“When I began, my purpose was to speak
  Of remedies and of a cheerful hope. 
  Our Luke shall leave us, Isabel; the land
  Shall not go from us, and it shall be free; 250
  He shall possess it, free as is the wind
  That passes over it.  We have, thou know’st,
  Another kinsman—­he will be our friend
  In this distress.  He is a prosperous man,
  Thriving in trade—­and Luke to him shall go, 255
  And with his kinsman’s help and his own thrift
  He quickly will repair this loss, and then
  He may return to us. [31] If here he stay,
  What can be done?  Where every one is poor,
  What can be gained?” 260
                       At this the old Man paused,
  And Isabel sat silent, for her mind
  Was busy, looking back into past times. 
  There’s Richard Bateman, thought she to herself, [E]
  He was a parish-boy—­at the church-door 265
  They made a gathering for him, shillings, pence
  And halfpennies, wherewith the neighbours bought
  A basket, which they filled with pedlar’s wares;
  And, with this basket on his arm, the lad
  Went up to London, found a master there, 270
  Who, out of many, chose the trusty boy
  To go and overlook his merchandise
  Beyond the seas; where he grew wondrous rich,
  And left estates and monies to the poor,
  And, at his birth-place, built a chapel floored 275
  With marble, which he sent from foreign lands. 
  These thoughts, and many others of like sort,
  Passed quickly through the mind of Isabel,
  And her face brightened.  The old Man was glad,
  And thus resumed:—­“Well, Isabel! this scheme 280
  These two days, has been meat and drink to me. 
  Far more than we have lost is left us yet. 
—­We have enough—­I wish indeed that I
  Were younger;—­but this hope is a good hope. 
  Make ready Luke’s best garments, of the best 285
  Buy for him more, and let us send him forth
  To-morrow, or the next day, or to-night: 
—­If he could [32] go, the Boy should go to-night.”

  Here Michael ceased, and to the fields went forth
  With a light heart. [F] The Housewife for five days 290
  Was restless morn and night, and all day long
  Wrought on with her best fingers to prepare
  Things needful for the journey of her son. 
  But Isabel was glad when Sunday came
  To stop her in her work:  for, when she lay 295
  By Michael’s side, she through the last two nights [33]
  Heard him, how he was troubled in his sleep: 
  And when they rose at morning she could see
  That all his hopes were gone.  That day at noon
  She said to Luke, while they two by themselves 300