Near to this Mansion was an antient Hall }
Of Veres; still standing, but inclined to fall. }
Grey frown’d the massy towers, green shook the ivy’d Wall. }
These were, it seemed, a Race from first to last,
A strange, unsocial, mark’d, peculiar Cast[e].
They lov’d all common Manners to defy 440
And chose a wayward Singularity.
In times of trouble they oppos’d the State—
Of Peace, the Church—and gloried in Debate.
It was their Humour and their boast to be