They feed the raging flames, hour after hour,

Till now the black and nauseous smoke is spent, And mingled with the ruins of the pile,

The undistinguishable ashes lay.

Go! cried Prince Madoc, cast them in the stream,

And scatter them upon the winds, that so

No relic of this foul idolatry

Pollute the land. To-morrow meet me here,
Hoamen, and I will purify yon

den

Of your abominations. Come ye here

With humble hearts; for ye, too, in the sight
Of the Great Spirit, the Beloved One,

Must be made pure, and cleansed from your offence,
And take upon yourselves his holy law.

VIII.

THE CONVERSION OF THE HOAMEN.

How beautiful, O Sun, is thine uprise,
And on how fair a scene! Before the Cave
The Elders of the Hoamen wait the will
Of their Deliverer; ranged without their ring
The tribe look on, thronging the narrow vale,
And what of gradual rise the shelving combe
Displayed, or steeper eminence of wood,

Broken with crags and sunny slope of green,
And grassy platform. With the Elders sate
The Queen and Prince, their rank's prerogative,
Excluded else for sex unfit, and youth

For counsel immature. Before the arch,
To that rude fane, rude portal, stands the Cross
By Madoc's hand victorious planted there.
And lo, Prince Madoc comes! no longer mail'd
In arms of mortal might; the spear and sword,
The hauberk and the helmet laid aside,

Gorget and gauntlet, grieves and shield, . . he comes
In peaceful tunic clad, and mantle long;
His hyacinthine locks now shadowing
That face, which late, with iron overbrow'd,
Struck from within the aventayle such awe
And terror to the heart. Bareheaded he,
Following the servant of the altar, leads

The reverential train.

Before them, raised

On high, the sacred images are borne;

There, in faint semblance, holiest Mary bends
In virgin beauty o'er her babe divine, .

A sight which almost to idolatry

Might win the soul by love.

But who can gaze

Upon that other form, which on the rood

In agony is stretch'd? . . his hands transfix'd,
And lacerate with the body's pendent weight;
The black and deadly paleness of his face,

Streak'd with the blood which from that crown of

scorn

Hath ceased to flow; the side wound streaming still;
And open still those eyes, from which the look

Not yet hath past away, that went to Heaven,
When, in that hour, the Son of Man exclaim'd,
Forgive them, for they know not what they do!
And now arrived before the cave, the train

Halt to the assembled elders, where they sate
Ranged in half circle, Madoc then advanced,
And raised, as if in act to speak, his hand.
Thereat was every human sound suppress'd ;
And every quicken'd ear and eager eye
Were center'd on his lips.

The Prince began, .

Hoamen, friends, brethren, . . friends we have been

long,

And brethren shall be, ere the day go down, . .
I come not here propounding doubtful things
For counsel, and deliberate resolve

Of searching thought; but with authority
From Heaven, to give the law, and to enforce

Obedience. Ye shall worship God alone,

The One Eternal. That Beloved One

Ye shall not serve with offer'd fruits, or smoke
Of sacrificial fire, or blood, or life;

Far other sacrifice he claims,

a soul

Resign'd, a will subdued, a heart made clean

From all offence.

Not for your lots on earth,

Menial or mighty, slave or highly-born,
For cunning in the chase, or strength in war,
Shall ye be judged hereafter; . . as ye keep
The law of love, as ye shall tame your wrath,
Forego revenge, forgive your enemies,

Do good to them that wrong ye, ye will find
Your bliss or bale. This law came down from Heaven.
Lo, ye behold Him there by whom it came;
The Spirit was in Him, and for the sins
Of man He suffered thus, and by His death
Must all mankind be blest. Not knowing Him,
Ye wander'd on in error; knowing now,
And not obeying, what was error once
Is guilt and wilful wrong. If ever more
Ye bow to your false deities the knee;
If ever more ye worship them with feast,
Or sacrifice or dance; whoso offends
Shall from among the people be cut off,
Like a corrupted member, lest he taint

The whole with death. With what appointed rites
Your homage must be paid, ye shall be taught;
Your children, in the way that they shall

go,

Be train'd from childhood up. Make ye meantime, Your prayer to that Beloved One, who sees

The secrets of all hearts; and set ye up

This, the memorial of his chosen Son,
And Her, who, blessed among women, fed
The Appointed at Her breast, and by His cross
Endured intenser anguish; therefore sharing
His glory now, with sunbeams robed, the Moon
Her footstool, and a wreath of stars her crown.

Hoamen, ye deem us children of a race Mightier than ye, and wiser, and by Heaven Beloved and favour'd more. From this pure law Hath all proceeded, . . wisdom, power, whate'er Here elevates the soul, and makes it ripe For higher powers and more exalted bliss. Share then our law, and be with us, on earth, Partakers of these blessings, and in Heaven, Co-heritors with us of endless joy.

Ere yet one breath or motion had disturb'd The reverential hush, Erillyab rose. My people, said the Queen, their God is best And mightiest. Him to whom we offered up Blood of our blood and of our flesh the flesh, Vainly we deem'd divine; no spirit he Of good or evil, by the conquering arm' Of Madoc mortal proved. What then remains But that the blessing proffer'd thus in love, In love we take? . . Deliverer, Teacher, Friend, First in the fellowship of faith I claim

The initiatory rite.

I also, cried

The venerable Priest Ayayaca,
Old as I am, I also, like a child,