The Tower of St. Maur
"But if so foul a raid, father,
Fell out so long agone,
Why did they never build before
A wall and tower of stone ? "
"Many's the time, my pretty babe,
Ere ever this way you went,
We built the tower both thick and broad—
An' we might as well ha' stent.
"Many's the time we built the tower,
Wi' the grey stone and the brown.
But aye the floods in autumn
Washed all the building down.
"And in my mind I see the morn
When we'll be brought to dee—
Yoursel' and your seven brothers.
And your young mother, and me.
"And oh, were it any but Armour,
Oh God, were it any but she—
Before the Lord, my eyes grow dark
With the ill sight that I see."
Among the busy mason-men.
Are building at the tower.
There's a swarthy gipsy mason,
A lean man and a dour.
He's lain the hammer down at last
Out of his bony hand . . .
"Did ye never hear the spell, St. Maur,
Gars any tower to stand?"
"O what's the spell, thou black gipsy,
I prithee rede it now:
There never was a mason-man
Shall earn such wage as thou."
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