Roderick, the last of the Goths : $b A tragic poemSouthey, Robert
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Roderick, the last of the Goths : $b A tragic poem
Southey, Robert
Roderick, King of the Visigoths, -711? -- Poetry
“King Don Rodrigo living thus, one day, between midnight and dawn,
the false Hermit came to the hermitage; and not in the same figure as
before, but appearing more youthful, so that he would not be known. And
he called at the door, and the King looked who it might be, and saw that
he was habited like a servant of God, and he opened the door forthwith.
And they saluted each other. And when they saw each other, the false
Hermit greeted the King, and demanded of him where the father was; and
the King answered, that for more than a month there had been no person
dwelling there save himself. And the false Hermit, when he heard this,
made semblance as if he were afflicted with exceeding grief, and said,
How came this to be, for it is not yet six weeks since I came here and
confessed my sins to the father who abode here, and then departed from
this hermitage to my own, which is a league from hence? And King Don
Rodrigo said, Friend, know that this Hermit is now in Paradise, as I
believe, and I buried him with my own hands: and he showed him the place
where he lay. And when he went there he began to kiss the earth of the
grave, and to make great dole and lamentation over him. And when some
half hour had past, he withdrew, making semblance as if he wished to say
his hours. And before the King had finished to say his, he came to him,
and said, Good man, will you say mass? And the King answered, that he
never said it. Then, said the false Hermit, Hear me then in penitence,
for I would confess. And the King seeing that it was for the service of
God to hear him in penitence, they seated themselves both at the foot of
the altar. And when the false Hermit spake, it appeared that he had no
sin to confess: for he began to relate many great services which he had
done to God, as well in the life which he led as in other things. And
before the King could absolve him he rose up, and asked if things were
ready for the mass. And the King said that he knew not, and bade him
look. It was now time that he should go to his oratory. And the false
Hermit asked him that he should assist him in saying mass, and then he
should hear it. And the King said, that for nothing in the world would
he leave to fulfil his penance, according as it had been appointed him:
and he went to his oratory. And the false Hermit made as if he put on the
vestments and all the ornaments, and began to say mass, to the end that
he might deceive the King, and make him cease to observe his penance,
and come to adore the mass. And he made a watery cloud arise, so that
it rained heavily where the King was. And when he saw that he could in
no ways entice him, then he went to him, and said, Good man, for that
you may be placed out of danger in cases which at all times will happen,
seeing that you are alone, I have consecrated the body of Jesus Christ,
that you may adore it every day, since you may not hear mass; and thus
you may fulfil your penance as a faithful Christian. And with that he
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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