ing crisis, too accurately estimated the probity and truth of the young noble, to attempt to engage him in the dark plot for the overthrow of d'Anjou. Still he loved the duke, as the descendant of his great patron, and honored him for those qualities, of which he felt himself destitute ; and thus it was with a feeling of joyful security, rather than of pride at the princely alliance, that he consented to bestow his only treasure upon the man, who* least of all sympa-thised in the one purpose of his life. The royal party arrived at Bordeaux a few days in ad-vance of the King of England, and during these hours of leisure, Frederic unfolded to the queen the mystery of his first appearance in Burgos. Procida had entrusted him with despatches for the King of Arragon. ; and to execute his commission with the more secresy, and at the same time to enjoy the freedom of the mountain solitudes, he travelled without retinue or insignia of rank. Thus he was leisurely pursuing his way along the bank of the stream, communing pleasantly with his own thoughts, when the cries of Eleanora attracted him, just in time to save Agnes from a watery grave. Time had so developed her liveliness that at first he failed to recognize in the fair being before him, the beautiful child he had been accus-tomed to admire in her father's castle of Prochyta; but when the first flush of returning life glowed upon her coun-tenance, his admiration became lost in a deeper emotion, and frum that hour he determined to lay the ducal coro-net of Saxony at the feet of the beautiful daughter of Sicily. The return of the royal family was an era in the annals of English prosperity, from the number of valuables im-ported from Spain. In the catalogue of the queen's plate, mention is made of a crystal fork, the parting gift of her brothei- Alphonso, from which the first idea of these arti-cles of table luxury was derived : but the lamb, which had so nearly cost the life of Agnes, proved a benefit to the nation, whose value can never be estimated ; and the shep-herd of Cutswold to this day, has reason to bless the queen,, who bestowed the cherished pet in an English fold., 29 ELEANOEA. 449