BOOK I.--The poem in its first scene places us in imagination in Verona

six hundred years ago. A restless group has gathered in its market-place

to discuss the news which has arrived,--that their prince, Count Richard

of St. Boniface, the great supporter of the cause of the Guelfs, who had

joined Azzo, the lord of Este, to depose the Ghibelline leader, Tauzello

Salinguerra, from his position in Ferrara, has become prisoner in Ferrara;

and in consequence immediate aid is demanded from the "Lombard League of

fifteen cities that affect the Pope." The Pope supported the Guelf cause,

the Kaiser that of the Ghibellines. The leaders of the two causes are

described, and the principles of which each was the representative. We are

next introduced to Sordello; not in his youth, but in a supreme moment

before the end of his career--a moment which has to determine his future.

How this pregnant moment has come about, and how the past has fashioned

the present, the poet now proceeds to explain. We are taken back to the

castle of Goïto, when Sordello was a boy already of the regal class of

poets, musing by the marble figures of the fountain, and finding

companions in the embroidered figures on the arras. Adelaide, wife of

Eccelino da Romano, the Ghibelline prince, was mistress of the castle.

Sordello was only a page, known only as the orphan of Elcorte, an archer,

who, in the slaughter of Vicenza, had saved his mistress and her new-born

son at the cost of his own life. The son was afterwards known as Eccelin

the Cruel. Sordello led the ideal life of a poet child at Goïto. All

nature was a scene of enchantment to him, was endowed with form and colour

from his own rich fancy. But Sordello was not content with living his own

life, he must combine in his person the lives of his imaginary heroes. He

will be perfect: he chooses Apollo as his ideal: he must love a woman to

match his high ambition. He aims at Palma, Eccelin's only child by his

former wife, Agnes Este, but who has been already set apart, for reasons

of state, as the wife of Count Richard of St. Boniface, the Guelf. Palma,

however, it is reported in the castle, will refuse him. Sordello anxiously

awaits his opportunity. The return of Adelaide to the castle demands the

services of the troubadours: Sordello's chance lies this way.

BOOK II. shows us Sordello setting forth on a bright spring day, full of

hope that he will meet Palma. Arriving at Mantua, he finds a Court of

Love, in which his lady sits enthroned as queen, and the troubadour

Eglamor contending for her prize against all comers. Eglamor seems to make

but a poor affair of the story he is singing. He ceases. Sordello knows

the story too, and feels that he can do better with it. He springs

forward, and with true inspiration sings a new song to the old idea

transfigured. He has won the prize from Palma's hands. Swooning with joy,

he is carried back to Goïto, the poet's crown on his brow and Palma's

scarf round his neck. Eglamor is dead with spite, and the troubadours have

a new chief. Thus was Sordello poet, Master of the Realms of Song. He will

slumber: he can arise in his strength any day. He is summoned to Mantua to

sing to order. He finds the idea of work distasteful; but he conquers, and

is crowned with honours. But he feels he has only been loving song's

results, not song for its own sake; his failure to reach his ideal

destroys the pleasure derived from his success. Soon the true Sordello

vanished, sundered in twain, the poet thwarting the man. The man and bard

was gone; internal struggles frittered his soul; he became too

contemptuous, and so he neither pleased his patrons nor himself. He falls

lower and lower, abjures the soul in his songs, and contents himself with

body. His degradation is complete. Meanwhile Adelaide dies, and Eccelin

resolves to forsake the world and the Emperor, and come to terms with the

Pope. Taurello rages furiously at this news, and returns to Mantua.

Sordello is chosen to sound his praises. "'Tis a test, remember," says

Naddo. But Sordello loathes the task: he will not sing at all, and runs

away to Goïto.

BOOK III.--Once more at his old home, Mantua becomes but a dream.

Sordello, well or ill, is exhausted: rather than imperfectly reveal

himself, he will remain unrevealed. He will remain himself, instead of

attempting to project his soul into other men. He spent a year with Nature

at Goïto, but as one defeated,--youth gone, love and pleasure foregone,

and nothing really done. With an all-embracing sympathy he has not himself

really lived. When Nature makes a mistake she can rectify it. He must

perish once, and perish utterly. He should have brought actual experience

of things obtained by sterling work to correct his mere reflections and

observations. He may do something yet: though youth is gone, life is not

all spent. He has the will to do,--what of the means? Resolution having

thus been taken, the means are suddenly discovered. Naddo arrives as

messenger from Palma, telling how Eccelin has distributed his wealth to

his two sons, has married them to Guelf brides, and has retired to a

monastery; that Palma is betrothed to Richard of St. Boniface, and

Sordello must compose a marriage hymn. Sordello seizes the opportunity,

and hastens to meet Palma at Verona. We have now arrived at the point at

which the poem of Sordello opens in Book I. He has to hear a strange

confession from the lips of Palma. If Sordello had been paralysed by

indecision, she too had done nothing, because she was awaiting an

"out-soul." Weary with waiting for her complement, which should enable her

to live her proper life, she had conceived a great love for Sordello when

he burst upon the scene at the Love Court. To win Sordello for herself and

her cause henceforth was her life-object. When Adelaide died this became

practicable. She had heard the astonishing dying confession of Adelaide,

and had witnessed Eccelin's visit to the death-chamber when he came to

undo everything which Adelaide had done. He had resolved to reconcile the

Guelf and Ghibelline factions. Taurello determined to use Palma to support

the Ghibellines. Palma, as head of the house, agreed to this; but it was

arranged that the project should not at present be made public. She must

profess her intention to carry out the arrangement which Taurello had

made, before he entered on the religious life, of marrying the Guelf,

Count Richard. Taurello has thus entrapped the Count, and has him in

prison at Ferrara. Palma's father, Eccelin, blots out all his old

engagements. All now rests with Palma, and she arranges to fly with

Sordello on the morrow as arbitrators to Taurello at Ferrara. Now is one

round of Sordello's life accomplished. Mr. Browning here makes a long

digression, beginning, "I muse this on a ruined palace-step at Venice."

The City in the Sea seems to him a type of life:--

"Life, the evil with the good,

Which make up living, rightly understood;

Only do finish something!"

No evil man is past hope; if he has not truth, he has at least his own

conceit of truth; he sees it surely enough: his lies are for the crowd.

Good labours to exist; though Evil and Ignorance thwart it. In this life

we are but fitting together an engine to work in another existence. He

sees profound disclosures in the most ordinary type of face: the world

will call him dull for this, as being obscure and metaphysical. There are

poets who are content to tell a simple story of impressions; another class

presents things as they really are in a general, and not, as in the

previous class, in an individual sense; but the highest class of all

brings out the deeper significance of things which would never have been

seen without the poet's aid. These are the Makers-see--obviously a higher

type of genius than the Seers. "But," asks the objector, "what is the use

of this?" It is quite true that men of action, like Salinguerra, are not

unwisely preferred to dreamers like Sordello: they, at least, _do_ the

world's work somehow; this is better than talking about it. But, at any

rate, there is no harm done in compelling the Makers-see to do their duty.

It is their province to gaze through the "door opened in heaven," and tell

the world what they see, and make us see it too, as did John in Patmos

Isle. And so Mr. Browning has analysed for us the soul of Sordello; but he

expects no reward for it. The world is too indolent to look into heaven

with John, or into hell with Dante.

BOOK IV.--The description of the unhappy position of Ferrara, "the lady

city," for which both Guelf and Ghibelline contended, opens the fourth

book. Sordello is here with Palma. He has seen the dreadful condition of

the people, and has espoused their cause. Here, in the midst of carnage

and ruin, Sordello learns his altruism. He appeals to Taurello

Salinguerra, but nothing comes of it. The more he sees of the misery of

the people, the more he vows himself to an effort to raise them. The

soldiers ask him to sing at their camp-fire. He sings, and Palma hears and

takes him back to Taurello Salinguerra. The poet here describes the chief

and tells his story. He is the doer, as contrasted with Sordello the

visionary; but he has led a life of misfortune and adventure. At the

burning of Vicenza he lost wife and child; he embraced the cause of

Eccelin and the Ghibellines. As Eccelin had gone into a monastery, all

Taurello's plans were disarranged. He ponders as to whom shall be given

the Emperor's badge of the prefectship; and what shall he do with his

prisoner Richard; Sordello asks Palma what are the laws at work which

explain Ghibellinism. He feels he has been a recreant to his race:

Taurello has the people's interest at heart; all that Sordello _should_

have done he _does_. Are Guelfs as bad as Ghibellines, or better? Both

these do worse than nothing, is a reflection which comforts the do-nothing

poet. What if there were a Cause higher and nobler than either, and he

(Sordello) were to be its true discoverer? A soldier, at this point,

suggests to Sordello a subject for a ballad: a tale of a dead worthy long

ago consul of Rome, Crescentius Nomentanus, who--

"From his brain,

Gave Rome out on its ancient place again."

Sordello resolves to build up Rome again--a Rome which should mean the

rights of mankind, the realisation of the People's cause.

BOOK V.--The splendid dream of a New Rome has vanished from Sordello's

mind ere night; his enthusiasm is chilled, and arch by arch the vision has

dissolved. Mankind cannot be exalted of a sudden; the work of ages cannot

be done in a day. The New Rome is one more thing which Sordello could

imagine, but could not make. His heart tells him that the minute's work is

the first step to the whole work of a man: he has purposed to take the

last step first: he may be a man at least, if he cannot be a god. The

world is not prepared for such a violent change; society has never been

advanced by leaps and bounds. Charlemagne had to subject Europe by main

force, then Hildebrand was enabled to rule by brain power. Strength

wrought order, and made the rule of moral influence possible; in its turn,

moral power allied itself with material power. The Crusaders learned the

trick of breeding strength by other aid than strength; and so the Lombard

League turned righteous strength against pernicious strength. Then comes,

in its turn, God's truce to supersede the use of strength by the Divine

influence of Religion. All that precedes is as scaffolding, indispensable

while the building is in progress, but a thing to spurn when the structure

is completed: that, however, is not yet. As talking is Sordello's trade,

he endeavours to persuade Salinguerra to join the Guelfs, as this, to

Sordello, seems the more popular cause. Taurello hears him with patience,

mixed with a contemptuous indifference. His scornful demeanour rouses

Sordello to make the highest claims for the poet's authority: "A poet must

be earth's essential king." To bend Taurello to the Guelf cause, Sordello

would give up life itself. He knows that "this strife is right for once."

Taurello is impressed at last: the argument hits him, not the man; himself

must be won to the Ghibellines. Palma, being a woman, is impossible as

leader of the party; her love for Sordello may, however, be cast in the

balance, and in an inspired moment Taurello invests Sordello with the

Emperor's badge, which he casts upon his neck. Palma now tells Taurello

that Adelaide, on her death-bed, confessed that Sordello was Taurello's

own son, who did not perish, as he believed, at Vicenza. Adelaide, for her

own purposes, had concealed his rescue. "Embrace him, madman!" Palma

cried; thoughts rushed, fancies rushed. "Nay, the best's behind," Taurello

laughed. Palma hurries Taurello away, that Sordello may collect his

thoughts awhile. Sordello is crowned. They hear a foot-stamp as they

discuss the future, in the room where they left Sordello, and "out they

two reeled dizzily."

BOOK VI.--Now has arisen the great temptation of Sordello. Is it to be the

Great Renunciation or the Fall? With the magnificent prospect before him

of Chief of the Ghibellines, the Emperor cause; with the Emperor's badge

on his neck; with Palma, his Ghibelline bride, he, Taurello Salinguerra's

son, might at last do something! After all, what was the difference

between Guelf and Ghibelline? Why should he give up all the joy of life

that the multitude might have some joy? "Speed their Then." "But how this

badge would suffer!--you improve your Now!" So Sordello lovingly eyes the

tempter's apple. After all, evil is just as natural as good; and without

evil no good can accrue to men. Sordello may then as well be happy while

he may. Soul and body have each alike need of the other: soul must content

itself without the Infinite till the earth-stage is over. He has tried to

satisfy the soul's longing, and has failed: why not seek now the common

joys of men? Salinguerra and Palma reach the chamber door and dash aside

the veil, only to find Sordello dead, "under his foot the badge." Has he

lost or won? He learned how to live as he came to die: he made the Great

Renunciation, and in seeming defeat he achieved his soul's success.

NOTES TO BOOK I.--Line 6, _Pentapolin_, "o' the naked arm," king of the

Garamanteans, who always went to battle with his right arm bare. (See _Don

Quixote_, I. iii. 4; "The _friendless-people's friend_," etc.) Don Quixote

is here spoken of, and "_Pentapolin named o' the Naked Arm_" is mentioned

by Don Quixote when he sees the two flocks of sheep: "Know, friend Sancho,

that yonder army before us is commanded by the Emperor Alifanfaron,

sovereign of the Island of Trapoban; and the other is commanded by his

enemy the king of the Garamanteans, known by the name of Pentapolin with

the naked arm, because he always engages in battle with the right arm

bare." l. 12, _Verona_: a city of North Italy, on the Adige, under the

Lombard Alps. l. 66, "_The thunder phrase of the Athenian_," etc.:

Æschylus, who fought at Marathon. l. 70, "_The starry paladin_": Sir

Philip Sidney's love poems to Stella were written under the _nom de plume_

of Astrophel (the lover of the star). [S.] l. 80, _The Second Friedrich_

== Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), surnamed _the Hohenstauffen_, the most

remarkable historic figure of the middle ages. He was the grandson of

Barbarossa, and was crowned in 1220. l. 81, _Third Honorius_ == Pope

Honorius III. (1216-1227): he was a Guelf. l. 104, _Richard of St.

Boniface_, Count of Verona, was of the Guelfs; _Lombard League_: the

famous alliance of the great Lombard cities began in 1164. l. 117, "_Prone

is the purple pavis_": a pavise is a large shield covering the whole body:

when the shield was _prone_--_i.e._ fallen flat on its face--its owner was

defenceless. l. 124, "_Duke o' the Rood_": of the Order of the Holy

Cross. l. 126, _Hell-cat_ == Eccelin. l. 131, _Ferrara_: an ancient city

of North Italy, twenty-nine miles from Bologna and seventy from Venice. l.

131, _Osprey_: a long-winged eagle. "An osprey appears to have been the

coat of arms of Salinguerra, as the 'ostrich with a horseshoe in his beak'

was that of Eccelin." [S.] l. 142, _Oliero_: the monastery which Eccelin

the monk entered. It is situated near Bassano, in the Eastern Alps. ll.

148 and 149, _Cino Bocchimpane_ and _Buccio Virtù_: citizens. l. 149,

_God's Wafer_: an oath (Ostia di Dio). l. 150, "_Tutti Santi_" == "All

Saints!" an exclamation. l. 153, _Padua_: a famous city of Lombardy, said

to be the oldest in North Italy; _Podesta_ == governor of a city. l. 197,

_Hohenstauffen_: this dynasty of Germany began with Conrad III. (1137-52).

Frederick II. was the most illustrious man of this illustrious family. l.

198, _John of Brienne_: crusader and titular king of Jerusalem (1204). He

was afterwards Emperor of the East. His daughter Yolande or Iolanthe

married Frederick II. l. 201, _Otho IV._, Holy Roman Emperor (_c._

1174-1218). l. 202, _Barbaross_ == Frederick Barbarossa: one of the

greatest sovereigns of Germany (1152-90). There is a German tradition that

he is not dead, but only sleeping, and that when he starts from his

slumbers a golden age will begin for Germany. l. 205, _Triple-bearded

Teuton_ Barbarossa: the legend runs that his beard has already grown

through the table slab, but must wind itself thrice round the table before

his second advent. l. 253, _Trevisan_: of the province of Treviso; its

chief town, Treviso, is distant seventeen miles from Venice. l. 257,

_Godego_: a town in Venetia, amongst the Asolan hills. _Marostica_: a town

of North Italy, fifteen miles north-east of Vicenza, at the foot of Mount

Rovero. l. 258, _Castiglione_: a town at the Italian end of the Lago di

Garda (Cartiglion in the text, but evidently a misprint); _Bassano_: a

city of Italy, in the province of Vicenza, on the Brenta. In the centre of

the town is the Tower of Ezzelino. _Loria_, or Lauria: a city of Italy in

the province of Potenza. The castle was the birthplace of Ruggiero di

Loria. l. 259, _Suabian_: the struggle for the Imperial throne between

Philip of Swabia and Otto of Brunswick (1198-1208) enlisted the sympathies

of Italy, and some of the Guelfic towns took the part of the Guelf Otto.

l. 262, _Vale of Trent_: Trent or Tridentum was once the wealthiest town

in Tyrol; it lies between Botzen and Verona. l. 263, _Roncaglia_, near

Piacenza, where Frederick I. held the Diet in 1154, and received the

submission of the Lombards. l. 265, _Asolan and Euganean hills_: in the

Trevisan, a district of North Italy, between Trent and Venice. l. 266,

_Rhetian_, of the country of the Tyrol and the Grisons; _Julian_

mountains: between Venetia and Noricum. l. 288, _Romano_: Eccelino da

Romano. l. 304, _Rovigo_: a city of Italy, about twenty-seven miles S.S.W.

of Padua. From the eleventh to the fourteenth century the Este family was

usually in authority. l. 305, _Ancona's March_: the frontier or boundary

of Ancona, a city of Central Italy on the Adriatic. l. 315, _Hildebrand_:

Pope Gregory VII. (1073-85). l. 317, _Twenty-four_: the magistrates of

Verona who managed the affairs of the city. l. 324, _Carroch_, or

_caroccio_: a Lombard war carriage, which was drawn by oxen, and bore a

great bell, the standard of the army, and the Sacred Host, forming a

rallying point. l. 373, "_John's transcendent vision_"--Book of

Revelation. ll. 382 and 385, _Mantua_ and _Mincio_: about seven hundred

years ago the river Mincio formed a great marsh round the city of Mantua;

this separated the city from the mountains, on the slope of which stood

the castle of Goïto. l. 420, _Caryatides_: figures of women serving to

support entablatures. l. 587, "_That Pisan Pair_": Niccolo Pisano, and

Giovanni Pisano, his son were great sculptors and architects of Pisa

(_circ._ 1207-78). "Nicolo was born about 1200, and was one of the first

to seek after the truer forms of art in the general quickening of the

century. He was a great sculptor, as his works and those of his son

Giovanni (architect of the Campo Santo at Pisa) and his school bear

witness at Pisa, Orvieto, Pistoia, and many other towns. After he had met

with an example of the genuine antique--a sarcophagus now at Pisa--he

brought his future work into accordance with its rules." [S.] l. 589,

"_while at Sienna is Guidone set_": "The name Guido da Sienna and the date

1221, mark a picture now at Sienna; and this, with other works attributed

to the same painter, show him to have been one of the earliest artists who

express a feeling independent of Byzantine influence." [S.] l. 591,

"_Saint Euphemia_": a fine brick church at Verona, dating from the

thirteenth century. The interior has now been entirely remodelled. [S.].

_Saint Eufemia_: of Chalcedon: her body was said to have been

miraculously conveyed to Rovigno, in the sixth century. l. 606, "_so they

found at Babylon_": "It is said that after the city (of Seleucia) was

burnt, the soldiers searching the temple (of Apollo) found a narrow hole,

and when this was opened in the hope of finding something of value in it,

there issued from some deep gulf, which the secret magic of the Chaldeans

had closed up, a pestilence laden with the strength of incurable disease,

which polluted the whole world with contagion, in the time of Verus and

Marcus Antoninus, and from the borders of Persia to Gaul and the

Rhine."--Ammianus Marcellinus. [S.] l. 607, "_Colleagues, mad Lucius and

sage Antonine_": during the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (the

philosopher) and the scapegrace Lucius Verus; the latter was in command of

the Roman forces in the east, and engaged in a war with Parthia. His

generals sacked Seleucia, and he was himself present in the neighbourhood

of Babylon during the winters of A.D. 163-5 (_v._ Clinton, _Fasti

Romani_). [S.] l. 608, "_Apollo's shrine_": "Seleuceus, one of Alexander's

generals, and himself a Macedonian, founded the Syrian empire, and built

the town of Seleucia. A good deal is told of the Hellenization of the East

under Seleucus. He, no doubt, founded the temple of Apollo, who was

claimed as an ancestor of the family." [S.] l. 617, _Loxian_: surname of

Apollo. l. 671, _Orpine_: a yellow plant, commonly called _Livelong_

(Sedum Telephium). l. 679, "_adventurous spider_": the geometric spiders

(Orbitelariæ), are almost the only ones whose method of forming a snare

have been at all minutely recorded. The garden spider (Epeira) spins a

large quantity of thread, which, floating in the air in various

directions, happens, from its glutinous quality, at last to adhere to some

object near it--a lofty plant, or the branch of a tree. When the spider

has one end of the line fixed, he walks along part of it, and fastens

another, then drops and affixes the thread to some object below; climbs

again, and begins a third, fastening that in a similar way. Mr. Browning

is in error when he makes the spider shoot her threads from depth to

height, from barbican to battlement. l. 707, "_eat fern seed_": this was

anciently supposed to make the eater invisible; _Naddo_: appears as

Sordello's friend and adviser: Mr. Browning makes him a representative of

the "Philistine" party, and puts into his mouth the words of mere

conventional, superficial wisdom. l. 720, "_Poppy--a coarse brown rattling

crane_": the cranium or skull-like poppy head, when it contains the seed

and is dry. l. 784, _Valvassor_, or _vavasour_: in feudal law a principal

vassal, not holding immediately of the sovereign, but of a great lord;

_suzerain_: a feudal lord, a lord paramount. l. 835, "_The Guelfs paid

stabbers, etc._": "In 1209 Otho IV. entered Italy, and held his court near

Verona. All the chief lords of Venetia, but especially Eccelino II., da

Romana, and Azzo VI., Marquis d'Este, were summoned to attend. Those two

gentlemen had profited by the long interregnum which preceded Otho's

reign. They had used the various discords between the towns to increase

each his own faction; and the hatred between the two was more bitter than

ever. A dramatic scene took place at the meeting before the Emperor. When

Eccelino saw Azzo, he said, in the presence of the whole court, 'We were

intimate in our youth, and I believed him to be my friend. One day we were

in Venice together, walking on the Place of St. Mark, when his assassins

flung themselves upon me to stab me; and at the same moment the Marquis

seized my arms, to prevent me from defending myself; and if I had not by a

violent effort escaped, I should have been killed, as was one of my

soldiers by my side. I denounce him, therefore, before this assembly as a

traitor; and of you, Sire, I demand permission to prove by a single combat

his treachery to me as well as to Salinguerra, and to the podesta of

Vicenza.' Shortly afterwards, Salinguerra arrived, followed by a hundred

men at arms, and throwing himself at the feet of the Emperor, he made a

similar accusation against the Marquis, and also demanded the ordeal of

battle. Azzo replied to him, that he had on his hands plenty of gentlemen

more noble than Salinguerra ready to fight for him if he was so anxious

for battle. Then Otho commanded all three to be silent, and declared that

he should not accord to any of them the privilege of fighting for any of

their past quarrels. From these two chiefs the Emperor expected greater

service than from all other Italians; and he secured their allegiance by

confirming the lordship of the Marches of Ancona upon the Marquis, and by

declaring Eccelino to be imperial deputy and permanent podesta of

Vicenza." [S.] Line 857, _Malek_, a Moor. l. 885, _Miramoline_: a Saracen

prince, whose territory was situated in North Africa: in the year 1214,

St. Francis of Assisi set out for Morocco to preach the gospel to this

famous Mahometan, but was taken seriously ill on the way. l. 888, "_dates

plucked from the bough John Brienne sent_": he sent a bunch of dates to

remind Frederick of his promise to join the crusade. l. 924, _crenelled_:

embattled, crenellated. l. 935, _Damsel-fly_: the dragon-fly, so called

from its elegant appearance. l. 946, _Python_: a monstrous serpent which

haunted the caves of Parnassus, and was slain by Apollo. l. 950,

"_Girls--his Delians_": at the island of Delos the festival of Apollo was

celebrated. The girls were priestesses of Apollo. l. 956, "_Daphne and

Apollo_": Daphne was a nymph who, being pursued by Apollo, was at her own

entreaty changed into a bay tree--the tree consecrated to Apollo. l. 1008,

_Trouvères_ == troubadours.

BOOK II.--Line 68, _Jongleurs_: minstrels who accompanied the troubadours,

and who sometimes did a little jugglery. l. 71, _Elys_: "Elys, then, is

merely the ideal subject, with such a name, of Eglamour's poem, and

referred to in other places as his (Sordello's) type of perfection,

realised according to his faculty (_Ellys_--the lily)"--Robert Browning.

[S.] l. 156: "The rhymes 'Her head that's sharp ... sunblanched the

livelong summer' are referred to Book V., l. 246, 'the vehicle that marred

Elys so much,' etc., and 'his worst performance, the Goïto as his first.'

l. 980 of the same book." [S.] l. 94, "_spied a scarab_": one of the marks

of Apis, the sacred bull of ancient Egypt. The marks were "a black

coloured hide with a white triangular spot on the forehead, the hair

arranged in the shape of an eagle on the back, and a knot under the tongue

in the shape of a scarabæus, the sacred insect and emblem of Ptah, and a

white spot resembling a lunar crescent at his right side" (Dr. S. Birch).

l. 183, "_A Roman bride_": "on the wedding day, which in early times was

never fixed upon without consulting the auspices, the bride was dressed in

a long white robe with purple fringe and a girdle at the waist; her veil

was of a bright yellow, and shoes likewise; her hair was divided with the

point of a spear, which the antiquarians explained as emblematic of the

husband's authority, or as typical of the guardianship of Juno Curitico

(Juno with the lance)." "But while these rites are being performed, remain

unwedded, ye damsels; let the torch of pinewood await auspicious days, and

let not the curved spear part thy virgin ringlets" (Ovid, _Fasti_, ii.

160). [S.] l. 218, "_Perseus_"--rescuing Andromeda when chained to the

rock in the sea. l. 222, "_gnome_": the Rosicrucians imagined gnomes to

be sprites presiding over mines, etc. l. 224, "_Agate cup, his topaz rod,

his seed pearl_": amongst the various superstitions connected with

precious stones the agate was held to be an emblem of health and long

life, and to possess certain medicinal uses. The topaz, said the old

doctor, "is favourable to hæmorrhages, to impart strength, and promote

digestion"; it was an emblem of fidelity. l. 307, "_Massic jars dug up at

Baiæ_": Massic wine was famous in old Roman days. Baiæ, an ancient town

near Naples; in old Roman days a health and pleasure resort of the

wealthy; innumerable relics of these times have been unearthed. "Mons

Massicus was a vine-clad hill in the Campagna, where the Falernian wine

was grown." [S.] l. 297, "_A plant they have_"; The day-lily--St. Bruno's

lily--the _Hemerocallis liliastrum_, in French, belle de jour. l. 329,

_Vicenza_: a city of Northern Italy of great antiquity; the first

encounter between the Guelfs and Ghibellines took place here, about 1194.

l. 330, _Vivaresi_: a Lombard family. l. 331, _Maltraversi_: a noble

family of Padua. l. 435, _Machine_: see l. 1014. l. 460, "_some huge

throbbing stone_": "In one of Ossian's poems a description is given of

bards walking around a rocking stone, and by their singing making it move

as an oracle of battle." [S.] l. 483, _truchman_ == an interpreter. l.

527, _rondel, tenzon, virlai, or sirvent_: forms of Provençal poetry.

"_Rondel_, a thirteen-verse poem, in which the beginning is repeated in

the third and fourth verses--from _rotundus_; _tenzon_, a contest in verse

before a tribunal of love--from _tendo_, in the sense of to strive;

_virlai_, or _vireley_, a short poem, always in short lines, and wholly in

two rhymes, with a refrain--from _virer_; _sirvent_, a poem of praise or

service, sometimes satirical; from _servire_." (_Imp. Dict._) [S.] l. 529,

_angelot_: an instrument of music somewhat resembling a lute. l. 625,

"_sparkles off_": intransitive verb,--"his mail sparkles off and it rings,

whirled from each delicatest limb it warps." [S.] l. 627, "_Apollo from

the sudden corpse of Hyacinth_": Apollo was one day teaching Hyacinthus to

play at quoits, and accidentally killed him. l. 630, _Montfort_: the

father of Simon de Montfort, who fought against the Albigenses. l. 729,

_Vidal_: Pierre Vidal, of Toulouse, a poet of varied inspiration, was

loaded with gifts by the greatest nobles of his time (see Sismondi, _Lit.

Eur._, vol. i., p. 135). Professor Sonnenschein says he was a Provençal

troubadour, who died about 1210. He was a sort of caricature of the usual

troubadour excellence and foolishness. Some of his poems are the best

remaining of the Provençal poetry. He went twice to Palestine, once with a

crusade. He was hated by Sordello, and referred to in some of his poems

which are extant. l. 730, _filamot_: yellow-brown colour; from

_feuille-morte_; _murrey-coloured_: of a dark-red or mulberry colour

(_morus_, mulberry). l. 755, _plectre_, or plectrum: a staff of ivory,

horn, etc., for playing with on a lyre. l. 784, "_Bocafoli's stark-naked

psalms_": not merely _plain_ song, but _naked_ song. l. 785, _Plara's

sonnets_. Both personages are imaginary. l. 786, _almug_: "probably the

red sandalwood of China and India" (Dr. W. Smith). l. 788, _river-horse_:

the hippopotamus. l. 792, _pompion-twine_: pumpkin. l. 843, _Pappacoda_: a

nickname. _Tagliafer_, or _Taillefer_: the favourite minstrel-knight of

William of Normandy, who rode in front of the invading army at the battle

of Senlac, and sang the song of Roland. l. 846, _o'ertoise_: overstretch?

l. 877, _Count Lori_, or Loria of Naples. l. 883, "_The Grey Paulician_":

"Eccelino II. found the Paterini or Paulicians, a Manichæan sect, who were

driven from the East by the Empress Theodora (who had a hundred thousand

of them killed) and her successors. They were slowly forced westward, and

at last settled in Italy, and in Languedoc, in the neighbourhood of Albi.

They are credited with planting the first seeds of the Reformation in the

Latin Church. Innocent III., alarmed at their doctrines and increasing

numbers, opposed them, and instructed St. Dominic and St. Francis to

preach against them. The result was the cruel crusade of 1206, which

continued in the form of more or less spasmodic persecution for many

years,--at least thirty." [S.] l. 899, _Romano_: the birthplace of

Ezzelino, near Bassano. Eccelino Romano was chief of the Ghibellines. l.

901, _Azzo's sister Beatrix_: married Otho IV. l. 902, _Richard's Giglia_:

a Guelf lady. l. 929, _Retrude_: wife of Salinguerra. l. 948,

_Strojavacca_: a troubadour? l. 986, "_Cat's head and Ibis' tail_":

"Egyptian symbols in mosaic on the porphyry floor." [S.] l. 989, _Soldan_:

Sultan. l. 1009, "_Iris root the Tuscan grated over them_": orris-root. l.

1013, _Carian group_: the Caryatides--women dressed as at the feasts of

Diana Caryatis. Carya was a town in Arcadia.

BOOK III.--Line 2, _moonfern and trifoly_: plants which have supposed

magical and healing properties [S.]; _moonfern_, the same as

moonwort--_Rumex lunaria_; _mystic trifoly_ == trefoil; "Herb Trinity"

was used by St. Patrick to teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity. l. 12,

_painted byssus_: silky fibres of a mollusc which has sometimes been spun

with silk. l. 14, _Tyrrhene whelk_: the celebrated Tyrian purple, formerly

prepared from a shell fish at Tyre. l. 14, _trireme_: a galley or vessel

with three benches of oars on a side. l. 15, _satrap_ == the governor of a

province (Persian). l. 87, "_Marsh gone of a sudden_": when the lake

appeared in its place. l. 88, "_Mincio in its place laughed_": when the

river occupied the place of the marsh. l. 121, _Island house_: "a villa

outside Palermo called La Favara" [S.]; _Nuocera_: between Pompeii and

Amalfi. It was called "de Pagani," from a Saracenic colony of Frederick

II., who was sometimes contemptuously called the Sultan of Nocera. Villani

preserves the quaint words of the famous taunt which Charles of Anjou

addressed to Manfred, before the bath of Benvinutum: "Alles e dit moi a li

Sultan de Nocere hoggi metorai lui en enfers o il mettar moi en paradis."

[S.] l. 123, _Palermitans_: citizens of Palermo. l. 124, _Messinese_:

citizens of Messina. l. 125, "_dusk Saracenic clans Nuocera holds_":

Frederick, who was afterwards the renowned Frederick II., Emperor of

Germany, was crowned at Palermo, in Sicily, in 1198; during his minority

the land was torn by turbulent nobles, and revolted Saracens; in 1220 the

Emperor-King planted a colony of Saracens at Nocera on the mainland. l.

132, _mollitious alcoves_ == soft alcoves. l. 133, _Byzant domes_:

Byzantine architecture, in which the dome was a feature, developed about

A.D. 300. l. 135, "_August pleasant Dandolo_": "Enrico Dandolo, one of the

patrician family of that name in Venice, was chosen doge in 1192, although

already blind and seventy-two years old. After naval successes against the

Pisans, he was applied to at the time of the fourth crusade to furnish

vessels for transport to Constantinople. After making terms most

advantageous to the Republic, he himself led the enterprise to success,

and shared with the French in the pillage of the city, and very largely in

booty and privileges accruing. The four horses of St. Mark's Church were

brought over to Venice by him." [S.] l. 140, "_Transport to Venice

square_": St. Mark's Church in Venice is adorned with precious columns

brought from temples and buildings in all parts of the ancient world. l.

225, "_The bulb dormant, etc._": "It was the custom to bury the hyacinth

bulb with mummies." [S.] l. 85, _The Carroch_: "during the war of the

Milanese with Conrad, the Salic archbishop, Eribert, invented the

Carroccio, which was at once adopted by all the cities of Italy. He placed

it at the head of the army, and it was an imitation of the ark of the

covenant of the tribes of Israel. The carroccio was a four-wheeled car

drawn by four yokes of oxen. It was painted red; the oxen were dressed in

red clothes to their heels; a very high mast, also painted red, was in the

midst; it terminated in a golden ball. Below, between two white veils,

floated the standard of the commune, and below that again was a crucifix,

with the Saviour extending His arms to bless the army. A sort of platform

in the front of the car was devoted to some of the bravest soldiers

appointed for its defence. Another platform in the rear was occupied by

musicians and trumpeters. Mass was said upon the carroccio before it left

the town, and there was frequently a special chaplain attached to it."

[S.] l. 312, "_the candle's at the gateway_": "compare with King Alfred's

measurement of time. It is still the custom at Bremen for property to be

sold at an auction by the candle--that is, the bidding goes on till the

candle goes out." [S.] l. 314, _Tiso Sampier_: "Eccelin I. and Tissolin di

Campo St. Pierre had been warm friends until, a difference occurring about

a marriage portion, Eccelin proved treacherous and grasping, and a lasting

feud arose between the two families." [S.] l. 315, "_Ferrara's succoured

Palma!_" "The preceding passages in quotation marks are all in the Guelf

spirit; this explanation is Ghibelline, say from Browning himself." [S.]

l. 386, _Cesano_: a city of Emilia, between Bologna and Ancona, Dante, in

_Inferno_, canto xxvii., characterises Cesano as living midway between

tyranny and freedom. l. 456, _Fomalhaut_: a star of the first magnitude,

in the constellation Priscus Australis, one of the brightest visible in

the midnight meridian of September. [S.] l. 476, _Conrad_: the Swabian

(1138-52). l. 486, _Saponian_: Mr. Browning explained this puzzling term

as referring to the Saponi, who were a branch of the Eccelini family,

which settled in Lombardy before the time of Sordello. l. 496,

_Vincentines_: the people of Vicenza. l. 514,

"_... just

As Adelaide of Susa could entrust

Her donative ...

... to the superb

Matilda's perfecting_."

"The _Biographie Universelle_ says: 'Adelaide, Marchioness of Susa, was

contemporary with Matilda the great Countess of Tuscany, and governed

Piedmont with wisdom and firmness. She endeavoured more than once to make

peace between the Emperor and Popes. She was married three times--to a

Duke of Swabia, a Marquis of Montferrat, and a Count of Maurienna; and

partly through her inheritance from the husbands, all of whom she

survived, partly on account of her wise management, her fief Susa became

the most important in Italy. Matilda, the great Countess of Tuscany, was

one of the most famous characters of her age. Absolute ruler of the most

powerful country in Italy, she defended Hildebrand, and adhered to the

Pope against all enemies, proffers or threats. During her lifetime she

transferred the greater part of her possessions by deed of gift to the

papacy; and that deed was the foundation of Papal claims to many lands in

Italy throughout the following centuries. She owned the Castle of Canozza,

where the Pope took refuge from Henry IV., who had married Adelaide's

daughter; and it was to Canozza that that Emperor was obliged to resort,

when later he sought the Pope's forgiveness, and when he was left standing

barefoot in the snow awaiting the Pope's pleasure. Matilda conveyed her

estates to the Pope in 1102, was made sovereign of all Italy in 1110, and

died 1115.' There appears to be no mention of any donative entrusted to

the superb Matilda, either in the _Biographie Universelle_, or in

Sismondi." [S.] Line 501, "_lion's crine_" == lion's hair. l. 583, "_like

the alighted Planet Pollux wore_." Castor and Pollux were generally

represented mounted on two white horses, armed with spears, and riding

side by side with their heads covered with a bonnet, on the top of which

glittered a star. The twins took part in the Argonautic expedition, and

when a violent storm arose two flames of fire appeared, and were seen to

play around their heads. Pollux was the son of Jupiter, whilst Castor was

only his half-brother; but he obtained from Jupiter, for Castor, the gift

of immortality, and a place with him amongst the constellations. St.

Elmo's fire, which frequently appears and plays about masts and yards of

ships during storms, was called Castor and Pollux by Roman sailors"

(Lemprière, _Class. Dict._). l. 590,

"_For thus

I bring Sordello_."

See Book I., l. 353. l. 616, "_Verona's Lady_" is a statue on the top of a

fountain at one end of the Piazza d'Erbe. The fountain was put up in 916,

at the completion of the aqueduct by Berenger. It was restored in 1368.

The statue was first erected by Theodosius in 1380. It is called by the

people _Donna Verona_, and wears a steel crown as a symbol that the town

was an imperial residence. l. 617, _Gaulish Brennus_, who besieged Rome

B.C. 385. l. 621, _Manlïus_: Manlius Marcus, a celebrated Roman who

defended the Capitol against the Gauls. l. 625, _platan_: the plane tree.

l. 626, _Archimage_: the high priest of the Magi or fire-worshippers. l.

687, _colibri_: humming birds. l. 712, _Bassanese_, of Bassano, a noble

town on the Brenta. l. 797, _Basilic_: the Basilica, St. Mark's great

Cathedral. l. 798, "_God's great day of the Corpus Domini_" (or _Body of

the Lord_): the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Holy Sacrament of the

Eucharist. It is held on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday. l. 811,

_losel_ == a wasteful, worthless fellow. l. 813,

"_God spoke,

Of right hand, foot, and eye_."

(See St. Matthew v. 29, 30) [S.]

l. 837, _mugwort_ == a herb of the genus _Artemisia_. l. 839, "_Zin the

Horrid_": the Syrian wilderness where the Israelites found no water (Num.

xx. 1). l. 847, "_potsherd and Gibeonites_": see Joshua ix. l. 852,

_Meribah_: see Exod. xvii. 7 and Num. xxvii. 14. l. 898, "_Prisoned in the

Piombi_": horrible torture cells on the leads of the Ducal Palace at

Venice, where the prisoners were roasted in the sun. l. 924, "_Tempe's

dewy vale_": a beautiful valley in Thessaly. l. 964, _Hercules--in Egypt_:

in his quest for the golden apples of the Hesperides, Hercules journeyed

through Egypt--Busiris, the king, was about to sacrifice Hercules to Zeus,

but he broke his bonds and slew Busiris, his sons and servants. l. 975,

_patron-friend_: Walter Savage Landor, who warmly praised Browning's

poetry when others abused it; the reference is to Empedocles, a Greek

poet. l. 977, _Marathon, Platæa, and Salamis_: celebrated Greek

battle-places. l. 987, "_The king who lost the ruby_": Polycrates of

Samos. He was advised to throw into the sea the most precious of his

jewels, a beautiful seal; he grieved much at the loss, but in a few days

he had a present of a large fish, in the belly of which his ring was

found. l. 992, _English Eyebright_: the botanical name of the plant is

_Euphrasia officinalis_. Euphrasia was the name of a lady who was an old

friend of Mr. Browning's (Dr. Furnivall). l. 1021, _Xanthus_: a disciple

of St. John the Evangelist. l. 1024, _Polycarp_, an early Christian

martyr, A.D. 166; and a disciple of St. John. l. 1025, _Charicle_: also a

disciple. l. 1045, "_twy prong_" was one of the instruments used by

necromancers in "raising the devil." "To procure the magic fork.--This is

a branch of a single beam of hazel or almond, which must be cut at a

single stroke with the new knife used in the sacrifice. The rod must

terminate in a fork." (Waite's _Mysteries of Magic_, p. 260.) _Pastoral

Cross_: the cross on a priest's vestment is sometimes Y-shaped. Hargrave

Jennings, in his _Rosicrucians_, says it is now used as an anagram

exemplifying the Athanasian Creed; exactly, in fact, like the magic twy

prong in shape. An Archbishop's crozier or pastoral staff terminates in a

cross at the top.

BOOK IV.--Line 24, _quitch-grass_ == couch-grass or dog-grass; it roots

deeply, and is not easily killed. l. 24, "_loathy mallows_": loathsome

mallows, probably because they grow in ditches and in churchyards. l. 34,

_Legate Montelungo_: Gregorio di Montelongo, Pontifical legate for Gregory

IX. l. 50, _arbalist_, a crossbow; _manganel_, an engine of war for

battering down walls and hurling stones; and _catapult_, a war engine. l.

72, _Jubilate_: rejoice ye! _Jubilate Deo_, 66th Psalm. l. 83:

"_... What cautelous

Old Redbeard sought from Azzo's sire to wrench vainly_."

The Lombard League had built Alexandria to defy Barbarossa, who was twice

unsuccessful in taking it. l. 89, _Brenta_: a river of North Italy,

passing near Padua. _Bacchiglione_: the river on which stand Vicenza and

Padua. l. 98, _San Vitale_: a small town near Vicenza. l. 147, "_Messina

marbles Constance took delight in_": the marbles of Sicily. For variety

and beauty they rival those of any country of Europe. l. 229, _Mainard_,

or _Meinhard_: Count of Görz, in the Tyrol. l. 280, Concorezzi: a knightly

family of Padua. l. 395, "_Crowned grim twy-necked eagle_": the two-headed

eagle, symbol of the empire. l. 479, _The Adelardi_: were a noble Guelf

family of Ferrara and Mantua. Marchesella was heiress of the Adelardi

family; Obizzo I. carried her off, and married her to his son Azzo V. l.

483, _Blacks and Whites_: the Neri, the black party, and the Bianchi the

white. The Bianchi are called the _Parte selvaggia_, because its leaders,

the Cerchi, came from the forest lands of Val di Sieve. The other party,

the Neri, were led by the Donati. (See Longfellow's Dante--Notes to

_Inferno_, vi. 65.) l. 511, "_goshawk_": a short-winged slender hawk

(_Falco palumbarius_). l. 533, _Pistore_: Pistoia. l. 577, _Matilda_:

Countess of Tuscany (1046-1114), known as the Great Countess; she was the

champion of the Church and the ally of Hildebrand. l. 585, _Heinrich_:

"Henry VI., married Constance, daughter of the King of Naples and Sicily.

He reigned from 1190 to 1197." [S.] "_Philip and Otho_": "the latter

conspired against Frederick II., who was brought up by Innocent III., and

after Philip's death made Emperor, in 1212. He lived till 1250. His son

Henry, King of the Romans, rebelled against him." [S.] l. 614, _Bassano_:

a city of Italy, in the province of Vicenza, on the Brenta. There is a

church of St. Francis at Bassano. Lanze says, "It is the peculiar boast of

Bologna that she can claim three of the few artists of the earliest times:

one Guido, one Ventura, and one Ursone, of whom there exist memorials as

far back as 1248." [S.] l. 615, _Guido the Bolognian_: Guido Reni, the

great painter of Bologna (1575-1642). l. 645, _Guglielm_ == William;

_Aldobrand_ or _Aldovrandino_: Governor of Ferrara, in conjunction with

Salinguerra (1231). l. 735, _San Biagio_: St. Biase, a place near the Lake

of Garda. l. 797, _Constance_: wife of Henry VI. of Germany; by this

marriage Frederick hoped that his empire would soon include Naples and

Sicily. l. 837, _Moorish lentisk_: the mastich tree. l. 884,

_poison-wattles_: the baggy flesh on the animal's neck, an excrescence or

lobe. l. 977, _Crescentius Nomentanus_: a Roman tribune, who, in the

absence of Pope John and King Otho, tried to restore consular Rome. But

the Pope and King returned, and crucified him, A.D. 998. (See Gibbon's

_Decline and Fall_, chap. xlix.) Professor Sonnenschein sends me the

following further note: "Crescentius was a Roman who, towards the end of

the tenth century, endeavoured to restore his country's liberty and

ancient glory. The power of the Eastern emperors had long ceased in Rome,

that of the Western emperors had been suspended by long interregnas. Rome

was a republic in which the citizens, the neighbouring nobles, and the

Pope, disputed the authority. Crescentius, who was of the family of the

Counts of the Tusculum, placed himself at the head of the anarchic

government about 980, with the title of Consul. He had, to dispute his

rank, Boniface VII., who, murderer of two popes, had become Pope himself.

This pontiff was stained by the most shameful crimes, and as his authority

was not well founded, the nobles and the people aided Crescentius in

breaking the yoke. Boniface died 985. John XV., who succeeded him, was

detained by Crescentius far from Rome, in exile, until he recognised the

sovereignty of the people. Upon his return he did not seek to trouble the

government; and, as well as one can judge through the obscurity of ages,

the Roman republic enjoyed until 996, under the Consul Crescentius, such

peace, order, and security, as it had not known for a long time. John XV.

died the year Otho III. went from Germany to Italy, to receive the

imperial crown. The young monarch chose his relative, Gregory V., to

succeed John. None of the rights or privileges of Rome were known to the

new pontiff, who, long accustomed to regard the popes as gods on earth,

having now himself become pope, could not conceive of any resistance to

his will. Crescentius refused to recognise a pope whose election and

conduct were alike irregular. He opposed to him another pope, a Greek by

birth, who took the name of John XVI., and he asked the Emperor of the

East to send troops to his assistance. Otho III. entered Rome with an army

in 998. He condemned John XVI. to horrible torture, and besieged

Crescentius in the castle of St. Angelo; and as he could not conquer the

latter, he offered him an honourable capitulation. However, he no sooner

had him in his hands than he put him to death and ill-treated his wife.

Three years later, on his return from a penitential pilgrimage, she

succeeded in causing his death by poison." l. 1006, _wranal_: a lantern.

l. 1032, "_Rome of the Pandects_": "The digest or abridgment in fifty

books of the decisions and opinions of the old Roman jurists, made in the

sixth century, by order of the Emperor Justinian, and forming the first

part of the body of the civil law." (Webster.)

BOOK V.--Line 6, _Palatine_, one invested with royal privileges and

rights. l. 16, _atria_, halls or principal rooms in Roman houses. l. 17,

_stibadium_, a half-round reclining couch used by Romans near their baths.

l. 18, _lustral vase_: used in purification at meals, etc. l. 34, _pelt_,

a skin of a beast with the hair on. l. 43, _obsidion_, a kind of black

glass produced by volcanoes. l. 58, _Mauritania_, an ancient country of

North Africa == land of the Moors, celebrated for the wood called Citrus,

for tables of which the Romans gave fabulous prices. l. 61, _Demiurge_: a

worker for the people; so God, as Creator of the world. _Mareotic_: of the

locality of Lake Mareotis, in Egypt. Mareotic wine was very famous;

_Cæcuban_: Cæcubum, a town of Latium. Cæcubus Ager was noted for the

excellence and plenty of its wines. l. 82, _Pythoness_: the priestess who

gave oracular answers at Delphi, in Greece. l. 83, _Lydian king_: Lydia

was a kingdom of Asia Minor. The king referred to was Croesus, who

interpreted in his own favour the ambiguous answer of the oracle, and was

destroyed by following the advice he thought was given to him. l. 115,

_Nina and Alcamo_: Sicilian poets of the period. In the life of Joanna,

Queen of Naples, we read of "the Poetess Nina, whose love of her art

caused her to become enamoured of a poet whom she had never seen. This

fortunate bard (who returned her poetical passion) was called Dante; but

we cannot plead in her excuse that he had anything else in common with the

great poet of that name. Nina was the most beautiful woman of the day, and

the first female who wrote verse in Italian. She was so engrossed by her

passion for her lover that she caused herself always to be called 'The

Nina of Dante.'" [S.] "Sismondi only mentions C. d'Alcamo as a Sicilian

poet, apparently nearly contemporary with Frederick II. See Ginguené for a

full account of Sicilian poetry." [S.] l. 145, _Castellans_, governors of

castles. l. 146, _Suzerains_, feudal lords. l. 163, "_Hildebrand of the

huge brain mask_": Pope Gregory VII. He was one of the most famous of the

popes, and he lived in the latter part of the eleventh century. l. 174,

_Mandrake_: Mandragora--a plant with a bifurcated root, concerning which

many singular superstitions have accumulated. l. 186, "_Three Imperial

Crowns_": the Imperial Crown proper, the German crown, and the Italian or

Lombard crown. There seems a little confusion here in the order of the

different metals. The Imperial Crown was of gold. The German is always

spoken of as the silver crown. The Italian or Lombard crown was known as

the iron crown, because one of the nails of Christ's cross was inserted

into its gold frame. (_Encyc. Brit._) l. 188, _Alexander IV._, Pope of

Rome (1254-61); _Innocent IV._, Pope (1243-54). l. 189, _Papal key_: the

keys of Peter in the papal arms. l. 194, "_The hermit Peter_": Peter, the

Hermit of Amiens, who preached up the first Crusade. l. 195, _Claremont_

== Clermont, a city of France, in which, at a council held in 1095, Pope

Urban II. first formally organised the great Crusade. l. 200,

_Vimmercato_, a town on the Molgova, fourteen miles north-east of Milan.

l. 203, "_Mantuan Albert_": Blessed Albert founder of the Order of Canons

Regular. But it was Albert, patriarch of Jerusalem, who was umpire between

Pope and Emperor. l. 204, _Saint Francis_, of Assisi, born 1182; one of

the most beautiful characters who ever lived. All living creatures to him

were his "brothers and sisters." l. 205, "_God's truce_": "The Pax

Ecclesiæ," or "Treuga Dei"--a suspension of arms, putting a stop to

private hostilities within certain periods. The treaty called the "Truce

of God" was set on foot in A.D. 999. It was agreed, among other articles,

that "churches should be sanctuaries to all sorts of persons, except those

who violated this truce; and that from Wednesday till Monday morning no

one should offer violence to any one, not even by way of satisfaction for

any injustice he had received" (Butler's _Lives of the Saints_, _sub_ "St.

Odilo," Jan. 1st.) l. 281, _hacqueton_: a quilted jacket, worn under a

coat of mail. l. 298, _trabea_: a regal robe. l. 384, _thyrsus_: a spear

wrapped about with ivy, carried at feasts of Bacchus. l. 405, _baldric_: a

richly ornamented belt, passing only over one shoulder. l. 453, "_Caliph's

wheel work man_": an automaton. l. 509, _Typhon_, a giant. l. 660,

_Lombard Agilulph_: a king of Lombardy, A.D. 601. l. 712, "_changed the

spoils of every clime at Venice_": the great Cathedral of St. Mark's,

Venice, contains columns and ornaments of various kinds, brought from

heathen temples in all parts of the Roman world. Pillars from the Temple

of Jerusalem, and precious marbles from ancient Roman palaces, combine to

make the interior of St. Mark's one of the strangest and richest Christian

churches in the world. So these spoils from many lands, taken from temples

devoted to alien worship, have been "changed" to Christian uses in this

church. l. 718, "_earth's reputed consummations_": that is to say, the

noblest works which the world at the time could produce. "The temple at

Thebes was the consummate achievement of one age; of another, that of the

Temple of Jupiter Tonans; of another, the Parthenon at Athens. All these

were 'earth's reputed consummations.'" l. 719, "_razed a seal_": Thebes

being despoiled like Rome, Athens rifled like Byzant, until St. Mark's at

Venice having razed a seal (_i.e._ broken the seal, or, as it were,

extracted the nails that fixed the most famous works in the world to their

original site) lo! the glittering symbols of the all-purifying Trinity

blazed above them: so the "horned and snouted god," the "cinerary

pitcher," became part of the Christian edifice. l. 719, "_The

All-transmuting Triad blazed above_": that is, they were consecrated by

reason of the new faith in the Trinity. The three persons of the Holy

Trinity are represented in the mosaics of St. Mark's Church."[7] l. 750,

_Treville_ or Treviglio: a town in Lombardy, fourteen miles south of

Bergamo. l. 751, _Cartiglione_: is this a misprint for Castiglione? l.

788, _writhled_ == wrinkled. l. 794, _pauldron_: a defence of armour-plate

over the shoulders. l. 909, _Gesi_ or Jesi: a city in the Italian province

of Ancona. It was the birthplace of Frederick II. in 1194. l. 943,

_Valsugan_: a town on the Brenta, on the road from Trent to Venice. l. 970

_Torriani_: a faction of Valsassina of Lombardy, contending with the

_Visconti_ (l. 971): Otho Visconti, Archbishop of Milan (1262), founded

the house of Visconti. The Torriani were democrats, the Visconti

aristocrats. l. 1065, "_Trent upon Apulia_": _i.e._, Northern upon

Southern Italy. l. 1071, _Cunizza_: called Palma throughout the poem (see

p. 123). l. 1090, _Squarcialupo_: not historical.

BOOK VI.--Line 100, _jacinth_ == hyacinth in mineralogy; a name given to

several kinds of stone--topaz, etc.; _lodestone_: magnetic oxide of iron.

l. 101, _flinders_: fragments (of shining metal). l. 142, _Cydippe_: an

Athenian girl who met Acontius at a festival of Artemis. He wrote a

promise of marriage from the girl to himself on an apple, and threw it at

her feet. The girl read the words aloud, and the oracle told her father

she would have to comply with the words she had read. l. 143,

_Agathon_--evidently meant for Acontius in the above story. l. 184,

_Dularete_: not historical. l. 323, "_brakes at balm-shed_": brake ferns

at seed time--_i.e._, autumn. l. 387, _reate_ == a waterweed, as water

crow-foot. l. 388, _gold-sparkling grail_: gravel gold-coloured. l. 417,

_citrine_ == crystals: a yellow pellucid variety of quartz; "_fierce

pyropus-stone_" == a carbuncle of fiery redness. l. 590, _King-bird_: "The

Phoenix travels (in an egg of myrrh) to Heliopolis to die." [S.] l. 614,

"_an old fable_," etc. See Pindar's, "Fourth Pythian Ode." l. 630,

_Hermit-bee_--a species of Apidæ; some of the best known of this species

are solitary in their habits. The Carpenter-bee (_Xylocopa_) excavates

nests and cells in wood; the Mason-bee (_Osmia_ and _Megachill_) forms

nests with particles of sand. l. 677-8, _"Henry of Egna," "Sofia," "Lady

of the Rock," etc._: Sofia was the "youngest daughter of Eccelin the monk,

widow of Henry of Egna, the 'Lady of the Rock,' or of the Trentine Pass"

(W. M. Rossetti). l. 698, _Campese_: a town on the Brenta, near Bassano.

l. 699, _Solagna_: a village in the province of Vicenza, in the Eastern

Alps. l. 787, _Valley Rù_: in the valley of Enneberg or Gaderthal, on the

Eastern Alps. l. 788, _San Zeno_: the basilica of St. Zeno, an early

bishop of Verona. l. 792, _raunce_, or rance, a bar or rail. l. 799,

_cushat's chirre_--the ringdove's coo. l. 802, _barrow_: a tomb. l. 803,

_Alberic_: brother of Eccelin. He was tortured to death. l. 858,

_Hesperian fruit_: of the Western land (Italy or Spain). The golden apples

of the Hesperides probably were oranges. l. 894, "_rifle a musk pod and

'twill ache like yours_": a freshly-opened musk pod has a most powerful

and pungent ammoniacal odour. Musk requires to be smelt in minute

quantity. Sordello's story deals with political troubles and horrors of

war, too powerful a dose for reading at one sitting.

="So, the head aches and the limbs are faint!"= (_Ferishtah's Fancies._)

The sixth lyric begins with these words.

=Soul, The.= It "existed ages past" (_Cristina_); "is resting here an age"

(_Cristina_); "on its lone way" (_Cristina_ and _Rabbi ben Ezra_); "its

nature is to seek durability" (_Red Cotton Night-cap Country_); "is

independent of bodily pain" (_Red Cotton_); "is here to mate another soul"

(_Cristina_); "shall rise in its degree" (_Toccata of Galuppi's_); "it

craves all" (_Cleon_); and "can never taste death" (_Paracelsus_). _La

Saisiaz_ is _the_ poem for proof of its existence and immortality.

=Soul's Tragedy, A=: Act I. being what was called the poetry of

Chiappino's life, and Act II. its prose (London, 1846). The incidents are

not all historical; they are imagined to have occurred at Faenza, a city

of Italy about twenty miles south-west of Ravenna, in the sixteenth

century. Chiappino is a patriot--so far as words and fine sentiments go.

He is a good type of the men who in all popular movements seek their own

interest while pretending to be concerned only for the welfare of the

people. Having fomented popular feeling against the Provost of Faenza he

has been sentenced to exile. He has, however, an influential friend,

Luitolfo, who has volunteered to exert his good offices with the Provost,

with whom he is on good terms, with the view of obtaining a pardon. The

first Act opens with a dialogue between Eulalia and Chiappino in

Luitolfo's house, concerning the cause of the latter's prolonged absence

on his errand of friendly intercession. Luitolfo and Eulalia are betrothed

lovers. Chiappino, while his friend is absent endeavouring to save him, is

bragging of his humanitarian courage and daring, and depreciating his

friend while making love to his betrothed. Eulalia listens, but begs for

"justice to him that's now entreating, at his risk, perhaps, justice for

you!" Chiappino hates Luitolfo for the favours he has done him, the fines

he has paid for him, the intercession he has made; and so he endeavours to

make himself important in the woman's eyes, to pose as the martyr of

humanity, while he belittles her betrothed lover, and tries to prove that

his acts of kindness were unimportant. While they discuss, a knocking is

heard without; the door is opened, and Luitolfo rushes in with blood upon

him. He declares he has killed the Provost, and the crowd are in pursuit

of him. Chiappino offers his protection, and talks bravely as usual;

forces Luitolfo to fly in his disguise while he remains with Eulalia and

meets the angry pursuers. The populace enter, and Chiappino, without

hesitation, declares it was he who killed the Provost: he knows the people

will bless him as their saviour, so he takes the credit of Luitolfo's act

of vengeance. Eulalia is anxious he should give the credit to Luitolfo, as

the murder turns out to be popular; but Chiappino defers the explanation

till the morrow. Act II. is in prose; the scene is laid a month after, in

the market-place of Faenza: Luitolfo is mingling in disguise with the

populace assembled outside the Provost's palace. A bystander tells him

that Chiappino will be the new Provost: it is he who was the brave friend

of the people; Luitolfo the coward, who ran away from them and their

cause. Ravenna, he says, governs Faenza, as Rome governs Ravenna; and the

Papal legate, Ogniben, has entered the town, saying satirically: "I have

known three-and-twenty leaders of revolts!" He wishes to know what the

revolters want. The soldiers came into Ravenna, bearing their wounded

Provost (he had not been killed, as Luitolfo supposed). The Legate had

come to arrange matters amicably. He will have no punishments for the

insurrection. What he desires to know is, Do they wish to live without any

government at all? or if not, do they wish their ruler to be murdered by

the first citizen who conceives he has a grievance? Chiappino puts himself

forward as spokesman, and declares he is in favour of a republic. "And you

the administrator thereof?" asks the Legate. After a little fencing,

Chiappino agrees to this; and so the crowd is waiting to see him invested

with the provostship. He is to marry Luitolfo's love and succeed to his

property. Luitolfo will not believe all this till he sees Eulalia and his

quondam friend. Chiappino enters with Eulalia, making excuses for his

_volte-face_ both in politics and love, and shows that he falls completely

into the trap the clever and satirical ecclesiastic has set for the

pretended patriot. After much cutting sarcasm at Chiappino's expense on

the part of the brilliant legate, who evidently knows his man to the

marrow, the waiting populace are informed that the provostship will be

conferred on Chiappino as soon as the name of the person who attempted to

kill the late Provost is given up. Luitolfo comes from his place in the

crowd to own and justify his act, much to the confusion of the man who has

claimed all the credit of the deed. The Legate orders Luitolfo to his

house, and recommends the patriot to rusticate himself awhile. Then,

demanding the keys of the Provost's palace, and advising profitable

meditation to the people, he leaves them chuckling that he has known

_four-and-twenty_ leaders of revolts. The character of the ecclesiastic

Ogniben is one of the finest inventions of Mr. Browning.

NOTES.--Act I. _Scudi_: dollars. Act II.: _Brutus the Elder_: who

conspired with Cassius against Julius Cæsar. "_Dico vobis!_" I tell you!

"_St. Nepomucene of Prague_" == St. John Nepomucen of Prague (1383),

martyr. He was an anchorite and an apostle. The Emperor Wenceslaus had him

put to death because he refused to betray what the Empress had told him

under the seal of confession. _Ravenna_: a very celebrated and very

ancient city of North-east Italy. Its great historical importance began

early in the fifth century, when Honorius transferred his court thither.

From 402 to 476 A.D. Ravenna was the chief residence of the Roman

emperors. It was subject to papal rulers in the period of this story.

"_Cur fremuere gentes?_" (Psalm ii. 1): "Why do the heathen so furiously

rage together?" _Pontificial Legate_: an ambassador sent by the Pope to

the court of a foreign prince or state. "_Western Lands_": The allusion is

to the discovery of America and the treasures and curiosities brought by

Columbus to Spain.

=Speculative.= (_Asolando_, 1889.) Could the inspirations and pure

delights of the past return, and remain with some great souls who have

learned the divine alchemy of turning to gold the pains and pleasures of

earth's old life, it would be for them all that lower minds seek in a new

life in what they call heaven; the real heaven being a state, and not a

place. Love has inspired the poem.

=Spiritualism.= Browning's opinions on this subject are to be found in his

poem _Mr. Sludge the Medium_.

=Spring Song.= The poem commencing

"Dance, yellows and whites and reds!"

was published under the title of "Spring Song" in the _New Amphion_, 1886.

In 1887 it was published at the end of _Gerard de Lairesse_ in the

"_Parleyings_" volume.

=Statue and the Bust, The.= The Riccardi Palace in Florence is the scene

of the story told in this poem. A lady who has just been married to the

head of the noble Riccardi house notices one who rides past her window

with a "royal air." The bridesmaids whisper that it is the great Duke

Ferdinand; who in his turn directs his glance at the bride the head of the

house of Riccardi had that day brought home. As he looked at the woman and

she at the man, her past was a sleep--her life that day only began. That

night there was a feast in the house of the bride, and the Grand Duke was

present. The lovers stood face to face a minute. In accordance with the

courtly custom of the time, he was privileged to kiss the bride. Whether a

word was spoken or not cannot be said. The husband, who stood by, however,

saw or heard something which mortally offended him; and when, at night, he

led his bride to her chamber, he told her calmly that the door which was

then shut on her was closed till her body should be taken thence for

burial. She could watch the world from the window, which faced the east,

but could never more pass the door. The bride as calmly assented:

"Your window and its world suffice,"

she said. It would be easy, she thought, to fly to the Duke, who loved

her: it would only be necessary to disguise herself as a page, and she

would save her soul. She reflected, however, that next day her father was

to bless her new condition; and she must tarry for a day, consoling

herself with the reflection that she should certainly see the Duke ride

past. And so she turned on her side, and went to sleep. That night the

Duke resolved to ruin body and soul, if need might be, for the sake of

this beautiful woman; and on the morrow he addressed the bridegroom, whose

duties at court brought him into his presence, suggesting that he, with

his wife, should visit him at his country seat at Petraja. The bridegroom

quietly declined the invitation, giving as his reason that the state of

his lady's health did not permit her to quit the palace, the wind from the

Apennines being particularly dangerous for her. The Duke was foiled in his

project; but promised himself it should not be long before he met the

bride again, yet he must wait a night, for the envoy from France was to

visit him. He too reflects that he shall see the lady as he rides past her

palace. They saw each other, and each resolved that next day they would do

more than glance at a distance; but next day and the next passed, and as

constantly was the project of union deferred; the weeks grew months, the

years passed by, till age crept on, and each perceived they had been

dreaming. One day the lady had to confess that her beauty was fading: her

hair was tinged with grey, her mouth was puckered, and she was

haggard-cheeked; and as she beheld herself in her glass she bade her

servants call a famous sculptor to fix the remains of her beauty, so that

it should no more fade. Della Robbia must make her a face on her window

waiting, as ever, to watch her lover pass in the square below. But long

before the artist's work was finished, and the cornice in its place, the

Duke had sighed over the escape of his own youth; and he too set John of

Douay to make an equestrian statue of him, and to place it in the square

he had crossed so often, so that men should admire him when he had gone to

his tomb. The figure looks straight at one of the windows of the Riccardi

Palace: the attitude suggests love for the lady and contempt of her

husband. In connection with all this the poet reflects on the condition of

the spirits of these two awaiting the Last Judgment. Do they reflect on

the greatness of the gift of life--how they had seen the proper object of

their lives, and yet had missed it? "But," the poet hears us object,

"their end was a crime, and delay was best." The test, however, of our use

of life can be as well attained by a crime as a virtue. A game can be

played without money: where a button answers, it would be vain to use a

sovereign. Whether we play with counters or coins, we must do our best to

win:--

"If you choose to play!--is my principle,

Let a man contend to the uttermost

For his life's set prize, be it what it will."

These people as surely lost their counter as if it were lawful coin. This

moral has been much disputed by Browning students. So far as society was

concerned the lady and the Duke did well: so far as their own souls were

concerned they undoubtedly did ill. The Duke would have been more manly

and the woman truer to her human instincts if he and she had let love have

its way. Both dwarfed and withered their souls by looking and longing and

pining for what they had not courage to grasp. The sin in each case was as

great in the sight of God. It was simply prudence and conventionality

which restrained the lovers; and these things count for nothing with the

poet-psychologist. But conventionality counts for a great deal in our

conduct of life. It may have been "the crowning disaster to miss life" for

the man and woman: if so, it was a sacrifice justly due to human society.

If every woman flew to the arms of the man whom she liked better than her

own husband, and if every governor of a city felt himself at liberty to

steal another man's wife merely to complete and perfect the circle of his

own delights, society would soon be thrown back into barbarism. The

sacrifice to conventionality and the self-restraint these persons

practised may have atoned for much that was defective in their lives.

"_Pecca fortiter_" (sin bravely), said Luther; but it would be difficult

to defend the doctrine on any principle of ethics. Many readers have found

difficulties in understanding this poem. One such wrote to an American

paper to inquire: "(1) When, how, and where did it happen? Browning's

divine vagueness lets one gather only that the lady's husband was a

Riccardi. (2) Who was the lady? who the Duke? (3) The magnificent house

where Florence lodges her Préfet is known to all Florentine ball-goers as

the Palazzo Riccardi. It was bought by the Riccardi from the Medici in

1659. From none of its windows did the lady gaze at her more than royal

lover. From what window, then, if from any? Are the statue and the bust

still in their original positions?" These queries fell into the hands of

Mr. Wise, who forwarded them to Mr. Browning, who sent the following

answer:--"Jan. 8th, '87. DEAR MR. WISE,--I have seldom met with such a

strange inability to understand what seems the plainest matter possible.

'Ball-goers' are probably not history readers; but any guide-book would

confirm what is sufficiently stated in the poem. I will append a note or

two, however. (1) 'This story the townsmen tell': 'when, how, and where'

constitutes the subject of the poem. (2) The lady was the wife of

Riccardi, and the Duke--Ferdinand, just as the poem says. (3) As it was

built by and inhabited by the Medici till sold, long after, to the

Riccardi, it was not from the Duke's palace, but a window in that of the

Riccardi, that the lady gazed at her lover riding by. The statue is still

in its place, looking at the window under which is 'now the empty shrine.'

Can anything be clearer? My 'vagueness' leaves _what_ to be 'gathered'

when all these things are put down in black and white? Oh,

'ball-goers'!--Yours very sincerely, ROBERT BROWNING." The Medicean palace

in the Via Larga, now called the Via Cavour, is meant as the _duke's_

palace. See articles on this question in _Poet Lore_, vol. iii., pp. 284

and 648. It is an error to suppose that but one palace is referred to in

the poem. The Piazza della Annunziata in Florence is the square referred

to in the first verse. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed

Virgin was built in 1250, and adorned at the expense of Pietro de' Medici

from the designs of Michelozzi. The loggia of the church forms the north

side. On the east is the Foundling Hospital, _Spedale degli Innocenti_,

dating from the year 1421. In the centre of the square is an equestrian

statue of Ferdinand I., cast from cannon taken by the Knights of St.

Stephen from the Turks.

NOTES.--"_Great Duke Ferdinand_": Ferdinand I. was Grand Duke of Florence,

an honour first conferred on Cosimo (dei Medici) I. by Pope Pius V., who

conferred the patent and crown upon him in Rome. Ferdinand was a cardinal

from the age of fourteen, but he had never taken holy orders. He was an

amiable and capable ruler, and Tuscany flourished under his government.

He was thirty-eight years old when, in 1587, he succeeded his brother on

the throne. _Riccardi_: a noble family of Florence. "The Palazzo Riccardi,

a proud and stately residence, was begun in 1430 by Cosimo dei Medici. It

remained in the possession of the family till 1659, when they sold it to

Gabriele Riccardi; but towards the end of the last century it was bought

by the Grand Duke, and is now employed as a species of Somerset House,

partly for literary purposes and partly for government offices. It is a

noble building, and is most imposing in appearance. The window-sills are

by Michael Angelo" (see Murray's _Handbook to North Italy_). _Via Larga_:

this was overshadowed by the Medici Palace, symbolical of the shadow cast

by the crime of its owners in destroying the liberties of the city.

_Encolure_ (Fr.): the neck and shoulders of a horse. _Emprise_:

undertaking, enterprise. "_Cosimo and his cursed son_": Cosimo dei Medici

was called "the father of his country," his grandson was "Lorenzo the

Magnificent." _Arno_: the river which flows through Florence. _Petraja_: a

suburban residence near Florence. _Apennine_: the mountain range in the

valley of which Florence is seated. "_Robbia's craft_," "_Robbia's

cornice_": Della Robbia is the name of a family of great distinction in

the art history of Florence. "Robbia's craft" would seem to be a term

applied to the kind of work done, and does not refer to the artist

himself, as the last famous Della Robbia (Girolamo) died in 1566. The work

called Robbia ware was terra-cotta relief covered with enamel. _John of

Douay_ (1524-1608), usually called Giovanni da Bologna: a celebrated

sculptor of Italy. "_stamp of the very Guelph_": English money of our

time, our royal family being Guelfs. "_de te fabula_": the fable is told

concerning yourself.

=Strafford.= [THE STATESMAN AND THE HISTORICAL PERIOD OF THE POEM.] It is

so important that the reader of the tragedy of _Strafford_ should start

with a clear idea of the historical facts with which it deals, that I have

included in my article the following extract from Professor Gardiner's

Life of Strafford in the _Encyclopædia Britannica_. For the benefit of

such of my readers as may have forgotten the fact, I may state that,

before the earldom was conferred on Strafford, he was Sir Thomas

Wentworth:--"High-handed as Wentworth was by nature, his rule in Ireland

made him more high-handed than ever. As yet he had never been consulted on

English affairs, and it was only in February 1637 that Charles asked his

opinion on a proposed interference in the affairs of the Continent. In

reply, he assured Charles that it would be unwise to undertake even naval

operations till he had secured absolute power at home. The opinion of the

judges had given the King the right to levy ship-money; but, unless his

Majesty had 'the like power declared to raise a land army, the crown'

seemed 'to stand upon one leg at home, to be considerable but by halves to

foreign princes abroad.' The power so gained, indeed, must be shown to be

beneficent by the maintenance of good government; but it ought to exist. A

beneficent despotism supported by popular gratitude was now Wentworth's

ideal. In his own case Wentworth had cause to discover that Charles'

absolutism was marred by human imperfections. Charles gave ear to

courtiers far too often, and frequently wanted to do them a good turn by

promoting incompetent persons to Irish offices. To a request from

Wentworth to strengthen the position of the deputy by raising him to an

earldom he turned a deaf ear. Yet, to make Charles more absolute continued

to be the dominant note of his policy; and, when the Scottish Puritans

rebelled, he advocated the most decided measures of repression, and in

February 1639 he offered the king £2000 as his contribution to the

expenses of the coming war. He was, however, too clear-sighted to do

otherwise than deprecate an invasion of Scotland before the English army

was trained. In September 1639, after Charles' failure in the first

Bishops' War, Wentworth arrived in England, to conduct in the Star Chamber

a case in which the Irish chancellor was being prosecuted for resisting

the deputy. From that moment he stepped into the place of Charles'

principal adviser. Ignorant of the extent to which opposition had

developed in England during his absence, he recommended the calling of a

parliament to support a renewal of the war, hoping that by the offer of a

loan from the privy councillors, to which he himself contributed £20,000,

he would place Charles above the necessity of submitting to the new

parliament if it should prove restive. In January 1640 he was created Earl

of Strafford, and in March he went to Ireland to hold a parliament, where

the Catholic vote secured a grant of subsidies to be used against the

Presbyterian Scots. An Irish army was to be levied to assist in the coming

war. When, in April, Strafford returned to England, he found the Commons

holding back from a grant of supply, and tried to enlist the peers on the

side of resistance. On the other hand, he attempted to induce Charles to

be content with a smaller grant than he had originally asked for. The

Commons, however, insisted on peace with the Scots; and on May 9th, at the

Privy Council, Strafford, though reluctantly, voted for a dissolution.

After this Strafford supported the harshest measures. He urged the King to

invade Scotland; and, in meeting the objection that England might resist,

he uttered the words which cost him dear: 'You have an army in

Ireland'--the army which, in the regular course of affairs, was to have

been employed to operate in the west of Scotland--'you may employ here to

reduce this kingdom.' He tried to force the citizens of London to lend

money. He supported a project for debasing the coinage, and for seizing

bullion in the Tower, the property of foreign merchants. He also advocated

the purchasing a loan from Spain by the offer of a future alliance. He was

ultimately appointed to command the English army, but he was seized with

illness, and the rout of Newburn made the position hopeless. In the great

council at York he showed his hope that, if Charles maintained the

defensive, the country would still rally round him; whilst he proposed, in

order to secure Ireland, that the Scots of Ulster should be ruthlessly

driven from their homes. When the Long Parliament met, it was preparing to

impeach Strafford, when tidings reached its leaders that Strafford, now

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, had come to London, and had advised the King

to take the initiative by accusing his chief opponents of treason. On this

the impeachment was hurried on, and the Lords committed Strafford to the

Tower. At his trial in Westminster Hall he stood on the ground that each

charge against him, even if true, did not amount to treason; whilst Pym

urged that, taken as a whole, they showed an intention to change the

government, which in itself was treason. Undoubtedly the project of

bringing over the Irish army--probably never seriously entertained--did

the prisoner most damage; and, when the Lords showed reluctance to condemn

him, the Commons dropped the impeachment, and brought in a bill of

attainder. The Lords would probably have refused to pass it if they could

have relied on Charles's assurance to relegate Strafford to private life

if the bill were rejected. Charles unwisely took part in projects for

effecting Strafford's escape, and even for raising a military force to

accomplish that end. The Lords took alarm and passed the bill. On May 9th,

1641, the King, frightened by popular tumults, reluctantly signed a

commission for the purpose of giving to it the royal assent, and on the

12th Strafford was executed on Tower Hill."

[THE TRAGEDY.] (Published 1837, and dedicated to William C. Macready.)

_Strafford_, a tragedy in five acts (written for the stage at Macready's

request), has for its plot the impeachment of the Earl of Strafford and

his condemnation and execution. It tells the story of the faithful

statesman who loved his sovereign, and sacrificed his life from an almost

insane devotion to an utterly unworthy man. The tragedy deals with a

period of English history which was richer than any other in the assertion

of the rights of the people against the tyranny of their rulers. We are

introduced to the band of patriots who secured for us the rights which are

to-day the most precious heritage of every Englishman--the brave men who,

like Hampden and Pym, resisted the system of forced loans, and the

obnoxious tax called "ship-money." Strafford has been carrying fire and

sword through Ireland, and Charles is proposing to persecute the Scotch

with similar severity. Wentworth has answered the summons of the king, and

has yielded to his request to undertake the Scotch war. He now begins to

see how treacherous his sovereign is. Charles, by bribes and promises, has

detached him from the people's cause only to use him as a catspaw, to bear

the hatred and fury of the people in his stead. Pym tries to win back "the

apostate" to the cause of liberty. They loved each other as David and

Jonathan; and the efforts of Pym to touch the heart of his friend, and win

him from his chivalrous devotion to Charles to his duty to his country,

are finely described in the play. But neither duty, danger, nor the

imminent approach of death itself, can divert for a single moment the

nobleman who is devoted body and soul to the wretchedest semblance of a

"king by right divine" who ever secured such devoted service. Strafford,

deaf alike to the calls of friendship and patriotism, serves one man

only--Charles,--and leaves the patriots to fight for England as best they

may. Lady Carlisle interposes her influence, warns Strafford of his

danger, and begs him to secure his retreat while he may; but he is as

little moved by the appeals of a woman's love as by those more powerful

and legitimate motives which he has refused to entertain. Such blind

devotion to an ideal founded on so insecure a base could have only ruin

for its end. Strafford leads the army to the north, is ignominiously

defeated, finds that Charles has treacherously listened to proposals of

reconciliation with the Scotch, and that the patriots are in league with

them; returns to London, and determines to impeach the patriots, but finds

his move anticipated. He is himself impeached, a bill of attainder against

him is passed, and he is arrested and imprisoned in the Tower. Charles,

who had promised that Strafford should not suffer in life, liberty, or

estate for his devotion to his cause, makes no effort to save him, though

nothing could have been easier than to have done so; and actually, after a

little show of hesitation, signs his death warrant at the request of Pym.

Passionately and entirely devoted to Strafford, Lady Carlisle has

conceived a plan by which, with the King's connivance, he may escape from

the Tower. A boat has been brought to the river entrance of the fortress,

and arrangements made for his escape to France; but Strafford refuses to

run away from the country which demands his life, and will not let it be

said to his children in after years that their father broke prison to save

his head; and so, while he delays the acceptance of Lady Carlisle's

assistance, he is led to execution. He sees that not he alone, but the

master who has betrayed him, must incur the vengeance of the outraged

people of England; and his last words addressed to Pym are to implore him

(on his knees) to spare the King's life. He feels that nothing will move

the stern patriot from his sense of duty, and thanks God that it is

himself who dies first. He expresses no word of ill-feeling against Pym,

and goes bravely to death, the victim of a misplaced affection almost

without parallel in our history. _Strafford_ is a presentation of "naked

souls," as Dr. J. Todhunter called it. "They are almost like Hugo's

personages, monomaniacs of ideas--Strafford of loyalty to Charles; Lady

Carlisle of loyalty to Strafford's infatuation; Pym of loyalty to an ideal

England.... Browning has not left the King even a rag of conventional

royalty to cover his nakedness. He has stript him with a vengeance." How

far Browning's representation of the circumstances attendant on the

impeachment and condemnation of Strafford is true to the actual facts must

be left to the decision of the greatest authority on the history of the

period--Professor Gardiner. In his introduction to Miss E. H. Hickey's

_Strafford_, he says: "We may be sure that it was not by accident that Mr.

Browning, in writing this play, decisively abandoned all attempt to be

historically accurate. Only here and there does anything in the course of

the drama take place as it could have taken place at the actual court of

Charles I. Not merely are there frequent minor inaccuracies, but the very

roots of the situation are untrue to fact. The real Strafford was far from

opposing the war with the Scots at the time when the Short Parliament was

summoned. Pym never had such a friendship for Strafford as he is

represented as having; and, to any one who knows anything of the habits of

Charles, the idea of Pym or his friends entering into colloquies with

Strafford, and even bursting unannounced into Charles's presence, is, from

the historical point of view, simply ridiculous. So completely does the

drama proceed irrespectively of historical truth, that the critic may

dispense with the thankless task of pointing out discrepancies. He will be

better employed in asking what ends those discrepancies were intended to

serve, and whether the neglect of truth of fact has resulted in the

highest truth of character.--For myself I can only say that, every time I

read the play, I feel more certain that Mr. Browning has seized the real

Strafford, the man of critical brain, of rapid decision, and tender heart,

who strove for the good of his nation without sympathy for the generation

in which he lived. Charles I., too, with his faults perhaps exaggerated,

is the real Charles. Of Lady Carlisle we know too little to speak with

anything like certainty; but, in spite of Mr. Browning's statement that

his character of her is purely imaginary, there is a wonderful parallelism

between the Lady Carlisle which history conjectures rather than describes.

There is the same tendency to fix the heart upon the truly great man, and

to labour for him without the requital of human affection; though in the

play no part is played by that vanity which seems to have been the main

motive with the real personage." It has frequently been said that

Browning, in this play, has closely followed the story as given in the

_Life of Strafford_ by the late John Forster. The reason for this

undoubted fact has recently been given to the world. In the _Pall Mall

Gazette_, in the month of April 1890, Dr. F. J. Furnivall published the

following letter, which asserts the late poet's right to almost the whole

of the _Life of Strafford_ that has hitherto gone under the name of the

late John Forster, in the second volume of the _Lives of Eminent British

Statesmen_ in Lardner's "Cabinet Cyclopædia," pp. 178-411, with the

Strafford Appendix, pp. 412-21: "This volume was published in 1836. John

Forster wrote the life of Eliot, the first in the volume, and began that

of Strafford. He then fell ill; and as he was anxious to produce the book

in the time agreed on, Browning offered to finish _Strafford_ for him, on

his handing over all the material he had accumulated for it. Forster was

greatly relieved by Browning's kindness. The poet set to work, completed

Strafford's life on his own lines, in accordance with his own conception

of Strafford's character, but generously said nothing about it till after

Forster's death. Then he told a few of his friends--me among them--of how

he had helped Forster. On my telling Prof. Gardiner of this, I found that

he knew it; and had been long convinced that the conception of Strafford

in this Lardner _Life_ was not John Forster's, but was Robert Browning's.

The other day Prof. Gardiner urged me to make the fact of Browning's

authorship public; and I do so now, though I have frequently mentioned it

to friends in private; and at the Browning Society, when a member has

said, 'It is curious how closely Browning has followed his authority,

Forster's _Life of Strafford_,' I have answered, 'Yes, because he wrote it

himself.' We thus understand why, when Macready asked Browning, on May

26th, 1836, to write him a play, the poet suggested Strafford as its

subject; and why, the _Life_ being finished in 1836, the play was printed

and played in 1837. The internal evidence will satisfy any intelligent

reader that almost all the prose _Life_ is the poet's. It is not only

little touches like these on pp. 182-3, describing James I., which reveal

Browning,--'He was not an absolute fool, and little more can be said of

him ... whenever an obvious or judicious truth seemed likely to fall in

his way, _his pen infallibly waddled off from it_'; on p. 227, 'divers

ill-spelt and solemn sillinesses from the King,' the reference to the

'Sordello' Ezzelin[8] on p. 229, etc.,--but it is the conception and

working-out of the character of Strafford, '_that he was consistent to

himself throughout_,' p. 228, etc., and that his one object was to make

Charles 'the most absolute lord in Christendom,' and that this explains

all apparent inconsistencies and vanities in his conduct. Let any one read

the following last paragraph of the _Life_, and ask himself if it is not

the poet's hand. Page 411: 'A great lesson is written in the life of this

truly extraordinary person. In the career of Strafford is to be sought the

justification of the world's "appeal from tyranny to God." In him

Despotism had at length obtained an instrument with mind to comprehend,

and resolution to act upon, her principles in their length and breadth;

and enough of her purposes were effected by him to enable mankind to see

"as from a tower the end of all." I cannot discern one false step in

Strafford's public conduct, one glimpse of a recognition of an alien

principle, one instance of a dereliction of the law of his being, which

can come in to dispute the decisive result of the experiment, or explain

away its failure. _The least vivid fancy will have no difficulty in taking

up the interrupted design, and by wholly enfeebling, or materially

emboldening, the insignificant nature of Charles, and by according some

half-dozen years of immunity to the "fretted tenement" of Strafford's

"fiery soul,"--contemplate then, for itself, the perfect realisation of

the scheme of "making the prince the most absolute lord in Christendom."

That done,--let it pursue the same course with respect to Eliot's noble

imaginings, or to young Vane's dreamy aspirings, and apply in like manner

a fit machinery to the working out the project which made the dungeon of

the one a holy place, and sustained the other in his self-imposed exile._

The result is great and decisive! It establishes, in renewed force, those

principles of political conduct which have endured, and must continue to

endure, "like truth from age to age."' Take again a couple of passages of

two and a half lines each on Strafford's illnesses, on page 369, and

recollect that Browning owed much to Donne:--'The soul of the Earl of

Strafford was indeed lodged, to use the expression of his favourite Donne,

within a "low and fatal room" ... But even by the side of the body's

weakness we find a witness of the spirit's triumph,--a vindication of the

mightiness of will!' And on page 370--'Then, when every energy was to be

taxed to the uttermost, the question of his fiery spirit's supremacy was

indeed put to the issue, by a complication of ghastly diseases.' Are these

and like passages by John Forster? No! They are Robert Browning's Plenty

of others have his mark, especially those passages analysing and

philosophising on character. I have appealed to Messrs. Smith & Elder to

reprint this _Life of Strafford_, with an Introduction by Prof. Gardiner;

but I suppose that there is no copyright in it, as it has always gone

under John Forster's name. Assuredly all students of Browning should have

this _Life_ on their shelves. I should say that Forster did not write more

than the first four pages of it, and that Browning began with 'James I.

... came to this country in an ecstasy of infinite relief,' on page 182."

In this _Life of Strafford_ there is a striking passage on the question of

that statesman's "apostacy." "In one word, what it is desired to impress

upon the reader, before the delineation of Wentworth in his after years,

is this--_that he was consistent to himself throughout_. I have always

considered that much good wrath is thrown away upon what is usually called

'apostacy.' In the majority of cases, if the circumstances are thoroughly

examined, it will be found that there has been 'no such thing.' The

position on which the acute Roman thought fit to base his whole theory of

æsthetics--

"Humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam

Jungere si velit, et varias inducere plumas,

Undique collatis membris, ut turpiter atram

Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supernè,

Spectatum admissi risum teneatis, amici?" etc.

is of far wider application than to the exigencies of an art of poetry;

and those who carry their researches into the moral nature of mankind

cannot do better than impress upon their minds, at the outset, that in the

regions they explore they are to expect no monsters--no essentially

discordant termination to any 'Mulier formosa supernè.' Infinitely and

distinctly various as appear the shifting hues of our common nature when

subjected to the prism of CIRCUMSTANCE, each ray into which it is broken

is no less in itself a primitive colour, susceptible, indeed, of vast

modification, but incapable of further division.[9] Indolence, however, in

its delight for broad classifications, finds its account in overlooking

this; and among the results none is more conspicuous than the long list

of apostates with which history furnishes us. It is very true, it may be

admitted, that when we are informed by an old chronicler that 'at this

time Ezzelin changed totally his disposition,'--or by a modern biographer

that 'at such a period Tiberius first became a wicked prince,'--we examine

too curiously if we consider such information as in reality regarding

other than the act done and the popular inference recorded; beyond which

it was no part of the writer to inquire.--Against all such conclusions I

earnestly protest in the case of the remarkable personage whose ill-fated

career we are now retracing. Let him be judged sternly, but in no

unphilosophic spirit. In turning from the bright band of patriot brothers

to the solitary Strafford--'a star which dwelt apart'--we have to

contemplate no extinguished splendour, razed and blotted from the book of

life. Lustrous, indeed, as was the gathering of the lights in the

political heaven of this great time, even that radiant cluster might have

exulted in the accession of the 'comet beautiful and fierce,' which

tarried a while within its limits ere it 'darted athwart with train of

flame.' But it was governed by other laws than were owned by its golden

associates, and impelled by a contrary, yet no less irresistible force,

than that which restrained them within their eternal orbits,--it left

them, never to 'float into that azure heaven again.'"--John Forster's

_Life of Strafford_, in the "Cabinet Cyclopædia" (conducted by Dr.

Lardner), pp. 228-9.

NOTES.--Act I., Scene i. _Pym_, the great and learned champion of English

liberty, was an intimate friend of Wentworth, and deeply felt his

desertion of the popular cause. _Sir Benjamin Rudyard_ was a prominent

member of the Long Parliament. When the quarrel broke out between Charles

and the Parliament, Rudyard quitted his parliamentary pursuits and joined

Hampden and Pym's party. He opposed the attainder of Strafford. He

ultimately became anxious for a compromise between the King and the

Commons; he acted, however, to the last with the patriots. _Henry Vane_,

Sir, the younger, was a disciple of Pym, and was of considerable talents

and equal fanaticism. He purloined from his father's cabinet a very

important document, which was used against Strafford on his trial. After

the Restoration he was brought to trial and executed. _Hampden, John_, a

gentleman of Buckinghamshire, quiet, courteous, and submissive; but with a

correct judgment, an invincible spirit, and the most consummate address.

In 1626 he was imprisoned for refusing to contribute towards the forced

loan; he resisted the payment of ship-money. He threw himself heartily

into the work of the Long Parliament, and commanded a troop in the

parliamentary army. He was a great patriot and defender of the rights of

the people. _Denzil Hollis, Lord_: "In 1629, when the Speaker refused to

put to the vote Sir John Eliot's remonstrance against the illegal levying

of tonnage and poundage, and against Catholic and Arminian innovations,

Hollis read the resolutions, and was one of two members who forcibly held

the Speaker in the chair till they were passed. He was in consequence

committed to the Tower. He was one of the 'five members,' as they were

called, whom Charles accused of high treason in January 1642. He took no

part in the proceedings against Strafford, who was his brother-in-law"

(_Imp. Dict. Biog._). _The Bill of Rights_: the third great charter of

English liberties must not be confounded with "the Petition of Right."

"The Bill of Rights" was passed in the reign of William and Mary, in 1689.

"_much worn Cottington_": he was ambassador to Madrid. "_maniac Laud_":

Archbishop Laud was detested by the Puritans because he endeavoured to

assimilate the doctrines and ritual of the Church of England to those of

Rome. He was charged by Holles with high treason, and executed.

_Runnymead_: the place where Magna Charta was signed. _renegade_: one

faithless to principle or party; a deserter of a cause. _Haman_: see the

Book of Esther. Haman resolved to extirpate the Jews out of the Persian

empire, but Haman fell and Mordecai was advanced to his place. _Ahitophel_

was a conspirator with Absalom against David, who prayed the Lord to turn

the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness (2 Sam. xv. 31); whence the term

"Ahitophel's counsel." _League and Covenant_: the "Solemn League and

Covenant" was designed by the Scotch to carry out in their integrity the

principles of the Reformation and to establish the Presbyterian in lieu of

the Episcopal Church. _Eliot_: Sir John Eliot compared Buckingham to

Sejanus in lust, rapacity and ambition, in the House of Commons, and

seconded the motion for his impeachment. Eliot was sent to the Tower.

"_The Philistine_": the giant slain by David. "_Exalting Dagon where the

ark should be_" (1 Sam. v.). Dagon was an idol, half man and half fish. He

was worshipped by the Philistines. When they captured the "ark" from the

Jews, it was placed in his temple, the idol fell, and the palms of his

hands were broken off. _scourge and gag_: instruments of torture well

understood in those days. "_The Midianite drove Israel into dens_" (Judges

vi. 2): the Israelites for their sins were oppressed by Midian, and were

compelled to hide from them in dens and caves of the mountains. _Gideon_:

the Israelites prayed to God for deliverance from their enemies, and an

angel sent Gideon, who destroyed Baal's altar and delivered Israel (Judges

vi.). _Loudon_: Scottish lord and covenanter; committed to the Tower for

soliciting the aid of the king of France: he was sent to Scotland by

Charles. _Hamilton_, Marquess of: sent by Charles to Scotland as

commissioner to suppress the Covenant, he dared not land; was suspected of

treason, and fled; was restored to the King's favour, and became a leader

of the royalists; was defeated by the parliamentary troops; fined

£100,000, and executed. _Joab_: David, when dying, gave charge to Solomon

to put his enemy Joab to death, which was done (1 Kings ii. 28-34). "_No

Feltons_": J. Felton assassinated Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, and was

executed. _Gracchus_: Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, the celebrated Roman

tribunes, were after their death worshipped as gods, and their mother

esteemed herself the happiest of Roman matrons in having given birth to

such illustrious sons. _The Petition of Right_, the second great charter

of English liberties, was directed against those grievances which

Wentworth thus described in his speech in the third parliament: "the

raising of money by loans, strengthened by commission, with unheard-of

instruction; the billeting of soldiers by the lieutenants.... Our persons

have been injured both by imprisonment without law (the King exercised an

absolute right to imprison any one without legal proceedings), and by

being designed to some office, charge, and employment, foreign or

domestic, as a brand of infamy and mark of disgrace" (Prof. Gardiner).

_Aceldama_: "a field said to have lain south of Jerusalem, purchased with

the bribe which Judas took for betraying his Master, and therefore called

the _field of blood_;--sometimes used in figurative sense" (_Webster's

Dict._). _Nathaniel Fiennes_ was the second son of William Fiennes; he was

a lawyer, and in 1640 sat in the House of Commons for Banbury. He was a

rigid Presbyterian, and a member of nearly all Cromwell's parliaments.

_Ship money_: "An imposition formerly charged on the ports, towns, cities,

boroughs and counties of England, for providing and furnishing certain

ships for the king's service. The attempt made by Charles I. to revive and

enforce this imposition was resisted by John Hampden, and was one of the

causes which led to the death of Charles. It was finally abolished"

(_Webster's Dict._). "_Wentworth's influence in the North_": Wentworth

represented Yorkshire in parliament, and had great influence in the north

of England.--Scene ii. "_Old Vane_" was secretary of state and comptroller

of the household under Charles I. _Savill_: George Savill, Marquis of

Halifax (?). _Holland, Earl of_: raised forces against the parliament

after espousing its cause against Charles; he was tried after the King's

death and executed. "_Lady Carlisle_ was the daughter of the ninth Earl of

Northumberland. In 1639 she had been for three years a widow. Her husband

was James, Lord Hay, created successively Viscount Doncaster and Earl of

Carlisle" (from Miss Hickey's _Strafford_). _Weston, Sir Richard_,

Chancellor of the Exchequer, made Earl of Portland; denounced by Sir J.

Eliot as an enemy of the Commonwealth. "_This frightful Scots affair_":

Professor Gardiner shows that Strafford opposed peace with the Scots,

supported the harshest measures, and urged the King to invade Scotland

(_Encyc. Brit._, vol xxii., p. 586). "_In this Ezekiel chamber_": in the

eighth chapter of Ezekiel the prophet has a vision of the chambers of

imagery where he saw "wicked abominations." "_The Faction_," a party

acting in opposition to the constituted authority.--Act II., Scene i.

"_Subsidies_," says Blackstone, were taxes, not immediately on property,

but on persons in respect of their reputed estates, after the nominal rate

of 4_s._ in the pound for lands and 2_s._ 8_d._ for goods. _cockatrice_:

"The basilisk; a fabulous serpent, said to be produced from a cock's egg

brooded by a serpent. Its breath, and even its look, is fabled to be

fatal" (_Webster's Dict._). _Star Chamber_: "The origin of this court is

derived from the most remote antiquity. Its title was derived from the

_Camera Stellata_ or Star Chamber, an apartment in the king's palace at

Westminster, in which it held its sittings; it exercised an illegal

control over the ordinary courts of justice, and in the reign of Charles

I. became very tyrannical and offensive as a means of asserting the royal

prerogative. It was abolished by the Long Parliament" (_Student's Hume_,

p. 358).--Scene ii. _The George_: a figure of St. George on horseback,

worn by knights of the Garter. _A masque_, a species of dramatic

entertainment. Fletcher and Ben Jonson wrote many masques which were acted

at Court. The most beautiful work of this kind is the Comus of Milton. Act

III., Scene i.--_The new Parliament_: "The Long Parliament," which met

Nov. 3rd, 1640; it voted the House of Lords as useless. _The Great Duke_:

Buckingham.--Scene ii. _Windebank_, one of the secretaries of state, was

impeached by the Commons for treason, and escaped to France. "_sly,

pitiful intriguing with the Scots_": "Charles, in his eagerness to

conclude the negotiation, was induced to concede many points which he

would otherwise have refused" (Lingard, _Hist. Eng._, vol. vii., p. 232).

"_The Crew and the Cabal_": the "crew" was a number of people associated

together; the "cabal" a number of persons united to promote their private

views in church or state by intrigue. What is usually understood by the

"cabal" was a name given to a ministry under Charles II., the initial

letters of the names of its members forming the word cabal. _Mainwaring,

Dr._, a clergyman who preached in favour of the general loan. He was

impeached by the Commons. _Goring, Colonel_: he was Governor of

Portsmouth, was an officer of distinguished merit, and devoted to the

King.--Scene iii., _rufflers_, bullies, swaggerers. "_Are we in Geneva?_":

Calvin's city, where all sorts of puritanical restrictions were enforced

against harmless amusements as well as breaches of morality. _St. John,

Oliver_: St. John was Solicitor-General; he was one of the leaders of the

Independents. _stockishness_, hardness, stupidity, blockishness (rare).

_Maxwell, Usher of the Black Rod._ He received Strafford as his prisoner,

after his impeachment, and required him to deliver his sword.--Act IV.,

Scene i. _Hollis_: Strafford was his brother-in-law, and so he took no

part in the proceedings against him. "_A blind moth-eaten law_": Strafford

said on his trial that "it was two hundred and forty years since any man

was touched for this crime."--Scene ii. "_Prophet's rod_": "Moses took the

rod of God in his hand" (Exod. iv. 20). _Haselrig, Sir Arthur_: was one of

the five members of the House of Commons whom Charles tried to impeach.

_Laud, Archbishop_: had been impeached by Sir Harry Vane, and was a

prisoner in the Tower. _Bill of attainder_: _The Student's Hume_ says (p.

399): "The student should bear in mind the difference between an

_Impeachment_ and a _Bill of Attainder_. In an impeachment the Commons

are the accusers, and the Lords alone the judges. In a bill of attainder

the Commons are the judges as well as the Lords; it may be introduced in

either House; it passes through the same stages as any other bill; and

when agreed to by both Houses it receives the assent of the Crown."--Act

V., Scene ii. "_O bell' andare_": "The Italian boat-song is from Redi's

_Bacco_, long since naturalised in the joyous and delicate version of

Leigh Hunt" (R. B.) _Term_, or _Terminus_: the Roman god of bounds, under

whose protection were the stones which marked boundaries. _Genius_: the

Italian peoples regarded the Genius as a higher power which creates and

maintains life, assists at the begetting and birth of every individual

man, determines his character, tries to influence his destiny for good,

accompanies him through life as his tutelary spirit, and lives on in the

_Lares_ after his death. (Seyffert's _Dict. Class. Ant._) "_Garrard--my

newsman_": was a clergyman who, when Wentworth went to Ireland as Lord

Deputy, in 1633, was instructed to furnish him with news and gossip. (Miss

Hickey.) _Tribune_: in ancient Rome, a magistrate chosen by the people to

protect them from the oppression of the patricians or nobles. _Sejanus,

Ælius_: distinguished himself at the court of Tiberius, who made a

confidant of this fawning favourite, who made himself the darling of the

senate, and the army. He was commander of the prætorian guards, and used

every artifice to make himself important. He became practically head of

the empire. He ridiculed the Emperor by introducing him on the stage;

Tiberius then ordered him to be accused before the senate; he was

subsequently imprisoned and strangled, A.D. 31. _Richelieu, Cardinal_:

fomented the first commotions in Scotland, and secretly supplied the

Covenanters with money and arms. He was prime minister to Louis XIII. of

France. "_A mask at Theobald's_": Theobald's, in Hertfordshire, was a

beautiful house, inherited by Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, from his

father, William Cecil, Lord Burleigh. King James liked this house so much

that, in 1607, he offered Robert Cecil the Queen's dower-house at Hatfield

in exchange for it. Several of Ben Jonson's masques were written for

performance at Theobald's. (Prof. Morley.) _Prynne_: William Prynne was a

barrister of Lincoln's Inn, of a morose and gloomy disposition, and a

thorough-going Puritan; he particularly hated theatres, dancing, hunting,

card playing, and Christmas festivities. He wrote a great book against

all these things, which he called _Histrio-Mastix_. He was indicted as a

libeller of the Queen, condemned to stand in the pillory, to lose both his

ears, to pay £5000 fine to the King, and to be imprisoned for life.

"_Strafford shall take no hurt_": Charles had said to Strafford, "Upon the

word of a king you shall not suffer in life, honour, or fortune." "_Put

not your trust in princes_": Psalm cxlvi. 3. _Wandesford_: Sir Christopher

Wandesford was Master of the Rolls, and Privy Councillor in Ireland, and

had been deputy there during Strafford's absence. He was an intimate

friend of Strafford's, and is said to have died of grief at hearing of

Strafford's arrest. (Miss Hickey's _Strafford_.) _Radcliffe, Sir George_:

was appointed by Strafford guardian of his children; he was charged by Pym

with treason. _Balfour_: Lieutenant of the Tower. "_Too late for sermon at

St. Antholin's_": the Government had appropriated the Church of St.

Antholin to the use of the Scotch commission. (Miss Hickey.)

_Billingsley_: Balfour was desired by the King to admit Captain

Billingsley and one hundred men to the Tower to effect Strafford's escape.

(Miss Hickey's notes.) "_I fought her to the utterance_": the last or

utmost extremity--the same as Fr. _à outrance_. "_David not more

Jonathan_": were inseparable friends. The allusion is to David the

psalmist and Jonathan the son of Saul. David's lamentation at the death of

Jonathan was never surpassed in pathos and beauty. (2 Sam. i. 19-27.)

"_His dream--of a perfect church_." Laud wished to make the Church of

England "Catholic"; he endeavoured to assimilate its doctrines and

ceremonies to those of the Catholic Church, ignoring the fact that "the

Tudor settlement" was Protestant. Laud desired to appropriate all that to

him appeared valuable in the Roman Catholic system, and to reject all that

to him seemed objectionable. His "perfect church" was, as Browning puts

it, "a dream."