The Monastery

hey rode am

on spauld an

no fruit i

d John U

ATYN

s defensive armour. These military retainers conducted themselves with great insolence towards the industrious part of the community-lived in a great measure by plunder, and were ready to execute any commands of their master, however unlawful. In adopting this mode of life, men resigned the quiet hopes and regular labours of industr

about in s

, frith,

ler, bow,

y ride out th

mot save t

ohn Up-

or distinction a sprig of the holly, which was Avenel's badge. A long two-edged straight sword, having a handle made of polished oak, hung down by his side. The meagre condition of his horse, and the wild and emaciated look of the rider, showed their occupation could not be accounted an easy or a thriving one

s somewhat kenspeckle, {Footnote: Kenspeckle-that which is easily recognized by the eye.} and is marked both with cut and birn-the sooner the skin is off, and he is in saultfat, the less like you

an!" said the Sub-Pri

em,-"O Christie!--it is the Sub-Prior-O reverend sir, it is Christie of the Clinthill, the

ssing himself to the horseman, "and do you speak thus rudely to a

to the Father Abbot and the brethren, that he will hold the funeral-feast at their convent, and invites himself thereto, with a score of horse and some friends, and to abide there for

ne, to be consumed in revelry by every profligate layman who numbers in his train more followers than he can support by honest means, or by his own incomings? Tell thy master, from the Sub-Prior of Saint Mary's, that the Primate hat

ter-Look to yourself then, Sir Priest, and try if Ave and Credo

hear me to bear witness to the words this ruffian has spoken. Remember how the Lord James drowned such as you by scores in the black pool at Jedda

ibb Tacket! Martin! where be ye all?-Christie, for

am slain in defending the rights and privileges of my

eslie has him at feud, and is like to set him hard. We know Norman a true bloodhound, who will never quit the slot. But I had no design to offend the holy father," he added, thinking perhaps he had gone

ub-Prior, "bestow on him your forgiveness-how shall we poor folk sleep in se

ld, and must be, in the first instance consulted.-Soldier, I

nd muttered apart, "that is as much as to say, God send thee starvation,

nd in the tomb of her valiant husband. For your master's proffered visit of three days, with such a company and

ow now, my lad," said he to Halbert, who was handling the long lance which he had lai

Christie by the vivacity of her exclamation, she followed it up by explaining, that since Simon'

lad as I? Why, this old tower of thine is fensible enough, and there is no want of clenchs, and crags, and bogs, and thickets, if one was set hard; a

that you should talk to a lone woman in suc

good-choose thou another of somewhat tougher frame, and that will not die of the pip like a youn

oper to make to her. She whispered to the Sub-Prior, "ony thing just to keep him quiet," and went into the tower to set before the soldier the food he desired, trusting bet

ering cause of the Church of Rome; and that, contrary to former times, the quarrels betwixt the clergy and laity had, in the present, usually terminated to the advantage of the latter. He resolved, therefore, to avoid

eeping-chamber with Tibb, who was exerting her simple skill to console the young lady for her mother's death. But the younger Glendinning stood up in defence of her property,

ad, my dear boy," said the father, gently,

-it shall not be taken away.-I wonder where Halbert is?-listening to the bravading tales o

ot fight with me, who am

"and as old as the hills to boot, you shall not carry aw

hip manifested by the boy, "I do not take it; I only borrow it; and I l

chael brandishing his sword over the head of the Wicked One-and that will do for Halbert too. And see the Saint John leading his lamb in the wilderness, with his little cr

n repenting of her sins, my

ommits no faults, and is never angry wi

protect her and you, and all good children. See how fairly

he portrait of the Virgin, whic

, that has no such goodly shows in it, and leave this for Mary instead. But you must promise to brin

may teach you to write and read such beautiful letters as you see there writt

these blessed Saints, and especia

myself capable of showing, and you of learning it." "Then," said Edward, "will I paint Ma

to the convent, without having any further interview with Christie the galloper, answered b

rious delays which he had met with at the tower, had detained him longer than he proposed. A chill easterly wind

ained by my journey, saving the certainty that heresy is busy among us with more than his usual activity, and that the spirit of insul

rupted his reverie, and he soon saw he was mounted b

ns of Scotland are now turned masterful thieves and ruffians, oppressing the poor by violence, and wasting the Church, by extorting free-quarters from abbeys and priories, without either shame or reason. I fear me I shall be too late to counsel the Abbot to make a stand against these daring sorners {Footnote: To sorne, in Scotland, is to exact free quarters against the will of the landlord. It is declared equivalent to theft, by a statute passed in the year 1445. The great chieftains oppressed the

ub-Prior; "thou wert wont to be ready and serviceable, and art now

nimal, a voice, like that of a female, chan

ir Priest, and so

o fair, and your

ugh valley, or ri

has warrant to w

k,

olume

rrant to ca

t how my thoughts should arrange themselves into rhymes which I despise, and music which I care not for, or why there should be the sound of a female voice in ears, in which its melody has been

hich it was pressed by its rider, and by her ears laid close into her neck, and her

endeavoured to reclaim the wayward animal to her duty,

-Prior, and ca

ook from a dea

save you, be

book, or you'll p

k,

eath in t

my master I bid

that name before which all things created tremble, I co

e voice

is neither i

ngs not to Heav

mist, a bubble

thought and a

that

e half-

of the settin

e of a supernatural being so near him, failed not to make his blood run cold, and his hair bristle. "I charge thee," he said aloud, "be thine errand what

or, wouldst thou

it shoots, I can da

the torrent and

world with the

n, a

rook of

e burnie, I'll m

om her posture of terror to one which promised advance, although a profuse perspirati

from everything but sin, and possessed of my ordinary faculties-Either some fiend is permitted to bewilder me, or the tales of Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, and others who treat of occult philoso

n, just at the spot where the brook approached the steep hill, with a winding so abrupt as to leave scarcely room for a horse to pass, the mule was again visited with the same symptoms of terror which had before interrupted her course. Better acquainted than before with

demand, the vo

as sackless,{Footnot

are wild a

thou

ook of t

fore thee that

e top of the distant hill when he fell,-and when he again became conscious of existence, the pale moon was gleaming on the landscape. He awakened in a state of terror, from which, for a few minutes, he found it difficult to shake himself free. At length he sate upon the grass, and became sensible, by repeated exertion, that the only personal injury which he had sustained was the numbnes

ion with the broader valley through which the Tweed winds. The drawbridge was readily dropped at his first summons; and so much had he w

out you men of the cell. I now who speak to you-I have ridden-before I was perched up here on this pillar betwixt wind and water-it may be thirty Scots m

and pray you to give what I may not accept to the next poor pilgrim who comes hither pale

that think of nothing but quaffing and stuffing!-Wife, I say-wife, we will give a cup of distilled waters and a crust of bread unto the next pilgrim that comes over; and ye may kee

e Bridge-Ward to such an act of unwonted generosity, was pacing onward to the Monastery. In the way, he had to commune with and subdue

Father Philip, who, as he was not unwilling to allow, had, on his return from Glendearg, encountered obstacles somewhat similar to his own. Of this the Sub-Prior was the more convinced, when, feeli

y shame, with what face can I again presume to admonish or restrain others?-Avow, proud heart," continued he, addressing himself, "that the weal of Holy Church interests thee less in this matter than thine own humiliation-Yes, Heaven has punished thee even in that point in which thou didst deem thyself most strong, in thy spiritual pride and thy carnal wisdom. Thou hast laughed at and derided the inexperience of thy br

their order is naturally most dear; but in the monastic establishment, cut off, as the brethren are, from other objects of ambiti

zed, yet irresistible control, which he was wont to exercise in the affairs of the convent, by a confession which would put him in a ludicr

, some on horseback, some on foot, while several of the monks, distinguished through the night by their white scapularies, were making themselves busy amon

fear!" exclaimed the vassals; while the monks exclaimed, "Te D

is the matter, my brethren?" said Fa

m imminent peril-Ye may ungirth your horses, children, and dismiss; and to-morrow, each who was at this rendezvous may send to the convent kitchen for a quarter of a yard of roast beef, and a black-jack full of double ale." {Footnote: I

tion, and the monks, with equal jubilee,