When this head is reclined on its last clay-cold

pillow,

My memory forgotten, my name passed away ; May a Minstrel, more bless'd, snatch my harp from the willow,

And devote to thee, Orwell! a worthier lay.

LINES

Written on the Coast of Suffolk,

AUGUST 27, 1793.

A

Aldeburgh derives its name from the river Alde, and is pleasantly situated under the shelter of a steep hill, which runs north and south the whole length of the principal street, about three quarters of a mile. It was formerly a place of considerable importance, but repeated incroachments of the sea have reduced it to the rank of a small fishing town. During the last century, the ocean made great ravages, and destroyed many houses, together with the market-place and cross. plan of the town in 1559, which is still extant, proves it at that time to have been a place of considerable magnitude; and represents the Church as being at more than ten times its present distance from the shore; and that there were Denes of some extent, similar to those at Yarmouth, between the town and the sea. At the northern extremity, on the summit of the hill, stands the Church, an ancient building, though very much intermixed with modern work, with a handsome Porch, on the south side. It contains no remarkable monuments; but there are some stones apparently of considerable antiquity in the church-yard, which, from its elevated situation, commands a magnificent view of the ocean. Near the Church stands a Marine Villa, built on an Italian plan, by L. Vernon, Esq. and much admired for a beautiful octagon room. At the extremity of the town also, on the brow of the hill, are situated the

mansion of the Hon. P. Wyndham; and a romantic Cassino, the favorite summer-residence of the Marquis of Salisbury. At the opposite end of the terrace, is the seat of W. C. Crespigny, Esq. For the protection of the fishery and trading vessels on this coast, there is a battery of two eighteen pounders at the southern extremity of the main street; and a Martello tower on the beach, about three quarters of a mile further to the south, is intended to add to their security. This building, though commenced some years ago, yet remains unfinished; indeed the necessity and advantage of such an expensive erection appear equally doubtful. The native inhabitants of this place are chiefly fishermen.

WHERE ALDEBURGH's delightful cliff o'erhangs
The humble cot-or on the winding beach,
Where the blue waves roll gently on my feet,
Or lash the sounding shore-O let me stray,
In sweet and pensive contemplation lost!

There let me view the ocean's vast expanse,
While thriving Commerce spreads her swelling sails,
And ships are wafted, by propitious winds,
"On the smooth surface of the summer's sea."
Now all is placid and serene; no breeze

Now curls the whitening wave: how just an emblem
Of the tranquil mind, which no rude storms invade,
No tempests shake, no passions turbulent
Assail!-Lo, now the heav'ns are over-cast,

And whistling winds portend th' approaching storm.
Awful vicissitude! The sullen deep

Assumes a form tremendous, loud threat'ning
Instant desolation. The billows rage,

And in mad tumult toss themselves on high;
Whilst all is wild affright, and horror hangs
Aghast, upon the broken wave. But soon
The dreadful pause is o'er :-the rolling floods,

Impetuous, dashing with terrific roar
Descend, hoarse-thund'ring on the beach.

In this stupendous scene, behold the hand
Omnipotent of Him, who rides sublime
Upon the foaming surge! He rules the storm,
Curbs the wild winds, and bids the waves be still!
Submissive, at his call, the boist❜rous waves
At once subside; the howling winds are hush'd,
And all is still as death-save where the waters,
Controul'd, subdu'd, o'eraw'd, by power divine,
With deep and hollow murmurs, slow retire
To their appointed bounds.

Inscription

FOR THE

TOMB OF GUTHRUN THE DANE,

In St. Mary's Church, Hadleigh:

BY NATHAN DRAKE, M. D..

Guthrum, Guthrun, or Gormo, the Dane, was one of those chieftains or sea-kings, who, towards the close of the ninth century, issuing from the heart of Scandinavia, carried all the horrors of the most savage warfare throughout the coasts, and even the interior of England.

Educated in the religion of Odin, the acknowledged god of slaughter and desolation, these fierce warriors conceived themselves alone entitled to happiness in another world, in proportion to the violence of their own death, and the number of the enemy whom they had slain on the field of battle.

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 Northumberland, 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 heapd-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 turbulence 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-liege, appears to have been derived the modern name of Hadleigh. Vide Weever's Funeral Monuments.