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BOUT the end of the 15th century, Thomas Buonaventuri, a young Florentine, of a good family, but poor, took up his refidence with a merchant in Venice, his countryman. Oppofite to the house where he lodged, was the back-gate of the dwelling of a Venetian of quality, Bartolemeo Capelio. In this houfe lived a young lady of extraordinary beauty, of the name of Bianca. She was indeed clofely watched; how ever, Buonaventuri foon difcovered her, as he came frequently to the window. Of a nearer accefs to her, he did not dare to form any hopes; yet he did all he could to entertain ber, and to evince his inclination. He was young and amiable; it was not long before he ceafed to be indifferent to her; and, in fhort, after repeated negociations, the two lo-, vers at length found means to accomplish their wishes. Bianca never failed, every evening at a late hour, when all the fa mily were in bed, to flip into Buonaven tura's chamber, in the merchant's houfe, by means of a little back-door, which fhe took care to leave a-jar for that purpofe; and without any foul being aware of it, returned every morning before break of day.

After they had carried on this diverfion for a pretty long while, as it commonly happens, fhe grew bolder by habit; and, having once ftaid longer than ufual with her lover, it happened by chance that a baker's boy, who wanted to fetch yeaft from an adjoining house, perceived that the little back-door stood open. Not dreaming that this could be owing to any thing but neglect; he shut it to.

Prefently after came the young lady; and found the door faft. In great confternation, fhe hurries back to the house from whence fhe was come out; knocked gently at the door, was let in by her lover, to whom the related the ugly ac cident. Gratitude, as well as love, impelled him to take a fudden refolution; every thing was to be facrificed to their fafety. He quitted the house on the spot ; hired an apartment for himself and Bianca in the houfe of another Florentine, and kept themselves concealed with all poffible care, till a favourable opportu nity offered for eloping to Florence.

In Florence he had a small house, on the Via Larga, near S. Marco, direaly facing a nunnery. Here they kept themfelves in clofe retirement, for a confider

able

able time, for fear of any purluit from Venice.

The then Grand Duke of Tufcany was Francis Maria, the fon of Cofmo I. and father of Maria di Medicis. He had to his wife Johanna of Auftria, daughter of the Emperor Ferdinand, dowager Queen of Hungary; a very worthy princefs, but now fomewhat advanced in years. Hence it happened, as uncommon cafe, that the Grand Duke would fometimes prefer another lady to her. One of his courtiers, who had a spouse as well skilled in officioufnefs as himself, ufed commonly to play the confidante in these intrigues of the prince.

is no

Bianca might keep herfelf concealed as much as the would: there was foon a rumour in Florence of the beautiful Venetian lady that was newly arrived; and the report of her adventure as well as of her beauty, to which her ftudied referve not a little contributed; all this made the Grand Duke long ardently to fee her. Every day he purpofely paffed before her chamber; and, as it was her only favourite paftime to ftand at the window, it was not long before his curiofity was fatisfied. She was half-veiled; but the Grand Duke had feen enough for being desperately in love with her.

The confident, who foon perceived the unconquerable paffion of his mafter, now began to fet his wits at work, in conjunction with the Duke, in order to contrive the means of fatisfying it. His like-minded lady was duely admitted of the confultation. The late hard fortune of Bianca, and her gloomy profpects in the future, gave the worthy dame the faireft opportunity for letting Bianca privately know, that matters of confequence could be communicated to her; and accordingly for inviting her to her houfe. Buonaventuri had a long fruggle with himfelt, whether he ought to confent that Bianca fhould accept of the invitation or not. Yet, the high rank of the court-lady, and then his own penurious circumftances, helped him at length to furmount all difficulties. Bianca went, and was received with the moft flattering politenefs, that bordered on real tendernefs. She was defired to relate her ftory; it was liftened to with heartfelt emotion, at leaft in appearance; the most affectionate offers were made her; he was loaded with civilities; prefents were tendered, almoft forced upon her.

Highly fatisfied with this firft vifit,

the Grand Duke flattered himself that he might be prefent at the fecond.Shortly after, the court-lady invited Bianca once more: fhe was again accofted with the utmoft refpect and tenderness ; and after repeated expreffions of pity, and numberlefs encomiums on her beau ty, fhe was asked whether the was not defirous of being prefented to the Grand Duke? He, for his part, had intimated his wishes to be able to make her acquaintance, as he had already found an opportunity of feeing and admiring her.

Bianca had either not fortitude or not virtue enough, for refifting this fresh inftance of good will. At firft indeed the made fome attempts to elude it; but fhe made them with a look-as her artful feductreis quickly perceived that only wished to be farther intreated. At this moment, according to their preconcerted plan, the Grand Duke entered the room, as if by chance. Bianca found herself extremely taken with his perfon, with his animated praises, with his liberal offers. The vifits were repeated; they imperceptibly grew familiar together: a few prefents which she did not dare to refufe, as coming from the bounty of her fovereign', helped to further the Grand Duke's defigns; and her hufband thought it, on the whole, not adviseable to interrupt a connection, that at any rate was advantageous, and might perhaps be innocent. The Grand Duke would not flop fhort in fo fair a course: promotions of the hufband muft neceffarily affift him in gaining the favour of Bianca ; and to be brief, he at length attained the end of his wishes, fo completely to the fatisfaction of the feveral parties; that he and Bianca, and Buonaventuri, were at laft as perfectly fitted together as the three fides of an equilateral triangle. The husband very quickly adapted himfelf admirably to his new fituation; he hired for himfelf and his handfome wife a better house; and daily made new acquaintances with the courtiers, and people of figure. But this fudden good fortune was too much for the merchant's clerk to be able to bear; he grew, as ufual, haughty and arrogant; began to fhew his infolence to the principal nobility, and even to the Grand Duke himfelf; and thus raifed himfelf fo many enemies, that at length he was one night attacked in the fireet, (it was in Italy,) and murdered.

Who now were more glad than the Grand Duke and Bianca? They completely laid afde the lafit remains of

de

The death of the Duchefs opened fresh profpects to the afpiring Bianca.The heart of the Grand Duke was wholly at her command; he muft do what fhe pleafed and now he exerted all her art to induce him to wed her in form. In vain did the Grand Duke's brother, Cardinal Ferdinand de Medicis, who, in default of a male defcendant, was next fucceffor to the throne, employ all the means in his power to prevent it; the was was fo happy as to accomplish her aim; and Bianca was, in a fhort time after, Grand Duchefs of Tuscany.

She now naturally wished to blefs her fpoule with a prince who hereafter fhould fucceed to the throne. She caused prayers to be put up for her in all the churches; had maffes read; ordered ftar-gazers and prophets to be fetched from every quarter: all to no purpofe! She 'therefore at length took up the refolution, in order that the night have her defire, to feign herfelf pregnant, and then to fubftitute a foreign child. Intending thus, at leaft, to have the honour of a mother. A bare-foot friar of the monaftery of Ogni Santi, was eafily perfuaded by bribes to take the execution of the project upon him. The Grand Duchefs now began to be indifpofed he was taken with unaccountable longings: fhe complained of toothachs, head-achs, qualms, indigeftions, &c. She took to her chamber; and at length to her bed: fhe acquainted the court with her fituation, and no one was more rejoiced at the news than the Grand Duke himself.

When, according to her reckoning, the time of her delivery must be come, The fuddenly made a great alarm at mid. night; rouzed her attendants; complain. ed of the firft pangs, and ordered, with great impatience, her confeffor, (the bare-footed Carmelite,) to be called.

The Cardinal, who was not unacquainted with the cunning of his fifterin law, had a long time paft caufed her to be fo clofely watched, that he was perfectly informed of the plot. Hie no Ed. Mag. June 1796.

fooner got intelligence that the confeffor was fent for, than he haftened to the ante-chamber of the Grand Duchefs; where he walked up and down, and kept reading his breviary. The Grand Duchefs, on hearing that he was there, ordered him to be told; that the begged him, for God's fake, to be gone, as she could not endure the thought of a man being fo near her in the prefent circumnflances. The Cardinal anfwered drily, Let her Highness attend to her own bu finefs, and I will mind mine; and continued to read his breviary. Now came the confeffor, according to appointment. As foon as he appeared the Cardinal flew to meet him with open arms: Welcome, welcome, my dear ghoftly father! The Grand Duchefs has labour-pains, and is greatly in want of your afliftance. With thee words he hugged him faft in his arms, and was thereby immediately truck with the fight of a lovely new-born child which the good father had concealed in his bofom. He took it away from him, and called out fo loud, that even the Grand Duchefs could hear him in the adjoining chamber, God be thanked! the Grand Duchefs is happily delivered of a chopping prince; and directly prefented the little one to the byeftanders.

The Grand Duchefs, incenfed even to fury at this malicious trick, refolved to be revenged of the Cardinal in the crueleft way, coft what it would. And the found means to make the Grand Duke himself, whofe devotion to her remained always entire, to furnith her with an opportunity for effecting her purpole,

One day they all three made a party of pleasure to Poggio a-Caino, and dined together. Now the Cardinal was particularly fond of almond-loup: the Grand Duchefs therefore caufed an almond foup to be prepared for him, which was poiloned, and to be fet upon the table.

The Cardinal had his fpies upon all her actions, who executed fo well their commiffion, that he knew of this plot before the almond-foup came up.He feated himself as ufual at table; but would not take any of the almond-foup, though the Grand Duchefs preff.d it upon him with all the politeneis imaginable. Well, faid the Grand Duke, tho' the Cardinal will have none of it, yet I fhall take tome. And immediately took a portion of it on his plate. (Here the fituation of the Grand Duchels will be

more

more eaftly imagined than defcribed.)Unable now to prevent him from eating it, without making an entire difcovery of her horrid purpose, the faw that he was undone; therefore, in order to escape the vengeance fhe had to expect from her brother-in-law, fhe ate up what remained of the almond-foup. The confequence was, that the and her husband died, both on one day, namely the 2ft of October 1587. The Cardinal fucceeded to the Grand-Ducal dignity, under the name of Ferdinand I. and reign ed till the year 1608.

This narrative which is faid to be tak en from an ancient MS. is not indeed perfectly conformable to hiftory; for

Moreri fays, that Francifcus Maria had abfolutely a legitimate fon, of his fecond marriage, named Antonius de Medicis, who lived till 1621.

However, on the fide of the narrative, it is again certain, that really no fon of the Grand Duke Francis Maria, but that this very Cardinal Ferdinand did fucceed him; which would fcarcely have been the cafe if a legitimate fon had then been living. Farther, this circumftance allo agrees with it, that, according to the fame author, they both did die on the fame day, namely the ninth of October, which difference in the date may be in fome meafure accounted for, by fuppofing that the two relators followed different ftyles.

FOR THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE.

THE REMEMBRANCE.

Nith/dale, 1792. Y but renews any pain;

ET, let me figh, and think again,

Let me beftow one grateful tear,

And let me breathe one vow fincere,
That where foever fate has doom'd
My future days fhall be confum'd,
Until the breath of life decays
I'll mourn the friends of early days.

Sweet flows thy filver current, Nith,
And pure the air thy fhepherds breathe ;-
Bright fpring the flow rets on thy fide,
And fair the vales thy fireams divide;
But dearer, Thames, thy gliding wave,
And thofe gay plains thy waters lave,
For them I'll tune my finiple lays,
Where dwelt the friends of carly days.

In vain thy glittering fpires arife,
Augufta, to enchant mine eyes;
Pleasure in vain exerts her pow'rs
With noify mirth and midnight hours;
No vain regret for them prevails,
'Tis not fuch joys my heart bewails,
'Tis not the fplendid city's blaze;
No!-'tis the friends of early days!

Yet foon perhaps may come a day
Thefe years of abfence to repay;
Perhaps e're long I may repair
Where first I drew the vital air;

Thy fream, O Thames, may glad my eyes,
Where my dear native plains arife;
Then oft I'll trace thy winding maze,
Among the friends of early days.

MARIA RIDDELL.

"Health, blooming health, fhort fince fat on my check;

"Few were my years, not twice ten did they tell;

"But foon did death thefe ties uncertain break,

"And fnatch'd my fpirit from its mortal cell *.

"Up to my God my foul its flight did wing, "Where joys, exquifite joys that ne'er will end;

"Where myriad faints praise to that God do fing,

"Where myriad angels at his throne do bend.

"You too are young; health alfo dwells with you:

"That youth, that health but little will avail;

"The oak that rears majestic to the view, "One boift'rous blast may level with the

"No poignant forrows ftab my heav'nly blifs."

On feraph wings away his form he bore.

LENOR A.

A Ballad from Bürger.

FROM THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

T break of day, with frightful dreams

A Lenora ftruggled fore:

My William, art thou flaine, fay'd fhe,
Or doft thou love ho more?

He went abroade with Richard's host,
But he no word to her had writt,
The Paynin foes to quell;

An he were fick or well.

With fowne of trump, and beat of drum,
His fellow-foldyers come;
Their helmes bydeckt with oaken boughs,
They feeke their long'd-for home.

And ev'ry roade and ev'ry lane

Was full of old and young, To gaze at the rejoicing band,

To hail with gladfome toung. "Thank God;" their wives and children faide,

"Welcome!" the brides did faye: But greete or kifs Lenora gave

To none upon that daye.

She afkte of all the paffing traine,
For him the wifht to fee:
But none of all the pafling traine
Could tell if lived hee.

And when the foldyers all were bye,
She tore her raven haire,
And cat herself upon the growne

In furious defpaire.

Her mother ran and lyfte her up,

And clafped in her arme, "My child, my child, what doft thou ail? God fhield thy life from harm!" "O mother, mother! William's gone What's all befyde to me? There is no mercye, fure, above!

All, all were fpar'd but hee!" "Knell downe, thy paternofter faye, 'Iwill calm thy troubled fpright The Lord is wyfe, the Lord is good; What hee hath done is right." "O Mo

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