she wore a chain of gold, and bore a light spear in her hand, being tall, and of a comely, cheerful, and modest countenance; and so awhile she stood, pausing to survey her army, and being regarded with reverential silence, she addressed to them an impassioned and eloquent speech on the wrongs of her country." "This is not the first time," cried she, "that Britons have been victorious under their queen. I come not here as one descended from royal progenitors, to fight for empire or riches, but as one of you-as a true Briton-to avenge the loss of liberty, the wrongs done to my own person, and the base violation of the chastity of my daughters. Roman lust has grown so strong, that nothing escapes its pollution; old and young are alike liable to its outrages. The gods have already begun to punish them according to their deserts. One legion that durst hazard a battle, was cut in pieces, and others have fled like cowards before us. Raise loud your war-shout, and their fears will make them flee. Consider your numbers and your motives for the war, and resolve to conquer or die. It is better to fall honorably in defence of liberty, than to submit to Roman outrage. Such, is my resolution; but, ye men, if ye choose, live and be slaves !" When the brave queen had concluded her harangue, a loud shout ran along the lines of the British army, and exclamations of loyalty were heard on every side But while these demonstrations denoted confidence of victory on the part of the Britons, Paulinus was unawed, and by forcible appeals to his soldiers, he raised their hopes and courage to the highest pitch. He pointed to the multitude of Britons, as a handful of men and immense numbers of women and children; he exorted them to believe the Britons to be cowardscharged them to keep close together so as to advance in an unbroken phalanx, and to fight sword in hand, after they had thrown their darts. Then, ordering a charge to be sounded, the Romans advanced in a solid column, hurled their javelins with terrible effect, with desperate power broke into the ranks of the Britons, and with sword in hand spread death and desolation in their path. Such an unexpected and fierce onslaught, struck terror to the islanders, for they supposed the Romans would be awed by their numbers; and it was in vain that Boadicea encouraged them to repel the attack. They fled in dismay in every direction. The women and children were exposed to the fury of the Romans;. neither age nor sex, nor even horses were spared; and when the sun set upon Britain that night, more than seventy thousand of her children lay dead upon that battle-field. Boadicea and her daughters narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the conquerors; but, stung with remorse and despair at her accumulated misfortunes, she took poison, and died. Such, in brief, is a romantic chapter of the early history of Britain, and in it are shadowed forth many of the bolder features of the human character,—the tyranny of uncontrolled power, ambition, avarice, cruelty, lust; the generous heroism of woman, the strength of innate principles of freedom, the meanness of cowardice, and the suicidal tendency of misfortune and despair. And such are the leading features in almost every chapter of the world's history, where states and empires have changed masters. The record of the political progress of nations, is a wonderful romance, where truth and fable are combined in presenting to generation after generation, an entertaining volume for amusement and instruction; and, doubtless, Byron was not wide of the mark, when he denominated all history, "a splendid fiction." BERENGARIA OF NAVARRE, THE QUEEN OF RICHARD I. BERENGARIA, the beautiful daughter of Sancho the Wise, King of Navarre, was first seen by Richard Coeur de Lion, at a grand tournament given by her gallant brother, at Pampeluna, her native city. Richard was then captivated by the beauty of Berengaria, but his engagement to the fair and frail Alice of France prevented him from offering her his hand. Berengaria may be considered a Provençal princess, by language and education, though she was Spanish by descent. Her mighty sire, Sancho the Wise, had for his immediate ancestor Sancho the Great, called the Emperor of all Spain. He inherited the little kingdom of Navarre, and married Beatrice, daughter to Alphonso, King of Castille, by whom he had three children, Berengaria, Blanche, and Sancho, surnamed the Strong, a hero celebrated by the Provençal poets for his gallant exploits against the Moors. He defeated the Miramolin, and broke the chains that guarded the camp of the infidel with his battle-axe, which chains were afterwards transferred to the armorial bearings of Navarre. An ardent friendship had subsisted from boyhood between Richard and Sancho the Strong, the gallant brother of Berengaria. A similarity of pursuits strengthened the intimacy of Richard with the royal family of Navarre. The father and brother of Berengaria were celebrated for their skill and judgment in Provençal poetry. Berengaria was herself a learned |