es through Bishopstortford, and that there are dog-headed men on the
road: or that it lies through Edinburgh, but that there are dog-headed
men on that road too?

Theodelinda had built at Modicaea, twelve miles above Milan, a fair
basilica to John the Baptist, enriched by her and the Lombard kings and
dukes, 'crowns, crosses, golden tables adorned with emeralds, hyacinths,
amber, carbuncles and pearls, gold and silver altar-cloths, and that
admirable cup of sapphire,' all which remained till the eighteenth
century. There, too, was the famous iron crown of Lombardy, which
Austria still claims as her own; so called from a thin ring of iron
inserted in it, made from a nail of the true cross which Gregory had sent
Agilwulf; just as he sent Childebert, the Frankish king, some filings of
St. Peter's chains; which however, he says, did not always allow their
sacred selves to be filed.

In return, Agilwulf had restored the church-property which he had
plundered, had reinstated the bishops; and why did not all go well? Why
are these Lombards still the most wicked of men?

Again, in the beginning of the eighth century came the days of the good
Luitprand, 'wise and pious, a lover of peace, and mighty in war; merciful
to offenders, chaste and modest, instant in prayer, bountiful in alms,
equal to the philosophers, though he knew no letters, a nourisher of his
people, an augmenter of the laws.' He it was, who, when he had
quarrelled with Pope Gregory II., and marched on Rome, was stopped at the
Gates of the Vatican by the Pontiff's prayers and threats. And a sacred
awe fell on him; and humbly entering St. Peter's, he worshipped there,
and laid on the Apostle's tomb his royal arms, his silver cross and crown
of gold, and withdrawing his army, went home again in peace. But why
were this great king's good deeds towards the Pope and the Catholic faith
rewarded, by what we can only call detestable intrigue and treachery?

Again; Leo the Iconoclast Emperor destroyed the holy images in the East,
and sent commands to the Exarch of Ravenna to destroy them in western
Italy. Pope Gregory II. replied by renouncing allegiance to the Emperor
of Constantinople; and by two famous letters which are still preserved;
in which he tells the Iconoclast Emperor, that, 'if he went round the
grammar-schools at Rome, the children would throw their horn-books at his
head . . . that he implored Christ to send the Emperor a devil, for the
destruction o