why he had not accompanied her. The reason was soon told; the reverse which had taken place in his circumstances, and their apprehensions lest his appearance at court might be construed into a hostile protection of the enemies of Rome.

The King looked thoughtful for a moment, and then, addressing his daughter, said, "And dost thou love that youth still, my Rosy?"

Claudia replied, that she thought that she ought to love him; for that he had preserved her life and honour, at the risk of his own.

Arviragus replied, "And canst thou think, my daughter, that I can hear of these things,nay, dost thou think that I can look at thee, and see in thee all that can gladden a father's heart, or that can console him for all his troubles; and be indifferent about him who hath half made thee what thou art? Dost thou think that I can sit down, and coolly calculate whether the Romans will be pleased or displeased at my receiving a son;-ay, and more than a son, under my roof? Nay, thou wrongest me;-perish the Romans, and perish myself too; but I will provide a home for

that noble youth. Let the proud robbers filch from me my kingdom; but while I have a roof to shelter me, I will share it with Pudens !"

A messenger was accordingly dispatched to the Isle of Avalon; the King generously resolving to risk his kingdom, rather than forsake his friend.

Pudens, as may be imagined, was not unwilling to obey the summons to court; but he was not so much intoxicated with his own good fortune, as to be unmindful of his venerable friend, or indifferent to the welfare of the sacred cause with which he was connected. So far from it, he conducted the aged pilgrim to the palace, and introduced him to Claudia and her father; although it was not deemed advisable to bring forward the object of his mission in the present excited state of the family.

Arviragus, as might have been anticipated, received Pudens with the affection of a father; and within a week his friendship was matured into that degree of relationship.

And here, did not more important matters press, we might consider ourselves called upon

to give some account of the ceremony, and particularly of old Ana's conduct on the occasion; but we must content ourselves with observing, that she became so reconciled to the disuse of the braccæ, as not only to be remarkably civil to Pudens, but even to give her daughter in marriage to Ryno, who had adopted the Roman costume in this respect, and whose faithful services, we have the pleasure to record, were, not long subsequently, rewarded by Pudens with a Centurionship!

CHAPTER XXII.

He took the Sangreal's* holy quest,
And, slumbering, saw the vision high,
He might not view with wakening eye.

The mightiest chiefs of British song,
Scorned not such legends to prolong;
They gleam through Spenser's elfin dream,
And mix in Milton's heavenly theme.

MARMION.

PUDENS and Claudia, having thus surmounted the many and painful trials which encountered them in their entrance upon life, began, like David of old, to look out for a

*The Sangreal is the real blood of Christ, which is supposed to have been brought over by Joseph of Arimathea :

Hither came Joseph of Arimathy.

And brought with him the holy grayle, they say.

Spenser.

Another version is, that the Grayle is a plate or vase

resting-place for the ark of their God; and availed themselves of the first opportunity of introducing the subject of the new religion to the King. The ancient chroniclers are not agreed as to their success in persuading Arviragus himself to embrace and profess Christianity; but they are unanimous in their testimony that his prejudices against it were so far removed, that he afforded Joseph of Arimathea his protection and countenance, and assigned him a retreat in the Isle of Avalon ; where, free from persecution or molestation, he had permission to promulgate his doctrines as he should think proper. As an acknowledgment of this favour, the apostle of the Britons presented the King with a standard, on

*

of emerald, called holy from having been used, either in our Lord's Last Supper, or to receive his precious blood when Joseph of Arimathea washed the wounds of his holy body, to prepare it for burial. See a curious note of Pellicer's to the Spanish edition of Don Quixote (parte 1., capit. 49) on this subject, and the introduction of Christianity by Joseph of Arimathea.

* Joseph abode, and fully laudified

The lawe of Christ, to whiche he was full fayne,
And the kyng gave, the sothe to sayne,
Twelve hydes of land, yt then Mewtryn hight,
Which Glastenbury is nowe named full right."

Hardyng's Chron.