and the wives and daughters of the noblemen, about to engage in the contest, surrounded the emperor with a galaxy of beauty, both foreign and native, which might well add fresh lustre to the scene. In the tribune sat the Duke of Alba, and many of the highest in rank, who were to be arbiters on this occasion.

The combatants were divided into two bands. One headed by the Prince of Piedmont, bearing the colours of the town; the other by Florent de Montmorency, Lord of Humbermont. These two noblemen had been appointed to fill the places of Jacques, Lord of Herbais, Deputy Marquis of Antwerp, and the Count of Aremberg, both of whom were prevented from leading their parties by wounds received at the grand tournament given at Binns by Queen Mary. The prince, to show favour to the city, enrolled himself amongst those who bore its colours of red and white. Many were the nobles in consequence who crowded to that side of the lists, amongst whom were conspicuous the Counts of Mansfeldt and Hooghstraten, and the lords of Fraisegny and Courlaon. No less distinguished was the adverse party, including the Counts of Egmont, Berghen, Horn and Meghen.

The knights as well as their horses were resplendent in cloth of gold and silver, interwoven with the colours of their band. Each was attended by two pages, two varlets, and two squires on horseback, the latter bearing the shield of their lord; thus, although the visor was down, each noble might be easily recognised. The trumpets had not yet sounded, and the opposite parties were pausing at either end of the lists, under a battery of bright eyes belonging to all stations in life. The windows and balconies that surrounded the square were thronged with eager faces. At one of the former the Van Meerens had been stationed for some hours with their friends, Paul having with no small difficulty obtained this advantageous situation. Turning to her ready informer, Van Diest, Mary demanded,

"Whom may those arms belong to in the violet and yellow band?" "The three red horns on a golden field?" said Van Diest, who had undergone incredible fatigue, and mingled with all sorts of people on the market-place since early dawn, that he might ascertain to a nicety every trifle, however minute, connected with that morning's festivity. "Those are the arms of the Count of Horn."

"And those," said Mary, "nearest to us?"

"The eight chevrons red and gold," continued Van Diest, "are the arms of the house of Egmont."

Why do they not bear the Lions of Gueldre?" demanded Paul, sharply. "Is he not a lineal descendant? But," added he, as none present seemed able to answer his question, "when the duchy was wrung from the race to whom it belonged, no wonder they were robbed of the arms that might remind them of their rights!"

In the mean time, where sat the emperor and his bevy of lovely companions, at the farthest extremity of the gallery, one remarkably beautiful young lady whispered to another fille d'honneur,

"Do you know, dearest Philippine, under what banner the young Lord of Chantonnay, the happy bridegroom, is to fight?"

66

Why, my dear De Torcy, I see his arms are borne in the band of Aremberg.'

"That is not a very clear answer to a poor foreigner like myself, Philippine. I am now forced to a fresh question, and it is your fault if I weary you; which is the band of Aremberg?"

"Is it possible, my dear, that you have not recognised the banner?" said the Flemish maid of honour of Queen Mary, opening her large blue eyes to their fullest extent on the laughing, inquisitive countenance of the French demoiselle of Queen Eleanor. Why, do you not see? it is

gules three roses or."

"And the argent, three towers gules, with the hands in chief?" "Are the arms of the town, and, as you see, the double eagle has enlisted itself on that side. The prince fights for his own to-day."

"Is it true," continued Mademoiselle de Torcy, in the lowest of whispers, for the new bride was not far off; "is it true what has been rumoured amongst us, that the Granvellas are the children of a common locksmith?"

"Grandchildren, my dear," answered the Flemish maid of honour, with much gravity.

"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed the startled French girl; "and the Brederodes are descendants of your Dukes of Holland, are they not? What a terrible thing this marriage must be for them!"

"Pray be silent," said the other lady, with an air of fear; "my queen has already looked twice our way, and

Here all conversation was abruptly terminated, for the trumpets sounded, and, starting forward with a headlong impulse, the horsemen were only checked in their career by the shock of mutual resistance. The air re-echoed with the clanging of their armour and the rushing hoofs of the chargers, and lances' heads, helmets, and plumes soon flew in every direction about the combatants. At first the mélée was so confused that no eye could have correctly ascertained the fate of any individual; but when the adversaries began to separate, and to engage in more detached parties, every eye was riveted on the person of the prince.

The parties engaged for considerable time with varying success, when that headed by the Prince of Piedmont began sensibly to give way; knight after knight went down before the irresistible lances of their opponents. The Count of Egmont, whom the band of Montmorency seemed to regard as their champion, distinguished himself greatly by his superb horsemanship and the grace and courtesy that marked his every movement, and attracted no small share of attention and admiration from all present. More than once he found himself personally opposed to the prince, and had, from respect to his illustrious antagonist, hitherto carefully evaded the encounter; but as he and De Horn, now nearly the only remaining horsemen of their party who retained energy for action, were on the point of rushing, simultaneously, on the small fatigued group that stood awaiting the shock, Philip adroitly wheeled his horse between them and the object of their attack; and whether it was that their horses checked thus suddenly destroyed the equilibrium of their riders, or that the blows of the prince fell on the advancing knights before they had recovered sufficient presence of mind to parry them, both the noblemen rolled upon the ground, their helmets and bright plumes lying prostrate in the dust at some distance from them.

A half-smothered shriek from the window, where sat Mary van Meeren,

upon

drew the attention of all who were there stationed to gaze in surprise her blanched cheek, which did not recover its hue until she saw the Count of Egmont, whom her eyes had followed throughout every evolution of the day with a strange and, even to herself, unaccountable interest, safely disengaged from his horse by his men, and led from the ground to one of the tents. Little did Egmont guess, when the shouts and acclamations of joy from the throng proclaimed his defeat and the success of his august antagonist, that it conveyed so sincere a pang to the heart of one in that multitude who was linked by no association whatever to his destiny. The occupation of the morning was over, and for a time every one in that vast mass of human beings sought his home for a few hours' repose. When the supper hour was past and the evening was closing in, a banquet, which the authorities of the town gave in honour of the emperor and his court, reunited in the pavilion the heroes of the day, and the same galaxy of beauty that had graced their feats with their presence, still more splendidly arrayed than in the morning. Tables groaning under their sumptuous loads were arranged along the apartment, at one of which the members of the imperial party took their places according to their right of precedence.

A general admiration was excited by the extreme ingenuity and skill with which every auxiliary to the banquet had been executed in pure sugar. The many-branched candelabras, the plates, the dishes, the goblets, and wine-flagons, contrived to imitate various species of glasses, metals, and porcelains; all sorts of animals, fruits, vegetables, vases and their flowers, even the diminutive triumphal arches that decorated the table, accurate resemblances of those constructed in the streets, and from which floated tiny silken banners exquisitely embroidered, were all of the same production. But so delicate were the viands, so tempting their perfume, that beyond the first applause which the novelty of the conception and the success of its execution elicited, few could find time to discuss anything else but the savoury dishes which were presently handed round.

"How pretty is this emblem of the town," said Margaret of Parma to the Prince of Piedmont, who had been placed near her, as she took up one of the many little white dogs executed in sugar, bearing their motto "Fidelity and Candour" on small banderolles depending from their mouths. "How beautiful is this exhibition of native skill and industry. Although I had seen and heard much of the affluence and ingenuity of the citizens of Antwerp, what I have these days witnessed exceeds anything I could have imagined."

"They have conferred upon themselves a lasting honour,” replied the prince. "Perhaps these fetes will be mentioned in after days with revived astonishment."

"Then," said Margaret, "they will serve as a striking example of what commercial prosperity may effect; for no town in the Netherlands has distinguished itself to the same degree, although all have celebrated the joyous event of the prince's first visit to these lands to the best of their power."

"Yes," replied the prince; "I heard his majesty say as much to the officers of the town on our entrance here to-night, and express to the prince his hope that one day, when he, in his turn, might, perchance,

assist at similar rejoicings on a similar occasion, the town might have lost nothing of its splendour; for that it should increase in wealth and importance he deemed utterly impossible."

Margaret's eyes sought the countenances of the sovereign and his heir; but at that moment the hereditary propensity of both was strong within them. The eyes of father and son were wandering towards the table where sat, resplendent in youth and beauty, the fair maids of honour. The gaze of the former was frank, that of the latter more covert, but still the object was the same; and Margaret having noticed, by the smile that involuntarily curled his lip, that the Prince of Piedmont had looked in the same direction as herself, became painfully embarrassed. To divert the thoughts of both into another channel, she said, somewhat abruptly,

"I do not see the Count of Egmont here to-night. Was his fall so serious as to prevent his appearance?"

"Surely not," answered the prince. "But is not your highness aware that he asked and obtained his gracious majesty's permission to absent himself from the banquet, that he might hasten his return to Brussels?"

"What could call for such celerity, when the whole court will be on the road no later than to-morrow?"

"I think," answered her companion, "I heard of a daughter being born to him, and his wishing to be with the countess as soon as might be."

"And the Count of Horn?" asked the princess; "he, too, is absent. Has he, also, a daughter born to him? I trust these gentlemen do not see an evil omen in their morning's overthrow, and, consequently, shun the presence of the prince.'

"Assuredly no, madam. The circumstance was really extraordinary, and is only to be accounted for by the well-known skill of his royal highness. I believe, however, De Horn has really somewhat suffered from his fall, to which his absence must be attributed."

The banquet lasted till a late hour, when, by order of the emperor, the tables were withdrawn, and the musicians, who, ensconced in a small, well-draperied gallery, had charmed away the weariness of the protracted meal by their soft and solemn strains, were bid to exchange them for merrier measures. A circle was formed, and the young and the gay gave themselves wholly up to the pleasures of the dance.

Not so the Princess of Parma. She had too well noticed the swollen hands of the emperor, and his vain efforts to subdue an occasional expression of suffering, as the sharp pains of that most tormenting of maladies, the gout, overcame his strong resolution. She was in the habit of watching too narrowly his every movement to remain a stranger to the fit which had seized him thus untimely. For her all pleasure was at an end: if, indeed, so grave a character could know any in such a scene. And it was a mere matter of form which induced her to tread a courante with the Prince of Piedmont.

Whilst the high-born were enjoying the gaiety within the pavilion, without, amusements of another sort had been amply provided. Among many things erected in the square for the gratification of the mass, was one of a somewhat curious nature. It consisted of a large wooden

structure, resembling a tree rich in leaves and fruits, two figures of natural height, tolerably well carved, representing Adam and Eve, and the serpent, which, hanging from the tree, encircled the feet of the woman. Numberless were those whom curiosity induced to contemplate this piece of machinery-for such it proved-with the closest scrutiny. Mary van Meeren, not content with contemplating it from a casementthe dubious light of the torches being insufficient to throw out the object that excited such general attention-in spite of all the representations of her husband and his brother, insisted strenuously on being taken amidst the crowd of gazers beneath. Her friends, after much dissuasion, were compelled to yield to her desire. Accordingly they descended into the street; and, with some difficulty, made way through the crowd, until they gained a position at no great distance from the tree itself.

Scarcely, however, had Mary attained this much desired situation, when, suddenly, gunpowder concealed within the hollow of the figures exploded with a reverberation that shook the very houses to their foundation. None in the crowd were prepared for this result, and a general panic and flight ensued. Loud screams rent the air, and the people ran as if the serpent with flames bursting from its mouth were literally behind them, seeking whom it might devour. During the first confusion, to remove the terrified Mary van Meeren became impossible; and when, one after the other, Adam, Eve, and the serpent had burst asunder and been consumed, she was compelled to endure with increasing bewilderment fresh and continued explosions, as leaf and apple went off with the successive rattle of small fire-arms, until the whole became a general conflagration. By this time the alarm of others had pretty well cleared the space immediately around, and Paul and Cornelius, turning this circumstance to advantage, bore Mary away; but relief came too late, she had fainted.

THE LAST MOMENTS OF FALSTAFF.

We are certain that, with all his selfishness, there were many kind and loving feelings about that heart, which neglect and desertion would deeply touch; and when at last we see him, in poor Dame Quickly's description of his deathbed, "fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers, and smile upon his finger-ends,” we involuntarily exclaim, "Poor Jack, farewell."-CHARLES KNIGHT.

WHAT can be more touching-more instinct with the very essence of pathos-than that quasi-comic scene, headed, "London. Mrs Quickly's House in Eastcheap," in the third act of "King Henry V.;" wherein familiar gossip discusses the last moments of Sir John Falstaff-he that so lately, by Doll Tearsheet's verdict, was as valorous as Hector of Troy, worthy five of Agamemnon, and ten times better than the nine worthies? "How now, Mistress Doll ?"—"Sick of a calm; yea, good sooth." But the calm is that of death-the imperturbable silence of the grave. Even that tun of man, two yards about in the waist, was a plethoric composite of dust, and unto dust hath he returned. The year of Agin