Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-01-24
KING ROBERT OF SICILY.
by LEIGH HUNT.

NlNg hOO'T' VI CICiN, hi'titl VI Wv
Urban and OF the Emperor Nalemond, was
Prince of great valor and rcnown, but OF
temper SO proud and impatient, that be
did not like to bend his knee to Heaven It,
self, but would sit twirling his beard, and
looking with something worse than lndIlle-
renee round about him, during the gravest
services of the church.
One day, while he was present at Ncspers
on the eve of st. John, his attention was
excited to some words in the Magnlicat, in
consequence of sudden dropping of the
choris,er's voices. The words were these
-" Dcposua potcntcS dc Scdc, ct e1ahadd
humiiies." (lle hath put down the mighty
from their seat, and hath exalted the humbe.)
Being far too great and warlike IA prince to
know anything of Latin, he asked chap
lain near him the meaning of these words
and being told what it was, observed, that
such expression were no better than an old
song, since men like himself were not so
easily pulled down. much less supplanted by
poor creatures whom the people called
/" humble"
The chaplain, doubtless out of pure aston
ishment and horror, made no reply and his
majesty, partly from the heat of the weather,
pdltlN W IllliStIl II tiIc ItSt vi
the service, fell asleep.
After some lapse of tine, the royal " sit
ter in the seat of the scornIul," owing, as he
thought to the sound of the organ, but in re-
alily to "A great dronine ny in his ear, woke
up in more than his usual state of Impotence;
and he was preparing to vent it, when, To
his astonishmenl he perceived the church
empty. Every soul was gone, excepting IA
deaf old woman who was turning up the
cushions. lie addressed her to no purpose .
he spoke louder and louder, aud was pro-
cerdng as well as rage and amazement,
would let him, TO try if he could walk ont of
the church wihou, dozen lords before him,
when, suddenly catching sight of his face,
the old woman uttered IA cry of" Thieves ~
and shullled away, first closing TIE door be-
hind her.
King Robert looked at the door in silence,
then round about him at the empty church,
then at himself. His cloak of crminc was
gone. The coronet was taken from his cap
The very Jewels from his fingers. Thieves,
verify = thought the king, turning white, for
shame and rage. Here is conspiracv-re-
hclion! This is that sanctiiied traitor, the
Duke. Horses shall tear them all TO pieces
s, What no, there! Open the door for the
king y
For the constable, you mean said {
voice, through the keyholc. You're t
pretty fellow y
The king said nothing.
'Thinking to escape, in the kings name,
said the voice, latter hiding to plumber hi
closet, We've got YOU
Still the king said nothing.
The Sexton could not refrain from anoth
cr iibe at his prisoner:-
Il see you. there said he bv the bi!
lamp, erinning like rat in trap. How d,
you like your bacon y!
Now, whether king Robert was Of thu
blood Of that Norman chief who felled his EN-
emy's horse with blow Of his fist we kno,
not; but certain it is. that the only answe
he made the sexton was dashing his enor
nous foot against the door, aud bursting
open in his teeth The sexton, who felt u
if "A horse had givrn him a blow IN the face
tainted away: and the kiuc, as far rs hi
sense of dignity allowed hIn, hurried TO hi
palace which was close by.
'Wel,' said the porter, what do go
want!
Stand aside, fellow = roared the king
pushing back the door, with the same gi.an
tic foot
Go to the devil = said the porter, VIII
was stout fellow too, and pushed the kin
back before he expected resistance. Tin
king, however, was too much for him. II
felled him to the ground; and half s,rodt
half rushed into the palace, followed by til
exasperated anilor.
y Seize him cried the porter.
sOn Your lives cried the king. Loo
The at me, fellow who am | 2
gh A mad beast and fool that's what 70
IN are cried the porter. And you're dea
INC man. for coming drunk into the palace, an
NV, hitting the kings servants. Hold him fast
nor In came the guards, with an officer at the
JUS head, who was going to visit his mistress, an
a had been dressing his cnrls al "A looking glas
red He had the looking-glass in his hand.
'ay Captain FrancavilIe,' said the king,
'hn the world run mad or what is it! u
,,r d" your rebels pretend not even to know me
ION Go before me, sir, to my rooms And as |
as spoke, the king shook of his assailanls, as
the lion does ours, and moved onward.
lor- Captain Francavla put his finger gen,
ons before the king to stop him and then lool
ana ing with a sort of staring Indifference in h
s; ~ face, said, in a very mild tone, Some mat
;rs man.
King Robert tore the looking glass fro
the captains hand, and looked himself in Il
of face. IL was not his o,on face 1t was al
erv other mans face, very hot and vulgar; al
the had something in il at once melancholy al
my ridiculous.
m" 'By the living God = exclaimed Robel
am shere is wi,chcrall am changed An
y for the first time in his life, sensation
fin. fear came upon him, but nothing SO great
ked the rage and fury that remained. All Il
that world had still more certain proofs of the G
fell islence Of drunkenness and madness al
his the kings household had seen the king con
Tor forth from church as usual, and were rea'
', Oh to split their sides for laughter al the 6gme
mon of this raving imposler, pretending to
r0 king Robert changed!
Bring him n-bring him in y now e
yes claimed other voices, the news having 9
OF to the royal apartments the king war
VEN TO see him.
her King Robert was brought in; and thel
'ars amid roars of laughter (for courts were u
, ain quite such wcll-bred places then as they
cen now) he found himself face TO face with a