'Who was it fabled she had died in age?
In all her youthful beauty holy and pure,
Lo, where she kneels upon the wintry ground,
The snow-flakes circling round her, yet with face
Bright as a star!' so spake the king, and taking
Into his heart that vision, slept in peace.
His daughter, abbess then on Whitby's height,
Within her church interred her father's bones
Beside her grandsire's, Edwin. Side by side
They rested, one Bernicia's king, and one
Deira's--great Northumbrian sister realms;
Long foes, yet blended by that mingling dust.

_THE VENGEANCE OF THE MONKS OF BARDENEY_.

Osthryda, Queen of Mercia, translates the relics of her uncle,
Oswald of Northumberland, to the Abbey of Bardeney. The monks
refuse them admittance because King Oswald had conquered and kept
for one year Lindsay, a province of Mercia. Though hourly expecting
the destruction of their Abbey, they will yield neither to threats
nor to supplications, nor even to celestial signs and wonders. At
last, being convinced by the reasoning of a devout man, they repent
of their anger.

Silent, with gloomy brows in conclave sat
The monks of Bardeney, nigh the eastern sea;--
Rumour, that still outruns the steps of ill,
Smote on their gates with news: 'Osthryda comes
To bury here her royal uncle's bones,
Northumbrian Oswald.' Oswald was a Saint;
Had loosed from Pagan bonds that Christian land
His own by right. But Oswald had subdued
Lindsay, a Mercian province; and the monks
Were sons of Mercia leal and true. Osthryda,
Northumbrian born, had wedded Mercia's King;
Therefore the monks of Bardeney pondered thus:
'This Mercian Queen spurns her adopted country!
Must Mercia therefore build her conqueror's tomb?
Though earth and hell cried "Ay," it should not be!'
Thus mused the brethren till the sun went down:
Then lo! beyond a vista in the woods
Drew nigh a Bier, black-plumed, with funeral train:
Thereon the stern monks gazed, and gave command
To close the Abbey's gate. Beside that gate
Tent-roofed that Bier remained.
Before them soon
Stood up the royal herald. Thus he spake:
'Ye sacred monks of Bardeney's Abbey, hail!
Osthryda, wife of Ethelred our King,
Prays that God's peace may keep this House forever.
The Queen has hither b