Latin poets of modern times. Along with these eminent men, whose writings still preserve for them a considerable reputation, there were various other persons of learning and taste, equally well known at the time, though their names are no longer familiar to the general reader. Such were the canon Calcagnini, already mentioned, the two brothers Chilian and John Sinapius, Germans by birth, and Aonio Paleario, who afterwards suffered martyrdom at Rome, for his adherence to the reformed faith. But of all the learned men whose acquaintance she formed, there was none whom Olympia regarded with such reverence and affection as Celio Secundo Curio, one of the leaders of Italian protestantism. While enjoying her father's hospitality, he had made him first acquainted with the truths of the Gospel ; and he probably in no small degree contributed to give herself a knowledge of those pure doctrines for which, at a later period, she made great sacrifices. But, delightful as such society must have been to one who possessed the talents and tastes of Olympia Morata, it was not without its snares and its dangers. In the eager pursuit of human knowledge, so fascinating, and yet, when pursued on its own account, in the end so unsatisfactory, she was too likely to forget "the one thing needful," and to think but little of" the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord." Nor was this the only temptation to which, as an inmate of the palace, she was exposed. Kind and social in temper, she naturally wished to acquire the friendship of persons of her own age and sex; and strictly decorous as the court of Renée was, there must have been many of Olympia's acquaintances whose hearts were devoted to nothing more elevated than youthful gayeties. The very warmth of her disposition might lead her first to excuse and then to participate in the fashionable frivolity, which alone occupied the thoughts of many noble ladies in Ferrara. Accordingly we find that, several years afterwards, in a letter to Curio, she thus writes, "Had I remained longer at court, my salvation might have been endangered. For, while I was there, I was too much estranged from the study of things elevated and divine,-nay, even from the reading of the Holy Scriptures." And, in a supposed dialogue between herself and her bosom-friend Lavinia della Rovere, afterwards the Princess Orsini, she appeals to that lady's recollection of her former distaste for religious duties, and her blind fondness, not merely for secular studies, but for the vanities common to her sex ; adoring at the same time the grace of God, who, by a merciful process of affliction, had weaned her affections from the things of time. It was in the year 1542 that the papal court first became seriously alarmed at the progress of the reformed doctrines in Italy; and at that time the remonstrances of the clergy in various parts of the country induced Paul III. to adopt measures for the suppression of them. These plans were steadily pursued during the reigns of his immediate successors; for though the voluptuous Julius III. and the fanatical Paul IV. differed widely in personal character, they agreed in a detestation of opinions which struck at the root of pontifical authority. The professors of the reformed faith were subjected to the most severe persecution, which varied indeed somewhat in its aspect in different quarters of Italy, but every where displayed the same furious intolerance. At Venice, for example, the Protestants were drowned in the Adriatic at the still hour of midnight; in Calabria, the Waldenses were butchered in the face of day; and in other places the adherents of the Reformation either perished by the flames, or fell victims to a rigorous confinement in prison. A few recanted in the hour of danger; many availed themselves of opportunities of flight, and repaired to Switzerland, Germany, and especially the Grisons, a district recommended to them at once by its vicinity to their native land, and by the general prevalence of the Italian language. It is recorded of a considerable body of Neapolitan Protestants, that, having resolved to quit their homes for a foreign land, where they might enjoy in freedom the purity of the Gospel, they proceeded as far as the Alps; but there, halting to take a last look of their beloved country, were so overcome with bitterness at the thought of leaving it, that they returned to Naples, where they were immediately subjected to imprisonment, and spent the remainder of their lives in deep remorse and a consciousness of self-degradation. But, in general, the Italians showed themselves far superior to such lamentable weakness; and resolved cheerfully to submit to every privation, rather than abandon the doctrines which they cherished as their dearest portion and truest comfort. The storm which had desolated other parts of Italy fell at length with fury on Ferrara, which was regarded by the papists as the head-quarters of cisalpine heresy. In 1545, the pope issued orders to the ecclesiastical authorities of that city, to inquire into its religious state, and transmit the results of their investigations to Rome. These persons, who were in no way scrupulous with regard to the means which they employed for the discovery of suspected heretics, kept in their pay a number of spies, who insinuated themselves into every society; transmitting the information, thus basely obtained, to the inquisitors, who were not slow to act upon it. The duchess was obliged, though with great reluctance, to dismiss from her court all who had adopted the reformed opinions; and among others, Olympia Morata left the palace, where she had resided ten years, and retired to her father's house. Before she had remained long there he died; upon which she devoted herself, with the most unwearied assiduity, to the consolation of her surviving parent, and to the instruction of her younger sisters and brother. As her mother's health soon began to decline, she was likewise obliged, as being the eldest daughter, to take upon herself the management of the household affairs. The toils which she thus encountered were sweetened 66 by the ardour of her filial and sisterly affection; but she endured with much greater difficulty the coldness and estrangement of the duchess, which had probably been occasioned by the malice of the Romish attendants on the court. Yet the altered disposition of one, who had hitherto appeared her kindest earthly friend, was overruled for good by Him who never "grieveth the children of men," without a sufficient reason. She was thus led to rely, with a more firm confidence, on the care of God; and to apply more earnestly and habitually to the study of His word. It is certain, that a most striking and salutary change was wrought in her feelings and conduct, at this period of care and difficulty. She had always been modest and amiable; but now she began to manifest to all around, that she had ❝ passed from death unto life," and been renewed in understanding, will, and affection, by the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit. Her religious impressions were probably deepened by the precepts and example of Faventino Fannio, a native of Faenza, who was confined two years in the prison of Ferrara, and then suffered martyrdom for the sake of the truth. Olympia, who took a warm interest in his fate, frequently visited him in his dungeon, along with her intimate friend, Lavinia della Rovere ; and, when the latter removed to Rome, as the consort of the Prince Orsini, she, in several letters, urged upon her the duty of endeavouring to procure the deliverance of the unfortunate prisoner. Her efforts were unavailing; and the danger to which she herself was exposed, on account of her adherence to the cause of the Reformation, probably induced her to accept, with greater eagerness, the matrimonial offer made to her by Andrew Grundler, a student of medicine, then at Ferrara. Their marriage took place about the middle of the year 1549; and shortly afterwards they set out for Germany, his native country. She must have felt many pangs at parting with her mother and sisters; but her grief was alleviated by the firmness with which her excellent parent adhered to the reformed faith, and by the comfortable circumstances in which two of her sisters were established, the one under the care of the Princess Orsini, and the other under the protection of a noble lady of Modena, named Helena Rangone. She took along with her into Germany, her only brother Emilius, who was no more than eight years of age; intending to superintend his education with the utmost care. The newly married couple did not quit Italy without a fair prospect of temporal prosperity in the country to which they removed. John Sinapius, the former preceptor of Olympia, had lately resigned his professorship at Ferrara, on religious grounds, and had been appointed physician to the Bishop of Wurtzburg. He recommended her husband in strong terms to Ferdinand, brother to Charles V., and king of the Romans; to his chief counsellor, George Hermann; and to the family of Count Fugger, then the richest merchants in Europe. Ferdinand promised to extend his patronage to the young man so warmly patronised by Sinapius; and Grundler, accordingly, repaired to Augsburg, where he was received in the kindest manner by the counsellor, who benefited by his medical skill. He procured for his new friend the offer of the distinguished post of chief physician to the king; but this situation was declined in the most respectful and grateful terms, because it could not have been accepted without conformity to the Romish faith. About the same time, from some cause now unknown, he declined an invitation given to him by the inhabitants of Heidelberg. Soon after, the magistrates of his native city, Schweinfurt, in Franconia, requested Grundler to repair thither and afford the benefit of his professional services to a large body of Spanish mercenaries, whom the emperor had sent into winter-quarters there. He accepted the invitation, and set out for Schweinfurt with his wife. On their way they remained some time at Wurtzburg, enjoying the hospitality of their kind friend Sinapius. Under his roof Olympia resumed her studies, which had been for some time interrupted; and, as her biographer says, |