"Wilt thou then die, die in the cause of cursed heresy-thy blood be on thy head!!"

My blood be where it falls; let the earth hide it;
And may it never rise or call for vengeance.
Oh! that I were the last shall fall a victim

To zeal's inhuman wrath! thou gracious Heaven!
Hear and defend at length thy suffering people;
Raise up a monarch of the Royal Blood,
Brave, pious, equitable, wise, and good;
And deal out justice with a righteous hand:
And when he falls, oh may he leave a son
With equal virtues to adorn his throne,
To latest times the blessing to convey,

And guard that faith for which I die to-day.****

Notwithstanding her calmness and resignation, Jane's fortitude was again put to a severe test, in parting from her weeping attendants; but she exhorted them to patience, and distributing some trifling gifts among them, embraced, and bade them an eternal farewell! As she passed along to the place of execution, she met the headless body of her husband streaming with blood. She motioned with her hand, that the bearers should stop awhile, and in silence they obeyed. She gazed on the lifeless form for a few moments-then breathing a sigh, desired them to proceed; and calmly approached the scaffold. An awful stillness now prevailed ;-no sound disturbed the deathlike silence, save the bell tolling, at intervals, its solemn knell. When on the scaffold, she addressed the by-standers, saying-" that her offence was not that she had laid her hand upon the crown; her crime was that she had not rejected it with sufficient constancy. She had erred in filial obedience rather than from ambition; and willingly resigned herself to death, as the only atonement she had it in her power to make to the injured state ! and she trusted her sentence would be as a warning to those who might hereafter tread in her steps; and prove that innocence is no just plea in extenuation of deeds which tend to injure the community."

She then ordered herself to be disrobed, and clasping her hands, she raised her eyes to heaven, ejaculated a short but fervent prayer, and bowed her devoted head to the murderous axe.

So fare thee well, thou beauteous excellence;
While history's golden page of sacred truth,
Records the tablets of thy spotless life:
The matchless power of thy extensive mind:
The peerless beauty of thy blooming youth,
Bending beneath the rod of tyranny!
Humanity! shall on thy grave let fall

The tear, whilst pity heaves the tender sigh,
Ana consecrates thy hapless name for ever!!

The first, of gold, which this inscription bears;
Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire
The second, silver, which this promise carries;

Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserves.
The third, dull lead, warning all as blunt;

Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath.
How shall I know if I do choose the right ?***

Ir was the singular whim of an Italian nobleman, residing in his castle of Belmont, to devise a new mode of wooing. He was wealthy, and had one daughter, a lady of exquisite beauty, an only child, who was heiress to all his riches. Being well aware that her fortune would expose her to a variety of suitors, and that she would probably be deceived, and imposed upon-he resolved to guard her if possible from that danger, though he left her liable to a much greater; as, according to his mode, she might be chosen by one she did not love, and her future

life thus be rendered wretched, by an ill sorted union. It was, when on his death bed, the idea struck him that he would at least make an effort to save his beloved child from becoming the prey of avarice: he therefore drew up a testament, the purport of which was, that his daughter must never marry unless she consented to be won after the manner of his will; wherein he ordered three caskets, one of gold, one of silver, and one of lead, to be secretly prepared; and upon the choice of these, she was to be either won or lost. But in order to prevent too many bold adventurers from intruding, each suitor was to be enjoined by oath to the observance of three things: first, never to unfold to any one which casket he chose, next if he chose wrong, never to marry, and lastly to depart immediately on the failure of his venture.

The lady Portia's beauty and attractions, and her excessive wealth, rendered her an object of great notoriety. Her fame spread abroad, and the fair heiress of Belmont was the theme of numerous tongues. Notwithstanding the penalty of eternal celibacy-she was assailed by suitors in abundance, who ventured the hazard. The first was the Prince of Morocco; he deliberated over and over again, read, and re-read the inscriptions; the superb gold casket, inlaid with gems-attracted his attention, and he translated the motto to his own fancy.

Who chooseth me, shall gain what many men desire.
Why that's the lady: all the world desires her;

From the four corners of the earth they come

To kiss this shrine, this mortal breathing saint.

One of these three contains her heavenly picture
Is't like, that lead contains her-

Or shall I think in silver she's immersed,
Being ten times undervalued to try'd gold?
O sinful thought! never so rich a gem
Was set in worse than gold-