CORNELIUS AGRIPPA went out one day; As I past the Church door, I thought how I swore And charged her to keep it lock'd on her life. Upon St. Isidro's day; That the Saint was so near increased my fear, And faster I hasten'd away. So all night long I hurried on, And knew not his avenging hand "And if any one ask my Study to see, I charge you to trust them not with the key; Whoever may beg, and entreat, and implore, On your life let nobody enter that door." There lived a young man in the house, who in vain Access to that Study had sought to obtain; And he begg'd and pray'd the books to see, Till the foolish woman gave him the key. On the Study-table a book there lay, And these horrible leaves of magic between The young man he began to read He knew not what; but he would proceed, When there was heard a sound at the door Which, as he read on, grew more and more. And more and more the knocking grew; Till the door was broke, and the Devil came in. Two hideous horns on his head he had got, The breath of his nostrils was brimstone blue, "What wouldst thou with me?" the Wicked One cried, But not a word the young man replied; "What wouldst thou with me?" cried the Author of ill; But the wretched young man was silent still; Prestres une histoire prodigeuse qu'ils tenoient de main en main pour tres veritable. Qui estoit que Charles le Grand, apres avoir conquesté plusieurs pays, s'esperdit de telle façon en l'amour d'une simple femme, que mettant tout honneur et reputation en arriere, il oublia non seulement les affaires de son royaume, mais aussi le soing de sa propre personne, au grand desplaisir de chacun; estant seulement ententif à courtiser ceste dame: laquelle par bonheur commenca à s'aliter d'une grosse maladie, qui lui apporta la mort. Dont les Princes et grands Seigneurs furent fort rejouis, esperans que par ceste mort, Charles reprendroit comme devant et ses esprits et les affaires du royaume en main: toutesfois il se trouva tellement infatué de ceste amour, qu' encores cherissoit-il ce cadaver, l'embrassant, baisant, accolant de la meme façon que devant, et au lieu de prester l'oreille aux legations qui luy survenoient, il l'entretenoit de mille bayes, comme s'elle eust esté pleine de vie. Ce corps commençoit deja non seulement à mal sentir, mais aussi se tournoit en putrefaction, et neantmoins n'y avoit aucun de ses favoris qui luy en osast parler; dont advint que l'Archevesque Turpin mieux advisé que les autres, pourpensa que telle chose ne pouvoit estre advenue sans quelque sorcellerie. Au moyen dequoy espiant un jour l'heure que le Roy s'estoit absenté de la chambre, commença de fouiller le corps de toutes parts, finalement trouva dans sa bouche au dessous de sa langue un anneau qu'il luy osta. Le jour mesme Charlemaigne retournant sur ses premieres brisees, se trouva fort estonne de voir une carcasse ainsi puante. Parquoy, comme s'il se fust resveillé d'un profond sommeil, commanda que l'on l'ensevelist promptement. Ce qui fut fait; mais en contr' eschange de ceste folie, il tourna tous ses pensemens vers l'Archevesque porteur de cest anneau, ne pouvant estre de là en avant sans luy, et le suivant en tous les endroits. Quoy voyant ce sage Prelat, et craignant que cest anneau ne tombast en mains de quelque autre, le jetta dans un lac prochain de la ville. Depuis lequel temps on dit que ce Roy se trouve si espris de l'amour du licu, qu'il ne se desempara de la ville d'Air, où il bastit un Pulais, et un Monastere, en l'un desquels il parfit le reste de ses jours, et en l'autre voulut estre ensevely, ordonnant par son testament que tous les Empereurs de Rome cussent à se faire sacrer premierement en ce lieu. PASQUIER. Recherches de la France. L. 6, C. 33. This very learned author has strangely mistaken Aix in Savoy, the real scene of the legend, for Aix-la-Chapelle. The ruins of a building said to have been Charlemain's palace are still to be seen on the Lake of Bourget. 1. "What wouldst thou with me?" the third time he IT was strange that he loved her, for youth was gone cries, And a flash of lightning came from his eyes, And the young man had not strength for a prayer. His eyes red fire and fury dart As out he tore the young man's heart; He grinn'd a horrible grin at his prey; And in a clap of thunder vanish'd away. THE MORAL. Henceforth let all young men take heed How in a Conjurer's books they read. Westbury, 1798. KING CHARLEMAIN. François Petrarque, fort renomme entre les Poëtes Italiens, discourant en un epistre son voyage de France et de l'Allemagne, nous raconte que passant par la ville d'Aix, il apprit de quelques And the bloom of her beauty was fled: [by, 'Twas the glance of the harlot that gleam'd in her "There has been perilous work With him and the Devil there in yonder cell; He with a cross, the Devil with his horn; And the hot vapor fill'd the smoking cell. Les Catalans ayant appris que S. Romuald vouloit quitter leurs Coronica General de la Orden de San ONE day, it matters not to know For he had seen the Traveller there before. Home to your bread and water - home, I tell ye!'" “What might this honor be?" the Traveller cried. And then should strangers have A loss like that would naturally grieve us; Westbury, 1798. THE KING OF THE CROCODILES. The people at Isna, in Upper Egypt, have a superstition concerning Crocodiles similar to that entertained in the West Indies; they say there is a King of them who resides near Isna, and who has ears, but no tail; and he possesses an uncommon regal quality, that of doing no harm. Some are bold enough to assert that they have seen him.BROWN'S Travels. If the Crocodile Dynasty in Egypt had been described as distinguished by a long neck, as well as the want of a tail, it might be supposed that some tradition of the Ichthyosaurus, or other variety of the Præadamite Crocodile, was preserved in those countries. No one who has perused Mr. Waterton's Wanderings will think there is any thing more extraordinary in the woman's attack upon her intended devourer, than in what that enterprising and most observant naturalist has himself performed. He has ridden a Crocodile, twisting the huge reptile's fore legs on his back by main force, and using them as a bridle. "Should it be asked," he says, "how I managed to keep my seat, I would answer, I hunted some years with Lord Darlington's fox-hounds." There is a translation of this ballad by Bilderdijk, published in his Krekelzangen, 1822, vol. ii. p. 109, before the second part was written. PART I. "Now, Woman, why without your veil? "Oh! I have lost my darling boy, "Oh, I have lost my darling child, "He did not venture in to swim; And struck with his tail, and swept him away. "Now take me in your boat, I pray, For down the river lies my way, And me to the Reed Island bring, For I will go to the Crocodile King. "He reigns not now in Crocodilople, "Like a Dervise there he passes his days,. "The King of the Crocodiles never does wrong; "And to the King I will complain The man replied, "No, Woman, no, To the Island of Reeds I will not go; I would not for any worldly thing See the face of the Crocodile King." "Then lend me now your little boat, "The King of the Crocodiles he is good, And therefore will give me blood for blood; Being so mighty and so just, He can revenge me; he will, and he must." The Woman she leap'd into the boat, The King of the Crocodiles there was seen; The Woman shook every limb with fear, She fell upon her bended knee, "A Crocodile ate him for his food; "I know that you, Sire! never do wrong; "You have done well," the King replies, "I have no tail to strike and slay, I have teeth, moreover, as you may see, Bristol, 1799. |