, the pope,
excommunicated the king, and put his dominions under an interdict. The
exterior offices of religion were suspended, the people fell into the
utmost dissoluteness of manners; Mohammedanism made great advances, and
public confusion everywhere prevailed. By this policy the Church
constrained the nobility to urge the king to a full submission to the
papal chair. While a negotiation for this purpose was on foot Alonzo
died, and left his son to struggle with an enraged and powerful clergy.
Don Sancho was just, affable, brave, and an enamoured husband. On this
last virtue faction first fixed its envenomed fangs. The queen was
accused of arbitrary influence over her husband; and, according to the
superstition of that age, she was believed to have disturbed his senses
by an enchanted draught. Such of the nobility as declared in the king's
favour were stigmatized, and rendered odious, as the creatures of the
queen. The confusions which ensued were fomented by Alonso, Earl of
Bologna, the king's brother, by whom the king was accused as the author
of them. In short, by the assistance of the clergy and Pope Innocent
IV., Sancho was deposed, and soon after died at Toledo. The beautiful
queen, Donna Mencia, was seized upon, and conveyed away by one Raymond
Portocarrero, and was never heard of more. Such are the triumphs of
faction!

[242] Alexander the Great.

[243] Mondego, the largest exclusively Portuguese river.--_Ed._

[244] The _baccaris_, or Lady's glove, a herb to which the Druids and
ancient poets ascribed magical virtues.

----_Baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro._

VIRG. Ecl. vii.

[245] Semiramis, who is said to have invaded India.--_Ed._

[246] Attila, a king of the Huns, surnamed "The Scourge of God." He
lived in the fifth century. He may be reckoned among the greatest of
conquerors.

[247] _His much-lov'd bride._--The Princess Mary. She was a lady of
great beauty and virtue, but was exceedingly ill used by her husband,
who was violently attached to his mistresses, though he owed his crown
to the assistance of his father-in-law, the King of Portugal.

[248]

_By night our fathers' shades confess their fear,
Their shrieks of terror from the tombs we hear.--_

Camoens says, "A mortos faz espanto;" to give this elegance in English
required a paraphrase. There is something wildly great, and agreeable to
the superstition of that age, to suppose that the d