ess, for
the master's eyes were dim with age, and his hands could scarce
hold pen; and so I, his most intimate friend, had on sundry
occasions transcribed his thoughts as he related them.

"On receiving his message I forthwith hastened to the presence of
my friend, and was sore troubled to find him in so grievous a
plight. It was plain to all beholders that his course was well-nigh
run, for a great change had taken place even in the last few hours.

"He revived somewhat on seeing me, and begged me at once to fetch
paper and ink. 'I am going,' said he, 'to keep Easter in my Lord's
Court; but ere I go, I fain would finish what hath been my life's
work. Then shall I rest in peace.'

"There was but little time, and so I made haste to fetch pen and
paper, and waited for his words.

"Never, I trow, hath music been written before at such a season as
this. We were finishing the last movement--the Creed, and those
words went direct to my heart as they had never done before. I
could scarce refrain from weeping, but joy was mingled even with
tears, for the light upon the master's face was not of earth, and
there was a sound of triumph in his voice which told of conflict
well-nigh ended and rest won.

"We had come to the words 'I believe in the resurrection of the
dead, and the life of the world to come.' For the moment, strength
seemed to have returned and my pen could scarce keep pace with his
thoughts, so rapid and so earnest were they. But the end was closer
even than I had supposed, for just as we reached the word 'life,'
the light suddenly failed from his face and he fell back. He smiled
once, and whispered that word Life, and I saw that his soul had
departed.

"In fulfilment of his last wishes I made diligent search for the
remaining portions of this his work, but failed to find them, and
can only suppose that they have been heedlessly destroyed. It would
scarce have seemed right to imprint so small a fragment, and so I
have deemed it wise to place it, with this narrative of its
history, in the cathedral library.

"Ere I close this narrative I must record certain strange passages
which came under my notice and which are vouched for by Gregory
Jowett, who likewise beheld them. They happened in this wise. On
the year after Master Je