12
LEWESDON HILL.
From Portland eastward to the [1]Promontory,
Where still St. Alban's high-built chapel stands.
But art nor strength avail her: on she drives,
In storm and darkness to the fatal coast;
And there 'mong rocks and high-o'erhanging cliffs
Dash'd piteously, with all her precious freight
Was lost, by Neptune's wild and foamy jaws
Swallow'd up quick! The richliest-laden ship
Of spicy Ternate, or that annual, sent
To the Philippines o'er the Southern main
From Acapulco, carrying massy gold,
Were poor to this;—freighted with hopeful Youth,
And Beauty, and high Courage undismay'd
By mortal terrors, and paternal Love
Where still St. Alban's high-built chapel stands.
But art nor strength avail her: on she drives,
In storm and darkness to the fatal coast;
And there 'mong rocks and high-o'erhanging cliffs
Dash'd piteously, with all her precious freight
Was lost, by Neptune's wild and foamy jaws
Swallow'd up quick! The richliest-laden ship
Of spicy Ternate, or that annual, sent
To the Philippines o'er the Southern main
From Acapulco, carrying massy gold,
Were poor to this;—freighted with hopeful Youth,
And Beauty, and high Courage undismay'd
By mortal terrors, and paternal Love
- ↑ 'Not far from this (Encombe) stands St. Aldene's Chapel: which took name from the dedication to St. Adeline, the first bishop of Sherbourne in this shire: but now it serves for a sea-mark.' Coker's Survey of Dorsetsh. p. 47.
Near the sea is the high land of St. Aldhelm's, commonly called St. Alban's, a noted sea-mark. The cliff here is 147 yards perpendicular. On this promontory, about a mile S. of Worth, stands a chapel of the same name.' Hutchins's Dorsetsh. Vol. I. p. 228. But this headland is not marked by name in Hutchins's map. 'The very utter part of St. Aldhelm's point is five miles from Sandwich (Swanwich). Lel. Itin. Vol. III. p. 53.
Strong
