general details, to direct the attention of our readers to the spirit in which Charles viewed to the last the Reformers, and upheld the Inquisition. If ever Charles affected toleration, it was the perfidious hypocrisy he employed to mask and to mature the politician's end. On the throne, or surrounded by his court at Augsburg, he might dissemble; but in Spain, in communication with Philip, in association with Valdès, and at Yuste, surrounded by monks, his mind was emancipated from the thraldom of his earlier life. Church abuses, from the beginning of the sixteenth century, had been denounced in Spain; about the middle of this period Spanish translations were made of the Scriptures. Commentaries, glosses, and explanations succeeded. Persecution rapidly followed their distribution. Printers were imprisoned; nevertheless their works increased, and, the sale being forbidden, they were smuggled in bales over the mountains by muleteers, or run in casks by English and Dutch traders on the shores of Andalusia. Strange rumours were now heard of novel questions raised in the schools, of doubts on doctrinal points, hitherto ruled by the Church. There was that sensible uneasiness in the public mind which denotes the gathering and precedes the storm of public opinion. The laity were roused, matters of faith were debated, and the clergy stood unmoved; but when the Reformers began to pry into the nature of Church institutions, "the black garrison at once saw the full extent of the danger." They united and rushed against the foe, "with all the power of the state and all the terror of the keys." So engrossed was the Emperor with the subject that he postponed to it for awhile all the other affairs of state. He urged the princes to remember that the welfare of the kingdom, and of the church of God, was bound up in the suppression of heresy, and that therefore it demanded greater diligence and zeal than any temporal matter. He had been informed that the false teachers had been spreading poison over the land for nearly a year-a length of time for which they could have eluded discovery only through the aid or the connivance of a great mass of the people. If it were possible, therefore, he would have their crime treated in a short and summary manner, like sedition or rebellion. He wrote to Philip: Son,-The black business which has risen here, has shocked me as much as You will see you can think or suppose. what I have written about it to your sister. It is essential that you write to her yourself, and that you take all the means in your power to cut out the root of the evil with rigour and rude handling. . At the end of May, 1557, Quixada, by the Emperor's order, saw Valdès, the Inquisitor General, and urged on him the expediency of dispatch in his dealings with herelics, and of even dispensing in their cases with the ordinary forms of his tribunal. Such zeal alarmed even the catholicity of his household. Charles's physician, Dr. Mathisio, had a small Bible in French, and without notes, which he feared might introduce him to the tribunal of the Inquisition. He applied to the secretary of state for permission to read the volume. Vazquez replied that the Inquisitors demurred to its retention and his request. The prudent doctor burned the book in the presence of the Emperor's confessor! With Regla, thus summoned to this act of faith, Charles frequently conversed on the subject which so much engrossed his thoughts. He admitted,― "that it was ever his regret that he had not put Luther to death when he had him in his power. He had spared him on account of his pledged word; but he now saw that he had greatly erred in preferring the obligation of his promise to the higher duties of avenging that heretic's offences against God. He rejoiced that he had refused to hear the points at issue between the Church and the schismatics argued in his presence. For this cause he had foregone the support of some of the Protestant princes; he had refused to buy aid at this price when flying before the army of Duke Maurice. He knew the danger of parleying with "Suppose one of their speheretics. cious arguments had been planted in his soul, how did he know that he could have ever got it rooted out." But Charles was soon to be summoned before that tribunal to which, amid torture, hatred, and all uncharitableness, by cruel deaths, he was hurrying the souls of others. In the spring of 1558 his health recovered from its winter's decline. He still ate voraciously, and enjoyed his draughts of Rhenish, syrup of quinces, and beer. He could still superintend his garden, occupy some portion of the day with Torriano, or in intercourse and affairs of state On the 9th of August, however, Dr. Mathisio became seriously alarmed about the state of his patient; his disorders increased, and the remedies did not answer. And now was to be performed that ceremony which has so often excited the attention of moralists and historians. The reader will remember Robertson's account of the performance by Charles of his own funeral obsequies. Masterly as a sketch, it has unhappily been copied from the canIn vas of the unscrupulous Leti. every thing but in style it is indeed very absurd."* Some doubt, however, still rests on the question. Gonzalez treats the story as an idle tale; Siguença does not confirm it to the full extent, nor is his narrative of what took place improbable, especially since it was published with the authority of his name, while men were still alive who could contradict his misstatement. M. Gachard supports the view of Gonzalez; but it is strange that, while denying the credibility of the story, Gonzalez should have furnished a piece of evidence of some weight in its favour. In an inventory of state papers of Castile, drawn up by him in 1818, and existing at Simancas, there is the following entry :-" No. 119, ann. 1557. Original Letters of Charles the Fifth to the Infanta Juana and Juan Vazquez de Molina. . . . . They treat of the public affairs of the time,-item, of the mourning stuffs ordered for the purpose of performing his funeral honours during his life." This shows intention, but does not prove its fulfilment. We shall content ourselves by placing Mr. Stirling's narrative before our readers.† About this time, according to the historian of St. Jerome, his thoughts seemed to turn more than usual upon religion and its rites... The daily masses said for his soul were always accompanied by others for the souls of his father, mother, and wife. But now he ordered further solemnities of the funereal kind to be performed in behalf of these relations, each on a different day, and attended them himself, preceded by a page bearing a taper, and joining in the chaunt in a very devout and audible manner out of a tattered prayer-book. These rites ended, he asked his confessor whether he might not now perform his own funeral, and so do for himself what would soon have to be done for him by others? Regla replied, that his Majesty, please God, might live many years, and that, when his time came, these services would be gratefully rendered, without his taking any thought about the matter. But, persisted Charles, Would it not be good for my soul? The monk said that certainly it would; pious works done during life being far more efficacious than when postponed until after death. Preparations therefore were at once set on foot; a catafalque, which had served before on similar occasions, was erected, and on the following day, the 30th August, as the monkish historian narrates, this celebrated service was actually performed.1 The high altar, the catafalque, and the whole church shone with a blaze of waxlights, the friars were all in their places at the altars and in the choir, and the household of the Emperor attended in deep mourning. The pious monarch himself was there, attired in sable weeds, and bearing a taper to see himself interred, and to celebrate his own obsequies. While the solemn mass for the dead was sung, he came forward and gave his taper into the hands of the officiating priest, in token of his desire to yield his soul into the bands of his Maker. The funeral . rites ended, the Emperor dined in his western alcove. He ate little, but remained for a great part of the afternoon sitting in the open air and basking in the sun, which, as it descended to the horizon, beat strongly upon the white walls. Feeling a violent pain in his head, he returned to his chamber and lay down. Next morning he was somewhat better, and was able to get up and go to mass, but still felt oppressed, and complained much of thirst. He told his confessor, however, the funeral service of the day before had done him good. The sunshine again tempted him into his open gallery. As he sat he occupied himself with the portrait of his Empress, over which * See the entire argument in Stirling's Preface, page xv. + Cloister Life, pp. 194, 195. Bulletin de l'Academie Royale de Bruxelles, tome 12, 1825, p. 255. Gonzalez denies this: Mr. Stirling says, on insufficient grounds. he hung for a long time lost in thought, and next called for a picture of our Lord praying in the Garden, and then for a sketch of the Last Judgment by Titian. Thus occupied, he remained so long abstracted and motionless, that Mathisio, who was on the watch, thought it right to awaken him from his reverie. On being spoken to, he turned round and complained that he was ill. The doctor felt his pulse, and pronounced him in a fever. Again the afternoon sun was shining over the great walnut tree full into the gallery. From this pleasant spot, filled with the fragrance of the garden, and the murmur of the fountain, bright with the glimpses of the golden Vera, they carried him to the gloomy chamber of his sleepless nights, and laid him on the bed from which he was to rise no more. Mr. Stirling gives the most minute particulars of his illness. Charles died Sept. 20, 1558. He was conscious to the last. Villalva addressed him amid the struggles of death. At last the Emperor interposed, saying, "The time is come; bring me the candles and the crucifix." These were cherished relics which he had long kept in reserve for this supreme hour. The one was a taper from our Lady's shrine at Montserrat; the other, a crucifix of beautiful workmanship which had been taken from the dead hand of his wife at Toledo, and which afterwards comforted the last mo- figure of the Saviour, and then clasped it to his bosom. Those who stood nearest to the bed, now heard him say, quickly, as if replying to a call, "Ya voy, Senor," "Now, Lord, I go." As his strength failed, his fingers relaxed their hold of the crucifix, which the primate took, and held it before him. A few moments of death-wrestle between soul and body followed; after which, with his eyes fixed on the cross, and with a voice loud enough to be heard outside the room, he cried "Ay, Jesus," and expired. So closed the career of Charles; a great man, certainly, whether he be considered in relation to his contemporaries or his age. His mind was equal to measures of great import, to acts of great daring, and of great military skill. Its incessant activity governed his own vast realms, forwarded his ambition, checked and mastered that of his most formidable rivals. Nor is it only with war and politics that his name is associated, but, to his greater honour, with the peaceful arts of his era," the chisel of Leoni, the pencil of Titian, and the lyre of Ariosto." It is needless to recommend Mr. Stirling's History. It is valuable both as regards matter and style. A master of the language and literature of Spain, well acquainted with her history, indefatigable in research, he has for the first time narrated with impartiality, with judgment, and with truth, the "STORY OF THE CLOISTERED LIFE OF THE EMPEROR CHARLES THE FIFTH." Note.-There are two errors in an article contributed by M. Gachard to the Bulletins de l'Académie Royale de Bruxelles, upon the oft disputed question as to the existence of the Commentaries of Charles the Fifth, which it may be as well to rectify. Commenting upon an article in the Edinburgh Review, 1842, "The Founders of Jesuitism," in which it is stated "that [Borgia] still touched his lute with unrivalled skill in the halls of the Escurial," he adds, "or le monastère de l'Escurial n'existait pas à cette epoque, et la première pierre n'en fut posée que plus de trente ans apres en 1563!" and attributes the article to Mr. Macaulay. Now the article in question, "The Founders of Jesuitism," was not written by Mr. Macaulay, but by Sir James Stephen, and it is evident the Escurial and the lute are here introduced simply as illustrative of Borgia's life at its courtly period; the mention of any other palace would have answered the same end. When however M. Gachard adds that the reviewer writes, que Don Francisco fut chargé par l'Empereur d'examiner dans son cercueil l'Impé. ratrice Isabelle, avant qu'on la descendit sous les caveaux de l'Escurial," he himself commits the error he condemns. No such passage is to be found in the original. M. Gachard has been misled apparently by the translator of the paper in the "Révue Britannique" de Bruxelles, 1842, to whom his correction applies. Dr. Aug. Scheler has adopted the error and translated the criticism in the Serapeum, No. 13, 15 July, 1845. 66 WANDERINGS OF AN ANTIQUARY. BY THOMAS WRIGHT, F.S.A. IX.-A VISIT TO THE HILL INTRENCHMENTS ON THE BORDERS OF WALES. FEW towns present more attractions to a summer visitor than that of Ludlow, on the borders of Shropshire and Herefordshire. The town itself is beautifully situated on an elevated knoll, which is cut off from the hills stretching to the south and west by a deep gorge, through which the picturesque river Teme flows. The town slopes by a gradual descent to the banks of the river, but on the opposite side the hill of Whitcliffe rises in perpendicular masses of rock, from the summit of which, a favourite promenade, we look down upon the town, and obtain to the northward an extensive view over the rich pastures of Corvedale. Whatever direction we take, the walks and rides around Ludlow are extremely beautiful, and the scenery is infinitely varied. The grand features of the town are, the noble ruin of its castle, long the queen of the border fortresses, and its fine old collegiate church. These alone, since the approach has been facilitated by railways, cannot fail to attract multitudes of visitors. In a recent visit my attention was more especially directed to the country around, which abounds in interesting monuments of former days, and I could not help remarking the numerous intrenchments on hill-tops which are scattered through the neighbourhood, particularly over the hilly country towards Wales. Among the most remarkable objects of this kind near to Ludlow are the intrenchments on the different summits of the Clee Hills, to the north-east. We leave the town on the east, by that quarter which, from its being the site of the prison, is called Goalford. The road presents us with the same constant succession of picturesque rural views which we here meet with in all the lower grounds. Turning off from the direct road, at about two miles from Ludlow, we may visit the village of Middleton, the little old church of which contains a rare example of the ancient rood-loft, in carved wood, of an elegance which we should hardly expect to find in this secluded spot. In the turn of the road, almost opposite the church, is an ancient tumulus of considerable magnitude, with a tree growing upon it; but these monuments are so thickly scattered over this country that we cannot stop to notice them all. About a mile further we begin to ascend the slope of the Clee Hill, and a little way up we reach the church of Bitterley, remarkable for the beautifully sculptured cross, which still remains, though sadly mutilated, in the churchyard. From the gardens of Bitterley Court, the seat of the Walcots, the view of Titterstone, rising in lofty grandeur behind, is truly majestic. From hence is the most direct, though not the easiest, ascent, repaying us at every step with some new feature in the wonderful view, until, on arriving at the summit, we find ourselves in the centre of such a panorama as none who have not seen it can conceive. It is said that thirteen or fourteen different counties are seen from this spot, which is at an elevation of about eighteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. The sides of the mountain are very rugged, on account of the innumerable masses of basaltic rock which project through the sod. The almost circular platform at the top of the hill, an area of considerable extent, is surrounded by a wide band of loose stones, which present a very remarkable appearance, but recent examinations have proved that they are the remains of a broad wall built of stones without mortar, the lower part of which, very regularly and smoothly faced, is found in the middle of the band. This wall seems to be of very remote antiquity, but it is not easy even to guess the cause of its overthrow in so singular a manner. I understand that a large amber bead and some other early relics have been found within the inclosed area. On the western edge, where the hill is almost perpendicular, are some extraordinary groups of immense stones, which look like fallen cromlechs, but which may be pieces of the rock in the position given them by natural causes. They seem to hang over the vast precipice as though a little matter would roll them down, and hence they say this mountain received its name of Titterstone. Some antiquaries have supposed that these masses of rock once formed a rocking-stone. The peasantry call them the Giant's Chair.* If, instead of pursuing the route described above, we had turned off before leaving the town along a road through what is called Lower Goalford, we should have reached, at somewhat more than two miles from Ludlow, the picturesque village of Caynham. A hill behind the village, which forms part of a low broken ridge extending from the Clee Hill in a southwesterly direction to the river Teme, somewhat more than a mile to the south of Ludlow, is crowned with a deep intrenchment, nearly circular, and inclosing an area of five or six acres. The intrenchments are now covered with a belt of trees and underwood, through which a walk has been cut, with seats here and there at spots which command, through openings in the trees, rich prospects, extending in one direction to the distant Malverns, and in another to the Black Mountains of Wales. This is known as Caynham camp, and as a small brook flows at the foot of the hill to the north, called the Kay, it is probable that the name signifies the home or dwelling on the river Kay. It happens by accident that we have, in the curious AngloNorman history of the Fitz- Warines, an early notice of this spot, which, as we learn from Domesday Book, had belonged to the celebrated Saxon earl Morcar, and passed after the conquest into the possession of the Mortimers. We learn from the history just alluded to, which must have been composed in the thirteenth century, that, early in the reign of Henry II. when Joce de Dinan laid siege to Ludlow castle, he posted his troops within the castle of Caynham, situated on a hill about a league from Ludlow, and then "very old and the gates rotten." The holders of Ludlow castle called the Welsh to their assistance, and Joce himself was besieged in the ruined fortress which he had chosen as his head quarters. There were, therefore, at this time (i. e. the middle of the twelfth century) buildings within the intrenchments, for an Anglo-Norman writer would not apply the name of castle to the intrenchments themselves, and these buildings must then have been of considerable antiquity. The other Clee Hills, known as the Brown Clee Hills, lie a short distance to the north of the Titterstones, and consist of two very lofty cones, the one to the south called Clee Bury, and that to the north Abdon Bury, the summit of each being strongly intrenched. Within the northern intrenchment, which is of a round oblong form and much larger than the other, are some sepulchral mounds. Below these two hills, on a knoll advancing into the plain, is another oblong intrenchment called Nordy Bank. There are other so-called camps both to the north and to the south of Ludlow, but we will confine ourselves at present to two routes, both remarkable for the extreme beauty of their scenery, and each accompanied by a very interesting series of hill-intrenchments. The first of these excursions lies in the direction of the pleasant village of Leintwardine, a favourite resort for fishing. We leave Ludlow by Corve Street, and turn off by the corner of the Old Field, or race-course, to Bromfield. On this race-course are several tumuli. From Bromfield, a winding road, presenting a continual succession of varying views, conducts us to Leintwardine, a large village, about eight miles from Ludlow, situated at the confluence of the rivers Clun and Teme. Within a short distance of Leintwardine are two remarkable intrenchments, Brandon camp and Coxwell knoll, the one to the south and the other to the west. Brandon camp may be visited by another and in some respects a preferable route. At about two miles from Bromfield, we may turn off from the road to Leintwardine, and pass through the beautiful scenery of Downton castle. There is a camp, or intrenchment, on a hill at the end of the rocky gorge through which the * Our authority of this name is the map of the Ordnance survey. |