And tell me now what makes thee sing
With voice so loud and free,
While I am sad though I'm the King,
Beside the river Dee!"
The Miller smil'd and doff'd his cap,
"I earn my bread," quoth he;
"I love my wife, I love my friend,
I love my children three;
I owe no penny I cannot pay;
I thank the river Dee,
That turns the mill that grinds the corn
To feed my babes and me."
"Farewell," cried Hal, and sighed the while,
"Farewell! and happy be--
But say no more, if thou'd be true,
That no one envies thee;
Thy mealy cap is worth my crown,
Thy mill, my kingdom's fee;
Such men as thou are England's boast,
Oh Miller of the Dee."
[Illustration: MATTHEW THE MILLER AND HIS TWO SONS.]
We thought the old Guildhall even more interesting than the Cathedral,
the old Icknield Way, which entered the city by the High Street, passing
close to it; and in fact, it seemed as if the Hall, which formed the
centre of the civic life of the city, had encroached upon the street, as
the four huge pillars which supported the front part were standing on
the outside edge of the footpath. These four pillars had the appearance
of great solidity and strength, as also had the building overhead which
they supported, and which extended a considerable distance to the rear.
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