he lasses of Havanna ride to mass in coaches yellow,
But ere they go they ask if the priest's a handsome fellow.
The lasses of Havanna as mulberries are dark,
And try to make them fairer by taking Jesuit's bark."

CHAPTER LI

The Ladies of Llangollen--Sir Alured--Eisteddfodau--Pleasure and Care.

Shortly after my return I paid a visit to my friends at the Vicarage, who
were rejoiced to see me back, and were much entertained with the account
I gave of my travels. I next went to visit the old church clerk of whom
I had so much to say on a former occasion. After having told him some
particulars of my expedition, to all of which he listened with great
attention, especially to that part which related to the church of
Penmynydd and the tomb of the Tudors, I got him to talk about the ladies
of Llangollen, of whom I knew very little save what I had heard from
general report. I found he remembered their first coming to Llangollen,
their living in lodgings, their purchasing the ground called Pen y maes,
and their erecting upon it the mansion to which the name of Plas Newydd
was given. He said they were very eccentric, but good and kind, and had
always shown most particular favour to himself; that both were highly
connected, especially Lady Eleanor Butler, who was connected by blood
with the great Duke of Ormond who commanded the armies of Charles in
Ireland in the time of the great rebellion, and also with the Duke of
Ormond who succeeded Marlborough in the command of the armies in the Low
Countries in the time of Queen Anne, and who fled to France shortly after
the accession of George the First to the throne, on account of being
implicated in the treason of Harley and Bolingbroke; and that her
ladyship was particularly fond of talking of both these dukes, and
relating anecdotes concerning them. He said that the ladies were in the
habit of receiving the very first people in Britain, "amongst whom," said
the old church clerk, "was an ancient gentleman of most engaging
appearance and captivating manners, called Sir Alured C---. He was in
the army, and in his youth, owing to the beauty of his person, was
called, 'the handsome captain.' It was said that one of the royal
princesses was desperately in love with him, and that on that account
George the Third insisted on his going to India. Whether or not there
was truth in the report, to India he went, where he served with
distinction for a great many years