3

At the door of his chamber as sentries they Hate's waters infernal had tempered its blade.

stand,

The God of the League other offerings demands, The vengeance you pray for he asks at your hands.

If Judith her country to save, in past years, Had to God only offered her prayers and her tears,

If, in view of her dangers, her courage had
failed,-

Bethalia had fallen, and the foes had prevailed.
To such holy exploits true devotion aspires;
Such are the offerings your duty requires.
But I see your delay e'en now causes a blush;
Then fly, and to rescue your country rush!
Let this shameless king from his proud throne

be hurled !

The Dominican's hand the fatal gift takes;
Then, plunging to Hades, his exit he makes.

The youthful recluse, too easy deceived,
Believed his commission from Heaven received.
The fatal sword kisses, as if by God given,
And on his knees, asks for assistance from heav-

en ;

Then, filled with the fury received from his guide,

Takes the air of a saint and becomes parricide.

Alas! how will error the human sight blind!
Clement felt, at this moment, content in his
mind.

The cause he defended to him appeared just,
And his innocence such as all holy men trust.
With eyes on the ground, all emotion represt,
To Heaven his impious vows are addressed."
A virtue severe seems respect to provoke,
While the parricide dagger is under his cloak.
He proceeds; and his friends, of his purpose

aware,

Avenge Paris and Rome and myself and the Perfume with the odor of flowers the air. world!

To the gates of the city they march in a line, Valois spoke; and assassins rushed in at the And bless and encourage his wicked design. word;

Like me let him die by the murderer's sword! Shrink not at that name, but your purpose pursue;

What in him was a crime will be virtue in you. In avenging the church, we must human law slight;

Already his name in that record appears, — That canon of saints that the church so reveres,

And with loud shouts, proclaim him th'avenger
of France,

Offer incense to him, and invoke in advance.
With ardor less marked and with joy less elate,

Heaven sanctions the act, and e'en murder is The earlier Christians, who courted their fate,

right.

Intrepid supports of the faith of their sires,
With their brethren, walked to the scaffold and
fires,

A martyrdom envied so pleasing to God,
And with tears in their eyes, kissed the road
that they trod.

The blinded fanatic and Christian sincere
The same in their outward resemblance appear.
Their courage alike, alike their desires,
Crime to heroism, even to martyrdom, fires.
Of true and false zeal, our reasoning how

vain!

To the title of great often villains attain.

Mayenne, with an eye on each issue intent,
Ignores, though he clearly perceives, the event.
To join in this crime would affect his repute,
So he odium escapes, while he gathers the fruit.
To the zealots he leaves it, with consumma te
skill,

To encourage the youth and his purpose fulfil.

To the fashions of court are but too often serv- Or such with the Romans, th'inflexible Ateius9 ile;

The Hebrew, meanwhile, in his prayers that They examine him closely, and questions pro

A garb so mysterious leads them to fear.
He submits to a scrutiny strict and severe.
His language so simple removes all alarm;
And his words seem so true they suspicion dis-

arm.

Of his parricide proud, and his debt to France paid,

He waits for his death on his knees, undismayed.

The saviour of France and defender of Rome,
Heaven opens to view, and invites him to come.

At length, by the guard, to the king he is The palm of the martyr he hopes to obtain, brought;

The sight of his sovereign troubles him not.
He kneels; and his aspect is tranquil and low;
And he marks, at his leisure, the spot for the
blow.

By cunning instructed the truth to repress,
To the sovereign he makes this perfidious ad-
dress:-

"Permit me, great king, first my duty to own
To that mighty God who sets kings on their
throne,

And that justice adore that will speedily shed
Its tardy but merited gifts on your head.
The virtuous Potier, prudent Villeroi, well-
known,1

10

In the midst of your foes, still allegiance own.
Magnanimous Harlay, intrepid in zeal,11
Whose power this traitorous people yet feel,
From the depths of his prison, an influence
displays,

Blessing God for the strokes under which he is
slain.

Oh, fatal illusion! Oh, blindness to error!
Exciting at once both our pity and horror!
Such acts yet, perhaps, a less malice disclose,
Than those infamous teachers, their sovereign's
foes,

Whose venomous words the mind could abuse
And the reason pervert of a humble recluse.

The days of Valois were fast closing in night;
A few feeble rays just illumined his sight.
His courtiers o'er him in silent tears bent,
But each on his own secret purpose intent;
With one common grief they afflicted appear;
With some it is feigned, and with others sin-

cere.

Those who hoped that a change would some benefit bring

Were little concerned at the fate of their king;

Your subjects unites, and the Leaguers dis- Those whose interests rested on Valois alone

mays.

God, who deigns not the wise or the learned to seek

Bewailed not the loss of the king, but their

own.

Amidst the confusion of wailing and sighs, To work out his ends, but the humble and Tears of genuine grief flowed from Henry's weak,

eyes.

To the presence of Harlay my feet has conduct- He was Henry's foe, but a generous mind ed. In such tragic scenes will true sympathy find. Of his friendship, though recent, the loss gave distress,

Enlightened in mind, by his wisdom instructed,
In faith of my trust, this epistle I bring,

And by Harlay's command, now present to the And his interest could not his pity repress. king."

This virtuous hero was reluctant to own
That the death of the king was his right to the
throne.

Valois turned to Bourbon, and a last effort
made,

Ere death interposed its impervious shade;
And taking his hand his attention to gain,
"Your generous tears," said he, "Bourbon,
restrain !

An indignant world will your monarch lament;
To reign and avenge me, you, Bourbon, are
sent !

I die; and I leave you the storm to direct ;

To avenge the foul deed are a thousand swords You are placed on the rock where my own bark drawn ;

was wrecked.

With features unchanged, he beholds them in My throne now awaits you; you hold it by right;

scorn.

Enjoy what your arms have defended in fight; But remember the lightnings around it still play,

Not formed for dispute, but well skilled in the sword,

To his service inscribe their inviolate word.

And walk in God's fear, while the sceptre you Faithful to God and to loyalty true,

sway.

No longer deceived by your sect's fatal lore, God's worship and altars may your own hand restore.

Adieu, and reign happy! may some guardian friend

Your life from the stroke of assassins defend ! You know what the League is; its work you here see;

The path marked by honor they with Henry pursue.

"My friends," said Bourbon, "to your cour-
age alone

I look for my title as heir to the throne.
Holy oil, coronations, the peers, and fine sights
Make the pomp of the throne, but they make
not my rights.

They will reach at you next, having set aside It was on a buckler the monarchs of old
me;

A more cruel hard may yet some day prepare-
Protect, gracious Heaven, a virtue so rare!
Permit" And with these words resigning
his breath,

Valois sunk in the arms of his merciless death.

When Paris aware of his death had been made, 12
Their criminal joy was on all sides displayed;
Their voices in triumph to heaven they send;
They open their temples; all work is at end;
Their heads they encircle with garlands of
flowers.

Oaths of service received from your ancestors bold.

Let victory's field be your temple; then bring And consecrate for the nations their master and king."

With this explanation he hastes to proceed, And to merit the throne, he himself takes the (End of the Fifth Canto.)

lead.

NOTES ON CANTO V.

1 From his earliest age, etc. James Clement,

And in pleasure and festival pass off the hours. of the order of the Dominicans, a native of

Bourbon is a hero devoid of support,

Whose glory and sword are his only resort; With a League so united, what success could he gain?

Sorbonne, a village near Sens, was twenty-four years and a half old, and had just received the order of priesthood, when he committed this parricide.

2 It was he that in Raba, etc. A country of the Ammonites, who passed their children With the hatred of Rome and the armies of through the fire, with sounds of drums and Spain,

The Vatican's policy, power, and skill,

And the gold of the New World, more powerful

still?

By a policy fatal, some warriors already,
More in zeal for the church than in principle
steady,

With scruples affected to cloak their design,
From the standard of Calvin withdraw their
ensign;

But the rest, who the claims of fidelity feel,
In royalty's cause but redouble their zeal.
These generous soldiers - these friends so long
tried,

Whom conquest so often had followed with
pride-

trumpets, in honor of Moloch, their deity.

3 In thy forests of France, etc. Teututes, Thot. This god, thus differently written, was Taautes, Theat, Thoys, Thoyt, Theatus, or a god of the Gauls. It is not certain that he was the same as Mercury; but it is certain that

human victims were sacrificed to him.

4 It created in London, etc. The enthusiasts who were called Independents took the chief part in the death of Charles the First, King of England.

5 To Heaven his impious vows, etc. An account of the martyrdom of brother James Clement was published and sold openly, in which it was said that an angel appeared to him a naked sword. It has since been supposed him and ordered him to kill the tyrant, showing by the public that some of the brethren of James Clement, knowing the weakness of the wretch, had themselves spoken to him during the night, and troubled his mind disordered by fasting and superstition. However that may be, Clement prepared himself for the parricide, as a good Christian would for martyrdom, by mortification and prayer. It cannot be doubted that there was good faith in his crime, wherefore he has been represented rather as a The great Montmorenci, the Sancis, the Cril- weak man seduced by his simplicity, than a

Acknowledge him monarch of France by their

choice,

And the camp all approve with unanimous voice.
Those gallant chevaliers, the Givris, the d'Au-

monts,

lons,

wicked man of a bad disposition.