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brought to trial in Westminster Hall before English judges; and produced him there, crowned in mockery with a green garland, because they said he had been king of outlaws and robbers among the Scottish woods. Wallace was accused of having been a traitor to the English crown, to which he answered, "I could not be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject." He was then charged with1 having taken and burnt towns and castles, with having killed many men, and done much violence. He replied, with the same calm resolution, "That it was true he had killed very many Englishmen, but it was because they had come to subdue and oppress his native country of Scotland; and, far from repenting what he had done, he declared he was only sorry that he had not put to death many more of them."

Notwithstanding that Wallace's defence was a good one, both in law and in common sense (for surely every one has not only a right to fight in defence of his native country, but is bound in duty to do so,) the English judges condemned him to be executed. So this brave patriot was dragged upon a sledge to the place of execution, where his head was struck off and his body divided into four quarters, which, according to the cruel custom of the time, were exposed upon spikes of iron on London Bridge.

WALTER SCOTT.

1771-1832.

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

ON2 the 7th of October 1492, they had come seven hundred and fifty leagues, the distance at which Columbus had computed to find the island of Cipango. There were great flights of small birds to the south-west, which seemed to indicate some neighbouring land in that direction, where they were sure5 of food and a resting-place. Yielding to the solicitations of Martin Alonzo

1 See § 6-2 See § 36, 7.-3 They had come seven hundred and fifty leagues, Ils avaient fait sept cent cinquante lieues. Great flights of small birds to the southwest, De longues volées de petits oiseaux qui se dirigeaient vers le sud-ouest 5 Where they were sure, Où ils étaient certains de trouver.

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to die next morning. Mary heard them to the end without emotion, and crossing herself in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, “That soul," said she, is not worthy the joys of Heaven, which repines because the body must endure the stroke of the executioner; and, though I did not expect that the Queen of England would set the first example of violating the sacred person of a sovereign prince, I willingly submit to that which Providence has decreed to be my lot." And, laying her hand on a Bible, which happened to be near her, she solemnly protested that she was innocent of that conspiracy which Babington had carried on against Elizabeth's life. She then mentioned the request contained in her letter to Elizabeth, but obtained no satisfactory answer. She entreated, with particular earnestness,1 that now, in her last moments, her almoner might be suffered to attend her,2 and that she might enjoy the consolation of those pious institutions prescribed by her religion. Even this favour, which is usually granted to the vilest criminal, was absolutely denied.

Her attendants, during this conversation, were bathed in tears, and though overawed by the presence of the two earls, with difficulty suppressed their anguish; but no sooner did Kent and Shrewsbury withdraw, than they ran to their mistress, and burst out into the most passionate expressions3 of tenderness and sorrow. Mary, however, not only retained perfect composure of mind, but endeavoured to moderate their excessive grief; and falling on her knees, with all her domestics around her, she thanked Heaven that her sufferings were now so near an end, and prayed that she might be enabled to endure what still remained with decency and with fortitude. The greater part of the evening she employed in settling her worldly affairs. She wrote her testament with her own hand. Her money, her jewels, and her clothes, she distributed among her servants, according to their rank or merit. She wrote a short letter to the King of France, and another to the Duke of Guise, full of tender but magnanimous sentiments, and recom

1 She entreated, with particular earnestness, Elle demanda, avec des instances toutes particulières.-2 To attend her, De l'assister.-3 The most passionate expressions Les expressions les plus énergiques.

to whomsoever made the discovery, a doublet of velvet, in addition to the pension to be given by the sovereigns.

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The breeze had been fresh all day, with more sea than usual : at sunset, they stood again to the west, and were ploughing the waves at a rapid rate, the Pinta keeping the lead from her superior sailing. The greatest animation prevailed throughout the ships; not an eye was closed that night. As the evening darkened, Columbus took his station on the poop of his vessel. However he might carry a cheerful and confident countenance during the day, it was to him a time of the most painful anxiety; and now, when he was wrapped from observation by the shades of night, he maintained an intense and unremitting watch, ranging his eyes3 along the dusky horizon in search of the most vague indications of land. Suddenly, about ten o'clock, he thought he beheld a light glimmering at a distance. Fearing that his eager hopes might deceive him, he called to Pedro Gutierez, gentleman of the king's bedchamber, and demanded whether he saw a light in that direction; the latter replied in the affirmative. Columbus, yet doubtful whether it might not be some delusion of the fancy, called Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and made the same inquiry. By the time the latter had ascended the round-house, the light had disappeared. They saw it once or twice afterwards in sudden and passing gleams, as if it were a torch in the bark of a fisherman, rising and sinking with the waves; or in the hands of some person on shore, borne up and down as he walked from house to house. So transient and uncertain were these gleams, that few attached any importance to them; Columbus, however, considered them as certain signs of land, and, moreover, that the land was inhabited. 4

They continued their course until two in the morning, when a gun from the Pinta gave the joyful signal of land. It was first

1 From her superior sailing, À cause de la supériorité de sa voilure.-2 Wrapped from observation by the shades, Caché aux regards par les ombres.-3 He maintained an intense and unremitting watch, ranging his eyes, Il ne cessa de veiller avec la plus grande attention, promenant ses yeux.- As certain signs of land, and, moreover, that the land was inhabited, Comme des indices certains d'une terre, et même d'une terre habitée.

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discovered by a mariner named Rodriguez Bermejo, resident of Triana, a suburb of Seville, but native of Alcala de la Guadaira ; but the reward was afterwards adjudged to the admiral, for having previously perceived the light. The land was now clearly seen, about two leagues distant; whereupon they took in sail, and laid to,1 waiting impatiently for the dawn.

The thoughts and feelings of Columbus in this little space of time must have been tumultuous and intense. At length, in spite of every difficulty and danger, he had accomplished his object. The great mystery of the ocean was revealed; his theory, which had been the scoff of sages, was triumphantly established; he had secured to himself a glory which must be as durable as the world itself!? It is difficult even for the imagination to conceive the feelings of such a man at the moment of so sublime a discovery. What a bewildering crowd of conjectures must have thronged upon his mind as to the land which lay before him, covered with darkness! That it was fruitful was evident from the vegetables which floated from its shores. He thought too, that he perceived in the balmy air the fragrance of aromatic groves. The moving light which he had beheld proved that it was the residence of man. But what were its inhabitants? Were they like those of other parts of the globe, or were they some strange and monstrous race, such as the imagination in those times was prone to give to all remote and unknown regions? Had he come upon some wild island far in the Indian seas, or was this the famed Cipango itself, the object of his golden fancies? A thousand speculations of the kind must have swarmed upon him,3 as he watched for the night to pass away, wondering whether the morning light would reveal a savage wilderness, or dawn upon spicy groves, and glittering fanes, and gilded cities, and all the splendours of oriental civilisation.

W. IRVING. 1782-1859.

Whereupon they took in sail, and laid to, Alors on serra les voiles et l'on mit en panne. He had secured to himself a glory, which must be as durable as the world itself, Il s'était assuré une gloire, qui dure ait aussi longtemps que le monde. A thousand speculations of the kind must have swarmed upon him, Mille réflexions de cette nature, doivent s'être présentées en foule à son esprit.

still streaming with blood, and the Dean crying out, "So perish all Queen Elizabeth's enemies!" the Earl of Kent alone answered: "Amen!" The rest of the spectators continued silent and drowned in tears, being incapable at that moment of any other sentiments but those of pity or admiration. ROBERTSON.

1721-1793.

THE NORMANS.

THE Normans were then the foremost race of Christendom. Their valour and ferocity had made them conspicuous among the rovers whom Scandinavia had sent forth to ravage Western Europe. Their sails were long the terror of both coasts of the Channel. Their arms were repeatedly carried far into the heart of the Carlovingian empire, and were victorious under the walls of Maestricht and Paris. At length, one of the feeble heirs of Charlemagne ceded to the strangers a fertile province, watered by a noble river, and contiguous to the sea, which was their favourite element. In that province they founded a mighty State, which gradually extended its influence over the neighbouring principalities of Brittany and Maine. Without laying aside that dauntless valour which had been the terror of every land from the Elbe to the Pyrenees, the Normans rapidly acquired all, and more than all, the knowledge and refinement1 which they found in the country where they had settled. Their courage secured their territory against foreign invasion. They established internal order, such as had been long unknown in the Frank empire. They embraced Christianity, and with Christianity they learned a great part of what the clergy had to teach.2 They abandoned their native speech,3 and adopted the French tongue, in which Latin was the predominant element. They speedily raised their new language to a dignity and importance which it had never

1 The Normans rapidly acquired all, and more than all, the knowledge and refinement, Les Normands s'étaient promptement approprié et même avaient accru toutes les connaissances et tous les raffinements.-2 Had to teach, Pouvait enseigner.3 Native speech, Idiome national.

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