tion that afforded so little prospect of an increase of patri-mony or glory, was, notwithstanding, willing to avail him-self of the popular enthusiasm. He professed his intention to obey the mandate of the holy father, and prepared for the pious work, by causing his son Henry to be crowned King of the Romans, and by adding the imperial to the kingly diadem upon his own head, 1220. It is even proba-ble that the subjugation of Italy, and the assertion of the rights of the temporal against the spiritual power, might have prevented Frederic from ever attempting anything for Palestine, had not the sagacious pontiff found an irresisti-ble ally in the beautiful Yiolante, Queen of Jerusalem. Wearied of endeavoring to convert his marital rights to the sovereignty of Jerusalem, into actual and firm do-minion, Jean de Brienne listened to the suggestions of the Roman legate, that his claims to the nominal crown might be transferred with the hand of his daughter to some pow-erful prince of Europe. Accompanied by the patriarch of Jerusalem, Jean de Brienne sailed for Egypt on his route to Italy. Melech Camel received his guests with a pompous distinction cal-culated to impress them with the security and prosperity of his government; and VioLante, whose sojourn with El-siebede had been protracted to several years, welcomed her father with the timid reserve consequent upon the harem-like seclusion in which she had been nurtured. Her dress was Oriental, both in richness of material and peculiarity of costume. She returned the king's embrace gracefully and affectionately, but when the patriarch fixed his admiring eyes upon her, she instantly concealed her blushing countenance behind the folds of her veil, and the prelate observed that though the prayers she repeated in her agitation, were such as the church prescribed, she held in her hand an " Im-plement of praise," or Moslem rosary, of thrice three and thirty precious stones, and that she involuntarily mingled with her more orthodox devotions, " Ya Alia khalick, ya Alia kareem." He would fain have relieved her of the In-fidel charm, but the spoiled princess resisted his pious en- VIOLANTE. 327