been in each man’s hand a shield to receive the fiery darts, and had the foundation rock not been so strong that nothing could ever harm it, we all would have become one burning mass.  But alack, this was but a prologue or foretaste of what was to follow; for suddenly the darkness became sevenfold more intense, and Belial himself advanced in the densest cloud, and around him his chief officers both earthly and infernal, ready to receive and accomplish his behest at their several posts.  He had entrusted the Pope and his other son of France {37a} with the destruction of the Church of England and its queen; the Turks and Muscovites were to strike at the other sections of the Church, and slay the people, and especially the queen and the other princes, and above all to burn the Bible.  The first thing the queen and the other saints did was to bend the knee and tell of their wrongs to the King of Kings in these words:  “The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, oh Emmanuel.”  And immediately a voice replied:  “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  And then commenced the greatest and most terrible conflict that ever took place on earth.  When the sword of the Spirit began to be whirled round, Belial and his infernal hosts began to retreat; then the Pope began to waver, while the King of France still held out, though he too was almost giving up heart, seeing the queen and her subjects so united, while he himself was losing ships and men on the one hand, and on the other many of his subjects were in open revolt; and the onslaught of the Turk also was becoming less fierce.  Just then, woe’s me, I saw my beloved companion shooting away from me into the welkin to join a myriad other bright princes.  Thereupon the Pope and the other earthly commanders began to slink off and become prostrate through fear, and the infernal princes to fall by the thousands.  The noise of each one falling seemed to me as if a great mountain fell into the depths of the sea, and between this noise and the agitation on losing my friend, I awoke from sleep, and returned to this oppressive sod, most unwillingly, so pleasant and enjoyable it was to be a free spirit, and above all to be in such company, notwithstanding the great danger I was in.  Now I had no one to comfort me save the Muse, and she was rather moody—­scarcely could I get her to bray out these lines that follow:-

   Behold this wondrous edifice,
      Both heaven and earth comprising,
   The universe and all that is
      At God’s command arising —
This world, with ramparts wide from pole to pole,
   Down from its starry, brilliant dome,
E’en to the depths where angry billows roll,
   And beasts that through the forest roam —
      All things that sea and sky afford,
   Thy faithful subjects eke to be;
   A lesser heaven, a home for thee
      Oh! man, creation’s lord.