THE LEGEND OF ST. GABRIEL’S.
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The ruins of the little chapel of St. Gabriel’s, which bear testimony to the truth of, at least, some part of the following legend (well known amongst the country people of the neighbourhood), are still to be found in a parish of the same name, situated at the foot of Golden Cap—the highest of a range of beautiful cliffs bordering the coast of Dorsetshire, between Lyme Regis and Bridport:—
The waves beat high about the ship,
A goodly ship, and strong;
The captain sends a cheering word
Th’ affrighted crew among.
The waves beat wild upon the ship,
And howling blows the wind;
And the crew can read in the captain’s face
The anguish of his mind!
The vessel drifts on the open sea,
Her masts, her compass gone;
And the foaming, seething billows now
Are fearful to look upon.
She beareth weight of precious freight,
Of gold and gems good store;
She beareth Bertram and his bride
Back to old England’s shore.
“O captain, give me the ship’s small boat!”
Young Bertram loud he cried;
“Oh! give me straight the ship’s small boat,
To save my fair young bride!”
“I will not give thee the ship’s small boat,
To sink in such a sea;
For, be thy bride or drown’d or saved,
Ye shall not part from me.”
“O captain, change that cruel word,
For the ship is lost I wot;
But the little boat may rise and float
Where the vessel riseth not.”
The captain look’d at the broken ship,
He look’d at the lady pale,
He heard the roaring of the sea,
The howling of the gale:
