The Captain of the Wight

get ahead of him as he waved his final adieu to his parents and his h

ar at the age of twelve or thirteen. The boyhood of King Edward the Fourth had often been told him, how early he had learned the accomplishments of the tilt-yard, and how early he had practise

of the single combats, the jousts, and the tourneys in that poetic story, and never tired of the numberless tales of "how the good knight Sir Bors or Sir Lamorak laid on either strokes, and how they foined and lashed, and gave each other blows till the blood ran dow

in the household of a great knight, live in a castle, and have daily in

so blithely. How springy the turf seemed under his horse's hoofs. He sang gaily as

art a light weight, I know, but we have far to

ing to draw the mendicant and his young daughter into conversation. But he only received short answers from the man, while the girl barely answe

etched before them, then it dipped down into the old town of Andover, where the cavalcade stopped before the rambling old wooden hostelry, and the A

ep acclivity of Barton Stacey down, with its wide ridge of hills stretching east and west in bleak loneliness, to face the sweeping win

ow he must conduct himself towards his superiors, equals, and inferiors; and his advice wa

iffering from the ingenuous simplicity of his' parent's advice. He could not help being amused and interested with the many little anecd

blindly, and without due inquiry. Thou lentest yonder idle vagrant thine horse yesterday. The holy saints guided him aright to thy father's house; but he might,

iked the sound of his voice, and his word

kinsman, that an you hearken to all fair words and gentle voices, you will e'en be stripped as clean as a rose

e that if you vanquish him can yield you due satisfaction and fair guerdon, or, if he should vanquish you--for you must e'en look to both sides--that he be one to who

as rats are said to cross by the hawser that mooreth a ship to the land, when they know of their own natural sagacity that ruin awaiteth that ship. Only give him fair notice thereof first. See how, during the late civil commotions, the Church hath acted discreetly, and saved her possessions in the midst of the broil. Even George

over the brow of the hill, Ralph could see a party of well-armed men. The dust from their horses obscured them partly, but he could make out that there were several footmen, carrying the formidable bill which dealt such deadly wounds, and gleaming above

on, while I tarry here to welcome my Lord Woodville; and take good lodgings

his serving-men, and who were clad in a dress very much rese

never seen a band of armed men before, and he thought the appearance of the

r little band mounted the hill, the centre figure carrying a little square flag on the end of a l

as hardly begun, while the gleaming weapons, white surcoats, and fluttering banners, mingled with the brilliant red of the crosses, and the blazon on the flag, contrasted well with the deep blue of the cloudless s

f enjoyment--life w

s horse beside him, and Humphrey, the other lay brother, and the sumpter horses, were grouped behind them--while behind them again was

e Abbot rem

saddled me with these beggars; it beseemeth not a prela

ence of the Abbot, and part

re the others come; we but disgrace

brave it out. After all, 'twill look seemly that I be busied in the protection of the poor and houseless. Ay, marry! 'twill please my Lord Woodville who ever jibeth at the pride of Mother Church, as he c

reached the place where the

he sergeant-at-arms wh

ton, who'd have thought to

his long sword clanked against the iron of his stirrup. His moustaches curled over the lower chin-piece of his salade or helmet, and his eyes looked bold and fierce under the shadow of its projecting peak. Over his breastplate he wore a loose white surcoat, blazoned with the red c

nigh at hand, worthy

lemen, and some gentlemen of France. But I must be getting on, or th

commend to thy care this young springald here, who comes of gentle birth,

o that he cometh under thy commendation, reverend lord. 'Tis

a salute with his gauntleted hand, and trotted after his party,

in our island, and he comes of gentle blood too. He is the mos

respectful salute to the Abbot. The men marched along in very loose order, for it was a time of peace, and they were returning from the s

ian order of S.S.[*] He was attended by several gentlemen, mostly English, but some two or three evidently French. He was preceded by two men-at-arms, and three mounted archers, all splend

eraygno Seneschal" and the swan badge of the House of Lancaster. The collar formed a ver

s, and he felt a little shy at first, as the boys all scanned him

r, and the Abbot of Quarr had congratulated him on the success of the King's arms, and his own part in the fray

Wight, like a cloud shadow over the smooth slope of a southerly down; but it passed as quickly as it c

man fell upon him, searching him through and through; but he scanned the countenance and

ach side of his face, was a velvet bonnet, ornamented with an ostrich plume on one side, fastened by a brilliant ruby brooch. Dark eyebrows surmounted very expressive grey eyes; his complexion would have been fair, had it not been bronzed by long exposure in many a campaign and knightly enterprise. His face was clean shaven, and thus the firm but sweet lines of his mouth were displayed to full advantage. A close-fitting lace collar round his neck contrasted with the spiral ridge of his steel gorget, which the richly-embroidered surcoat, cut straight across the chest, from shoulder to shoulder, allowed to be pl

rd Scales, in the lordship of the Isle of Wight. "He cometh of an old Isle of Wight family, and is heartily welcome to such training as he can acquire in my poor household.

returned to the land of his fathers in Harry the Fourth's reign. As thou knowest, he

s one more to add to your charge. I deliver Master Lisle to your care, knowing full well I cannot give him to a better master of chivalry

and turned to the Abbot to continue the conve

be under the orders of the good knight Sir John Trenchard, until he should b

ype="