'Could gain, whate'er thy royal boast,
'No added purity from thine,—

'The name of traitor to my cire
'Whoe'er in thought or word applies,
'Prince or hidalgo, whatsoe'er

'His rank, I say the villain lies.

'My service you reward right well, 'Branding me with insulting terms :— 'Ungrateful lord, unworthy king,

'Who thus his plighted faith confirms.

'Bethink thee how, at Romeral,

'Thy horse was slain, thyself wast down, 'And I rushed in to save thy life,

At deadly peril of my own.

'I dragged thee senseless from the press,
'I held the Saracens at bay,
'I placed thee on my charger's back :-
'And this the traitor's part I play.

'For which I had thy solemn pledge,
'With words of constancy full store;
'Thou wouldst in all good faith, my sire
To freedom and to fame restore.

'Nobly, Lord King, thy royal word, 'Thy knightly pledge, thou hast fulfilled 'Since in the prison where he lay

'My father thou hast basely killed,

'And here stand I, Don Sancho's son, 'Defiance at thy beard to fling ;

'Here mid thy vassals, in thy hall,

'I swear to be avenged, Lord King.'

Seize on the frantic wretch, my knights, 'Seize him,' Alfonso cries:

'Dares he defy me on my throne?
"The base-born caitiff-miscreant dies.

'Seize him,' still shouts the furious King: But none in all that presence stand, Who dare Bernardo's rage to brave.— Folding his cloak around his hand,

He half unsheathed his falchion's blade, And shouted: 'Touch me ye who dare; 'I am Bernardo, and to none

Homage or fealty do I bear.

My sword is mine: its point obeys 'Nor king nor conde high or low; ' And when Bernardo wields it well, 'The temper of its edge ye know.'

Whereat Bernardo's chosen men,
Watching their time with eager eye,
Put hand to sword, and flinging back
Their cloaks upon their shoulder, fly

Promptly to bold Bernardo's side,
Marshalled in grim array.

A blast upon his bugle horn

Summons their fellows to the fray.

They seize upon the alcazar gates;
Their shouts ring loud and clear;
'Viva Bernardo,' still they cry,
'Del Carpio's valiant cavalier.'

His taunting speech and hasty threats
Sorely Alfonso then did rue :

With smothered rage he smiles, and says, 'Ye take my merry jests for true.'

Scornfully turning on his heel,

Bernardo quick and short replied,

'I give you jest for jest, Lord King,

'And sharper ones may yet betide.'

Poetry is true to the character of Bernardo to the last; for having thus boldly proclaimed his purpose to Alfonso, he forsakes the land, which is ruled by so fell a tyrant, and takes service, as some say, with the Saracens, or as others affirm, with the Navarrese ; and we only hear of him afterwards as an independent knight, scouring the banks of the Arlanza, at the head of his vassals, in execution of his purpose of vengeance against the murderer of the Count of Saldaña.

FRANCISCO DE TOLEDO,

THE KING KILLER.

It is the curse of kings, to be attended
By slaves, that take their humors for a warrant
To break within the bloody house of life;

And, on the winking of authority,

To understand a law; to know the meaning

Of dangerous majesty, when, perchance, it frowns

More upon humor than advised respect.

SHAKSPEARE'S KING JOHN