KING CHARLEMAIN.

François Petrarque, fort renommé entre les Poëtes Italiens, discourant en un epistre son voyage de France et de l'Allemagne, nous raconte que passant par la ville d'Aix, il apprit de quelques Prestres une histoire prodigeuse qu'ils tenoient de main en main pour tres veritable. Qui estoit que Charles le Grand, apres avoir conquesté plusieurs pays, s'esperdit de telle façon en l'amour d'une simple femme, que mettant tout honneur et reputation en arriere, il oublia non seulement les affaires de son royaume, mais aussi le soing de sa propre personne, au grand desplaisir de chacun; estant seulement ententif à courtiser ceste dame: laquelle par bonheur commenca à s'aliter d'une grosse maladie, qui lui apporta la mort. Dont les Princes et grands Seigneurs furent fort rejouis, esperans que par ceste mort, Charles reprendroit comme devant et ses esprits et les affaires du royaume en main: toutesfois il se trouva tellement infatué de ceste amour, qu' encores cherissoit-il ce cadaver, l'embrassant, baisant, accolant de la meme façon que devant, et au lieu de prester l'oreille aux legations qui luy survenoient, il l'entretenoit de mille bayes, comme s'elle eust esté pleine de vie. Ce corps commençoit deja non seulement à mal sentir, mais aussi se tournoit en putrefaction, et neantmoins n'y avoit aucun de ses favoris qui luy en osast parler; dont advint que l'Archevesque Turpin mieux advisé que les autres, pourpensa que telle chose ne pouvoit estre advenue sans quelque sorcellerie. Au moyen dequoy espiant un jour l'heure que le Roy s'estoit absenté de la chambre, commença de foüiller le corps de toutes parts, finalement trouva dans sa bouche au dessous de sa langue un anneau qu'il luy osta. Le jour mesme Charlemaigne retournant sur ses premieres brisees, se trouva fort estonne de voir une carcasse ainsi puante.

Parquoy, comme s'il se fust resveillé d'un profond sommeil, commanda que l'on l'ensevelist promptement. Ce qui fut fait; mais en contr' eschange de ceste folie, il tourna tous ses pensemens vers l'Archevesque porteur de cest anneau, ne pouvant estre de là en avant sans luy, et le suivant en tous les endroits. Quoy voyant ce sage Prelat, et craignant que cest anneau ne tombast en mains de quelque autre, le jetta dans un lac prochain de la ville. Depuis lequel temps on dit que ce Roy se trouve si espris de l'amour du lieu, qu'il ne se desempara de la ville d'Aix, où il bastit un Palais, et un Monastere, en l'un desquels il parfit le reste de ses jours, et en l'autre voulut estre ensevely, ordonnant par son testament que tous les Empereurs de Rome eussent à se faire sacrer premierement en ce lieu.-PASQUIER. Recherches de la France. L. 6. C. 33.

This very learned author has strangely mistaken Aix in Savoy, the real scene of the legend, for Aix-la-Chapelle. The ruins of a building said to have been Charlemain's palace are still to be seen on the Lake of Bourget.

1.

IT was strange that he loved her, for youth was gone by, And the bloom of her beauty was fled:

'Twas the glance of the harlot that gleam'd in her eye, And all but the Monarch could plainly descry

From whence came her white and her red.

2.

Yet he thought with Agatha none might compare,
And he gloried in wearing her chain;

The court was a desert if she were not there,
To him she alone among women seem'd fair,
Such dotage possess'd Charlemain.

3.

The soldier, the statesman, the courtier, the maid, Alike the proud leman detest;

And the good old Archbishop, who ceased to upbraid, Shook his grey head in sorrow, and silently pray'd That he soon might consign her to rest.

4.

A joy ill-dissembled soon gladdens them all,
For Agatha sickens and dies.

And now they are ready with bier and with pall,
The tapers gleam gloomy amid the high hall,
And the strains of the requiem arise.

5.

But Charlemain sent them in anger away,
For she should not be buried, he said;
And despite of all counsel, for many a day,
Where array'd in her costly apparel she lay,
The Monarch would sit by the dead.

6.

The cares of the kingdom demand him in vain,
And the army cry out for their Lord;
The Lombards, the fierce misbelievers of Spain,
Now ravage the realms of the proud Charlemain,
And still he unsheathes not the sword.

7.

The Soldiers they clamour, the Monks bend in prayer In the quiet retreats of the cell;

The Physicians to counsel together repair,

And with common consent, one and all they declare That his senses are bound by a spell.

8.

Then with relics protected, and confident grown, And telling devoutly his beads,

The good old Archbishop, when this was made known, Steals in when he hears that the corpse is alone, And to look for the spell he proceeds.

9.

He searches with care, though with tremulous haste,
For the spell that bewitches the King;
And under her tongue for security placed,
Its margin with mystical characters traced,
At length he discovers a ring.

10.

Rejoicing he seized it and hasten'd away,
The Monarch re-enter'd the room;

The enchantment was ended, and suddenly gay
He bade the attendants no longer delay,
But bear her with speed to the tomb.

11.

Now merriment, joyaunce, and feasting again
Enliven'd the palace of Aix;

And now by his heralds did King Charlemain
Invite to his palace the courtier train
To hold a high festival day.

12.

And anxiously now for the festival day
The highly-born Maidens prepare;
And now, all apparell'd in costly array,
Exulting they come to the palace of Aix,
Young and aged, the brave and the fair.

13.

Oh! happy the Damsel who 'mid her compeers
For a moment engaged the King's eye!
Now glowing with hopes and now fever'd with fears,
Each maid or triumphant, or jealous, appears,
As noticed by him, or past by.

14.

And now as the evening approach'd, to the ball
In anxious suspense they advance,

Hoping each on herself that the King's choice might

fall,

When lo! to the utter confusion of all,