muskets at Master Arthur's body. Her son, however, was still standing as when she spoke, gazing upward with beaming countenance. I had never thought to have seen one so young look so glorious. He might have been the youngest of the angels. Suddenly he made a sign as if for a moment's grace, and stepping up to the officers and holding out his hand, "Dear gentlemen," cried he sweetly, "pardon my presumption, and let me say one word to you, for though so young I shall soon, you see, be older than you in another world. Never, at any future time, let my death give you a moment's pang: you are blessed instruments to me. But let me tell you that your souls are very precious in my eyes, do not let me die in vain." His voice grew solemn with earnestness at the close of his speech. Stepping back again, he once more turned his face upwards. One of his murderers appeared struck to the heart by what he said, and passed his hand repeatedly over his eyes; but the others coolly gave the signal. One dreadful, clear moment of seemingly endless time, then a stepping forward of the soldiers, and a firing of some twenty pieces: and Master Arthur fell. He was not dead at once; he turned on his elbow as he lay, and cried, "Praised be the Lord!" when a second volley despatched him for ever.

Truly this was a glorious day for my dear and precious Master Arthur, in the which he won the race and received the crownthe day on which the Lord was pleased to clothe his youthful limbs with the white and glistering marriage garment. This was, indeed, a day to be remembered with grateful, rejoicing prayers by those who loved him better than themselves, and who were honoured by walking a while with him, and by beholding his goodly testimony-by those who should be jealous to look out for the rugged, thorny path that led him so quickly to his God! Yet, this was not a day that I can call, with his exalted mother, one of rejoicing! No! sweet Master Arthur, leaving out the sighing of the flesh, can we rejoice for the day that stamped the condemnation of thy wicked murderers? Beside their foul souls will not Cain's seem almost innocent? The more the young martyr's glory, the more their sin! Oh persecutors of God's Saints, will ye not repent before ye die?

Notwithstanding the wonderful way in which my beloved lady was supported to bear and go through her sainted son's testimony, her bodily health failed afterwards, and, in one short year, so sensibly, that she was afflicted with paralysis, and confined to her easy chair for the rest of her honoured life. As the beloved lady's nerves grew weak, she was tried with a sad thorn in the flesh; and though she prayed earnestly against it, she would at times, in certain states of health, be seized with a panic whether it were well with her beloved martyred son, whether his salvation were sure. And then she would have fits of sad lamentation, and

to us:

grievously bemoan her son Arthur. My Lady Thirconnel, Mistress Esther that was, often brought over her little son Arthur, for he was so like his sainted uncle that the venerable grandmother found him the delight of her eyes. Now the picture of his uncle hung up in the long cedar gallery, and was often shown to the child, who knew it quite well. One night in winter, the little one came running "Uncle Arthur, uncle Arthur!" cried he, and we ran out into the gallery with looks of awe. The gallery lay in profound darkness, save the great window at the end, which was flooded and ghostly in the moonlight. To this window the child pointed : "Uncle Arthur," repeated he. We gazed and gazed, but saw nothing, and retired with solemn thoughts. That night, towards morning, my lady called me up from the little bed I always occupied in her room lest she should want anything through the night. Now there were two doors in my lady's room, so situated that, to go from one to the other, you had to cross the whole room, and pass the foot of my lady's bed. Patience," said my lady, in a tone of such deep and happy bliss that it even now rings in my ear, 'Patience, my good girl, the Lord hath been very good to me this night: I shall never have trouble on the account of my precious Arthur any more! As I lay awake this night, saying the penitential Psalms in order to wile away my wakeful hours, I saw my son come from that door by the fireplace, and pass by my bed to go into my closet. He passed all round my bed, and looked at me, and was as fresh, as young, and fair, as ever my happy eyes beheld him. Nay, more fresh and young and fair: for there was a sort of glorious, golden halo around him that made his face look white and glistering! An indescribable bliss breathed around him and he looked full at me as he passed. 'Son Arthur,' said I eagerly, is it well with thee?' It is well with me, mother,' replied he; 'never grieve any more.' And never more will I grieve, my good Patience, blessed be the Lord!"

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And the mind of my beloved lady was at peace from this hour unto the day of her death, which took place some two years after, and which was a great release unto that great aan notable servant of the Lord, though much lamented by all her affectionate family.

XXIII. THE CHANGED CROSS.

It was a time of sadness, and my heart
(Although it knew and loved the better part)
Felt wearied with the conflict and the strife,
And all the needful discipline of life.

And while I thought on these, as given to me
My trial tests of faith and love to be,

It seemed as if I never could be sure

That faithful to the end I should endure.

And thus, no longer trusting to His might

Who says "We walk by faith and not by sight," Doubting, and almost yielding to despair,

The thought arose "My Cross I cannot bear!"

Far heavier its weight must surely be
Than those of others which I daily see:
Oh, if I might another burthen choose,
Methinks I should not fear my Crown to lose.

A solemn silence reigned on all around,
E'en Nature's voices uttered not a sound;
The evening shadow seemed of peace to tell,
And sleep upon my weary spirit fell.

A moment's pause-and then, a heavenly light
Beamed full upon my wondering raptured sight;
Angels on silvery wings seemed everywhere,
And angels' music thrilled the balmy air.

Then one more fair than all the rest, for He
Was one to whom all others bowed the knee,
Came gently to me as I trembling lay,
And, "Follow me," he said, "I am the Way."

And speaking thus, He led me far above,
Till there, beneath a canopy of love,
Crosses of divers shape and size were seen,
Larger and smaller than mine own had been.

And one there was most beauteous to behold,
A little one, with jewels set in gold;-
Ah, this, I thought, I can with comfort wear,
For it will be an easy one to bear.

And so the little Cross I quickly took,
But all at once my frame beneath it shook;
The sparkling jewels, fair were they to see,
But far too heavy was their weight for me.

This may not be, I cried,—and looked again
To see if any there could ease my pain;
But one by one I passed them slowly by,
Till on a lovely one I cast my eye.

Fair flowers around its sculptured form entwined,
And grace and beauty seemed in it combined;
Wondering I gazed, and still I wondered more
To think so many should have passed it o'er.

But oh, that form, so beautiful to see,
Soon made its hidden sorrows known to me;
Thorns lay beneath those flowers and colours fair,
Sorrowing I said "This Cross I may not bear."

And so it was with each and all around,

Not one to suit my need could there be found;
Weeping I laid each heavy burthen down,

As my guide gently said-" No Cross-no Crown."

At length to Him I raised my saddened heart;
He knew its sorrows, bade its doubts depart—
"Be not afraid," he said, "but trust in me;
My perfect love shall now be shown to thee."
And then, with lightened eyes and willing tread,
Again I followed where my Guardian led;
With careful footsteps, turning not aside,
For fear some hidden evil might betide.

And there, in the prepared appointed way,
Listening to hear and ready to obey,

A Cross I quickly found, both plain and light,
Inscribed with words of love to make it bright.

With thankfulness I raised it from the rest,

And joyfully acknowledged it the best,
The only one of all the many there
That I could feel was good for me to bear.

And while I thus my chosen one confessed,
I saw a heavenly brightness on it rest;
And as I bent my burthen to sustain,
I recognised my own old Cross again!

But oh, how different did it seem to be,
Now I had learned its preciousness to see!
No longer could I unbelieving say—
"Perhaps another is a better way."

Ah, no! henceforth my one desire shall be,
That He who knows me best should choose for me;

And so whate'er His love sees good to send,

I'll trust is best-because He knows the end!

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XXIV.—THE NEW LAW OF DIVORCE.

THE tendency of recent legislation has been to remove some of the disabilities under which women peculiarly labour.

The act 20 & 21 Vict., c. 85, has made important changes in the Law of Divorce, and gives to married persons facilities to get rid of the miseries of unfortunate marital connexions, not before permitted to either sex.

By the above act, entitled "An Act to amend the Law relating to Divorce and Matrimonial Causes in England," a new court, with peculiar and exclusive jurisdiction, has been established, and the jurisdiction hitherto exerciseable by any ecclesiastical court in England in respect of divorces a mensa et thoro, suits of nullity of marriage, suits of jactitation of marriage, suits for restitution of conjugal rights, and in all causes, suits and matters matrimonial, is abolished, except so far as relates to the granting of marriage licenses, which may be granted as if this act had not been passed.

The new tribunal, entitled "The Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes," of which the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justices of the Courts of Queen's Bench and Common Pleas, the Lord Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer, the senior Puisne Judges of the last three mentioned courts, and the Judge of her Majesty's Court of Probate (constituted by the act Vict. 20 & 21, c. 77) are the judges, has now sole jurisdiction in England in all the matters hereinbefore noticed, with the following exception, namely, that no decree shall hereafter be made for a divorce a mensâ et thoro (i. e. from bed and board); but in all cases in which a divorce a mensâ et thoro might heretofore have been pronounced, the court may instead thereof pronounce a decree for a judicial separation, which shall have the same force and the same consequences as a divorce a mensa et thoro heretofore had. The powers of the new court enable it to pronounce decrees for

1st. Nullity of marriage.

2nd. Jactitation of marriage.

3rd. Restitution of conjugal rights.

4th. Judicial separation.

5th. Dissolution of marriage.

A decree of the court for dissolution of marriage now has all the force of a judgment for divorce hitherto only to be obtained at great cost in the House of Lords; and actions for criminal conversation, which were a necessary preliminary to a divorce in the House of Lords, are now wholly abolished. Hence the publication of the disreputable details of the conduct of the implicated parties is now spared, which formerly brought so much scandal on society and