at palliation or apology, the measures he had judged it necessary to adopt though, by the way, he leaves others to say how' when the vigorous resistance of the besieged had checked his troops, he re-formed the wavering battalions, led them in person to the assault, and surmounted at their head that fiercely contested breach! Nor was his salutary severity unproductive of immediate results. Resistance, not daring to await his presence, quailed before the terror of his name. The rebels hastened to seek safety in submission or flight; and who shall say from what scenes of anarchy and confusion, what years of smouldering discontent and hopeless rebellion, the country was saved by the tremendous examples of Drogheda and Wexford?

(To be continued.)

κ. τ. λ.

ALBOIN, FIRST KING OF LOMBARDY.

PART I.

On the plains of the Danube ride forty knights;
They are wending their weary way

To the Gepida dwellings on yonder heights;
Each one bears the scars of a hundred fights,
Save he that leads the array.

And he, tho' in bearing more proud and bold,
More stalwart and stout of limb,

Is a youth framed in nature's most exquisite mould,
Smooth-chinned, and with clustering locks of gold,
Fringing his helmet's brim.

'Tis Alboin, King of the Lombard thane,

With victory's wreath on his brow;

Already his prowess on Asfeld's plain
The son of the Gepida King hath slain,
And scatter'd the host of the foe.

The Lombards, admiring with loud acclaim,
The wish of their hearts expressed,

Him joint with his father their King to name,
To sit at one table and drink from the same
Gold
cup at the royal feast.

Saith the father—“ Ye ask an unlawful thing,
Until he shall knighthood gain :

His arms must be bound on by stranger King,
It is not enough that he conquering bring
The head of a foeman slain."

"Yes," Alboin said, "at my father's board
I sit not till dubbed true knight.

Of kings, who so worthy to bind on my sword
As Turisund, King of the Gepidæ horde ?
From him will I claim the rite."

And therefore he rides with that trusty band,
And goes, an unwelcome guest,

To the court of the father, bereaved by his hand,
Hospitality's due from that King to demand,
And there to bide knighthood's test.

For Turisund's heralds, throughout Almayne,
Have published a challenge free,

To knights, and to all that would knighthood gain
By prowess and strength, in fair tests to maintain
Their titles to that degree.

With unblazoned shield, and with vizor down,
Young Alboin takes his place

In the lists: he hath triumphed, and, wrestling, thrown
The three stoutest champions, hurled the stone,

And far out-stripped all in the race.

To him is awarded the tourney's prize;

Then kneeling at Turisund's feet,

His name he declares, and his hopes to rise
With knighthood conferred by a King so wise,
If for knighthood he be deemed fit.

Saith Turisund, "Sorely my honor ye try;
That trial it shall not fail.

Rise! take at my table the place most high,
The sword I will readily bind on thy thigh,
And a right valiant knight thee hail !

"But not any love canst thou have from me:
He who filled that place before,

Too fresh in my heart lives, and memory—
He hath only the legacy left for thee
Of hatred for evermore."

Fair Rosamond taketh her place at the board,
And courtesy striveth to show ;

The grand-daughter she of the Gepida lord,
The heart she soon wins of that young Lombard,
Fresh smiling in beauty's glow.

But the words fall like curses on Cunimund's ear;

The greeting he will not share.

Shall he, who has slaughtered a brother dear, Defying my vengeance, come triumphing here? The affront shall I tamely bear?”

With a scowl on his brow, at the feast he sat,
Nor ate of the food there spread ;

But nourished in secret his deadly hate,
Till anger on courtesy scorning to wait,
He thus in derision said:

"These unmannered guests, with their gartered knee, Remind me of our brood-mares;

But they should be tethered and not let free,
To eat of the crops of the Gepidæ,

And fatten on land not theirs."

Quick Alboin answers-" The likeness is true,
We Lombards resemble mares ;

Thou knowest we kick, and that sharply too,
What we did at Asfeld, we again will do
With him who to tether us dares."

Up Cunimund starts from the festive board,
With hand on his falchion keen;

From its scabbard leaps forth each Gepida sword,
And Alboin's knights gather round their lord-
But Turisund steps between.

"My son, and ye Gepida knights, refrain:
This quarrel is justly mine;

But while I my anger and hate restrain,
My word and my honour will ye render vain ?
With blood will ye mix my wine?

Bring forth my child's armour, 'twas fairly won,
And shall be the victor's prize;

Tho' stained with the blood of my much loved son,
Myself with these old hands will buckle it on,
And bid him a knight to rise.

"For so shall my glory stand high 'mongst men ; If to wear it the Lombard dare,

The day will arrive, midst the battle's din,

Where all shall be free back the trophy to win

Who doth so shall be my heir."

Safe conduct is given; the knights depart;
All yield to the King's decree;

But Alboin travels with heavy heart,

Of Rosamond's beauty he feels the smart ;
His Queen must that lady be.

He offers alliance, with promise of gain
From th' union resulting to both :
But the Gepida lords are besought in vain :
His suit is rejected with high disdain ;

All to vengeance are bound by oath.

Still Rosamond lendeth a willing ear
To Alboin's secret vows;

In the wide land of Almayne she sees nowhere
So handsome, so noble, so stout a peer,
So worthy to be her spouse.

Then Alboin planneth a strong foray,

And bringeth fair Rosamond home.

War! war! for this outrage thou must pay!
Brave Cunimund leads forth his whole array,
Allied to the power of Rome.

"'Tis our fatherland's ruin!" King Alboin saith. "Fair Rosamond, lovest thou me ?

The foe is too strong-they pursue me to death;
Our country's salvation from terrible wrath
May only be won by thee!

"Thy Gepida father's alliance with Rome

Is fatal to Germany.

Thou only cans't break it—return now homeAnd bide with thy kin, till my time shall come; But plight thou thy troth to me.”