Through air and sunshine sails the Ship of Heaven, The gross and heavy atmosphere of earth; The Maid of mortal birth At every breath a new delight inhales. Swift as a falling meteor, shapes its flight, 66 He furled his azure wings, which round him fold NOTES. Ereen'ia, a Glendoveer or Good Spirit of Indian poetry. 2 ship of Heav'en. Indian poetry 3 Glendoveer. See Note 1. 7 paʼrent-king. their father. 8 chrys'olite. It was a kind of topaz, of a golden-yellow, streaked with green and white. 9 heav'enly Sire, i.e." The angel was perfect as we shall be hereafter, in heaven, when we shall be in the image of 'Our Heavenly Sire'-God." 10 Tyr'ian dye was extracted from a kind of shell-fish. It was used specially for royal robes. 11 Dou'ro's vine. The wine of Oporto, on the Douro. It is known as "Port wine." 12 Swer'ga, the Paradise of Indra. THE DEATH OF THE CONQUEROR.— CHARLES KNIGHT. Charles Knight was originally an eminent publisher in London, but latterly devoted himself to literature. His "Pictorial Shakspeare" and his "History of England" are books of great value. He was born at Windsor in 1790, and died a few years since. 2 1. At the end of the year 1086, when he had been seated nineteen years upon the throne of England, William1 went over to the Continent, with a mighty army, to wage war with Philip, King of France, for the possession of the city of Mantes3 and the country of the Vexin. But shortly after his arrival in Normandy he fell sick and kept his bed. As he had advanced in years he had grown excessively fat. King Philip said, as a good joke among his courtiers, that his cousin William was a long while lying in, but that no doubt there would be a fine churching as soon as he should be delivered. On hearing this coarse and insipid jest the Conqueror of England swore by the most terrible of his oaths-by the splendour and birth of Christ-that he would be churched in Notre Dame, the Cathedral of Paris, and present so many wax torches that all France should be set in a blaze.5 2. It was not until the end of July, 1087, that he was in a state to mount his war-horse. He soon came with fire and sword into the Vexin country. The corn was almost ready for the sickle, the grapes for the winepress, when he marched his cavalry through the cornfields, and made his soldiery tear up the vines by the roots and cut down the pleasant trees. Mantes was soon taken, and consigned to the flames. Neither house nor cottage, nay, neither church nor monastery was spared. 3. As the Conqueror rode up to view the ruin he had caused, his war-horse put his fore feet on some embers, or hot cinders, and then swerved or plunged so violently that the heavy rider was thrown upon the high pommel of the saddle, and grievously bruised. The king dismounted in great pain, and never more put foot in stirrup. Forthwith quitting the burning town, he was carried slowly in a litter to Rouen, and again laid in his bed. It was soon evident to all, and even to himself, that his last hour was approaching. Being troubled by the noise and bustle of Rouen, and desirous of dying in a holy place, he made his people carry him to the monastery of St. Gervas, outside the city walls. He lingered for six weeks, during which he was surrounded by doctors, priests, and monks. On the nearer approach of death his heart softened, and though he preserved the kingly decorum and conversed calmly on the wonderful events of his life, he is said to have felt the vanity of all human grandeur, and a keen remorse for the crimes and cruelties he had committed. He sent money to Mantes to rebuild the churches and houses of religion he had burned, and ordered large sums to be paid to the churches and monasteries in England, which he had plundered and impoverished. He released all his state prisoners, as well Saxon as others, some of whom had pined in dungeons for more than twenty years. 4. Robert, his eldest son, who had had many violent quarrels with his father, was absent, but his two younger sons, William and Henry, who were successively kings of England, were assiduous round the death-bed, waiting impatiently for the declaration of his last will. A day or two before his death the Conqueror assembled some of his prelates and chief barons in his sick chamber, and raising himself in his bed, he, with a solemn and ghastly countenance, declared in their presence that he bequeathed the duchy of Normandy and its other dependencies to his eldest son, Robert. "As to the crown of England," said the dying monarch, "I bequeath it to no one, as I did not receive it, like the duchy of Normandy, in inheritance from my father, but acquired it by conquest and the shedding of blood with mine own good sword. The succession to that kingdom I therefore leave to the decision of God, only desiring most fervently that my son William, who hath ever been dutiful to me, may obtain it, and prosper in it." "And what do you give unto me, O my father?" eagerly cried Prince Henry. "Five thousand pounds' weight of silver out of my treasury." "But what can I do with five thousand pounds of silver, if I have neither lands nor a home?" Here the dying king put on the look of a prophet, and said, "Be patient, O Henry, and have trust in the Lord: suffer thy elder brothers to precede thee, and thy time will come after theirs." Henry the Beauclerc, and the craftiest and cleyerest of the unloving brotherhood, went straight and drew the silver, which he weighed with great care, and then furnished himself with a strong coffer to keep his treasure in. William Rufus left the king's bedside at the same time, and, without waiting to see his father breathe his last, hastened over to England to seize the royal treasures deposited in Winchester castle, and to look after his crown. 9 5. About sunrise, on the 9th of September, the Conqueror was roused from a stupor, into which he had fallen, by the sound of bells. He eagerly inquired what the noise meant, and was told that they were ringing the hour of prime1o in the church of St. Mary. He lifted his clasped hands to heaven, and saying, "I recommend F |