CHAPTER XI.

THE RECLUSE'S LAST SORROWS AND TRIALS—THE DISSOLUTION OF RELIGIOUS HOUSES.

He who hath bent him o'er the dead
Ere the first day of Death is fled,—
Before Decay's effacing fingers

Have swept the lines where beauty lingers,
And mark'd the mild angelie air,

The rapture of repose that's there,
The fix'd, yet tender, tints that streak
The languor of the placid cheek,
And-but for that sad shrouded eye,

That fires not, wins not, weeps not, now,
And, but for that chill changeless brow;
Where cold Obstruction's apathy
Appals the gazing mourner's heart,-

Yes, but for these, and these alone,
Some moments, ay one treacherous hour
He still might doubt the Tyrant's power;
So fair, so calm, so softly seal'd,

The first, last look by Death reveal'd.

LORD BYRON.

AND THERE SHALL COME A KING and confesse your Religions. And bete you, as the Bible telleth, for breaking of your Rule. And amende Moniales, Monkes, and Chanoines ;-

And then shall the Abbot of England, and all his issue for

ever,

HAVE A KNOCKE OF A KING, AND INCURABLE SHALL BE THE WOUNDE!

PROPHECY IN THE VISION OF PIERCE PLOUGHMAN.

It is full sad and sweet to look upon the mortal remains of one whom in life we were wont to admire and to love: it is full sad to think how that

countenance, which was of late so rich in beauty and lively emotion, and how those eyes which glistened so lustrously, and the tongue which could discourse with highest wisdom or with holiest eloquence, have all become the prey of death, and are for ever dark, motionless, and mute. Yet, I ween, that amidst all the kindly lamentations which sorrow wakeneth at such a moment, it is also full soothing to mark the quiet rest, which the happily-parted dead do seem already to partake of; even in the brief space ere we note that the loathly work of decay is advancing, or the worm beginneth to revel upon the charms of his fallen victim.

All this did I feel, full sadly and truly, at that solemn hour, when it was mine to gaze upon the lifeless form and visage of the departed Lady Bride. But though I did much lament me that one so pious, and noble, and beauteous, should fall thus early into the sepulchre; yet could I not look upon that which she had left of her mortality, without thinking that she had but the sooner retreated unto an holy and blessed rest; and that, with such hopes as hers, it was, in truth, happiness thus speedily to have crossed over the troubled sea of life, and to have gained the eternal shores of the world beyond it. And I do well trust that God can bear me witness, that my pious and hopeful musings at this time, have not in any sort been altered by aught which has since chanced; albeit I once thought that it would have been happy for me had I also arrived at mine appointed restingplace, ere I had counted another year beyond the Lady Bride's death: yet can I now well see the

vanity and folly of my wish; that length of days, sorrowful as many of them have proved, hath been given unto me for a purpose of good; and that it is not for the vessel of clay to strive with him who frameth it, nor for man to question the decree of his Maker:-in brief, whatever may be his yearnings after his immortal change, that he should patiently finish his appointed day, saying, "Not my will, but Thine be done!"

I will not now recount aught of the last rites which were rendered unto the departed prioress, albeit until the tomb was closed over her I lingered at the convent with my fellows, and even took a melancholy part in singing for her the mass for the dead, and seeing her most honourably interred in the chapel. I was in truth a most sorrowful mourner, for I did ever greatly desire to descend with her unto the tomb; being full sad, and even dismayed, when I bethought me how long the years might be which should pass away before that we should meet again.

Yet until the day when the Lady Bride thus became numbered with the dead, I was, in truth, less weaned from the vain hopes of this world than might become one of the holy life whereunto I had professed myself; since, albeit I had much desired to put them from my thoughts, yet in despite of me they would ever and anon turn unto her, whose sway over mine heart had alway been most wondrous. Waking dreams, moreover, were wont to spring up in my mind, as it were in very mockery of my better reason, and featly to shadow forth what strange chances might. arise to restore me unto the world, raise me VOL. II.-Q

unto loftiest rank and power,-perchance unto a throne, and more than all, give the Lady Bride unto my love. Nevertheless, much did I strive to overcome these lurking visions of vanity, although mine efforts were not seldom in vain; and mortal affections too often withdrew my thoughts and desires from heaven. But now a sudden and a solemn change had passed over the fashion of my life, and the dearest object of my fondest and wildest wishes was withdrawn for ever; so that for me the whole world no longer possessed aught, which might interrupt meditations more befitting unto my profession and character. Mortality and vanity had been stamped in fearful characters upon all I held noblest, or sweetest, or loveliest; and I was now no longer to be allured by the fairest prospects of fame, or joy, or riches, which the earth might offer.

After our return unto Walsingham, my life passed like the still and silent waters of the Dead Sea, in a sad, yet peaceful, course of unchanging religious offices and duties, the which I had neither desire nor temptation to break; so that days, and months, and years rolled by me almost unknown. Nevertheless, I failed not to mark the return of the day when the Lady Bride was born and became beatified, by a yearly pilgrimage unto her tomb, and offering my most fervent prayers for her soul's health. At these seasons, moreover, I did rejoice that, by their succession, they did ever advance me nearer and nearer unto eternity, which I deemed could alone fill up the desolate void within my soul: that eternity, which, however fearful it seemeth unto mortals

in their lusty youth, the faint and wornout traveller full greatly desireth to reach, as a refuge and a home.

I trow well, moreover, that the tidings, which from time to time I heard of the world, were not such as to make me greatly desire that my stay herein should be prolonged; since in truth I weened that the last days were now come, as foretold by the holy 'postles, Peter and Powle, wherein scoffers should appear walking after their own lusts. At this time began many to mock at the faith of the church of Rome, from the questioning about the Pope's indulgences, begun by that learned and ardent young doctor, Martin Luther, in the church of Wittemburg in Almaine, on the 31st day of October in the year 1517: for albeit divers papal constitutions had openly condemned the shameless sale of those remissions from the earthly penalties of sin, which the pontiffs were wont to grant unto such as confessed them, and joined in the crusades, or gave money therunto, or did any acts of Christian charity ;yet had those decrees been too often disregarded, and indulgences were not seldom made the means of gathering ungodly lucre, for the fostering of covetise, or of aiding unlawful ambition and desire of rule. In especial, they were at this time published and sold at Poland and France, and the northern parts of Germany, to aid in the building of that most gorgeous church of St. Peter at Rome, the which, though it is now full thirty-five years since it was begun, is not yet brought unto perfection. Howbeit, for the gathering of these moneys in Almaine, the Pope's indulgences were