But the peace of 1550 had restored some degree of tranquillity
to those distracted and harassed regions, and matters began again
gradually to settle upon the former footing. The monks repaired their
ravaged shrines--the feuar again roofed his small fortalice which the
enemy had ruined--the poor labourer rebuilt his cottage--an easy task,
where a few sods, stones, and some pieces of wood from the next copse,
furnished all the materials necessary. The cattle, lastly, were driven
out of the wastes and thickets in which the remnant of them had been
secreted; and the mighty bull moved at the head of his seraglio and
their followers, to take possession of their wonted pastures. There
ensued peace and quiet, the state of the age and nation considered, to
the Monastery of Saint Mary, and its dependencies, for several
tranquil years.
Chapter the Second.
In yon lone vale his early youth was bred,
Not solitary then--the bugle-horn
Of fell Alecto often waked its windings,
From where the brook joins the majestic river,
To the wild northern bog, the curlew's haunt,
Where oozes forth its first and feeble streamlet.
OLD PLAY.
We have said, that most of the feuars dwelt in the village belonging
to their townships. This was not, however, universally the case. A
lonely tower, to which the reader must now be introduced, was at least
one exception to the general rule.
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