Neither sharpe pencil of war, famine, pest, Could once one ray engrave in steeled breast, Or Christians cause their sin-jagged robe disrobe. Thus stood the sad state of that sin-stain’d time, And Christians of this our all-zeal cold time, Let us now par’llel that time with our time, Our parallel’d time will parallel that time, Then triple-sainct, thou just geometer true, Our time not parallel by thy justice line, But with thy mercy’s paralleling brow, Reform our crimeful Angles by grace thine. * * * * * _Eight summer days, from morn till latest eve, The fatal fight endured._—I. p. 3. _Ocho veces la lampara febea Salio alumbrando el mundo, y ocho veces La negra sombra de la noche fea De la luna alteró las blancas teces; Y tantos dias la mortal pelea, El sol y las estrellas por jueces, En España duro, sin durar ella Mas en su libertad, que en fenecella._ Balbuena, El Bernardo, t. ii. 275. * * * * * _Roderick’s royal car._—I. p. 3. “Roderike, the first day after the battayle, observing the auncient guise of his countrey, came into the fielde apparailled in a gowne of beaten golde, having also on his head a crown of gold, and golden shoes, and all his other apparaile set with rich pearles and precious stones, ryding in a horse-litter of ivorie, drawne by two goodly horses; which order the Goths used alwayes in battailes for this consideration, that the souldiours, well knowing their king could not escape away by flight from them, shuld be assured that there was none other way but either to die togither in that place, or else to winne the victorie; for it had bene a thing most shamefull and reproachful to forsake their prince and anoynted soveraigne. Which custome and maner many free confederate cities of Italie folowing, trimmed and adorned for the warres a certain chayre of estate, called _Carocio_, wherein were set the penons and ensigns of all the confederates; this chayre, in battaile, was drawn by many oxen, wherby the whole hoast was given to understand that they could not with any honesty flie, by reason of the slow pace and unweldinesse of those heavie beasts.”—_A Notable Historie of the Saracens, drawen out of Augustine Curio, and sundry other good Authours. By Thomas Newton, 1575._ _En ruedas de marfil, envuelto en sedas, De oro la frente orlada, y mas dispuesto Al triunfo y al festin que a la pelea, El sucesor indigno de Alarico Llevo tras si la maldicion eterna. Ah! yo la vi: la lid por siete dias Duro, mas no fue lid, fue una sangrienta Carniceria: huyeron los cobardes Los traidores vendieron sus banderas, Los fuertes, los leales perecieron._—QUINTANA.