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Many long years upon that lonely isle;
For in ripe manhood he abandon'd arms,
Honors, and friends, and country, and the world,
And had grown old in solitude. That isle
Some solitary man, in other times,

Had made his dwelling-place; and Henry found
The little chapel which his toil had built
Now by the storms unroof'd, his bed of leaves
Wind-scatter'd; and his grave o'ergrown with

grass,

And thistles, whose white seeds there wing'd in

vain,

Wither'd on rocks, or in the waves were lost.
So he repair'd the chapel's ruin'd roof,
Clear'd the gray lichens from the altar-stone,
And underneath a rock that shelter'd him
From the sea-blast, he built his hermitage.

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The peasants from the shore would bring him
And beg his prayers; but human converse else
He knew not in that utter solitude;
Nor ever visited the haunts of men,
Save when some sinful wretch on a sick bed
Implored his blessing and his aid in death.
That summons he delay'd not to obey,
Though the night-tempest or autumnal wind
Madden'd the waves; and though the mariner,
Albeit relying on his saintly load,

Grew pale to see the peril. Thus he lived
A most austere and self-denying man,
Till abstinence, and age, and watchfulness,
Had worn him down, and it was pain at last
To rise at midnight from his bed of leaves,
And bend his knees in prayer. Yet not the less,
Though with reluctance of infirmity,
Rose he at midnight from his bed of leaves,
And bent his knees in prayer; but with more zeal,
More self-condemning fervor, raised his voice,
Imploring pardon for the natural sin

Of that reluctance, till the atoning prayer
Had satisfied his heart, and given it peace,
And the repented fault became a joy.

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know that it is the chief seat of a religious order founded by St. Gualberto. A passage in one of Miss Seward's early letters shows how well Milton had observed the peculiar feature of its autumnal scenery. "I have heard my father say, that when he was in Italy with Lord Charles Fitzroy, they travelled through Vallumbrosa in autumn, after the leaves had begun to fall; and that their guide was obliged to try what was land, and what water, by pushing a long pole before him, which he carried in his hand, the vale being so very irriguous, and the leaves so totally covering the surface of the streams."- Poetical Works of ANNE SEWARD, with Extracts from her Literary Correspondence, vol. i. p. lxxxvi.

1.

THE work is done; the fabric is complete; Distinct the Traveller sees its distant tower, Yet, ere his steps attain the sacred seat,

Must toil for many a league and many an hour." Elate the Abbot sees the pile, and knows, Stateliest of convents now, his new Moscera rose.

2.

Long were the tale that told Moscera's pride,

Its columns' cluster'd strength and lofty state, How many a saint bedeck'd its sculptured side; What intersecting arches graced its gate; Its towers how high, its massy walls how strong, These fairly to describe were sure a tedious song.

3.

Yet while the fane rose slowly from the ground, But little store of charity, I ween,

The passing pilgrim at Moscera found;

And often there the mendicant was seen Hopeless to turn him from the convent door, Because this costly work still kept the brethren poor.

4.

Now all is finish'd, and from every side

They flock to view the fabric, young and old. Who now can tell Rodulfo's secret pride,

When, on the Sabbath-day, his eyes behold The multitudes that crowd his church's floor, Some sure to serve their God, to see Moscera more?

5.

So chanced it that Gualberto pass'd that way,
Since sainted for a life of saintly deeds.
He paused, the new-rear'd convent to survey,

And, o'er the structure whilst his eye proceeds, Sorrowed, as one whose holier feelings deem That ill so proud a pile did humble monks beseem.

6.

Him, musing as he stood, Rodulfo saw,

And forth he came to greet the holy guest; For him he knew as one who held the law

Of Benedict, and each severe behest So duly kept with such religious care, That Heaven had oft vouchsafed its wonders to his prayer.

7.

"Good brother, welcome!" thus Rodulfo cries; "In sooth it glads me to behold you here;

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All is not truth; and yet, methinks, 'twere hard
Of wilful fraud such fablers to accuse;
What if a Monk, from better themes debarr d,
Should for an edifying story choose

479

Though courage, duty, honor, summon'd there, He chose to forfeit all, not leave the unfinish'd prayer.

29.

But while devoutly thus the unarm'd knight
Waits till the holy service should be o'er,
Even then the foremost in the furious fight

Was he beheld to bathe his sword in gore;
First in the van his plumes were seen to play,
And all to him decreed the glory of the day.

30.

The truth is told, and men at once exclaim'd,
Heaven had his Guardian Angel deign'd to
send;

And thus the tale is handed down to fame.
Now, if our good Sir Fernan had a friend
Who in this critical season served him well,
Dear George, the tale is true, and yet no miracle.

31.

I am not one who scan with scornful eyes
The dreams which make the enthusiast's best
delight;

Nor thou the legendary lore despise,
If of Gualberto yet again I write,
How first impell'd he sought the convent cell;
A simple tale it is, but one that pleased me well.

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It chanced that one in kindred near allied
Was slain by his hereditary foe;
Much by his sorrow moved, and more by pride,
The father vow'd that blood for blood should
flow;

And from his youth Gualberto had been taught How some great Saint the Flesh and Fiend That with unceasing hate should just revenge be

o'ercame ;

His taste I trow, and not his conscience, were to

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It would not hurt thee, George, to join that ves- He saw the imaged Christ smile favoring on his

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ficio, has quitado el sustento a muchos pobres. Puso los ojos en un pequeno arroyo, que corria alli cerca, y dixo, Dios Omnipotente, que sueles hacer grandes cosas de pequenas criaturas, yo te ruego, que vea por medio de esta pequeño arroyo venganza de este gran edificio. Dizo esto, y fuese de alli como abominando el lugar; y siendo oido, el arroyuelo comenzo a crecer, y fue de suerte, que recogiendo un monte de agua, y tomando de atrás la corriente, vino con tan grande impetu, que llevando piedras y arboles consigo, derribo el edificio.

Flos Sanctorum, por El Maestro Alonso de Villegas.

Quodam itaque tempore cum monasteria, quæ sub suo erant regimine, solito more inviseret, venit ad canobium cui vocabulum est Muscetum ; ubi cum casas cerneret grandiores pulchrioresque quam vellet; accersito venerabili viro domino Rodulfo, qui eas construxerat, et ab illo ibi ordinatus fuerat Abbas, severissimo vultu dicit: Tu in isto loco hæc tibi fabricasti palatia? Et conversus ad parvissimum rivum qui inibi juxta currebat, dixit; O Regambule, si me de Rodulfo, et istis ejus domibus vindicaveris, utrem aqua Seva fluminis plenum, undis tuis augebo. Et hæc dicens sine morà discessit. Cujus imperium, ac si rationabilis homo, rivus ille suscipiens, illo recedente intumescere capit, et nescio unde largissima aquarum fluenta congregans, relicto proprio alvco de monte præcipitanter ruit, gravissimos petrarum scopulos atque arbores secum trahens, in prædictas domos illisus terra tenus eas dejecit. Quâ ultione completà, quasi pro mercede, quod promiserat, Pater recepit. Qua pro re Abbas ille turbatus cum Fratribus, de loco mutare disponebat cancbium. Quibus ille hæc consolationis verba locutus est: Nolite, inquit, timere ne habitetis quia rivus ille nec quidquam mali vobis facturus est, nec ultra vobis nocebit. Quod ejus vaticinium verum firmumque usque hodie permanet. Denique ille sæpe dictus rivulus, quod tunc casu, immo plus imperio Patris acciderit, nec antea facerat, nec ulterius fecit.

B. Andreas de Strumis. Acta 83. Jul. T. 3, p. 351. The destruction of this Monastery is thus related in the Vita del Glorioso S. Giovan Gualberto Azzini, Nobil Fiorentino, e Fondatore della sacra Religione di Vallombrosa, a poem in nine parts or books, by M. Niccolo Lorenzini, Fisico da Monte Pulciano. Firenze, 1599.

... prende il sentiero

Di Moscheto il Cenobio, in cui discerne,
Benche da lunge, che spento è quel vero
Segno d'humili e pure voglie interne ;
V'arriva, e trova 'l edificio tutto
Esser con pompa dal Rettor construtto.

Il biasma, e dice che cotanto argento
Si speso, harria nudrito mille e mille
Mendici, la cui vita aspro tormento
Di fame accorcia, e ch' in eterne stille
Si risolvon di pianto al gielo, e al vento,
Che in tanto ei mena l'hore sue tranquille,
Godendo in cosi ricca stanza e bella;
E lui superbo con disdegno appella.

Hor dunque d'humiltà quel buon desio
Ch'esser de' verde, é secco? (ahi cieca voglia!)
A che si tosto affondar nell' oblio

Le nostre Leggi, e questa humile spoglia?
O pria che si dimostri alcun restio
In ben serrarle, sol in me s' accoglia
Ogni angoscia e martir, ne le mie pene
In questa vita, altro che morte affrene.

Il paterno dolor con tai parole
Sfoga, ed ha tanto l'alterezza à schivo,
Che quel vano Rettor corregger vuole ;
Ond' habbia sol à Dio lo spirto vivo,
Cui prega, e poscia impetra, com' ei suole,
Che si cresca un vicino e picciol Rivo
Per le nubi, ch' allhor solva e disserri,
Che l'edificio e quelle pompe atterri.

E quasi dimorar fosse interdetto
Piu in quella chiostra, ratto fuor s' invia,
Comandando al Ruscel che inondi il tetto
Con ruina del loco; ecco si cria

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Acontecio en aquella* batalla una cosa digna de memoria. Fernan Antolinez, hombre noble y muy devoto, oia missa al tiempo que se dio señal de acometer, costumbre ordinaria suya antes de la pelea; por no dexarla començada, se quedo en el templo quando se toco á la arma. Esta piedad quan agradable fuesse a Dios, se entendio por un milagro. Estavase primero en la Iglesia, despues escondido en su casa, temia no le afrentassen como a cobarde. En tanto, otro a el semejante, es a saber, su Angel bueno, pelea entre los primeros tan valientemente, que la vitoria de aquel dia se atribuyo en gran parte al valor de el dicho Antolinez. Confirmaron el milagro las señales de los golpes, y las manchas de la sangre que se hallaron frescas en sus armas y cavallo. Assi publicada el caso, y sabido lo que passava, quedo mas conocida la inocencia y esfuerço de Antolinez. MARIANA.

Perhaps this miracle, and its obvious interpretation, may have suggested to Florian the circumstance by which his Gonsalvo is prevented from combating and killing the brother of his mistress. Florian is fond of Spanish literature.

A simple tale it is, but one that pleased me well.
Stanza 31, p. 479.

Llamose el padre Gualberto, y era senor de Valdespesa, que està entre Sena, y Florencia: seguia la milicia; y como le matassen un su deudo cercano injustamente, indignados, assi el hijo, que era ya hombre, como el padre, con mucho cuydado buscaran ocasion, como vengar aquella muerte. Sucedio, que veniendo à Florencia el hijo, con un criado suyo, hombre valiente, y los dos bien armados, à cavallo, vio à su enemigo, y en lugar que era impossible irseles : lo qual considerado por el contrario, y que tenia cierta su muerte, descendió de un cavallo, en que venia, y puesto de rodillas le pidió, juntas las manos, por Jesu Christo crucificado, le perdonasse la vida. Enternecióse Juan Gualberto, oyendo el nombre de Jesu Christo crucificado; y dizóle, que por amor de aquel Senor, que rogó en la Cruz por los que le pusieron en ella, el le perdonava. Pidióle, que se levantasse, y perdiesse el temor, que ya no por enemigo, sino por amigo le queria, y que de Dios, por quien hacia esto, esperava el premio. Passó adelante Gualberto; y viendo una Iglesia en un monte cerca de Florencia, llamada de San Miniato, que era de Monges negros, entró en ella para dar gracias à Jesu Christo nuestro Señor por la merced, que le havia hecho en favorecerle, de que perdonasse, y no tomasse venganza de su enemigo: pusose de rodillas delante de un Crucifixo, el qual, viendolo el, y otros que estavan presentes, desde la Cruz inclinó la cabeza à Gualberto, como agradeciendo, y dandole gracias, de que por su amor huviesse perdonado la vida à su enemigo. Descubrióse el caso, y fue publico, y muy celebrado, y el Crucifixo fue tenido en grande

• Cerca de Santistevan de Gormaz, a la ribera del rio Duero. A. D. 982.

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