But what should they do?--Oh! nobody knew What was best to be done, either stranger or resident; The Chancellor's self read his Puffendorf through In vain, for his book could not furnish a precedent. The Prince Bishop mutter'd a curse, and a prayer, Which his double capacity hit to a nicety; His Princely, or Lay, half induced him to swear, His Episcopal moiety said "Benedicite!" The Coroner sat on the body that night, And the jury agreed,--not a doubt could they harbor,-- "That the chin of the corpse--the sole thing brought to light-- Had been recently shav'd by a very bad barber." They sent out Van Taunsend, Von Burnie, Von Roe, Von Maine, and Von Rowantz--through chalets and chateaux, Towns, villages, hamlets, they told them to go, And they stuck up placards on the walls of the Stadthaus. "MURDER!! "WHEREAS, a dead gentleman, surname unknown, Has been recently found at his Highness's banquet, Rather shabbily dressed in an Amice, or gown In appearance resembling a second-hand blanket; "And WHEREAS, there's great reason indeed to suspect That some ill-disposed person, or persons, with malice Aforethought, have kill'd, and begun to dissect The said Gentleman, not far from this palace. "THIS IS TO GIVE NOTICE!--Whoever shall seize; And such person or persons, to justice surrender, Shall receive--such REWARD--as his Highness shall please, On conviction of him, the aforesaid offender. "And, in order the matter more clearly to trace To the bottom, his Highness, the Prince Bishop, further, Of his clemency, offers free PARDON and Grace To all such as have NOT been concern'd in the murther. "Done this day, at onr palace,--July twenty-five-- By command, (Signed) Johann Von Russell, N.B. Deceased rather in years--had a squint when alive; And smells slightly of gin--linen marked with a G." The Newspapers, too, made no little ado, Though a different version each managed to dish up; Some said "The Prince Bishop had run a man through," Others said "an assassin had kill'd the Prince Bishop." The "Ghent Herald" fell foul of the "Bruxelles Gazette," The "Bruxelles Gazette," with much sneering ironical, Scorn'd to remain in the "Ghent Herald's" debt, And the "Amsterdam Times" quizz'd the "Nuremberg Chronicle." In one thing, indeed, all the journals agreed, Spite of "politics," "bias," or "party collision;" Viz.: to "give," when they'd "further accounts" of the deed, "Full particulars" soon, in "a later Edition." But now, while on all sides they rode and they ran, Trying all sorts of means to discover the caitiffs, Losing patience, the holy Gengulphus began To think it high time to "astonish the natives."