Legends and Memories of St John's Chapel -
Addressed to R. A. Riddick
by Major John W. Moore 

Part XXIV  - published in the Windsor Ledger Dec 21, 1899

Cagliotras nerves were still
Thrilling with the ghastly tales
He had heard the night before
And his courage almost fails
As his good steed stands at the door
So his starting off at last
For Windsor's town with flying feet
His fine horse trots high and fast
But sad to say with all his speed
He cannot meet the Doctor's need.

He had just left his victims
One lay dead and shorn of life
And touching their relations
He knew rumors strong were ripe
And bitterly repented
All the sorrow grief and shame
He had brought on sire and daughter
They, so happy ere he came
Now all his plans were tempest tossed
He felt like one already lost.

The night was dim and dusky
O'er the moon a vagrant cloud
Was sailing, ever and anon
And it seemed as if a shroud
Was brooding o'er the silent night
With dying cadences, the wind
Had just enough movement left
To startle him when strident grind
Of limb 'gainst limb would almost shriek
When e'er its breath, come full and quick.

Through the forest black and vast
Came the owlet's mournful cry
And the doctor shivered o'er
As he caught the dying sigh
Of the great green eyed night hawk
Screaming at that dismal hour
As if some soul had lost all hope
And gone itself to Satan's power
With throbbing heart and glaring eye
He shuddered at that fearful cry.

Roquest Chapel hove in sight
And the shadows dense before
In that vast wood it would seem
Sweet daylight would come no more
And as the Doctor reached the spot
Close beside a lonely grave
Stood horse and horseman, all in white
"Stop" it cried "a word I crave"
Ah! well I ween that poor man felt
As if his very soul would melt.

"Who are you, out here tonight"
Then the quaking Doctor cried
"Have you forgotten me so soon?"
The hoarse spectre then replied
"Why you have scarcely left my home
And for weeks you've doctored me
Look again my learned Doctor
Don't you know me, can't you see
The Sutton you have long attended
And whose ills you never mended."

With a shout the Doctor fled
Put his horse to head long flight
All along the way to Windsor
He the country filled with fright
By yells that echoed miles away
And the town was startled all
When his out cries on his entry
The roused citizens appalled
He was indeed in such sad state
They had to nurse him long and late.

It was never surely known
Who, or what the phantom was
And he, most interested
And did as a brave man ever does
And showed his whereabouts so clear
That it could not possibly
Have been he, who justly exposed
Such false and assumed bravery
And thus to make good old Bertie
Too warm a place for treachery.

It only remains now to tell
Of the big and happy crowd
That attended the wedding
Of this maiden sweetly proud
Of the stalwart youth beside her
Who for many happy years
Filled her life so full of sunshine
She wept only happy tears
Till they in death, together went
To fairer land to pitch their tent.

Neighbor Robin suffer me
Once again a story old
Of the times long dead and gone
Now unto you to unfold
Ancient legends of my forbears
Who in those ancestral days
Were oft seen in St John's Chapel
Joining in the prayer and praise
Of the good Lord who lovingly
Had led them there from over the sea.

Out on Cutter Wiskie Marsh
Dwelt in more than common state
Then an ancient gentleman
Who had waited until late
Before leaving home and people
He had known and cherished long
Merry England nurse of heroes
Kingdom small but yet so strong
That for a thousand years or more
No hostile foot has trod her shore.

Land of the leal and loving
God bless you world ruling realm
Mighty mistress of the seas
Still may wisdom hold the helm
And guide thee as in ages past
Cofering hope and liberty
Ever where her flag's unfurled
Ah motherhood of mighty states
Be true to your immortal fates.

Be still guide for all the world
In the things that make us free
Ever be as you have been
Sternest foe to tyranny
Ah land from which we drew our blood
And the spirit just to be
Still for the future as the past
The God of nations prosper thee
And we who nursed at her great breast
Find likewise honor peace and rest.

Old Major Brown long had been
In the service of his King
Long had borne the battles brunt
And had heard all England ring
With praise of him and comrades brave
Who were often triumphing
On stricken fields where Marlboro led
And at the world his praise did sing
When Blenhiem and malplaquet
The might of France did melt away.

He was a subaltern then
But he led his grenadiers
Until dark Collodens moors
San the beaten Scots in tears
And tho he helped stern Cumberland
Gain that famous victory
Yet it was his last of battles
Wounded sorely in his knee
His service ended with that day
And he lived after on half pay.

Major Brown was stern and true
Unto all that he professed
Never swerved a single inch
From the way he thought was best
It mattered little if all the others
In the world against him stood
He was yet as firm and loyal
Unto things that he thought good
The crowd might rage and  have say
But on he went in his own way.

Serving well his King and church
He would not abide a slight
Upon either of these two
But he would with all his might
Uphold that they were all and all
To the people of the land
That the two were linked together
By almighty God's command
That jointly they must rise of fall
And sundered could not thrive at all.

Unto neither should a man
Ever offer resist
All his heart and love and strength
Should begin to resist
What ere the King and what the church
Said that people ought to do
Neither should they stop to question
For the thing was right and true
Non-resistance and submission
Was mans only proper mission.