s and the abodes of the poor were better
constructed, and the streams were all bridged over, while the old Roman
road was kept in tolerable repair.

A short distance before they reached the city, the pilgrims, who were a
space in advance of the party, came in sight of the towers of the
monastery, whereupon they all paused for one moment, and raised the
solemn strain then but recently composed--

I.
Founded on the Rock of Ages,
Salem, city of the blest,
Built of living stones most precious,
Vision of eternal rest,
Angel hands, in love attending,
Thee in bridal robes invest.
II.
Down from God all new descending
Thee our joyful eyes behold,
Like a bride adorned for spousals,
Decked with radiant wealth untold;
All thy streets and walls are fashioned,
All are bright with purest gold!
III.
Gates of pearl, for ever open,
Welcome there the loved, the lost;
Ransomed by their Saviour's merits;
This the price their freedom cost:
City of eternal refuge,
Haven of the tempest-tost.
IV.
Fierce the blow, and firm the pressure,
Which hath polished thus each stone:
Well the Mastermind hath fitted
To his chosen place each one.
When the Architect takes reck'ning,
He will count the work His Own.
V.
Glory be to God, the Father;
Glory to th' Eternal Son;
Glory to the Blessed Spirit:
One in Three, and Three in One.
Glory, honour, might, dominion,
While eternal ages run.
Amen.[xx]

The grand strains seemed to bring assurance of Divine aid to Alfred, and
he could but imitate Father Cuthbert, who lifted up his stentorian voice
and thundered out in chorus, as they drew near the pilgrims.

Here they left the Foss Way for the side road leading to the monastery,
now only a short distance from them.

CHAPTER XI. THE FLIGHT OF DUNSTAN.

It was the day of St. Alban, the protomartyr of England, and the saint
was greatly honoured at Glastonbury, where, as we have seen, Dunstan was
in residence, and, as a natural consequence, every department of the
monastic life was quickened by his presence. The abbey was full of monks
who had professed the Benedictine rule, and having but recently been
rebuilt, it possessed many improvements hardly yet introduced into
English architecture in general. The greater part of the building was of
stone, and it was not, in its general features, unlike some of the older
colleges at Oxford or Cambridge, although the order of the architecture
was, of course, exclusively that of the Saxon period, ch