When all was ready fwift retir'd the maid,
The watch-lights burn, tuckt warm in bed was laid
The hardy ftranger, and attends the sprite
Till his accuftom'd walk at dead of night.
At first he hears the wind with hollow roar Shake the loose lock, and swing the creaking door; Nearer and nearer draws the dreadful found
Of rattling chains, that dragg'd upon the ground: When lo, the spectre came with horrid stride, Approach'd the bed, and drew the curtains wide! In human form the ghaftful Phantom stood, Expos'd his mangled bofom dy'd with blood,
Then filent pointing to his wounded breaft,
Thrice wav'd his hand. Beneath the frighted guest
The bed-cords trembled, and with fhudd'ring fear,
Sweat chill'd his limbs, high rofe his bristled hair
Then mutt'ring hafty pray'rs, he mann'd his heart,
And cry'd aloud; Say, whence and who thou art.
The stalking ghost with hollow voice replys,
Three years are counted, fince with mortal eyes
I faw the fun, and vital air respir'd.
Like thee benighted, and with travel tir'd,
Within these walls I flept.
See, ftill the planks the bloody mark retain ;
Stretch'd on this very bed, from fleep I start,
And see the steel impending o'er my heart ; ·
The barb'rous hoftess held the lifted knife,
The floor ran purple with my gufhing life.
My treasure now they feize, the golden fpoil
They bury deep beneath the grafs-grown foil,
Far in the common field. Be bold, arife,
My steps shall lead thee to the fecret prize;
There dig and find let that thy care reward:
Call loud on juftice, bid her not retard
To punish murder; lay my ghost at rest,
So fhall with peace fecure thy nights be bleft;
And when beneath these boards my bones are found,
Decent inter them in fome facred ground. ·
Here ceas'd the ghoft. The ftranger springs from bed,',
And boldly follows where the Phantom led;
The half-worn ftony stairs they now descend,"
Where paffages obfcure their arches bend
Silent they walk; and now through groves they pafs,
Now through wet meads their steps imprint the grafs
At length amidst a spacious field they came :
There ftops the spectre, and afcends in flame.
Amaz'd he stood, no bush, nor briar was found,
To teach his morning fearch to find the ground;
What could he do? the night was hideous dark,
Fear shook his joints, and nature dropt the mark ; ;
With that he starting wak'd, and rais'd his head,
But found the golden mark was left in bed..
What is the statesman's vaft ambitious scheme,,
But a short vision, and a golden dream?
Power, wealth, and title elevate his hope;.
He wakes. But for a garter finds a rope.
Prude, at morn and ev'ning prayer,
Had worn her velvet cushion bare;
Upward fhe taught her eyes to roll,
As if the watch'd her foaring foul;
And when devotion warm'd the croud,
None fung, or fmote their breast so loud s
Pale Penitence had mark'd her face
With all the meagre figns of grace.
Her mass-book was compleatly lin'd
With painted Saints of various kind:
But when in ev'ry page fhe view'd'
Fine Ladies who the flesh fubdu'd ;
As quick her beads fhe counted o'er,
She cry'd fuch wonders are no more!
She chofe not to delay confeffion,
To bear at once a year's tranfgreffion,
But ev'ry week fet all things even,
And balanc'd her accounts with heav'n..
Behold her now in humble guife, Upon her knees with downcaft eyes Before the Priest: fhe thus begins, And fobbing, blubbers forth her fins ;
Who could that tempting man resist ? My virtue languish'd, as he kiss'd;
till I could ftrive no longer How can the weak fubdue the stronger?
The Father ask'd her where and when ?
How many? and what fort of men?
By what degrees her blood was heated ?
How oft' the frailty was repeated?
Thus have I feen a pregnant. wench
All flush'd with guilt before the bench,.
The Judges (wak'd by wanton thought)
Dive to the bottom of her fault,
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