The Betsey-Jane sailed into the Firth, As the bells rang "Christ is born on earth"-- The Betsey-Jane sailed into the Firth, And it _was_ upon Christmas morning! The wind was west, the moon was high, Of a hazy blue was the spangled sky, And the bells were ringing, and dawn was nigh, Just breaking on Christmas morning. The Gleemen singing of Christ the King, Of Christ the King, of Christ the King-- The Gleemen singing of Christ the King, Hailed Christmas-day in the morning; When the Betsey-Jane with a thundering shock Went ripping along on the Giltstone Rock, In sound of the bells which seemed to mock Her doom on that Christmas morning. With curse and shriek and fearful groan, On the foundering ship, in the waters lone-- With curse and shriek and fearful groan, They sank on that Christmas morning! The Skipper with arms around his gold, Scared by dark spirits that loosed his hold, Was down the deep sea plunged and roll'd In the dawn of that Christmas morning:-- While village and town woke up from sleep, From peaceful visions and slumbers deep-- While village and town woke up from sleep, That Christmas-day in the morning! And many that thought on Christ the King, Rose up betimes their gifts to bring, And, "peace on earth and good will to sing," Went forth in the Christmas morning! NOTE. The rock thus named, lies off the harbour at Harrington, on the coast of Cumberland, and is only visible at low water during spring tides. The Gleemen, or Waits, as the Christmas minstrels are called, still keep up their annual rounds, with song and salutation, and with a heartiness and zeal, which have been well described by the great Poet of the Lake district in those feeling and admirable verses to his brother, Dr. Wordsworth, prefixed to his Sonnets on the River Duddon. In the parish of Muncaster, on the eve of the new year, the children go from house to house, singing a ditty, which craves the bounty, "_they were wont to have, in old king Edward's days_." There is no tradition whence this custom arose; the donation is two-pence or a pie at every house. Mr. Jefferson suggests, may not the name have been altered from Henry to Edward? and may it not have an allusion to the time when King Henry the sixth was entertained at Muncaster Castle in his flight from his enemies? CRIER OF CLAIFE. A wild holloa on Wynander's shore, 'Mid the loud waves' splash and the night-wind's roar! Who cries so late with desperate note, Far over the water, to hail the boat? 'Tis night's mid gloom; the strong rain beats fast: Is there one at this hour will face the blast, And the darkness traverse with arm and oar, To ferry the Crier from yonder shore?