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Yet left a grand impression on the mind,

At least of those whose eyes are in their hearts:
We gaze upon a giant for his stature,

Nor judge at first if all be true to nature.
Steel barons, molten the next generation

To silken rows of gay and garter'd carls,
Glanced from the walls in goodly preservation
And Lady Marys blooming into girls,

With fair long locks, had also kept their station :
And countesses mature in robes and pearls:
Also some beauties of Sir Peter Lely,

Whose drapery hints we may admire them freely.
Judges in very formidable crmine

Were there, with brows that did not much invite
The accused to think their lordships would determine
His cause by leaning much from might to right:
Bishops, who had not left a single sermon :
Attorneys-General, awful to the sight,

As hinting more (unless our judgments warp us)
Of the "Star Chamber" than of "Habeas Corpus."
Generals, some all in armour, of the old

And iron time, ere lead had ta'en the lead:
Others in wigs of Marlborough's martial fold,
Huger than twelve of our degenerate breed:
Lordlings with staves of white or keys of gold:

Nimrods, whose canvas scarce contain'd the steed;
And here and there some stern high patriot stood,
Who could not get the place for which he sued.
But ever and anon, to soothe your vision,

Fatigued with these hereditary glories,

There rose a Carlo Dolce, or a Titian,

Or wilder group of savage Salvatore's

Here danced Albano's boys, and here the sea shone
In Vernet's ocean lights; and there the stories

Of martyrs axed, as Spagnoletto tainted

His brush with all the blood of all the sainted.

Here sweetly spread a landscape of Lorraine ;

There Rembrandt made his darkness equal light,

Or gloomy Caravaggio's gloomier stain.

Bronzed o'er some lean and Stoic anchorite :-
But, lo a Teniers woos, and not in vain,

Your eyes to revel in a livelier sight:

His bell-mouth'd goblet makes me feel quite Danish
Or Dutch with thirst-What, ho! a flask of Rhenish.

341. THE DEATH OF LORD HASTINGS.

HALL

[THE great scene of Shakspere's Richard III. (Act iii. Scene iv.), in which Gloster accuses Hastings of witchcraft, and sends him to the block as a traitor, faithfully follows the Chronicle of Hall. But this remarkable narrative has even a higher interest. It is taken, almost literally, from Sir Thomas More's Tragical History of Richard III.' The air of truth which

pervades this history throughout—and which Shakspere has almost invariably retained—is partly attributable to the minuteness with which little incidents are detailed, such as Richard's asking the Bishop of Ely for strawberries from his garden. More, when he was fifteen, was placed in the house of this same Bishop of Ely-Thomas Morton-then Archbishop of Canterbury; and from his table-talk these anecdotes were probably derived, and treasured up by the "one wit in England."]

The Lord Protector caused a council to be set at the tower on the Friday the thirteenth day of June, where was much communing for the honourable solemnity of the coronation, of the which the time appointed approached so near, that the pageants were a making day and night at Westminster, and victual killed which afterward was cast away.

These lords thus sitting communing of this matter, the Protector came in among them about nine of the clock, saluting them courteously, excusing himself that he had been from them so long, saying merely that he had been a sleeper that day. And, after a little talking with them, he said to the Bishop of Ely, "My lord, you have very good strawberries in your garden, at Holborn; I require you let us have a mess of them." "Gladly, my lord," quoth he, "I would I had some better thing as ready to your pleasure as that ;" and with that, in all haste, he sent his servant for a dish of strawberries. The Protector set the lords fast in communing and thereupon prayed them to spare him a little, and so he departed, and came again between ten and eleven of the clock all changed, with a sour, angry, countenance, knitting the brows, frowning, and fretting, and gnawing on his lips, and so set him down in his place. All the lords were dismayed and sore marvelled of this manner, and sudden change, and what thing should him ail. When he had sitten awhile, thus he began :-"What were they worthy to have that compass and imagine the destruction of me, being so near of blood to the king, and protector of this his royal realm ?" At which question all the lords sat sore astonished, musing much by whom the question should be meant, of which every man knew himself clear.

Then the Lord Hastings, as he that, for the familiarity that was between them, thought he might be boldest with him, answered, and said that they were worthy to be punished as heinous traitors, whatsoever they were, and all the other affirmed the same, "that is (quoth he) yonder sorceress my brother's wife, and other with her, meaning the queen;" at these words many of the lords were sore abashed which favoured her, but the Lord Hastings was better content in his mind that it was moved by her, than by any that he loved better, albeit his heart grudged that he was not afore made of council in this matter, as well as he was of the taking of her kindred, and of their putting to death, which were by his assent before devised to be beheaded at Pomfret, this selfsame day, in the which he was not ware that it was by others devised that he himself should the same day be beheaded at London: then, said the Protector, in what wise that sorceress and other of her council, as Shore's wife with her affinity, have by their sorcery and witchcraft thus wasted my body and therewith plucked up his doublet sleeve to his elbow, on his left arm, where he shewed a wearish withered arm, and small as it was never other. And thereupon every man's mind misgave them, well perceiving that this matter was but a quarrel, for well they wist that the queen was both too wise to go about any such folly, and also, if she would, yet would she of all folk make Shore's wife least of her council, whom of all women she most hated, as that concubine whom the king, her husband, most loved.

Also there was no man there but knew that his arm was ever such sith the day of his birth. Nevertheless the Lord Hastings, which from the death of King

Edward kept Shore's wife, whom he somewhat doted in the king's life, saving, it is said, that he forbare her for reverence toward his king, or else of a certain kind of fidelity toward his friend. Yet now his heart somewhat grudged to have, whom he loved so highly, accused, and that. as he knew well, untruly; therefore he answered, and said, "Certainly, my lord, if they have so done, they be worthy of heinous punishment;" "What!" quoth the Protector, "thou servest me, I ween, with if and with and, I tell thee they have done it, and that will I make good on thy body, traitor !" And therewith (as in great anger) he clapped his fist on the board a great rap, at which token given, one cried treason without the chamber, and therewith a door clapped, and in came rushing men in harness as many as the chamber could hold. And anon the Protector said to the Lord Hastings, "I arrest thee, traitor!" "What! me, my lord?" quoth he. "Yea, the traitor!" quoth the Protector; and one let fly at the Lord Stanley, which shrunk at the stroke, and fell under the table, or else his head had been cleft to the teeth, for as shortly as he shrank yet ran the blood about his cars. Then was the Archbishop of York, and Doctor Morton, Bishop of Ely, and the Lord Stanley, taken, and divers other, which were bestowed in divers chambers, save the Lord Hastings (whom the Protector commanded to speed and shrive him apace), "for by Saint Paul (quoth he) I will not dine till I see thy head off." It booted him not to ask why, but heavily he took a priest at a venture, and made a short shrift, for a longer would not be suffered, the Protector made so much haste to his dinner, which he might not go to till this murther were done, for saving of his ungracious oath. So was he brought forth into the green beside the chapel within the Tower, and his head laid down on a log of timber, that lay there for building of the chapel, and there tyrannously stricken off, and after his body and head were interred at Windsor by his master, King Edward the Fourth, whose souls Jesu pardon. Amen.

A marvellous case it is to hear, either the warnings that he should have voided, or the tokens of that he could not void. For the next night before his death the Lord Stanley sent to him a trusty messenger in all the haste, requiring him to rise and ride away with him, for he was disposed utterly no longer for to abide, for he had a fearful dream, in the which he thought that a boar with his tusks so raised them both by the heads, that the blood ran about both their shoulders; and, forasmuch as the Protector gave the boar for his cognizance, he imagined that it should be he. This dream made such a fearful impression in his heart, that he was thoroughly determined no longer to tarry, but had his horse ready, if the Lord Hastings would go with him; so that they would ride so far that night that they should be out of danger by the next day. "Ah! good lord (quoth the Lord Hastings to the messenger), leaneth my lord, thy master, so much to such trifles, and hath such faith in dreams, which either his own fear phantasieth, or do rise in the night's rest by reason of the day's thought? Tell him it is plain witchcraft to believe in such dreams, which, if they were tokens of things to come, why thinketh he not that we might as likely make them true by our going, if we were caught and brought back (as friends fail fliers), for then had the boar a cause likely to rase us with his tusks, as folks fled for some falsehood; wherefore either is there peril, nor none there is deed, or, if any be it is rather in going than abiding. And, if we needs fall in peril one way or other, yet had I liefer that men should say it were by other men's falsehoods than think it were either our own fault, or faint feeble heart; and therefore go to thy master and commend me to him, and say that I pray him to be merry and have no fear, for I assure him I am assured of the man he wotteth of, as I am sure of my own hand." "God send grace" (quoth the messenger and so departed. Certain it is also that, in riding toward the Tower the same morning in which he was beheaded, his horse that he accustomed to ride on stumbled with him

twice or thrice, almost to the falling; which thing, although it happeth to them daily to whom no mischauce is toward, yet hath it been as an old evil token observed as a going toward mischief. Now this that followeth was no warning but an envious scorn. The same morning, ere he were up from his bed, there came to him Sir Thomas Howard, son to the Lord Howard (which lord was one of the priviest of the Lord Protector's council and doing), as it were of courtesy to accompany him to the council, but of truth sent by the Lord Protector to haste him hitherward.

This Sir Thomas, while the Lord Hastings staid awhile communing with a priest, whom he met in Tower Street, brake the lord's tale, saying to him merely, "What, my lord! I pray you come on; wherefore talk you so long with that priest? you have no need of a priest yet:" and laughed upon him, as though he would say, "you shall have need of one soon." But little wist the other what he meant (but on night these words were well remembered by them who heard them); so the true Lord Hastings little mistrusted, and was never merrier, nor thought his life in more surety in all his days; which thing is often a sign of change: but I shall rather let anything pass me than the vain surety of man's mind so near his death; for upon the very Tower wharf, so near the place where his head was off so soon after as a man might well cast a ball, a pursuivant of his own, called Hastings, met with him, and of their meeting in that place he was put in remembrance of another time in which it happened them to meet before together in the place, at which time the Lord Hastings had been accused to King Edward by the Lord Rivers, the queen's brother, insomuch that he was for awhile, which lasted not long, highly in the king's indignation. As he now met the same pursuivant in the same place, the jeopardy so well passed, it gave him great pleasure to talk with him thereof, with whom he had talked in the same place of that matter, and therefore he said, "Ah, Hastings, art thou remembered how I met thee here once with a heavy heart?" "Yea, my lord (quoth he), that I remember well, and thanked be God they got no good nor you no harm thereby." "Thou wouldest say so (quoth he), if thou knowest so much as I do, which few know yet, and more shall shortly." That meant hic, that the Earl Rivers, and the Lord Richard, and Sir Thomas Vaughan should that day be beheaded at Pomfret, as they were in deed; which act he wist well should be done, but nothing ware that the axe hung so near his own head. "In faith, man (quoth he), I was never so sorry nor never stood in so great danger of my life, as I did when thou and I met here; and lo! the world is turned now; now stand mine enemies in the danger, as thou mayest hap to hear more hereafter, and I never in my life merrier, nor never in so great surety." "I pray God it prove so" (quoth Hastings). "Prove! (quoth he) doubtest thou that? nay, nay, I warrant thee." And so in manner displeased he entered into the Tower, where he was not long on life as you have heard. O Lord God, the blindness of our mortal nature! when he most feared, he was in most surety; and, when he reckoned himself most surest, he lost his life, and that within two hours after. Thus ended this honourable man: a good knight and gentle, of great authority with his prince, of living somewhat dissolute, plain and open to his enemy, and sure and secret to his friend, easy to beguile, as he that of good heart and courage foresaw no perils, a loving man, and passing well-beloved, very faithful and trusty enough; but trusting too much was his destruction, as you may perceive.

312. THE DOCTOR'S FAMILY FEELING.

"It behoves the high,

For their own sakes, to do things worthily."-BEN JONSON.

SOUTHEY.

No son ever regarded the memory of his father with more reverential affection than

this last of the Doves.* There never lived a man, he said, to whom the lines of Marcus Antonius Flaminius (the sweetest of all Latin poets in modern times, or perhaps of any age) could more truly be applied.

"Vixisti, genitor, bene, ac beate, Nec pauper, neque dives; eruditus Satis, et satis eloquens; valente

Semper corpore, mente sand; amicis
Jucundus, pictate singulari.”+

"What if he could not with the Heveninghams of Suffolk count five and twenty knights of his family, or tell sixteen knights successively with the Tilneys of Norfolk, or with the Nauntons show where his ancestors had seven hundred pounds a year before the Conquest," he was, and with as much, or perhaps more, reason, contented with his parentage. Indeed his family feeling was so strong, that if he had been of an illustrious race, pride, he acknowledged, was the sin which would most easily have beset him; though on the other hand, to correct this tendency, he thought there could be no such persuasive preachers as old family portraits, and old monuments in the family church.

He was far, however, from thinking that those who are born to all the advantages, as they are commonly esteemed, of rank and fortune, are better placed for the improvement of their moral and intellectual nature, than those in a lower grade. Fortunatos nimium sua si bona nórint! he used to say of this class, but this is a knowledge which they seldom possess; and it is rare indeed to find an instance in which the high privileges which hereditary wealth conveys are understood by the possessors, and rightly appreciated and put to their proper use. The one and the two talents are,

(Oh! bright occasions of dispensing good,

How seldom used, how little understood!)

in general, more profitably occupied than the five; the five indeed are not often tied up in a napkin, but still less often are they faithfully employed in the service of that Lord from whom they are received in trust, and to whom an account of them must be rendered.

"A man of family and estate," said Johnson, "ought to consider himself as having the charge of a district over which he is to diffuse civility and happiness." -Are there fifty men of family and estate in the three kingdoms who feel and act as if this were their duty ?-Are there five and forty?-Forty?—Thirty?— Twenty-Or can it be said with any probability of belief that "peradventure ten shall be found there?"

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Here in England stood a village, within the memory of man,—no matter where, -close by the castle of a noble proprietor,-no matter who.

11 - il figlio

Del tale, ed il nipote del cotale,

Nato per madre della tale."\\

This extract, and that numbered 295, are taken from that singular work entitled 'The Doctor,'-now acknowledged as the work of the late Mr. Southey. It is a book that will delight many a student from its curious learning; and furnish amusement and instruction to all those for whom quaintness and simplicity have a higher charm than ornate periods.

+ "Thou hast lived, my ancestor, well and happily, neither poor nor rich; learned enough, eloquent enough; ever with a sound mind in a sound body; delightful to thy friends, eminent in thy piety."

Fuller.

In noble and illustrious blood,-in men of high birth,—all baseness displays itself more evidently than it would in those of low station.

The son of this, and the nephew of that, having for his mother such a one.

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