For now her lovely eyes,
Unclouded, brown,
Are lighted with their greeting smile—
The Hand awaited through the gloom
Is seen!—her whitened forehead lies
Upon the Shepherd's shoulder down—
Yea,—her own Jesus comes,—to lead
Unto the meadows where is Peace indeed!
EGIDIO OF COIMBRA—1597 A.D.
By Thomas Walsh
The rumor came to Frei Egidio
In cloistered Santa Cruz, that out of Spain
King Philips secret courier had fared
With orders under seal suspending all
The statutes of Coimbra that controlled
The contests for the prefessorial chairs,
And ordering the Faculty to grant
Padre Francisco Suarez primacy
Among the masters theological.
And Frei Egidio, whose ancient name
Fonseca was relinquished when at court
It shone its brightest, who had ceaseless toiled
His score of years in cloister and in schools,
Unravelling knotty texts, disputing long
With monk and doctor of the Carmelites,
Dominicans and Trinitarians,
Consulting with the students, visiting,
Fawning and banqueting—himself and all
His faction in the University—
