The historical portion of this tale has been partially narrated in one
of my previous volumes, "In All Time of our Tribulation," in which the
Despenser story is begun, and its end told from another point of view.
That volume left Isabelle of France at the height of her ambition, in
the place to reach which she had been plotting so long and so
unscrupulously. Here we see the Nemesis come upon her and the chief
partner of her guilt; the proof that there is a God that judgeth in the
earth. It is surely one of the saddest stories of history--sad as all
stories are which tell of men and women whom God has endowed richly with
gifts, and who, casting from them the Divine hand which would fain lift
them up into the light of the Golden City, deliberately choose the
pathway of death, and the blackness of darkness for ever. Few women
have had grander opportunities given them than Isabelle for serving God
and making their names blessed and immortal. She chose rather to serve
self: and thereby inscribed her name on one of the blackest pages of
England's history, and handed down her memory to eternal execration.
For "life is to do the will of God"--the true blessedness and glory of
life here, no less than the life hereafter.
"Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time should ever be
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered--
`All of self, and none of Thee!'
"Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the accursed tree,--
Heard Him pray, `Forgive them, Father!'
And my wistful heart said faintly,
`Some of self, and some of Thee!'
"Day by day, His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and, ah! so patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered,
`Less of self, and more of Thee!'
"Higher than the highest heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hast conquered:
Grant me now my heart's desire--
`None of self, and all of Thee!'"