42. Troubled at heart, almost he felt a hope, That yet some chance his victim might delay. So as he mused adown the neighbouring slope He saw a lonely traveller on his way; And now he knows the man so much abhorr'd, . . His holier thoughts are gone, he bares the murderous sword. 43. "The house of Valdespesa gives the blow! And prostrate at the young man's knees he fell, And stopt his hand and cried, "Oh, do not take A wretched sinner's life! mercy, for Jesus' sake!" 44. At that most blessed name, as at a spell, Conscience, the power within him, smote his heart. His hand, for murder raised, unharming fell; He felt cold sweat-drops on his forehead start; A moment mute in holy horror stood, Then cried," Joy, joy, my God! I have not shed his blood!" 45. He raised Anselmo up, and bade him live, And bless, for both preserved, that holy name: And pray'd the astonish'd foeman to forgive The bloody purpose led by which he came. Then to the neighbouring church he sped away, His over-burden'd soul before his God to lay. 46. He ran with breathless speed,.. he reach'd the door, With rapid throbs his feverish pulses swell;.. He came to crave for pardon, to adore For grace vouchsafed; before the cross he fell, And raised his swimming eyes, and thought that there He saw the imaged Christ smile favouring on his prayer. 47. A blest illusion! from that very night The Monk's austerest life devout he led ; And still he felt the enthusiast's deep delight, Seraphic visions floated round his head, The joys of heaven foretasted fill'd his soul, And still the good man's name adorns the sainted roll. Westbury, 1799. NOTES. Earth shakes beneath the onward-rolling tide, That from its base swept down the unholy house of pride. P. 200. Era amigo de pobreza, en tanto grado, que sentia mucho, que los Monasterios se edificassen sumptuosamente; y assi visitando el de Moscera y viendo un edificio grande, y elegante, buelto à Rodulpho, que era alli Abad, con el rostro ayrado le dixo: Con lo que has gastado, siguiendo tu parecer, en este magnifico edificio, has quitado el sustento a muchos pobres. Puso los ojos en un pequeño 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. Dixo 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 atràs 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 cœnobium cui vocabulum est Muscetum; ubi cum casas cerneret grandiores pulchrioresque quam vellet; accersito venerabili viro domno Rodulfo, qui eas construxerat, et ab illo ibi ordinatus fuerat Abbas, severissimo vultu dixit: 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 vindica Et veris, utrem aquâ Sevæ fluminis plenum, undis tuis augebo. hæc dicens sine morâ discessit. Cujus imperium, ac si rationabilis homo, rivus ille suscipiens, illo recedente intumescere cœpit, et nescio unde largissima aquarum fluenta congregans, relicto proprio alveo de monte præcipitanter ruit, gravissimos petrarum scopulos atque arbores secum trahens, in prædictas domos illisus terra tenus eas dejecit. Quâ ultione completâ, quasi pro mercede, quod promiserat, Pater recepit. Quâ pro re Abbas ille turbatus cum Fratribus, de loco mutare disponebat cœnobium. 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 fecerat, nec ulterius fecit. B. Andreas de Strumis. Acta ss. 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, Il biasma, e dice che cotanto argento Hor dunque d'humiltà quel buon desio Ch' esser de' verde, é secco? (ahi cieca voglia !) Le nostre Leggi, e questa humile spoglia? Il paterno dolor con tai parole E quasi dimorar fosse interdetto Si alto gonfia il torbido torrente E tragge sì gran pietre e legni al muro, |