"--OLD BALLAD OF ROBIN HOOD.
The brazen eagle has been transferred to the parochial and collegiate
church of Southall, about twenty miles from Newstead, where it may
still be seen in the centre of the chancel, supporting, as of yore, a
ponderous Bible. As to the documents it contained, they are carefully
treasured up by Colonel Wildman among his other deeds and papers, in an
iron chest secured by a patent lock of nine bolts, almost equal to a
magic spell.
The fishing up of this brazen relic, as I have already hinted, has
given rise to the tales of treasure lying at the bottom of the lake,
thrown in there by the monks when they abandoned the Abbey. The
favorite story is, that there is a great iron chest there filled with
gold and jewels, and chalices and crucifixes. Nay, that it has been
seen, when the water of the lake was unusually low. There were large
iron rings at each end, but all attempts to move it were ineffectual;
either the gold it contained was too ponderous, or what is more
probable, it was secured by one of those magic spells usually laid upon
hidden treasure. It remains, therefore, at the bottom of the lake to
this day; and it is to be hoped, may one day or other be discovered by
the present worthy proprietor.
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