Forfeited be to the crown; and that you yourselves

Prisoners now I declare you; for such is his Majesty's pleasure!"

As, when the air is serene in the sultry solstice

of summer,

Suddenly gathers a storm, and the deadly sling

of the hailstones

Beats down the farmer's corn in the field and

shatters his windows,

Hiding the sun, and strewing the ground with thatch from the house-roofs,

Bellowing fly the herds, and seek to break their

inclosures;

So on the hearts of the people descended the

words of the speaker.

Silent a moment they stood in speechless won

der, and then rose

Louder and ever louder a wail of sorrow and

anger,

And, by one impulse moved, they madly rushed to the doorway.

Vain was the hope of escape; and cries and fierce imprecations

Rang through the house of prayer; and high o'er the heads of the others

Rose, with his arms uplifted, the figure of Basil the blacksmith,

As, on a stormy sea, a spar is tossed by the billows.

Flushed was his face and distorted with passion;

and wildly he shouted, -

--

"Down with the tyrants of England! we never

have sworn them allegiance!

Death to these foreign soldiers, who seize on our

homes and our harvests!"

More he fain would have said, but the merciless

hand of a soldier

Smote him upon the mouth, and dragged him down

to the pavement.

In the midst of the strife and tumult of angry

contention,

Lo the door of the chancel opened, and Father

All that clamorous throng; and thus he spake to

his people;

Deep were his tones and solemn; in accents

measured and mournful

Spake he, as, after the tocsin's alarum, distinctly

the clock strikes :

"What is this that ye do, my children? what

madness has seized you?

Forty years of my life have I labored among you,

and taught you,

Not in word alone, but in deed, to love one

another!

Is this the fruit of my toils, of my vigils and

prayers and privations?

Have you so soon forgotten all lessons of love and forgiveness?

This is the house of the Prince of Peace, and

would you profane it

Thus with violent deeds and hearts overflowing

with hatred?

Lo! where the crucified Christ from his cross 1S

gazing upon you!

See! in those sorrowful eyes what meekness and

holy compassion!

Hark! how those lips still repeat the prayer, 'O

Father, forgive them!'

Let us repeat that prayer in the hour when the

wicked assail us,

Let us repeat it now, and say, ‘O Father, forgive

them!'"

Few were his words of rebuke, but deep in the

hearts of his people

Sank they, and sobs of contrition succeeded

that passionate outbreak;

And they repeated his prayer, and said,

Father, forgive them!"

Then came the evening service. The tapers

gleamed from the altar.

Fervent and deep was the voice of the priest, and

the people responded,

Not with their lips alone, but their hearts; and

the Ave Maria

Sang they, and fell on their knees, and their

souls, with devotion translated,