I could now hold out no longer; but, standing up, made my speech in the following manner, or very near it: "Mighty king--you, reverend ragans--and honourable colambs--with the good people of this august assembly--I am come hither, led by the force of your own prediction, at the request of his majesty and the states, at the peril of my life, to accomplish things said to be predicted of me, glumm Peter. If, then, you have a prediction, if, then, your prediction describes me, and the circumstances of these times, it consisting of several parts, they ought seriously to be weighed, that I may know when and where I am to begin my operation, and when and where to leave off; for in predictions the whole is to be accomplished as much as any member of it. "It is said I shall destroy the traitor of the ancient limits of your monarchy. Are you willing, therefore, that should be done? yea, or nay?" Then every one answered, "Yea."--"And by common consent establish what the old ragan would have taught you?" Here the king rose up; but Barbarsa giving him a touch (for every one waited to be guided by the voice of the ragans), he sat down again; and no one answering Yea, west; "I am ready to enter upon it and settle the question." I again put the same question, and told them, as it was their own concern, I would have an answer before I proceeded. One of the ragans then rose, and said that part of the prediction was too loose to be relied on, for it was to settle what he would have taught: "Now, who knows," says he, "what he would have taught?" The assembly paused a considerable time, and just as I was opening my mouth to speak, an ancient and venerable ragan rose: says he, "I am sorry, at my years, to find that truth wants an advocate; my age and infirmities might well have excused me from speaking in this assembly, so many of my brethren being present, younger and better qualified for that purpose than myself; but as we are upon a sacred thing, and lest, as I find none of them care to declare the truth, I should also be thought to consent to its suppression if I sat silent and suffered it to be hid under a quibble, I must beg to be heard a few words. My brother, who spoke last, says the words are too loose which say, 'and by common consent establish what I would have taught;' but I beg leave to think it far otherwise, for we all know what he would have taught, and the memory of that hath been as exactly kept as the prediction; for how could our ancestors have opposed his doctrine, but from hearing and disapproving it? And we all know, not only the prediction, but the doctrine, hath been punctually handed down to us; though, woe be to us! we have not proclaimed it as we have done the prediction; and let me tell you, when you, my brethren, severally come to my years, and have but a single step farther to hoximo, you will wish you had taught it, as I do, who believe and approve it." The poor old man, having spoke as long as his breath and