81 



' And raise mankind beyond this world of strife. 

 ' I am the Death of Death — the Life of Life ' * 



" Among his Epigrams, Beza gives us one written on the 

 sudden appearance, in August, 1572, (the time of the massacre 

 of St. Bartholomew,) of a most brilliant star in the constella- 

 tion Cassiopeia. Its splendour exceeded that of the planet 

 Venus or the planet Mercury, and, when on the meridian, it 

 could be seen with the naked eye in mid-day. At the end of 

 sixteen months it had again disappeared. 



" ' Why streams yon new effulgence from on high, 

 Ev'n at mid-day illumining the sky ? 

 Comet or blazing star! To him alone 

 Who rules the stars its true portent is known. 

 Yet erst — if right I deem — this selfsame ray 

 Led from the East the wise men on their way, 

 The new-born Saviour of the World t' adore, 

 And at his feet their pious offerings pour. 

 Lo! this same Star preludes his glad return. 

 Ye tortured saints, no more in anguish mourn. 

 Each Herod soon shall own th' avenging God ; 

 And crouch beneath his retributive rod.' + 



" Contemporary with Beza was Nicholas Reusner, a native 



* " Quaenam sic lacero vestita incedis amictu ? 



Melligio, summi vera Patris soboles. 

 Cur vestis tam vilis? opes contemno caducas. 



Qtiis Liber hie ? Patris lex veneranda tuei. 

 Cur nudum pectus ? decet hoc Canrtoris amicam. 



Cur innixa cruci ? Crux mihi sola quies. 

 Cur alata? homines doceo super astra volare. 



Cur radians ? mentis discutio tenebras. 

 Quid docet hoc frenum? mentis cohibere furores. 



Cur tibi Mors premitnr? Mors quia Mortis ego." 



+ " In novam illam et seculis omnibus superioribus inauditam stellam cum ilia 

 caruificina Gallica nei'andissima exortam Augusto mense a.d. 1672. 



" FROGNOSTICON. 



Iste novus nullo metuendus crine Cometes, 



Et radians puro cui nitet igne jubar; 

 Ecquid portendat terris, Deus ille Deorum 



Novit, et ostendent tempore fata suo. 

 Quod si humana; aliquid possunt prascisere mentes 



Talia rimari nee mihi signa nefas ; 

 Fallor ego, aut ille est Jessoeam qualis in urbem 



Duxit ab Eoo qui prius orbe Magos? 

 Et qui nascenti prceluxit, nunciat idem 



Ecce redux redueem rursus adesse Deum. 

 Huic igitur felix — 6 turba applaude piorum. , 



Herodes, caveas til tibi, quisquis eris." 



