The Great Mogul

se the 'pre

don, both pro

So

of greater repute at court than did his royal Master, was led by the glamour of a fine

in mangy specimens of the wonderful beasts which bulked large in the lore of the period, and Mistress Anna Cave, with her fair cousin, Mistress Eleanor Roe, had teased S

d of evil-smelling and snarling animals, which in no wise came up to the wonderful

hedges of red and black currants, roses and gooseberries, and its golden plum

ceful carriage, Eleanor Roe, a year younger, a sweet girl, at once timid in manner and joyous in disposition, found much to cavil at in the Spanish fashions then prevalent in high circles. Born and bred in decorous and God-fearing households, they were not a little shocked by the way in which

he bold eyes of any of the young adventurers and profligates who clustered under the banner of Rochester should survey the charms of his daughter and niece. Th

in our own garden. It is fair as this, and the scent of the

o more than glimpsed in passing, "we have seen neither lion, nor tiger, nor humpbacked camel. Surely the

t wot! What doth a girl like the

e declaiming a passage in Master Shake

n dare,

like the rugge

oceros, or the

but that, and

never

her Ann nor I have seen these things, so we

ight's red face became wid

t goings on there be behind my back! An

s by heart. Yet we would not indulge in this

owers. He believed that girls' brains were better suited to housewifely cares than to the stu

ther lions nor horned pigs to hand. They are costly toys, and 'tis whispered that his gracious Majesty obtaineth less credit abroad than among his liege subjects. Further, my bonny girls, I have asked a certain youth, Ge

ursion promised to end in speedy dudgeon had not a messenger, wearing th

said. "I am bidden to tell you that the King awaits you

n which they could be carried to his brother's house in the city without soiling their shoes or being exposed to the gaze of the throng in the Fleet or Ludgate. He himself hurried off to Whitehall, there to be kept in a fume of impatience for a good hour or more, while the King disputed

ld be made known to the Common Council, and sense enough to wond

ht, borrowing a palfrey from a merchant of his acquaintance, rode homeward along the Strand r

istinctive garments showed that while one was of gentle birth the other was a yeoman; that they were not master and man could be seen at a glance, as they conversed one

of London, his immense size was accentuated by a coat of tough brown leather and high riding-boots of the same material which almost met the skirts of the coat. Tight-fitting trousers of gray homespun matched the color of his broad-brimmed felt hat,

depending for protection, if such a giant required its aid, on a long and heavy as

don, absolutely eclipsed, in the public eye, the handsome and stalwart

r numbers and unfettered in impud

e two suits for the price of one, for

sell thee a town clock that

how thee a trencher w

r of such ample circumference that

ood-humor, "we are more needing meat than dishes.

a Yorkshire dalesman, and the White Ro

ssistant who had hailed him, "you must hie to Sm

Mayhap they need a

against the apprentice. He

said. "I looked not for brains

on. Ofttimes the cockloft is empty in thos

per in his great frame of bone and sinew, for the easy play of his limbs showed that, big as he was, he h

nion caught h

st find our kinsman's house. There is

ing stone arch of later days, but a strong palisade, with posts and chains, capable of being

n on the left, or south side. Each walled enclosure was separate from its neighbor, the alleys b

losely packed together, and, on this hand, Drury Lane and St

en so far into the road that it narrowed the passage between it and Somerset House. Here, a group of young g

Gondomar, the Spanish Ambassador," said Walter Mo

vil should keep his proper name in all count

of Spaniards, you know full well, yet we must pass Gondomar's men w

g youngsters in the road were paying some heed to a covered litter rapidly approaching from the west,

given for a row to start. Swords were whipped out, me

om to pick a quarrel; he chanced to find himself face to face

, sirrah," cried the stran

crossed to his sword hilt, so evident wa

He caught the would

" he growled pleasantly, whereon he heaved the swaggerer bodily over the w

its like. Young Lord Dereham was no light weight, and his lordship's wriggling carcass h

struggling men surged around the litter. Mowbray, clutching his undrawn sword, planted his back ag

r! There is som

ed the two nearest litter-bearers, and a shriek of dismay came fro

s to possess themselves of the litter-poles. The gates of Gondomar's gar

the curtains, showed her beautiful face, now

tare of admiration by an assumption of good manners. "We have saved you from some r

another voice, and Anna looked forth, though

t, miladi," answe

ey were being taken to

look now sending shadows across her dark eyes. "'Tis but a

an of the party, and, before another word of protest could be uttere

an who was pitched over the wall. All the rest was make-believe, save the unpleasing fact that two young and beautiful girls were left helpless in the hands of a number of un

the capital. Common prudence suggested that they should not raise a clamor at the gates o

ty face? Mowbray's blood was boiling, and it needed but litt

emple Bar. Others hurried up from the direction of Charing

h the crowd and gave lying assurances that the rogues who fought had run off towards

fellow holding a kerchief to his broken head

nored names of Cave and Roe acted as sparks on tinder. Forthwith, a number of c

o Gondomar's house, all the race hatred and religious

d the war-cry of the guilds quickly reached to the city barri

d the valiant silversmith, who contrived to keep very close to Roger in the press,

rmined to rescue the daughters of two men respected of all honest burgesses, but, if more numerous, they were not properly armed to attack swordsm

me," he said.

staff. A steel helmet was cracked like a potsherd, three unarmored gallants dropped beneath on

ry swords and ceremonial battle-axes were of no avail. He mowed down his adversaries as a scyth

udded with iron rivets. Without a moment's pause, Sainton leaned against it. Th

mmed the hilt of his sword into the man's face. Roger, bending his head, entered

he mansion stood a tall, grim-looking, clean-shaven priest, a Spaniard, of the ascetic type,

ad addressed the girls. He ran forward, fearing l

in good English. "What want ye

s Cave and Master Robert Roe, who were brou

are no

black as your own gown

o being spoken to so curtly. Mowbray, already cooler now swords had g

mistaken. It will avoid riot and bloodshed if the ladies are given over fo

gnorant and unmannerly gathering which dares to violate

on of sanctuary intended. We are here to rescue two ladies inveigled i

disputing with him who com

them if looks could kill. But the impatient mob was shouting for active measures: it would have asked no greater fun t

something in a low tone to the silken-clad pe

cibly. Two young ladies were sheltered by his Excellency's retinue, it is true. If the

f moderation swayed the mob into quiescence, and, a minute later, Anna Cave and Eleanor Roe, pale and trembling,