Cypriot of beggarly appearance threw himself on his knees before them, and presented to their astonished eyes the talismanic ring ! Eichard felt his gentle burden lean more heavily upon his arm, and saw in her colorless face, that all her apprehensions were reawakened. Gently whispering her words of encouragement, he turned to the stranger, and bursting into a hearty laugh, exclaimed, " Ha ! knave, where got'st thou the bauble ? Hast news of my chancellor ?" The mendicant replied, that a num-ber of bodies had floated upon the beach, and that from the hand of one he had drawn this ring, which he brought to the English monarch in the hope of ransoming his wife and family, who had been taken prisoners. Richard, re-joiced at the recovery of the valued jewel, readily granted the request of the petitioner, adding as a bounty, a broad piece of gold. Slipping the signet upon his finger, he turned to his fair charge, saying, " Cheer thee, sweet-heart, thy ring has accomplished its destiny. The poor chancel-lor is ' drowned in the sea,' and thou mayest henceforth look upon it with favor, for to-day it shall consummate my ' dearest wish,' since the good bishop now waits to crown thee Richard's queen." Relieved, that the ring, after all, boded no evil to Richard, and reassured by his words, Berengaria yielded to the sweet emotions that crowded upon her heart, and joyfully per-mitted him to conduct her into the presence of the arch-bishop, who, with the knights and nobles, awaited their coming. " And there," according to an ancient writer, " in the joyous month of May, 1191, in the flourishing and spa-cious isle of Cyprus, celebrated as the very abode of the goddess of love, did King Richard solemnly take to wife his beloved lady Berengaria." The allied crusaders, with the consent of the Cypriots, insisted that Richard should be crowned King of Cyprus, and a double coronal of gems and Fleur-de-lis, was placed upon the head of the bride, as Queen of Cyprus and of England. The daughter of Isaac came soon after to crave the grace of the new sovereigns, 228 HEROINES OP THE CRUSADES.