felt His heart within him yearning for his God.

Go, stranger, if perchance to thee belong
The honour'd name of father, teach thy sons,
That not in deeds of rapine or of spoil,

Pow'rs forceful arm, or vict'ry's crimson steel,
Consists the virtue or the good of man;

That he, who bade them breathe and live, alone
Looks on the heart, alone vouchsafes to dwell
In that pure bosom, where, with peace, reside
The sister-forms of piety and love.

AN EPISTLE

TO CARTERET LEATHES, Esq.

BY

THE REV. WILLIAM BROOME, LL. D.

The following unpublished poem of Broome's may be considered as a literary curiosity. It is printed from a proof sheet, in the possession of the editor of this volume, with MS. additions in the hand-writing of the author, and apparently corrected by him for another volume of poems.

William Broome was a native of Cheshire, and was educated on the foundation at Eton. He was afterwards sent to St. John's College, Cambridge, by the contributions of his friends, and proceeded to the degree of B. A. 1711. M. A. 1716. and LL. D. Com. Reg. 1728. In 1713 he was presented by lord Cornwallis to the rectory of Sturston, where he married a wealthy widow. In 1720 he was presented by his lordship, to whom he was chaplain, to the rectory of Oakley. In 1728 he was presented by the Crown to the rectory of Pulham, in Norfolk, which he at first held united with Oakley, and afterwards with the vicarage of Eye, to which he was presented in the same year 1728. He died at Bath Nov. 16th, 1745, and was interred in the abbey Church. Of Broome, says Dr. Johnson, though it cannot be said that he was a great poet, it would be unjust to deny that he was an excellent versifier; his lines are smooth and sonorous, and his diction is select and elegant. His power of words and numbers fitted him for translation; but in his original works, recollection seems to have been his business more than invention. What he takes, however, he seldom makes worse; and he cannot be justly thought a mean man, whom Pope chose for an associate, and whose co-operation was considered by Pope's enemies as so

important, that he was attacked by Henley with this ludicrous distich:

8vo.

66

Pope came off clean with Homer: but they say, "Broome went before, and kindly swept the way."

His publications are "A Miscellany of Poems, 1727." "A Sermon preached at the Assizes in Norwich, Aug. 8th, 1737" 4to, and "A Coronation Sermon" in 1727.

66

He appeared early in the world as a translator of the Iliad into prose, in conjunction with Ozell and Oldisworth; but how their several parts were distributed is not known: and in the volumes of poetry, published by Lintot, commonly called " Pope's Miscellanies," several of his early pieces were inserted. When the success of Pope's translation of the Iliad gave encouragement to a version of the Odyssey, Pope, weary of the toil, called Broome to his assistance, who translated eight books, viz. the 2nd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 18th, and 23rd; and wrote all the notes. Towards the close of his life, he amused himself with translating several of the odes of Anacreon, which are inserted in the Gent. Mag. under the signature of CHESTER.

THE air serene and calm, one summer's day,
O'er Euston's spacious heath I took my way;
Where tim'rous hares their coverts sometimes make,
And lie secure beneath the furze or brake:
Where bleating sheep, not to be number'd, stray,
Whose young and sportive lambs around 'em play;
Then passing by that stately mansion,* where
Extreme delights I've oft been wont to share ;

*Euston was formerly the property of sir Henry Bennet, knt. who, for his adherence to the house of Stuart, was appointed secretary of state by Charles the 2nd, and created baron Arlington. vicount Thetford, and earl of Arlington. He built the hali; and left an only daughter and heiress, Isabella, who married Henry Fitzroy, one of the natural children of Charles the 2nd, by the duchess of Cleveland, who was created by his father earl of Euston, and duke of Grafton, and who by his marriage inherited Euston. The mansion is large and commodious, built with red brick, and destitute of superfluous decorations either within or without. It is almost surrounded by trees of uncommon growth, and of the most

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