The Last Of The Barons, Volume 9.

night had become the same to them,-the night menaced with robbers, the day with the mob. If return to their home was forbidd

upon the silvery earth; as the skies grew mellower and more luminous in the strengthening starlight, inspired them with the serenity

urned; they spoke not, neither were they conscious that they pra

hich the instinct of life beyond the grave glides like a noiseless dream; and ever that heaven that the soul yearns

arsh differences of life; there, those whom we have loved and lost are found, and throug

; there, from every mystery falls the veil; there, the Omniscient smiles on those who, through the darkness of life,

id and sage the eyes of the angel

g, so that slumber but continued the rever

of the nightingale was hushed; and just as the morning star waned back, while the reddening east announced

led to Olney. They had heard of the new outbreak, headed by their ancient captain, Sir Geoffrey (who was supposed to have been instigated to his revolt by the gold and promises of the Lancastrian c

which they had left the court, and Sibyll's especially wa

ircled Sibyll's slender waist. Adam started, opened his eyes, and saw himself begi

on oak drops strange ac

n his bosom, in slumber so deep and heavy, that the gruff voice had not broken it, "valiant sir! we are forlorn a

it is clear," said the

onishment and terror at the sight on which her eyes opened,

ill treat you well, and consult later on the ransom ye will pay us. Jock, discharge the young sumpter mule; put its load on the black one. We have no

us!" exclaimed Sibyll. "We are p

s wealth is well known. Mount in haste,-we are pressed." And without heeding the expostulations of Sibyll and

fted his gisarme, with a frightful oath, and Sibyll was the first to persuade her father to submit. S

"I see little help to Sir Geoff

f Sir John Bourchier, for arms and moneys, of which the knight hath a goodly store. Be sure, Sir John slinked off in the siege, and this is he and his

them while we g

ar from the camp, and Ned is a good L

s," said the lieutenant; "they may

ve to the bees to fly away with much money. Nathless, thou maye

the d

der our conduct, the larger the ransom,

sire, which contained only a book and a file, and then re

ey entered a village, through which the ruffians marched with the most perfect impunity; for it was a strange feature in those civil wars that the mass of the population, except in the northern districts, remained perfectly supine and neutral. And as the little band halted at a small inn to drink, the gossips of the village collected round them, with the same kind of indolent, careless curiosity which is no

ard II., his queen, Anne, introduced side-saddles, when the whirlicote fell out of fashion, but might be found at different hostelries on the main roads for the accommodation of the infirm or aged.]

neys in the course of an adventurous life, gave to his hostelry the appellation and sign of the Talbot, in memory of the old hero of that name; and, hiring a tract of land, joined the occupation of a farmer to the dignity of a host. The house, which was built round a spacious quadrangle, represented the double character of its owner, one side being occupied by barns and a considerable range of stabling, while cows, oxen, and ragged colts grouped amicably together in a space railed off in the centre of the yard. At another side ran a large wooden staircase, with an open gallery, propped on wooden columns, conducting to numerous chambers, after the fashion of the Tabard in So

tain. "Lord Hastings made proclamation at daybre

roclamations. And the fel

nd himself. Hastings, by this, must have remarshalled his men. But to pass the wood is slow work, and Sir Geoffrey's crossbows are no doubt

a good fellow; and if

ay the reckoning. Any

some cold meat awaited his guest. "If Sir Geoffrey Gates can beat off the York troopers, tell him, from me, not to venture to London, but to fall back

s flown!" quot

as a heron to fight with,-wheeling and soaring. Woe to

e off old scores; if we beat off the Yorkists I vow to Our Lady of Walsingham an image of wax of the weight of myself." The marauder then starte

ak: but his men only got the sou

ls have starved on stale beer,-shall they beat huffcap and Lancaster? Frisk and fresh-up with the Antelope banner [The antelope wa

Master Porpustone himself, a corpulent, burly fellow, with a face by no means unprepossessing, mounted to the chamber, accompanied by a comely housekeeper, linked to him, as scandal said, by ties less ir

Come what may-York or Lancaster-still a rich man always falls on his legs. Five hundred or so to the captain; a noble or two, out of pure generosity, to Ned Porpustone (I scorn extortion), and you and the fa

I confess I'm a hungered, and the pasty hath a savoury odour; but I pra

her's name before you. We are all sons of Adam, and every son

t landlord, chuckling heartily, rolled his goodly

est thou ye

s of mark and importance; and when they discover their

t, if the mistake could continue, it would be no weighty misfortune; ha! ha!" He stopped abruptly in the unwon

k him; he will make our cruel neighbours respect thee. And Madge-poor Madge!-will be so happy at our r

; but thou eate

Smile again, Father. I am hungered, too; yes, indeed and in sooth, yes. Ah, sweet

ed him into those reveries, so dear alike to poet and mathematician. To the thinker the most trifling external object often suggests ideas, which, like Homer's chain, extend, link after link; from earth to heaven. The sunny motes, that in a glancing column came through the lattice, called Warner from the real day,-the day of strife and blood, with thousands hard by driving each other to the Hades,-and led his scheming fancy into the ideal and abstract d

the sun was sloping westward, when a confused sound below called Sibyll's gaze to the lattice, which looked over the balustrade of the staircase into

, but it is butcher work. The troops of Lord Has

and! he was near! they would be

tain?" asked

xed low, and the dead and dying began to cumber the gory ground. Graul Skellet, tossing up her timbrel, darted to the fugitives and grinned a ghastly grin when she heard the news,- for the tymbesteres were all loyal to a king who loved women, and who had a wink and a jest for every tramping wench! The troopers tarried not, however, for further converse, but, having

trust, by a show of your craft. I have two right worshipful lodgers up

and crept to he

f your musicals, it may bring ye a groat or so, to help

ir," answered the sin

mighty SH

enery i

resto! a

Fool with

gathers i

umpet and

ngle and

erry lass

and the address with which, from time to time, they cast up their instruments and caught them in descending, joined to the surprising agility with which, in the evolutions of the dance, one seemed now to chase, now to fly from, the other, darting to

failed to draw Sibyll or Warner to the window; and

"I do wrong to be so gay, when so many good friends perhaps are lyin

overed that thou hast such quality birds in the cage-noble Yorkists-at the v

e same undertone. "But my good nature will be the death of me

now by the scouts,-we must shift Sir John and the d

that tall tymbestere is supple enough to make an owl hold his sides with laughing.

e of the pillars that supported the stairs, swung lightly over the balustrade; and with a faint shriek the startled Sibyll beheld the tymbestere's hard, fierce

e girl who glamours lords, and wears sarcenet and

climbed the hellish sisters! One after the other

s and scullions, whom the tymbesteres had collected in the yard, to follow her, bounded up the stairs, unlocked the door, and arrived in time to thro

for this into honest folk's hostelries, to rob their guests in broad day-no

s slow bulk into the room. "They shall be scourged, Sir John! They s

Adam Warner, the wizard, and his daughter, whom we drove last night from their den

fe!" stammered the landlord,

ard- a humble scholar, and a poor gentleman, who has injured no o

gittern? Hast thou not taught her the spells to win love from the noble and young? Ho, how daintily the young witch

robe, when the landlord interposed

dove, softly! Clear

,-they shall burn; look to thy cattle,-they shall rot; look to thy secrets,-they shall be told. Lancastrian, thou shalt hang! We go! we

or her in terror; and still, as she moved, she kept her eyes on Sibyll, till her sisters, following in

onvulsively. The old man's face bent over her in silence. Meg drew aside her master. "You must rid the house at onc

tleman, so mild, and

se the comely Meg. She advanced a

whose house is open to all; but ye have had food and wine,-pleas

t. Here, here!" and she took from her gipsire the broad pieces which poor Madg

us," continued Sibyll, perceiving the impression she had made; "suffer us to res

s for these tymbesteres, I value them not a straw. No one can say Ned Porpustone is an ill ma

stairs, through the bar, and thence up a narrow flight of steps, deposited them in a chamber at the back of the house, and lighted a sconce therein, for it was now near the twilight. He then insisted on seeing after their evening meal,

oldiers had a right to license. Master Porpustone found himself completely at the mercy of these brawling customers, the more rude and disorderly from the remembrance of the sour beer in the morning, and Graul Skellet's assurances that Master Porpustone was a malignant Lancastrian. They laid hands on all the provisions in the house, tore the meats from the spit, devouring them half raw; set the casks running over the floors; and while they swilled and swore, and filled the place with the uproar of a hell broke loose, Graul Skellet, whom the lust for the rich garments of Sibyll still fired and stung, led her followers up the stairs towards the deserted chamber. Mine host perceived, but did not dare openly to resist the foray; but as he was really

the garden wicket, leave Gladsmore Chase to the left hand, take the path to the right, through the wood, and you

he opposite part of the house, as they ran from room to room after their prey. He hastened to regain th

ty lasses like you had given me the inkling of what they were? No wizard shall fly away with the sign of the Talbot, if I can help it. T

runk, and seizing Graul in his iron arms, "put the conj

g, howling, by the blaze of a mighty fire,-many a rough face and hard hand smeared with blood still wet, communicating the stain to the cheeks and garb of those foul feres, and the whole revel becoming so unutt

beside the sleepers. The dying light of the fire contended but feebly with the livid rays of the moon, and played fantastically over the gleaming robes of the tymbesteres. They stood erect for a moment, listening, Graul with her finger on her lips; then they glided to the door, opened and reclosed it, darted across t

d of battle, and who were now returning home. Peasants and soldiers both were human, and therefore to be shunned by those whom the age itself put out of the pale of law. At last the party also left the path free; and now it was full night. They pursued their way, they cleared the wood; before them lay the field of battle; and a deeper silence seemed to fall over the world! The first stars had risen, but not yet the moon. The gleam of armour from prostrate bodies, which it had mailed in vain, reflected the quiet rays; here and there flickered watchfires, where sentinels were set, but they were scattered and remote. The outcasts paused and shuddered, but there seemed no holier way for their feet; and the roof of the farmer's ho

e gentle wanderers move

hair, clotted with gore, fell over his shoulders. Beside him lay a strong- built, powerful form, which writhed in torture, pierce

ul, brother!" said Warne

the boy; "cheer thee, we will se

ure!-water, I say!" groaned

the maurauders who had

That evil man scares my soul

cursed, and Sibyll knelt down and prayed wit

us captains-over mead, morat, and w

estless and resolute spirit; pity he escapes again for further mischief. But the House of Nevile

open, and an old sol

follow the march of soldiers, will be on the ground to despatch the wounde

s; yet I know each man by name and sight. Courage! Our wounded

hese corpse-riflers creep stealthily and unseen, as the red earth-worms, to the carcass. Give me some

topped, a

e as thou sayest! I will go myself and see! Torches there-what ho!-the good captai

y arm was raised; we knew each other, and he fled from his father's sword! Just as the strife was ended I saw him agai

thee to-day! Thou art a brave fellow. I meant thee advancement; I give thee, instead, thy son's pardon, if he lives; ten Masses if he died as a soldi

d, gasp upon gasp, away. While thus detained, the wanderers saw not pale, fleeting figures, that had glided to the ground, and moved, gleaming, irregular, and rapid, as marsh-fed vap

just left (with a spurn of wrath-for the pouch was empty) the corpse of a soldier, round whose neck she had twined her hot clasp the day before, sprang towards Sibyll; the rest of the sisterhood flocked to the place, and laughed in glee as they beheld their unexpected prey. The danger was horrible and imminent; no pity was seen in those savage eyes.

ng voice, "hang me up thos

s here, he is found!" exclaimed the old soldie

astings!" And Sibyll fell