Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-16
VA R)ETY.


LOT4 Byron ooo INC MOoAs
n writer ma late number Of Eliza Cooks
sournal. IN giving description Of News
tesd Abbey. Lord Byron's former resi-
jsnco, relates the following:
At the end of gallery, huge Stone
coffin met our gszo, with several other rel
.ss of the dead, such US homes, skulls, &C.,
winch wero dug up during Lord Byron's
.es,dcpce II the Abbey, from under the
aagging in the cldisters. II appears, that
1t one Tina. his Lordship had strange
fancy for this species Of rcsurrectionizing,
sud digging upof dead men's boncs. Wheth-
er il was that he fanciel the thrifty friars
had filed their collins with gold before Ia
king their departure from this neither world.
il order TO pay their passage money, and
secure rapid transition into the next; or
whether he expected to find some more
brazen eagles. or what would be still bet
ter, the great iron chest, filed with gold and
jewels. that was reported to be buried or
sunk somewhere either in the ground or
lake; Or whether it was mere curiosity
FOR seeking up antiquarian relics, | canno,
pretend 10 tell. though report hints at the
two f, rncr motives. However, amongst
oincr things,this colin was brought to light,
li.a 18th it the skeleton Of monk. An
ttl.es Of the noble Lords strange Eancies
was TO have the skull Of this said skeleton
cleaned. mounted with silver, and made in
10 drinking cup. He then wrote the
half dozen stanzas which are probably
VOL known to the public beginning
~. = tart noi--sor deem my spirit fed,
and which were afterwards engraved on
the silver. The cup was shown to us by
,he house-kccper, and with it the following
some~iia. strange and new story. Mind,
l dou'r say that we believe it,-ncithcr do
! ask you. gentle reader. to believe it,
merely tell you the tale as il was told to us
blythe worthy woman's own lips. She as
sured Us it was universally credited by the
whole household. The story is this:
When Byron first drank out of this cup.
J, was at party in the largedrawing-r room
solas ladics were seated beside him, laugh
ing. talking and enjoying with him the ies-
iisny Of me evening. Scarce, however.
'ui be raised the fatal goblet to his lips,
v'scn lol at doorway appearcd-"black,
rsiiic, aud in dusky garb" arraycd,-the
D~sdless trunk of human being, apparent.
II monk The ladies' shrieked, tainted,
rad as many a. could, hurried out of the
room. Byron, however, boldly faced the
rpcc're, and demanded of him his GRAND.
The monk approached, and accused him
ritl, bitter words Of his sin and guilt, in
TINS removing from their resting place the
homes oithc plous dead, and apptopriat.ng
ir such vic uses the skull of iollow-mor-
III, who once thought, spoke and qualicd
the wine like himself He concluded by
i'retcliing him the place, day. hour, and all
particulars of his death, which, as the good
lady assured us. all came TO pass exactly
as predicted. Thus ends this short but
e,rarge story. But this is but one in
hundred Of the hobgobln tales which are
','d Of this ancient place. Byron himself
l'-lieved, or pretended to believe, in great
army of them, and to one fablcd visitant es-
Prcially. he has given the most perfect
sanction by his credence. aud caused him
:" be reccgnizcd as familiar inmate of
TIC Abbey. This is the famous goblin fri.
ar, who is said 10 walk nightly through the
i'sls and cloistcrs, and hes been seen by
J'Tfon Limsclfon several important occa-
'i"ns, always portending evil. One of
these occasions was a short time previous
IN his unfortunate marriage with Miss Mil |
l'.snk. How far this report is true, am
not prepared to say. His Lordship has,
! owcver. embodied the tradition in a bal |
i.l, IN which he thus speaks ofhim:
Wv hen an heir is horn he's heard to mourn.
Mud when aught is to bcfan
TIM aucIent Hne. in the pale moonshinc
He wake from hill to hall
li.s form You may trace, hut not his face,
lis Swallowed by his cowl:
And his eyes may be seen frpm the fold between,
And they seem Of parted s"u'