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1. Who was Boadicea and when did she flourish?

2. What kind of man was the Emperor Nero ?

3. Who commanded the Roman forces in Britain?

4. By whom were Boadicea and her daughters cruelly used?

5. Where dwelt the British tribes called Iceni, and where the Trinobantes ?

6. How did these people act on learning the usage of Boadicea and her daugh

ters?

7. How many of the Romans are they said to have killed?

8. With what success did Suetonius attack them?

9. What was the melancholy end of the noble Boadicea?

10. What was the religion of these ancient Britons ?

11. Where did they perform their sacred rites?

12. Where was the priest found to whom Boadicea applied for advice?

13. What was to befall Rome?
14. Why MUST she perish?

15. Will not God punish nations as well as individuals for shedding innocent blood?

16. Who are the "other Romans"? more extensive than ever the ancient 17. Is the British empire now, much Roman empire was?

18. Explain to me the seventh verse. 19. Who first led the Romans into Britain ?

20. What effect had the sage's words on the Queen?

21. On whom is the empire now be stowed?

22. Does the ancient Roman empire now exist?

XXXV.-ALFRED THE FUGITIVE.

ATHELNEY, a small tract of about 100 acres in County Somerset, formerly an isle at the junction of the Tone and Parrot rivers. Here Alfred the Great found a refuge during a Danish invasion, and founded an Abbey in 888. He was so reduced that he was obliged to conceal himself in woods and mountain fastnesses, with only a very small troop. Ancient history tells us that he for a time sought refuge with one of his cowherds; who it seems so faithfully kept his master's secret, that he did not even tell his wife that the king was their guest. One day, while sitting near the fire pointing some arrows and making a bow, she had set him to turn some cakes which she had left upon the fire; owing to Alfred's neglect the cakes were burnt, for which she chid him, saying, that he was "good at eating cakes, but bad at turning them"" For some account of King Alfred you may consult page 116 of this Collection.

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Alfred discovered trimming some arrows, with an unfinished bow beside him-Maude kneading flour for cakes.

Maude [aside.] Ay, there he's at his work! if work that be Which spareth toil. He'll trim a shaft, or shape

A bow with any archer in the land,

But neither can he plough, nor sow!—I doubt
If he can dig-I am sure he cannot reap-

He has hands and arms, but not the use of them!

Corin!

Alf. Your will?

Maude. Would thou could'st do my will As readily as ask it! Go to the door;

And look if Edwin comes.

Alf. No.

Dost see him?

Maude. Bad omen that!
Else were he home ere now.
And lay the logs on end; you'll learn in time
To make a fire. Why, what a litter's there,
With trimming of your shafts that never hit!
Ten days ago you killed a sorry buck;
Since when your quiver have you emptied thrice,
Nor ruffled hair nor feather.

He'll bring an empty creel;
Put on more wood;

Alf. If the game

Are scarce and shy, I cannot help it.

Maude. Out!

Your aim I wot is shy, your labour scarce;

There's game enow, would'st thou but hunt for them;
And when you find them, hit them. What expect'st
To-day for dinner?

Alf. What Heaven sends!
Maude. Suppose

It sends us nought?

Alf. Its will be done!

Maude. You'd starve;

So would not I, knew I to bend a bow
Or cast a line. See if thou hast the skill
To watch these cakes, the while they toast.
Alf. I'll do

My best.

Maude. Nor much to brag of, when all's done! [Goes out. Alf. [alone] This is the lesson of dependence. Will Thankless, that brings not profit ;-labour spurned That sweats in vain; and patience taxed the more, The more it bears. And taught unto a kingTaught by a peasant's wife, whom fate hath made Her sovereign's monitress. She little knows At whom she rails; yet is the roof her own: Nor does she play the housewife grudgingly.

Give her her humour! So! How stands the account

'Twixt me and fortune? We are wholly quits!
She dress'd me-she has stripp'd me!-on a throne
She plac'd me-she has struck me from my seat!
Nor in the respect where sovereigns share alike
With those they rule, was she less kind to me—
Less cruel! High she fill'd for me the cup
Of bliss connubial-she has emptied it!
Parental love she set before me too,

And bade me banquet; scarce I tasted, ere
She snatch'd the feast away! My queen-my child!
Where are they! 'neath the ashes of my castle!
I sat upon their tomb one day-one night!
Then first I felt the thraldom of despair.
The despot he! He would not let me weep.
There were the fountains of my tears as dry
As they had never flow'd! My heart did swell
To bursting; yet no sigh would he let forth
With vent to give it ease. There had I sat
And died-but Heaven a stronger tyrant sent-
Hunger-that wrench'd me from the other's grasp,
And dragg'd me hither!-This is not the lesson
I set myself to con!

Re-enter Maude.

Maude. 'Tis noon and yet

No sign of Edwin! Dost thou mind thy task?
Look to't! and when the cakes are fit to turn,
Call, and I'll come!

Alf. I'll turn them, dame.

Maude. You will?

You'll break them!-Know I not your handy ways?
I would not suffer thee put finger to them!

Call, when 'tis time! You'll turn the cakes forsooth!
As likely thou could'st make the cakes as turn them!

[Goes out.

Alf. So much for poverty! Adversity's
The nurse for kings ;-but then the palace gates
Are shut against her! They would else have hearts
Of mercy oft'ner-gems not always dropp'd
In fortune's golden cup. What thought hath he
How hunger warpeth honesty, whose meal
Still waited on the hour? Can he perceive
How nakedness converts the kindly milk

Y

Of nature into ice, to whom each change
Of season-yea, each shifting of the wind,
Presents his fitting suit? Knows he the storm
That makes the valiant quail, who hears it only
Through the safe wall-its voice alone can pierce;
And there talks comfort to him with the tongue,
That bids, without, the shelterless despair!
Perhaps he marks the mountain wave, and smiles
So high it rolls!-while on its fellow hangs
The fainting seaman glaring down at death
In the deep trough below! I will extract

Riches from penury; from sufferings
Coin blessings; that if I assume again
The sceptre, I may be the more a king
By being more a man!

Maude re-enters, goes towards the fire, lifts the cakes, goes to
Alfred, and holds them to him.

Maude. Is this your care?

Ne'er did you dream that meal was made of corn,
Which is not garner'd up until 'tis cut;

Which is not fit for use until 'tis ground;

Nor used then till kneaded into bread?

Ne'er knew you this? It seems you never did.

Else had you known the value of the bread;

Thought of the ploughman's toil: the reaper's sweat;
The miller's labour; and the housewife's thrift;

And not have left my barley cakes to burn

To very cinders!

Alf. I forgot, good dame.

Maude. Forgot, good dame, forsooth! You ne'er forgot To eat my barley cakes!!

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Sheridan Knowles.

11. What lessons did Alfred learn from adversity?

12. What about hunger may the King in the palace never learn?

13. What about nakedness?

14. What about the dangers of the deep? 15. Explain the words "more a King, by being more a man."

16. When Maude finds the cakes burnt what does she do?

17. Through what processes must corn pass before it becomes bread?

18. What excuse does the king make for his neglect?

19. What says mother Maude to this?

XXXVI.-GRIFFITH'S CHARACTER OF CARDINAL

WOLSEY.

THOMAS WOLSEY, a celebrated English Statesman, born at Ipswich, in Suffolk, in 1471, was the son of a butcher. He entered the church, and rose to be a Royal Chaplain and Dean of Lincoln, under Henry VII. Henry VIII., with whom he became a favourite, called him to the Privy Council, gave him several high preferments, and at last made him Archbishop of York, Chancellor of the Kingdom, and was governed by him in all things. He made a great number of enemies by his rapacity; his revenues were almost equal to those of the crown; he was, moreover, unjust and cruel in the exercise of his functions as legate, and created an ecclesiastical court, which was a second Inquisition. Wolsey attained to the height of power, and fell into the depths of disgrace. He was appointed Commissioner for the divorce of Henry VIII., and did not hasten the affair in accordance with the wishes of the monarch. He was accused before the Court of King's Bench of having exceeded his authority, was deprived of the seals and nearly all his revenues, and dismissed from the court. Being sent for to London again to answer new charges, he died on his road, at Leicester in 1530. Wolsey founded Christ Church College, Oxford.

LATIN.

Con'vent, n...............venire.
Sug-gestion, n..........gerere.

Ma-licious, adj..........malus.

GREEK.
Chron'i-cler,............chronos.

Abbey, n.

Sim'o-ny, n.

Herald, n.

Enter Katherine, Dowager, sick; led between Griffith and

Patience.

How does your grace?

Grif.
Kath.
O, Griffith, sick to death:
My legs like loaden branches, bow to the earth,
Willing to leave their burthen reach a chair :-
So, now, methinks, I feel a little ease.

Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou ledd'st me,
That the great child of honour, cardinal Wolsey,
Was dead?

Grif. Yes, madam: but I think your grace,
Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to 't.
Kath. Prithee, good Griffith, tell me how he died:
If well, he stepp'd before me, happily,

For my example.

Grif.

Well, the voice goes, madam:

For after the stout earl Northumberland

Arrested him at York, and brought him forward (As a man sorely tainted) to his answer,

He fell sick suddenly, and grew so ill,

He could not sit his mule.

Kath.

Alas, poor man!

Grif. At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester, Lodg'd in the abbey; where the reverend abbot,

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