could erase. Terrified, not less at the singu lar consequence of her guilt, than at the guilt itself, she carefully concealed this awful and mysterious evidence, and dedicated her self for life to the service of the blessed Virgin. Yet though penitent for what she had done, and regularly every fifteenth morning duly confessed, she scrupulously avoided any disclosure relating to that horrid transaction. She distributed alms with the most unbounded liberality; and the people experiencing her kindness and benevolence, evinced towards her the greatest respect and love.

It happened on a certain night as her confessor knelt at his devotions, repeating five times aloud the "Ave Maria," that the blessed Virgin herself appeared to him, and said, "I am the Virgin Mary, and have an important communication to make to thee." The confessor, full of joy, answered, "Oh! dear Lady, wherein can thy servant please thee?" She replied, "The queen of this kingdom will confess herself to you; but there is one sin she has committed, which shame and horror will not permit her to disclose. On the

morrow she will come to you; tell her from me, that her alms and her prayers have been accepted by Him who delights in the pure oblation of a contrite heart; I command her therefore, to confess that crime which she secretly committed in her chamber-for alas! she slew her daughter. I have entreated for her, and her sin is forgiven, if she will confess it. But if she yield no attention to your words, bid her lay aside the cover upon her left hand; and on her palm, you will read the crime which she refuses to acknowledge. If she deny this also, take it off by force." When she had thus spoken, the blessed Virgin disappeared. In the morning, the queen with great humility was shrieved of all her sins-that one excepted. After she had uttered as much as she chose, the confessor said, "Madam, and dear daughter, people are very inquisitive to know for what strange reason you constantly wear that cover upon your left hand. Let me see it, I beseech you, that I may ascertain why it is concealed, and whether the concealment be pleasing to God." The queen answered, "Sir, my hand.

is diseased, and therefore, I cannot show it." Hearing this, the confessor caught hold of her arm, and notwithstanding her resistance, drew off the cover. Lady," said he, "fear

not; the blessed Virgin Mary loves you; and it is she who hath commanded me to do this." When the hand was uncovered, there appeared four circles of blood. In the first circle there were four letters in the form of a C; in the second, four D's; in the third, four M's; and in the fourth, four R's. Upon the outward edge of the circles, in the manner of a seal, a blood-coloured writing was distinguishable, containing the legend beneath. First, of the letter C,-which was interpreted, "Casu cecidisti carne cæcata," [Blinded by the flesh thou hast fallen.] The letter D," Dæmoni dedisti dona donata," [Thou hast given thyself for certain gifts to the devil.] The letter M," Monstrat manifestè manus maculata,” [The stain upon thy hand discovers thee.] The letter R," Recedet rubigo, regina rogata," [When the queen is interrogated her dishonour ceases.] The lady beholding this, fell at the confessor's feet, and with many tears

meekly related her dreadful offences. Then being entirely and truly penitent, she was absolved; and a very few days afterwards, slept in the Lord. Her death was long lamented by the whole state. (10)

APPLICATION.

My beloved, the emperor, is Jesus Christ, who married a beautiful girl, that is, our human nature, when he became incarnate. But first he was betrothed to her, when the Father, speaking to the Son and Holy Ghost, said—" Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Our Lord had a fair child, that is to say, the soul made free from all spot by his Passion, and by virtue of baptism. That soul is slain in us by sin. Do you ask how? I will tell you. By giving ourselves up to carnal delights, whose fruit is death. The blood on the hand is sin, which tenaciously cleaves to us; as it is said, "My soul is ever in my own hands"—that is, whether it does well or ill, is as openly apparent, as if it were placed in the hands for the inspection and sentence of the Supreme Judge.

[I have omitted the greater part of this moralization as somewhat too delicate in its nature, and too complex in its construction. A second follows upon the same subject, which I have also omitted, and for the same reason.]

TALE XIV.

OF HONOURING PARENTS.

IN the reign of the Emperor Dorotheus a decree was passed, that children should support their parents. There was, at that time, in the kingdom, a certain soldier, who had espoused a very fair and virtuous woman, by whom he had a son. It happened that the soldier went upon a journey, was made prisoner, and very rigidly confined. Immediately he wrote to his wife and son for ransom. The intelligence communicated great uneasiness to the former,