Soon was my plan propos'd, and soon approv'd,
I woo'd for Henry, for myself I lov'd,

And gave, in change for thee, thy sire to reign.
O'er fertile Anjou, and the fields of Maine.
Then straight, for love like mine ill brook'd delay,
To England's court I bent my hasty way,
And soon the tale to Henry's ear convey'd,
Whilst soft persuasion gave me all her aid;
He heard the oft' told tale with favouring ear,
And sigh'd in secret for the pictur'd fair:
I mark'd the gradual growth of young desire,
And added fuel to the rising fire;

I nurs'd the flame, and, when maturer grown,
I urg'd the timorous King that flame to own.
When the proud barons, insolent and vain,
Thy rank, thy country, and thyself disdain,
And when the noisy crowd, still prone to strife,
Scorn'd the bought nuptials, and the dowerless wife,
"Hence with the idle tale, enrag'd I cried,
Kingdoms are well exchang'd for such a bride,
It now alone remains to waft her o'er

From Gallia's coast to England's happier shore."

I spoke. Th' attendant lords, with zealous care, And costly art my princely train prepare; Soon in her port my gallant vessel rode, And soon receiv'd with joy her precious load. And soon my beauteous queen was wafted o'er From Gallia's coast to England's happier shore.

When bright in all her charms my Margaret came, Faction was hush'd, and pride forgot to blame; Thy beauty was the theme of every tongue, Was prais'd by grave and gay, by old and young; That winning air, that heavenly smile, disarms E'en envy's self, enamour'd of thy charms;

She dwells in rapture on thy faultless face,
Majestic mein, and more than mortal grace.

How did thy charms thy Suffolk's bosom move!
How deeply did he drink the draught of love!
For not the crown that bound thy beauteous brow
Woke my warm wish, or drew the venal vow:
I scorn'd the pageant toys, for, bless'd with thee,
Ah, what were sceptres, what were crowns to me!
Nor gorgeous crowns, nor regal sceptres move;
I listen'd only to the voice of love.

But now, alas! far other thoughts arise, Far other scenes distract my closing eyes! For, ah! the ruthless ruffian chides my stay, And envious death denies this short delay; Denies me longer on the theme to dwell: More lov'd than life, my beauteous Queen, farewell!

THE REASON FOR

TAKING DOWN THE IPSWICH CROSS

AT LENGTH DISCOVERED.

In 1812, it was deemed necessary, in furtherance of the improvements that were then taking place in the town, to pull down the Market Cross, which was effected with great difficulty, as the timber and every part of it were in most excellent preservation. As a remnant of antiquity, one cannot but regret its loss.

We have already seen that it was erected by Edmund Dandy in 1510: some further notices of it, extracted from the accounts of the Treasurer of the Corporation, may not be uninteresting.

Benjamin Osmond, by will dated June 1619, gave 50£. towards building the Cross. In 1628, 34£. was paid to the Town, in lieu of 50£. which was given by B. Osmond towards building of the new

Cross. Paid to Thomas Allen in part of the framing of the Cross, 23£. More paid to him by warrant for building the same Cross, 10. More paid to said Allen in full of 38£. for framing the said Cross. Several entries are in the above accounts respecting the timber taken from Ulveston Hall lands for the use of the Cross, and of the sums paid by the corporation to Tooley's Charity for it. 10th. May, 1660, the Cross was ordered to be beautified for the proclamation of King Charles the IInd. and five or six great guns to be provided at the Common Quay; and to be discharged at the same time. 12th. April 1694, it was ordered, that a new Justice be set up on the Cross, and the Cross repaired, at the charge of the Town. 15th. April, 1723, ordered, that the town Treasurer repair the Market Cross at the charge of the Corporation; and this year, the thanks of the Corporation were ordered to Francis Negus, Esq. for his present of the Statue of Justice, which was brought from his seat at Dallinghoe. This gentleman represented the Borough in the Parliaments of 1717, 1722, and 1727. The Arms on the Cross, above each pillar, were those of Ipswich; of the families of Dandy, Bloss, Long, Sparrowe; and the two Tradesmen's marks of C. A. and B. K. M.

The Cross was a large octagon building of wood; the roof being supported by eight pillars, and surmounted with a well-executed figure of Justice, with her usual attributes. It was twenty-seven feet diameter, and about fifty feet in height to the top of the figure. This figure has been since placed over the entrance of the New Corn-Exchange, having been first transformed into that of Ceres, by an exchange of the sword and scales for the sickle and wheat ears. This gave occasion to the following jeu d'esprit :

Long, in Ipswich Market-place,

"Astræa look'd, with languid face,

Upon the proud Agrarian race,

"Broken her sword, her scales uneven ;

"Resolv'd that corn again shall rise,

"Ceres the lofty space supplies,

"And holds her sample to the skies,

While scorn'd Astræa flies to heaven!"

Long must Ipswich alas! thy fair Structure deplore,
And deeply lament thy sad loss,

An act so Vandalic her feelings must wound,
And make each Antiquarian look cross!

And strange to relate, no memorial would now
This Structure have e'er handed down,
For no ardor its Freemen or Natives inflam'd,
Had it not been for one Raw* of the town!

How a Body so learned and Worshipful too
Could by dæmon have e'er been inspir'd,
To pull down a Fabric, so goodly and fair,
And which even a Gilpin admir'd:

Was this then the cause, that poor souls they suppos'd The Figure of Justice on high,

Tho' hood-wink'd, their plans and designs might o'erlook,

Therefore shudder'd to see it so high?

Or did they conclude that this Goddess was blind, Because hood-wink'd and bandaged about,

And thence wish'd for some being their merits to see, And to trumpet their acts with a shout?

* In 1812, Mr. Raw, of Ipswich, published by subscription a handsomely engraved View in Aqua tinta of the Market Cross, and Town-Hall, from a Drawing by that ingenious artist, Mr George Frost. It is a valuable memorial and record of the latest state and appearance fthose two antient and venerable Buildings.

"The Market-House is an old Rotunda, with a figure of Justice "on the top: the form is not unpleasing.'

Gilpin's Observations on several parts of the Counties of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, 1809, 8vo.

Or did the dread Emblem she held in her hand, Raise their fears, and their conscience astound, That if in the balance they fairly were weigh'd, Alas! they should wanting be found?

Or, inflam'd with that spirit, which bodies like this In their senses most sober obey,

They resolv'd at their Meetings that Punch should preside,

And that Negus* be scouted away ?

Or since vice is so prevalent, was it their aim
Its wide-spreading course for to end,

By removing each nuisance so cross grained, and thus
The ways of the town to amend?

Alas! no such reasons occasion'd this act,

No such thoughts did their bosoms inspire:

No: the cause was the claims of poor Papists, alas! The horror of fagot and fire.

To a Borough so loyal and Protestant too

They deem'd it the foulest disgrace, To suffer a Symbol so Popish to stand, And that in so public a place.

So Dowsing-likes down with the Structure they pull'd,
Of a moment without e'en the loss;

And thus they for ever each Sinner debarr'd
From again looking up to the Cross.

The donor of the Statue.

William Dowsing, of Stratford, was appointed the principal of the Parliamentary Visitors in 1643, to inspect and remove all superstitious images, paintings, inscriptions &c. from the churches in this county; which to the regret of all modern Antiquaries he most effectually did. "The Journal" of this tasteless and fanatical zealot was published in 1786, in 4to. by R. Loder of Woodbridge.