The Robber Baron of Bedford Castle
mas de Muleton and Henry de Braybrooke, were riding together thro
mer, and having concluded that part of the business, were now journeying towards Dunstable to clear off certain matters which had been left un
, and were riding leisurely along on their stout palfreys, with their serving-men joggin
hills which encloses the vale of Bedford on the south-west. Passing the village of Cranfield and its Norman church, still in part existing, they rode under the old fortifications and earth-works of Brogborough--old eve
t upon their journey and partake of his mid-day meal. Here also they had arranged to meet their
rd Lisle had awaited him in vain. So when the other justices made their appearance, their host commanded th
suitable entertainment for guests of such hi
the merry h
e lofty a
the gorgeou
quire, with h
the rank of
ready blade
meal to car
heronshaw,
peacock's g
boar-head, ga
ygnet
had spoke h
hood were also present, among whom was the lord abbot of the abbey of Woburn hard by. The head of the Cistercian
only to one another, but to the servants belonging to the castle. In those days any festivities at a great castle were attended by a motle
yard was a crowd of se
beggars, indeed, ranged themselves into position to ask for alms in the name of religion, but the minstrels and the jugglers felt themselves de
jingling at his side, remarked a swarthy man of considerable height and size, who was evide
whence comest thou?"
nch which his interlocutor could easily have followed, but in a dialec
noble seneschal. I chant lov
ied the functionary gruffly, "naught but
momentary gleam of satisfaction passed
my lord senescha
eaf, man? My lord the king's justices who travel towards Dunstable.
s had made Lord Lisle's
stices' serving-men a song of fair France; or a love chansonnette w
chal with a shrug, turning away, "an y
turned to one of De Braybrooke's men, staring open-mouthed and stolid at the strange dialect and stranger counte
e as how thou art a stranger in these part
s it n
ten the way we ride, through the woodland, by way of Ev
k stranger, mispronouncing the name.
o at hay-harvest," jeered the othe
ar what you shall hear," retorted the stranger imperturbably. But as he strode across the yard, the serving-man, had he not been so bus
ear themselves away from Lord Lisle's hospitabl
w show where once the forest extended round the famous Cistercian abbey. In the midst of this district stands a village, wh
unsuspectingly, the two justices, engaged in
brooke was saying, "all our jurisconsults a
finished his sentence, for h
n from either side of the road upon the hapless representatives of the
no need of grooms!" he added, as he saw his men seizing the br
ld his horse, not distinguishing in the confusion between master and man, released their hold, and
n-at-arms were all dismounted, their horses tethered to the trees, or held by some of the band. Pursuit was ou
ring roundly at his men for their blunder, he struck the unfortunate serving-man who had been detained instead of his mast
not ourselves with dogs that c
apless Henry de Braybrooke well guarded in their midst. De Breauté's rage was a little softened, however, when he learned that he had not mis
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