Result obtained, he bade the Governor Summon the Congregation and despatch. Summons made, sentence passed accordingly -Death by beheading. When his death-decree Was intimated to Onofrio, all

Man could do-that did he to save himself.
'T was much, the having gained for his defence
The Advocate o' the Poor, with natural help
Of many noble friendly persons fain

To disengage a man of family,

So young too, from his grim entanglement :

But Cardinal Aldobrandini ruled

There must be no diversion of the law.

Justice is justice, and the magistrate

Bears not the sword in vain. Who sins must die.

So, the Marchese had his head cut off, With Rome to see, a concourse infinite, In Place Saint Angelo beside the Bridge: Where, demonstrating magnanimity Adequate to his birth and breed,-poor boy!He made the people the accustomed speech, Exhorted them to true faith, honest works, And special good behaviour as regards A parent of no matter what the sex, Bidding each son take warning from himself.

Truly, it was considered in the boy

Stark staring lunacy, no less, to snap

So plain a bait, be hooked and hauled ashore
By such an angler as the Cardinal!

Why make confession of his privity

To Paolo's enterprise? Mere sealing lips

Or, better, saying "When I counselled him
'To do as might beseem a cavalier,'

What could I mean but 'Hide our parent's shame
As Christian ought, by aid of Holy Church!
Bury it in a convent―ay, beneath

Enough dotation to prevent its ghost

From troubling earth!'" Mere saying thus,—'t is plain,

Not only were his life the recompense,
But he had manifestly proved himself
True Christian, and in lieu of punishment
Got praise of all men. So the populace.

Anyhow, when the Pope made promise good (That of Aldobrandini, near and dear) And gave Taverna, who had toiled so much, A Cardinal's equipment, some such word As this from mouth to ear went saucily: "Taverna's cap is dyed in what he drew From Santa Croce's veins!" So joked the world.

I add: Onofrio left one child behind,

A daughter named Valeria, dowered with grace
Abundantly of soul and body, doomed

To life the shorter for her father's fate.

By death of her, the Marquisate returned
To that Orsini House from whence it came:
Oriolo having passed as donative

To Santa Croce from their ancestors.

And no word more? By all means!

know

Would you

The authoritative answer, when folk urged
"What made Aldobrandini, hound-like staunch,
Hunt out of life a harmless simpleton ?"
The answer was—“ Hatred implacable,
By reason they were rivals in their love."
The Cardinal's desire was to a dame
Whose favour was Onofrio's.

Pricked with pride,

The simpleton must ostentatiously

Display a ring, the Cardinal's love-gift,

Given to Onofrio as the lady's gage;

Which ring on finger, as he put forth hand

To draw a tapestry, the Cardinal

Saw and knew, gift and owner, old and young;

Whereon a fury entered him-the fire

He quenched with what could quench fire only-blood.

Nay, more: "there want not who affirm to boot,
The unwise boy, a certain festal eve,

Feigned ignorance of who the wight might be
That pressed too closely on him with a crowd.
He struck the Cardinal a blow: and then,
To put a face upon the incident,

Dared next day, smug as ever, go pay court
I' the Cardinal's antechamber. Mark and mend,
Ye youth, by this example how may greed
Vainglorious operate in worldly souls!"

So ends the chronicler, beginning with "God's justice, tardy though it prove perchance, Rests never till it reach delinquency.”

Ay, or how otherwise had come to pass

That Victor rules, this present year, in Rome?

FILIPPO BALDINUCCI ON THE PRIVILEGE OF BURIAL.

A REMINISCENCE OF A.D. 1676.

1876.

I.

"No, boy, we must not - so began
My Uncle (he's with God long since)
A-petting me, the good old man!

"We must not "—and he seemed to wince,
And lost that laugh whereto had grown

His chuckle at my piece of news,

How cleverly I aimed my stone-

"I fear we must not pelt the Jews!

II.

"When I was young indeed,-ah, faith
Was young and strong in Florence too!
We Christians never dreamed of scathe

Because we cursed or kicked the crew.