The Caged Lion

ured, blue-eyed, and with a lovely air of graciousness, as she greeted him with a sweet, blushing, sunny smile, half that of the queen in anticipation, half

on, while Sir Nigel Baird, Lord Marmion, and the rest were in the rear. He fell into a mood of depression such as had not come upon him since he passed the border, thinking himself despised by all for being ill-favoured and ill-dressed, and chafing,

nry, in order that the good gentleman's means should not be overtasked, had given directions that only the ladie

the gateway, when Ralf Percy called out, 'Ha! you there, this is our way. That is only for the royal folk; but there's good sack and b

age, was gratefully following, when old Bairdsbrae indignantly la

s he saw Percy's amazed look and whi

ding the trembling, shrinking boy up to the door, he continued, 'For the honour of Scot

the worthy knight and his many sons, one of whom, waiting with better will than skill, had nearly run down the shy limping Scotsman, who looked wildly for refuge at some table. In his height of distress, a kindly gesture of

ul gratitude in his great soft brown eyes, while his un-English accent caused her to say, 'I am a stranger here, like yourself, my Lord;' and at the same moment he first raised his eyes to behold what seemed to him perfect beauty and dignity, an oval face, richly-tinted olive complexion, dark pensive eyes, a sweet grave mouth smiling with encouraging kindness, and a lo

red. 'My home lies in the bord

cquaintance made so much progress, that when the signal was again given to mount, the Lady Esclairmonde permitted Malcolm to assis

; but presently old Sir Lewis Robsart rode back with a message that my Lady of Westmoreland wished to know where the Lady A

ter hands, fair damsel,' and rode back again; while Alice was still ent

ou make me at home here, Mademois

ever lived anywhere but at Middleham Castle

alisbury, the last of the Montacutes, or Montagues, who was at present fighting the King's battles in France, but had sent his commands that she should be brough

e; and much afraid of her she was, as everything that was shy or forlorn seemed to

he midst of green fields and orchards, where, under

rmonde, looking eagerly a

the one where my sister is! Not a tree is near it; it is perched upon a wild crag overhanging th

ss a haven of peace,'

peace is under that cloister, where al

ister,' said the lady, as s

ake trial of the world first. And so please you,' he added, recollecting himself, 'he for

, for I look on you as one like myself, my young lord. I too

s as recognized a profession as any other calling, and yet with s

red an exclamat

his my infancy, and promised myself in the

ion from herself, she asked of Ma

tened with great interest and kindness, Esclairmonde commending his resolution to leave the care of his lands and vassals to one whom he represented as so much better fitted to be

-' And the girl's innocent face expressed a certain wonder and disgust that no one could marv

said Esclairmonde; 'she has, und

monastic life, and Esclairmonde of Luxemburg had reasons for wishing her position and intentions to be distinctly understood by all with whom she came in contact

sed, and has suffered much. It is a piteous thing wh

r lands?' as

s a mere babe to the Duke of Touraine, who was for a brief time Dauphin, but he died ere she was sixteen, and her father died at the same time. Some say they both were poisoned. The saints forfend it sh

her then?' aske

ar brothers, to whom Heaven be merciful! died at Azincourt.

cles,' sa

and and in Flanders, all falling to me, and Monseigneur of Thérouenne, like almost all secular clergy, cannot endure the religious orders, and would not hear of my becoming a Sister. They took me away, and the Bishop declared my dedicati

'the Bishop did canc

can cancel the dedication of my he

red Malcolm; 'has not a bish

my own conscience of my vow, and my sense that I belong to my Heavenly Spouse, proved, he said, that it was not my duty to give myself to another, and that whereas none have a parent's right over me, if I have indeed chosen the better part,

oly man,' said Alice, 'and

er rest till I had obtained his ghostly counsel. If I never meet him again, I shall thank Heaven for those months at Zwoll all my life-ere the Duke of Burgundy made my Countess resign Holland for twelve years to her uncle, and we left the place. Then, well-nigh against her will, they forced her into a marriage with the Duke of Brabant, though he be her first cousin, her godson, and a

Bis

eding strait, and had only one trust, namely, that Father Thomas had told me that the more I threw myself upon God, the more He would save me from man. But oh! they seemed all closing in on me, and I knew that Sir Bo?mond had sworn that I should pay heavily for my resistance. Then one night my Countess came to me. She showed me the bruises her lord had left on her arms, and told me that he was about to banish all of us, her ladies, into Holland, and to keep her alone to bear his fury, and she was resolved to escape, and would I come with her? It seemed to me the message of deliverance. Her nurse brought us peasant

' cried Alice. 'Only I would it had be

the trust that my kinsmen will give up their purpose of bestowing me in marriage, now that I am beyond their

an English on

n on English soil,' said Esclairmonde, smiling;

aid Malcolm. 'No one seems afr

ice, amazed. 'Why, men would b

my home,' sighed Esclairmonde. 'King

ed, there will be no more trouble, he will make your kinsmen do you r

quered France yet,' was

'never speak to me more, our solemn sister. When have I done worse

boy!' said Escla

urned loose among strange catt

ood,' said Esclairmonde 'co

Clairette? Eh? you were so occupied, that I should have been left to no one but Monseigneur of Gloucester, but that I was discreet, and

her hoyden mistress, but partly at the burning, blushing i

the Demoiselle de Luxemburg to attend to the little maiden, and let her share her chamber and her bed. And indeed Alice Montagu, bred up in strictness and in both piety and learning, as was sometimes the case with the daughters of the nobility, had in all h

heck; but if they were anxious, or in trouble, they always came to her as their natural consoler; and the Countess Jaqueline, bold and hoydenish as she was, kept the license of her tongue

ways guarded in her manner towards them, keeping her vocation in the recollection of all by her gravely and coldly courteous demeanour, and the sober hues and fashion of her dress; but being aware of Malcolm's destination, percei

ies were bound to bestow on young squires and pages was the best treatment for the youth, who was really thriving and growing happier every day, as he lost his awkwardness and acquired a fr

m, bringing letters from Coldingham to announce the death of good Sir David Drummond, which had taken place

lmost a sweetness in the grief of which his fair saint had taken up a part. She showed him likewise some vellum pages on which her ghostly father, the Canon of St. Agnes, had written certain dialogues between the Divine Master and His disciple, which seemed indeed to have been whispered by heavenly inspiration, and which soothed and hallowed his mourning for the guide and protector of his youth. He loved to dwell

heedless of all that did not affect her own dignity or ease, the whole Court, including some of the princely captives, lived as one large family, meeting at morning Mass in church or chapel, taking their meals in common, riding, hunting, hawking, playing at bowls, tennis, or stool-ball, or any other pastime, in such parties as suited their inclinat

when she mounted, he held the stirrup; and when the church bells were ringing, he led her by her fair fingers to her place in the nave, and back again to the hall; and when the manchet and rere supper were brought into the hall, h

ruder mould; 'I'll no more see that l

d his comrade; 'my little brother Dic

, and smiles his smile, it is somehow as if it were beneath a man to vex him wilfully. And he sees so much meaning in everything, too, th

estminster, where Henry had to meet his parliament, and obtain sup

ernment during his absence, and in training the troops who began to flock to his standard; so that the Queen complained

I have promised to knight the Lord Mayor, honest Whittington,

h ineffable disgust. 'My brothers would sooner

d at Paris? Moreover, this Whittington may content thee as to blood. Rougedra

uld soil his hands with

ir hands in Spanish gloves. You ladies shoul

es wherewith he fitted out my sister Philippa for the Swedes

untess Jaqueline, 'without demeaning ourselves to eat at their boards? The outrecuida

l you, their sack and their pasties, their march-pane and blanc-

'the ladies ought to see the

that this Vittentone is the miller's son

at story,' murmured Catherine. 'How went the tale? I thou

had been wont to promise his benefactor a golden coffin and state funeral, Puss feigned death, and thereby heard the lady inform her husband

brute,' said King Henry. 'Moreover, his cat, or her grandchildren

ld in Scotland, we used to tell the story of her exchange for a

ce, and would gladly have no worse cause! You'll see his cat painted beside him in th

ain, Whi

Mayor of L

eep his third mayoralty. So I am for the City on Thursday; and whoever love

ng and Queen were first; then, to his great disgust, the King of Scots, with Duchess Jaqueline; Bedford, with Lady Somerset; Gloucester, with the Countess of March; the Duke of Orleans, with the Countess of Exeter; and Malcolm of Glenuskie found himself paired off with his sovereign's lady-love,

could not see the aldermen on horseback, in their robes of scarlet and white, drawn up to receive the King. All that way up Holborn, every house was hung w

he nave to the seat prepared in such manner that he might be opposite to her. The clergy lined the stalls, and a magnificent mass was sung, and was concluded by the advance of the King to the altar step,

to arise Sir Richard Whittington. Jaqueline of Hainault had the bad taste to glance across to Humfrey and titter, but the Duke valued popularity among the citizens, and would not catch her ey

at his frank, hearty congratulation and warm praise of her husband; and though the fair Catherine could have shuddered when Sir Richard advanced to lead he

which he was anxious to save his future queen; but when he would have offered his arm to Lady Joan, he saw her already being led away by an alderman measuring at least a yard across the shoulders; and the good-natured Earl of March, seeing him at a loss, presented him to a round merry wife in a scarlet petticoat and black boddice, its plu

obtain a recipe from Mistress-she meant Dame-Alice Whittington, the kindest soul living, and, Lady Mayoress as she was, with no more pride than the meanest scullion. Pity

azed at Sir Richard Whittington's own expense. The bright new red and yellow tiles, and the stained glass of the tall windows high up, as well as the panels of the wainscot, were embellished with trade-marks and the armorial bearings of the guilds; and

ed the flame. The odour and the warmth on a bleak day of May were alike delicious; and King Henry, after heading Dame Alice up to it, stood warming his hands and extolling the choice scent, adding:

id Sir Richard Whittington, who ha

s I threw in my crown, and that I cannot

his furred pouch, and drawing out a bundle of parchments tied

whole synagogue of Jews and bench of Loin-bards? I shall have to send for my crown before you let me go; though verily,' he added, with frank, open face, 'I'm better off with a good friend like you for my creditor-only I'm

, had placed the bundle of bond

em out with his sword, and would have grasped them in

and grant your n

y, still guarding the documents. 'Why,

Alice. 'My husband hath his whims, and I pray your Gr

ered us richly. We have no child, and our nephews are well endowed. Ho

th the other wrung that of Whittington. '

uch a king?' was Wh

a free man, beholden to you in heart though not by purse, is, as I well believe, worth all that sum to thy loyal heart

into the flame, and the banquet began, magnificent with peacocks, cranes, and swans in full plumage; the tusky bear crunched his apple, deer's antlers adorned the haunch, the royal sturgeon floated in wine, fountains of perfumed waters sprang up from shells, towers of pastry and of jelly pre

the cat's face. Therewith began a lengthy meal; and Malcolm Stewart rejoiced at finding himself seated next to the Lady Esclairmonde, but he grudged her attention to h

a religious garb whom I marked near the door here? S

r here, lady,' said t

was. 'Twas good Sister Avice Rodney, to whom the Lady Mayoress promised some of these curious c

t must have been one of the bedeswomen o

irmonde. 'I have seen nothing so like

that these bedeswomen were first instituted by a coun

Master Price, 'the hospital of St. Katharin

but these bedeswomen were especially added by the good Queen, by the same token th

ly inquired Esclairmonde. And Mistress Bo

n there was no hope. Little thought of such disease was there, I trow, in kings' houses, and all the fair young lords and ladies, the children of King Edward, as then was, were full of sport and gamesomeness as you see these dukes be now. And ne

ree knights al

fetch your d

aid contracted it, and lay down to die ere she had made two days' journey, and her last words were, "My God hath shown me more pity than father or brother;" and so she died like a lamb, and mine aunt was sent by the Prince to bear home the tidings to the good Queen, who was a woeful woman. And therewith, here was the pestilence in London, raging among the poor creatures that lived in the wharves and on the river bank, in damp and filth, so that whole households lay dead at once, and the contagion, gathering force, spread into the city, and even to the nobles and their ladies. Then my good aunt, having some knowledge of the sickness already, and being without fear, went among the sick, and by her care, and the food, wine, and clothing she brought, saved a many lives. And from whom should the bounties come, save from the good Queen, who ever had a great pity for those touched like her own

cried Esclairmonde. 'She l

e it so,' said Mrs. Bolt;

ese bedeswomen?'

Queen Joan, the late King's widow, holds the hospital till her death, unless

monde. 'I feel much drawn thither

here, foreby Sister Avice, who was godchild to Aunt Cis; and if the good lady

lay under all his gentleness held somewhat degrading to the cousin of the Emperor. He fell into

party took their seats in barges to return to Westmin

f trained bands, to whose lot she had fallen, and who, on finding that she was the daughter of the Earl of Salisbury, under whom he h

d that our Netherlandish princes and burghers could take pride and pleasure

eneration. That city dame will burst with pride, i

hed Esclairmonde, '

mere matter of old rockers and worn-out

work,' said Esclairmonde, 'and would f

t for persons of high and princely birth to

ty when they stickle for birth and dower with the haughtiest. I never honoured any nuns so much as the humble Sisters

hat heavenly contemplation w

said Esclairmonde; 'but labour hath been greatly laid aside in convents of

w it were well to suppress the alien priories, and give their

specially the monastic orders, who owned no superior but the Pope, and between the two rivals could avoid supervision altogether. Such men as Thomas à Kempis, or the great Jean Gerson, were rare indeed; and the monasteries had let themselves lose their missionary character, and become mere large farms, inhabited by celibate ge

t-of-door works; but the person whom she had chiefly made her friend was the King's almoner and chaplain, sometimes called Sir Martin Bennet, at others Dr. Bennet, a great Oxford scholar, bred up among William of Wykeham's original seventy at Winchester and New College, and now much truste