Thuringia who would act in such a way towards one of his equals: and you, prince as you are, and the brother of such a prince, you have perpetrated these crimes, at the very moment when your royal brother was dying for the honour and glory of God! What confidence can we repose any longer in your word or your honour? And yet you know well enough what is your duty as a knight and a prince: you know that you are bound to protect the widow and the orphan, and knowing this you outrage the orphans and the widow of your own brother. Let me speak plainly, these crimes of yours cry to heaven for vengeance."

The duchess Sophia on hearing these words, which her son had so richly merited, burst into tears. The young duke, full of trouble and shame, hung his head down without answering a single word. Sir Rodolph, however, continued:

"My lord, what had you to fear from a young lady, all alone, abandoned to despair at the death of her beloved husband, without a friend or ally in the country? What had you to fear from this holy and virtuous lady, even though she had remained the mistress of all your castles? What will be said of the knights of Thuringia now, when they hear of such doings in other lands? It is shameful! I blush to think of it. Know this,-that you have offended GOD, dishonoured the kingdom of Thuringia, and tarnished your own honour and that of the Royal House: we have just cause to fear that the anger of God will weigh heavy on the land, unless you do penance in His sight; hasten, then, to reconcile yourself with this noble and pious lady, and restore to the son of your brother the dominions which you have unjustly wrested from him."

The bystanders were astonished at the extreme boldness of the noble knight; but GOD made use of it to touch the heart of one, whom neither a sense of pity nor justice could move. The young prince, who, up to that moment, had remained silent, burst into tears, and wept for some time without giving Sir Rodolph any reply. At last, he said,

"I am sincerely sorry for what I have done; I will never again listen to those who have advised me so to do. Restore me once more to your confidence and friendship, and I will do whatever my sister Elizabeth shall require of me; in proof of which, I hereby place my goods and my life at your disposal."

Sir Rodolph replied:

"I am content. This is the only way to appease the anger of God." Still, however, Henry could not refrain from adding, in a low voice:

"If my sister Elizabeth possessed the whole soil of Germany, she would soon have nothing left, for she would give it all away for the love of GOD."

Sir Rodolph now hastened, with his brave comrades, to convey the good news to the lady Elizabeth; but as soon as they alluded to the conditions which they ought to impose on the duke, she exclaimed:

"No, I wish not for his castles, his cities, or lands. I want nothing that can disengage me from the service of my GOD. All I ask of my brother-in-law is that he would pay me what remains due of my dowry, so that I may have enough to distribute in alms to the poor, for the benefit of my beloved husband's soul, and of my own."

The knights then returned to the duke, and brought him into Elizabeth's presence. He was accompanied by his mother and his brother Conrad. When he beheld our dear Saint, he asked her pardon for all the wrongs he had done, testifying his hearty repentance, and promising to make suitable reparation. Sophia and Conrad joined their prayers to his. Elizabeth replied by throwing herself affectionately into her brother-in-law's arms, shedding floods of tears. The two brothers and the duchess Sophia mingled their tears with her's; and the stouthearted warriors, that stood beside them, could not refrain from weeping in their turn at a spectacle so moving, and at the thought of that noble and gracious prince, who had been the prop of this family and of their kingdom, but whom they had now lost for ever.

The just claims of her children were admitted and secured. Hermaun, the eldest, was proclaimed the legitimate heir of the kingdom of Thuringia and Hesse, the regency during his minority being confided to his eldest uncle the duke Henry. These arrangements concluded, the crusaders separated to return to their several castles, and Elizabeth and her children, accompanied by the duchess Sophia and the two Landgraves, set out for the Castle of Wartzburg, from which she had been so disgracefully banished.

How wilt thou guess, in him returning,

Robbed of youth's gladness, childhood's glow, All manhood's darkest passions burning

On his pale lip and writhen brow?

Thou canst not guess, yet would that there
Ceased the dread change my tears deplore,
Thou too art changed, sweet home, the fair,
To me thou canst be fair no more.

For hope like autumn leaves is lying,
Mid forest that I thought serene,
And faded joys, like flowerets dying,
Are scattered o'er the mournful scene.

And only memory lives to wave

Its boughs of deep and deathless green;
All woe is theirs, they guard the grave
Of joys which are not, but have been.

Home of my guiltless infancy!

Vanished is thy most lovely dream. Some spirit has gone forth from thee,

Thou art not what thou once couldst seem.

Alas! not thou, but I am changed!

From me it is the spirit 's flown,

That once could witch me while I ranged
Thy pathless woods,—that spirit's gone!

Home of my fathers! from thy bowers,

The sinless soul of youth 's departed; And henceforth mid thy fields and flowers Can only dwell the broken-hearted!

M. C. A.

THOUGHTS ON THE LIFE OF EDWARD THE

CONFESSOR.

"OH MARY, CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN, PRAY FOR ME, WHO HAVE RECOURSE TO THEE."

On the death of Hardicanute in 1041, Edward, surnamed the Confessor, and the son of Emma, by her first husband, Ethelred the Second, was proclaimed king, with the unanimous consent of the nation. Edward was called to the throne in a time of extreme difficulty; and we may learn from his history how far the wisdom of GOD exceeds the wisdom of man, for he, whose almost childlike simplicity of character was supposed but to fit him for the cloistered life, now ruled the kingdom (by his peaceful virtues) with a success which the haughtiest of his predecessors had been unable to attain. For more than forty years the Danes had held England in the most cruel subjection; but though they considered it their own by right of conquest, they made no opposition to the election of Edward; from this time they became gradually incorporate with the English, and we hear no more of them in the history of the nation. Swein, the son of Canute, did, indeed, equip a fleet for the purpose of invading England, but the king of Denmark made an irruption into Norway which forced him to lay aside his intention. In 1046 also, some Danish pirates landed on the coast of Essex, but they were soon repulsed by the vigilance of Godwin, nor did they ever again renew the attempt.

The only war which the Saint ever willingly undertook, was for the restoration of Malcolm to the throne of Scotland, and it was soon concluded by a glorious victory. Edward had learnt in the school of Christ the true value of the fair virtue of virginity, which is the peculiar heritage of the Catholic Church, and which has never been known, or never been valued, by the followers of any other religion upon earth. When, therefore, his nobles pressed him to marry, his choice fell upon Edgitha, the daughter of Godwin, the most powerful of his subjects. Her whole life had been devoted to study and devotion; she was therefore easily persuaded to follow his example, by living with him in a state of holy virginity. This has been made a subject of bitter reproach to Edward; Protestants, who could not appreciate his conduct, have never wearied in reviling him as one, who made the injuries he had received from the Godwin family a pretext for neglecting his