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THE LOVE OF UTHER

OR, LEAVES FROM ANCIENT ANNALS

PART I

DEATH OF AURELIUS

UPON his royal couch Aurelius1 lay

All sick, and they who loved him, day by day
Soft whispered to each other-Would that some
Deep learned man of healing art could come
And ease our king; for sorely straitened we
To see him peak and pine all helplessly
At such a troublous time. Those Saxons vile,
Led by Pascentius, invade our land, defile
The peaceful homes of Britain. Yet the bold,
Strong Uther, brother to the king, doth hold
The conduct of the war, and all valiantly
Will lead the army on to victory.'

1 Aurelius Ambrosius, King of Britain, A.D. 484.

So hoped the Britons; but the Saxons grew
More bold, and flattered they themselves anew;
That Fate had favoured them with fortune fair

To lay Aurelius low in time of war.

Then Eopa to the invaders came,

And spake, 'What the reward, and what the

name;

What will ye give if there be one who'll slay
The smitten king, and thus no more delay
The laurels that be yours?' Pascentius said-
'Oh, that I could find a man inbred.

With such brave resolution! I would give

A thousand pounds of silver; and while I live
Make him my friend; and if the crown I gain,
He shall centurion be, while I the king shall reign.'

To this the Saxon Eopa replied,—

'I am well skilled in Physic; but beside All this I know the manners-speech

Of Britons, and in their own tongue can reach

The court and king. If thou wilt swear an oath

To well perform thy word, I give my troth

That I this part all faithful undertake.'

Pascentius readily complied-' I make

This covenant most solemnly with thee.'

He swore the oath; 'twas sealed; and silently
The Saxon left the presence of the son
Of Vortigern. Before the day was done
The wily Eopa had shaved his head,
And in the habit of a monk had sped
To Winchester, armed with a mighty load
Of drugs, he hied him to the king's abode.

Then, with an air of holy sanctity,
And look of wisdom suiting his degree,
He simulated sorrow; great access
Of sympathy for King Aurelius :

And offering his services to heal

The stricken monarch, promised with great zeal

To quickly bring him into health, and make

The fount of life with vigour to awake.

All willingly they listened him, and gave
Unhesitating the liberty he crave.

Then led him to the king: with anxious air
He soft approached the couch; with tender care
The baleful draught he bade the monarch drink.

'Drink!' said he, 'and sleep; to-morrow thou wilt

think

Thou never hadst a pain; thy sickness seem
To be some vague, and half-forgotten dream :
Now lie thee still, and fear not; court sweet sleep,
Let silent slumber soon thine eyelids steep.'

The poor drugged king now slept, and ever slept,
Until the life-stream in its courses kept

No action then, they knew the king was dead,
And Eopa, the false physician, fled.

Then in the heavens a mighty star appeared,
Most brilliant its light, and strangely weird
In shape for, darting forth a fiery ray
This ended in a dragon, whose jaws lay

Gaping; sending forth two other rays of light,

Of which one reached to Gaul; one beaming bright

Upon the Irish Sea, was finished by

Seven other rays of less intensity.

And all the people wondered; and great fear
At sight of this strange star spread everywhere.

Even the gallant Uther now betrayed

Disturbance of his mind, as all dismayed
He gazed upon the fiery orb while on
His march to Cambria. No comparison

Bears this to aught I've seen; now quickly go,
Bring Merlin, the magician, for I would know
The full interpretation of these signs,

If evil doth portend our harassed lines.'

Thus Uther spake, and Merlin,-who following
The fortunes of the war that he might bring

Good counsel unto Uther, then lifted high

His voice, and with a wail, and woeful cry,

While tears adown his cheeks their channels made,

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Uttered the words of prophecy, and said

Alas, alas, the king is dead! Now woe,

Now death, now doom is on us all, for lo,

The king is dead! Yet, Uther, that bright star
Doth signify thyself: take heart; this war
Shall end in thy renown, and thou shalt reign
All over Britain, and the crown remain

Most steadfast on thine head; for, from thee
Shall spring a son most potent, that shall be
A monarch great, whose rule shall reach as far,

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