Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-02-10
THE WHITE LADY OF the WELL.

Cerne Abbey, Dorsetshire, England, is
said to have been founded by ST, Angus
tine Cor Austin, the apostle ofthe Saxons.
Having converted Kent, Augustine, with
some companions, travelled into the more
remote parts of King Ethelbert's domi
MONS, preaching the gospel When they
came into Dorsetshire great number Of
people offered themselves for baptism
Unfortunately, however, there was no
water at hand for the performance of the
ceremony. So, to ordinary apprehensions,
it would seem as if the ceremony must be
postponed, in order that the missionary
aud the candidates for Christianization
might adjourn to some place where water
might be obtained Not SO, however,
There and then the Dorsetshire pagans
were to be converted for, at the urgent
prayer of the saint, "a fountain of water
sprang out of the ground, to supply their
wants !" To the present day this miracu-
lously provided Stlver Well" goes by the
name of st Austin's Fountain. In COM
memoration of the event a monastery was
founded.
Other accounts, however, have it that
not until the year $40 was the foundation
of Cerne Abbey laid. At that time Ed
wald, or Eadwald, brother of st. Edmund
the Martyr King of the East Angles,
greatly affected by the murder of his un-
happy brother by the Danes, declined the
crown, and adopted the life of hernit,
fixing his retreat near TO tho Silver Well
said to have been provided by st. Austin.
In veneration of this pious monarch divers
rich men, chief among whom was one
Egleward, began to build or rebuild the
monastery of Cerne, in honor Of St. Mary,
st. Peter, and ST. Benedict In course of
time it became richly endowed, though in
1880, at the time of the general suppress
sion of the monasteries, the revenue was
623L lbs. 23-4d., or according to another
account 5l5L It's. 10 l-2d.
The existing ruins are not many, but to
the antiquary they are sufficiently interest
ing. They consist for the most part of n
portion of the Abott's house, glazed tiles
on which are painted the abbey arms -
The chief ruin is the Gate House, or prin-
cipal entrance. just above this gateway,
or arch, are two large, elegant bow win
dows, reaching to the top under each
are eight panels, containing eight escut-
cheons among which are those of Richard
Earl of Cornwall, Fitz James, France,
England, and the abbey arms The grain
ed ceilings within likewise contain various
armorial bearings
There is a tradition connected with the
Silver Well" Old men were won't to
repeat it, two generations ago, around the
country fire. In those days there were
no cheap periodicals, and the minds of
men were tenacious of impressions. The
tale itself is more than five hundred years
old, and though it has descended to us in
an imperfect or fragmentary form it will
serve to show that even as the serpent
found its way into the bloomy bowers of
paradise, so sin will sometimes creep into
the purest hearts, and crime become en-
shrined in the most hallowed place. In
the age to which the following legend re-
fers, kings had, now and then, to behead
barons, and barons, when they chose, made
kings uncomfortable. And if there was
all axe for the noble, there was an arrow
for the monarch, halter for the common
er, stake for the sorcerer, and pond
for the suspected witch 1t was in the
merry days of Old England, when, there
were no " bastilesn for the poor, but when
the man who, not able by his strohg
arm to defend his goods or his life, was
under the necessity of purchasing, either
by seryitude or money, the protection of
which he stood in need. There were fairs,
and maypoles, and merry-makings maids
wore kirtles (crinoline had not yet been
invented; and there were dancings on
the green but at the same time q" Friar
Tuck and Little John" and their com
panions were not unfrequently more free
than welcome In those days it was far