Page images
PDF
EPUB

and his fair-haired companions attracted great notice by the beauty and nobleness of their faces, their tall strongly knit frames, and their dresses, crusted with gold and silver. The next three months were passed in gaiety and knightly diversions, and we may conclude that Edwin grew reconeiled to his position, since he was admitted into the royal family, and learned to know and love the gentle Maude.

She was one of a large family, four brothers, (two of whom, William Rufus and Henry, were afterwards kings of England,) and six sisters. Their mother, Matilda of Flanders, was a clever, spirited woman, her husband's best adviser and helper in matters of state; she was also a friend of learned men, and a great builder of churches. She excelled in all the womanly accomplishments of that day, and some very fine tapestry worked by her may still be seen at Bayeux Cathedral, in Normandy. Nothing can be more curious than this tapestry, recording, as it does, the warlike exploits of her lord. It presents a series of pictures of armed knights, horses with rich trappings, ships and boats crossing a sea of worsted work, warriors landing and engaged in deadly struggle; as a whole, it is very impressive, though the quaint figures and odd proportions often make one smile. Matilda was a painstaking, though probably a stern mother, and her daughters were very carefully trained up. The eldest, Cecily, had from childhood been of a serious and quiet temper, and, by her own desire, entered a nunnery in early girlhood. others crossed with their mother to England in 1068, and passed many months in the royal city of Winchester, where Matilda was crowned Queen of England. Earl Edwin spent much time with his betrothed here. This venerable town, rich in Saxon legends and history from the days of King Arthur, was now at its highest prosperity, and so thickly peopled, that it is said to have extended a mile further than it does in our day. The Conqueror built a strong castle there, but his family lived in the royal palace

The

1

of their Danish predecessors. Hyde Abbey, the burying place of Alfred, was then standing, and there were, besides, more than forty parish churches in the city. Maude must often have worshipped in one or other of them, for she was very holy and pure of heart, and so much did she love to pray, that after death her knees were found quite worn and hardened with kneeling. Walls of flint, strongly cemented with mortar, girded the city, and the river Itchen, crystal-like in its clearness and brightness, flowed murmuring through it. Chalky hills stood round, as if to protect the venerable town, and be yond them breezy sheep-downs stretched away for miles, and joined the grassy and wooded slopes on which Merdon Castle then frowned. These were the scenes in which Edwin and Maude passed some bright moments together. At last, weary of waiting for the hand of his plighted bride, Edwin sought an interview with her father, and earnestly begged that a time might be fixed for their marriage. William, afraid of giving offence to his proud Normans by choosing a Saxon son-in-law, tried to put off the Earl with fair words. Edwin grew angry, uttered fierce threats, and in a fit of passion fled to one of his strongholds in the north. Here calm reflection, and per haps the image of the gentle Maude, brought him to his senses, and next Easter we find him again at Winchester, and seemingly reconciled to the king; but as William's treacherous dealing grew more apparent, and all hopes of obtaining Maude's hand became fainter and fainter, the Thane's small stock of patience became exhausted. He broke off entirely with the king, and a second time retreated to the north.

Shortly after he was travelling northward through a thick forest, bound on some secret errand to the King of Scots, when a band of Normans suddenly fell upon him; he struggled with them desperately, but was slain at last, with twenty of his faithful followers. The assassins carried

his head to William, expecting a large reward, but even his hard heart was melted, and at the sight of the long 'fair hair dabbled in blood,' he is said to have burst into

tears.

'Near the spot where Earl Edwin fell, or at least where he last was heard of, a singular curiosity was turned up by the plough many years ago. It is a small shield of silver about six inches long. Some Saxon words are engraved upon it, their purport being that 'this shield contains a charm both to protect her who wears it, and the lover for whose sake it is worn.' If it belonged to Earl Edwin, it might have been a returned keepsake from the Princess. We know nothing of what Maude felt or said when the direful news was brought to her, but it seems likely that she afterwards spent much of her time in retirement with her sister Cecily. A historian, who visited the convent, says that he saw there one of King William's younger daughters, but had forgotten her name.

After a while, Maude's hand was promised by her ambitious father to Alfonso the Valiant, King of Castille, who had lately divorced his first wife. Maude wept and prayed, and vainly besought her father to release her from this hateful marriage, but his heart was set upon it. From the earthly parent who thus sacrificed her, she turned to the Father of Spirits, and prayed that 'He would rather take her to Himself' than suffer her to fall into the hands of the Spanish king.

She wished she might this wearie life foregoe,
And shortly turne unto her happy rest,'

and her desire was granted. She set out towards Spain with a splendid train of nobles, but ere she had traversed France, and reached the Pyrenees, fell sick and died. Her body was brought back to Normandy, and there buried with very little pomp.

(To be continued.)

STE. GENEVIEVE.

Ar a moment when the interest of all Europe has bee painfully excited by the perpetration of so fearful a crim as the murder of the Archhishop of Paris, by a priest the name of Verger, the 3rd of January, 1857, in th very heart of one of her most beautiful and civilized capi tals, it may not be uninteresting to give some account the sacred edifice within whose walls an archbishop blood has been shed by the hand of an assassin.

Our object now, is to give a short account of the churd where the fatal deed was done, as well as of the saint t whom it is dedicated, some notice of whom may not b uninteresting, when it is remembered that the murdered prelate was officiating in honour of her festival.

The relics of Ste. Généviève are believed to be kept in the ancient church of St. Etienne, and on the 3rd ol January, the anniversary of her death, a solemn service is celebrated there, when crowds assemble to pay their de votions at the shrine of the patroness of Paris. The poplar legend of Ste. Généviève, or rather a sketch of it, we will now give.

*

On the 3rd of January, in the year 429, Severns, a peasant of Nanterre, in France, had early left his home for Paris, there to dispose of cheese and butter, the produce of his goats; he had apparently started without having supplied the little flock with food, and he had not been long gone, when the voice of his wife, Geroncia, heard, loudly calling the name of 'Généviève.' A little girl of about seven years of age soon appeared in answer to the summons; she was simply, but neatly dressed in

[ocr errors]

*A village near Paris, celebrated as the birth-place of St.

Généviève.

the costume of the peasant children of that period; at the same time that the golden chain round her neck, and the bright, golden drops which hung from her ears, told that, however humble might be her father's calling, his means were not limited.

What are you doing up there?' said the good woman, somewhat impatiently. It is more than an hour since your father left home; and instead of looking after the goats, you are idling up in your room, child, as if you had nothing to do.'

'Forgive me, Mother,' said Généviève, gently; 'I was praying to God, and—’

'And you forgot your duties, as you too often do,' replied her mother, angrily. It is all very well to pray to God night and morning, but when you have work to do elsewhere, you need not be so long about it; God Himself tells us to work. Have you had any breakfast, child?'

No, Mother,' replied poor Généviève, as she cast her eyes sadly on the ground, perchance to conceal a tear, or to avoid encountering her mother's angry looks.

'Take that piece of bread, then; come, make haste, and then go and take the goats out to pasture.'

The child took the bread offered to her, and left the room. She had, however, scarcely had time to lead the flock to the fields, ere she hastily returned, exclaiming, 'Oh, Mother! do come with me; there are two venerable looking men, dressed like monks, resting on the steps of the church. All the people of the village are crowding round them to seek their blessing. Come, that we may have it too.'

As she spoke, her father entered, and threw on the table a small leathern purse, containing the produce of the fruits of his farm.

'Put that by, wife,' said he, addressing Geroncia.

'Have you seen these men of whom Généviève is tell

« PreviousContinue »