Comnenus. Good soldiers, Anna. In the arm of

flesh

Are we to trust. The Mother of the Gods,
Prolific Mother, holiest Mother Church
Hath banded Heaven upon the side opposed.
No matter; when such supplicants as thou
Pray for us, other angels need we none.
Now must my horse know nothing of the reins
Until the warder's challenge sound a halt.

END OF THE THIRD ACT.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-A Chamber in the Bucoleon.

NICEPHORUS, the Patriarch, and the Abbot of St. Conon's. Abbot. I cannot but commend your Grace's prudence; She is a woman of ungovern'd spirit,

And were she in her helplessness so urged,
Might do some violence to herself, which still
Men's minds, more prone to scandal than to faith,
Would fix upon the Church. Count Lyra's death
Is yet a question and a calumny

Rife in men's mouths, despite the miracle.

Patriarch. It pleaseth God to hasten no man's hour But straight our Order is impeach'd, as we Could make men linger.

Nicephorus.

For our present need

Reserve we force until devices fail.

Abbot. I will take order for the strict observance Of what your Highness saith.

Nicephorus.
Yet have regard
To what runs counter, what occasions serve.
In this time's mutability, the reasons

That rule one hour the next doth abrogate.
Wherefore, by due observance of the times
Mould thou the means as best to work my end.
A woman and a child are easy dealt with.

Abbot. To work your Grace's will, and save the shrine

From the reproach of violence, I will try

All gentle and benign devices first.

Nicephorus. And should these fail to draw the culprits forth,

Expect my further will. Enough is said.
They wait you in Sophia's.

SCENE II.-Interior of the Church of St. Sophia.

Thuriferi swinging censers on each side the altar. A number of Priests holding tapers, and performing from time to time the ritual deosculations of the images. A congregation of old men and women. The Patriarch is descending the steps of the altar.

Patriarch. As many goats as sheep.-No more of

this

Ye do but bring each Runaway and Skulk

Hither to seek a shelter.

Quench those lights.

Enter THEODORA.

Theodora. What doth this people here? What know they not

The battle rages to the very walls

And none to man them?

An old Man. Princess, we are old.

Theodora. Old and how is it then ye know no better

Than thus to cupboard up your vapid dregs
Like something precious?

Patriarch. Said I not? Lo, there!

The very women cry you shame. Away!

Enter a Soldier.

Patriarch. Whence comest thou?

Soldier.

From Phenar in great haste.

The Emperor is sore beset, and saith

Unless some aid be brought that all is lost.

Patriarch. Who feareth loss that fighteth for the Lord?

Why arms he not the citizens and the slaves?

Soldier. They will not arm. I saw them in the

streets:

Prostrate before the images they lay,

Stricken with fear the ways were filled with monks Passing in long processions to the shrines.

Patriarh. Oh God! raise up thy people. Lo! I take A blessed relic from Sophia's shrine !

This sword contains a scraping of the steel

Of that spear's head which pierced the side of Christ. What host shall stand against the Lord of Hosts ? Arm ye, my children, arm ye for the fight!

St. Theodore, St. Maurice, and St. George

Shall strike with them that strike with this dread sword. Cast down your lights; find weapons where ye mayWhat host shall stand against this sacred sword?

SCENE III.-The City near the Walls.

A Soldier keeping ward, To him enter another running. First Soldier. From what side comest thou?

Second Soldier. From Petræum, covered with laurels. There is nothing in war so glorious as a successful retreat. I have left the dead, but brought off the baggage.

[Exhibits articles of plunder. I'll give thee this ring an' thou❜lt show me the nearest way into the sewers.

First Soldier. Dost take me for a scavenger? Thou art for slinking off.

Second Soldier. I! perish the thought! 'Tis a point of generalship. Didst never hear of a city being surprised through the sewers. If I were there, I could keep the pass against a thousand.

First Soldier. Indeed thou would'st keep it all to thyself, for the thousands are coming the other way— over the walls. But I'll take thy ring, for methinks I know what way thou cam'st by it; thou hast been

killing and rifling thy wounded comrades. I'll take thy ring, and show thee the way to a safer place than the sewers-there.

[Turns round suddenly and stabs him, Get thee underground, and give me up thy ill-gotten gear.

Enter several other Soldiers.

First Soldier (as he rifles the body). Good soul! wounded to death I fear me! The best of friends-a military testament-left me all he had-alas!

Third Soldier. Truly, and no little either-ha? Come, let's have fair play. We will all go shares.

[Enter an Officer: the soldiers quit the dead man and gather round him.

Officer. How fares it here?

Fourth Soldier. The same as every where-ill fare; it fares foully: the sally is beaten back to the walls. Officer. There was a rumour with us that a miracle had been wrought.

Fourth Soldier. The miracle of making live men dead; I saw no other. But there was the old Patriarch among the foremost soldiers, with a rusty sword that came from Jerusalem,

Officer. What did he with it?

Fourth Soldier. Why, he held it up before the ranks, and prayed lustily. The enemy were shy of it, till Comnenus rode up and brake it in twain with his lance, and then they all fell on, and the sally was driven in.

Officer. They say the Emperor was there himself. Fourth Soldier. No man in the field fought better. This day has made a soldier of him again.

Fifth Soldier. Here is some one coming this way. Officer. It is the Emperor and the Eparchs. Jump on to yon wall; you were best not be found doing nothing.

[Exeunt.