I''!'~
CAOSTEL DI ALBRICORTE.
~~C~~~;  " ~   ll




Pun 1    of Splp
OII! ve little know what n  generous toe
Olurl'English Edward mfde.
A gentle heart, and an arm of might,'These are the things that Inake a knight.
LAYS AND BALLAD)S FROM ENGLISH HISTORY.








THE
LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
BY THE AUTHOR OF
"THE LITTLE DUKE;" "HEARTSEASE;" "HEIR OF
REDCLYFFE," ETC.
mitlj hXllsflafizls bg I. N,
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON  AND COMPANf,
846 & 348 BROADWAY.
1856.








PREFACE.
FOR an explanation of the allusions in the present
Tale, scarcely any Notes are necessary, save a reference to the bewitching Chronicle of Froissart; and we
cannot but hope, that our sketch may serve as an inducement to some young readers to make acquaintance
with the delectable old Canon for themselves, undeterred by the size of his tomes.
The story of Orthon is almost verbally copied from
him, and bears a curious resemblance to various German legends-such as that of " Heinzelman," to be
found in " Keightley's Fairy Mythology," and to
"Teague of the Lea," as related in Cooker's " Irish
Fairy Legends."
The old French " Vie de Bertrand du Guesclin"
has likewise been drawn upon for materials, and would




4                   PREFACE.
have supplied much more of great interest, such as
Enrique of Trastamare's arrival in the disguise of a
palmer, to consult with him during his captivity at
Bourdeaux, and many most curious anecdotes of his
early childhood and youth.
To Breton tradition, his excellent wife Epiphanie
Raguenel owes her title of Tiphaine la f6e, meaning
that she was endowed with magic power, which enabled
her to predict what would be lucky or unlucky days
for her husband. His disregard of them was thought
to have twice cost him the loss of a battle.
We must apologize for having made Henry of Lancaster a year or two older than is warranted by the
date of his birth.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
CHAPTER I.
SELDOM had the interior of this island presented
a more peaceful and prosperous aspect than in
the reign of Edward III., when the more turbulent spirits among his subjects had found occupation in his foreign wars, and his wise government had established at home a degree of
plenty, tranquillity, and security, such as had
probably never before been experienced in England.
Castle and cottage, Church and convent,
alike showed the prosperity and safety of the
inhabitants, at once by the profuseness of embellishment in those newly erected, and by the
neglect of the jealous precautions required in




6        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
former days of confusion and misrule. Thus it
was with the village of Lynwood, where, among
the cottages and farm-houses occupying a fertile
valley in Somersetshire, arose the ancient Keep,
built of grey stone, and strongly fortified, but
the defences kept up rather as appendages of
the owner's rank than as requisite for his protection; though the moat was clear of weeds,
and full of water the drawbridge was so well
covered with hard-trodden earth, over-grown at
the edges with grass, that, in spite of the massive chains connecting it with the gateway, it
seemed permanently fixed on the ground. The
spikes of the portcullis frowned above in threatening array, but a wreath of ivy was twining
up the groove by which it had once descended,
and the archway which by day stood hospitably
open, was at night only guarded by two large
oaken doors, yielding to a slight push. Beneath
the southern wall of the castle court were various flower-beds, the pride and delight of the old
seneschal, Ralph Penrose, in his own estimation
the most important personage of Lynwood Keep,
manager of the servants, adviser of the Lady,
and instructor of the young gentlemen in the
exercises of chivalry.
One fine evening old Ralph stood before the
door, his bald forehead and thin iron-grey locks








i-            ~~~~~-........ ~ ~  1!~
AiR,
LYNWOOD KEEP;'
II    
IilriJ
ii~~~~~~~'I~j~;
1;IN~T'00  ~I~EP




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          7
unbonneted, and his dark ruddy brown face
(marked at Halidon Hill with a deep scar),
raised with an air of deference and yet of selfsatisfaction towards the Lady who stood on the
steps of the porch. She was small and fragile
in figure; her face, though very lovely, was pale
and thin, and her smile had in it something
pensive and almost melancholy, as she listened
to his narration of his dealings with a refractory
tenant, and at the same time watched a noblelooking child of seven or eight years old, who,
mounted on an old war-horse, was led round the
court by a youth, his elder by some ten or eleven
years.'See, mother!' cried the child,'I am holding the reins myself. Uncle Eustace lays not
a finger on them!''As I was saying, madam,' continued Ralph,
disregarding the interruption,'I told him that
I should not have thought of one exempted
from feudal service in the camp, by our noble
Knight, being deficient in his dues in his absence. I told him we should see how he liked
to be sent packing to Bourdeaux with a sheaf
of arrows on his back instead of the sheaf of
wheat, which ought to be in our granary by
this time. But you are too gentle with them,




8        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
my Lady, and they grow insolent in Sir Reginald's long absence.'
All goes ill in his absence,' said the Lady.'It is a weary while since the wounded archer
brought tidings of his speedy return.''Therefore,' said the youth, turning round,'it must be the nearer at hand.  Come, sweet
sister Eleanor, cheer up, for he cannot but
come soon.''So many soons have passed away, that my
heart is well-nigh too sick for hope,' said Eleanor.' And when he comes it will but be a bright
dream to last for a moment. He cannot long
be spared from the Prince's side.''You must go with him, then, sister, and see
how I begin my days of chivalry-that is, if he
will bit believe me fit to bear shield and lance.''Ah! Master Eustace, if you were but such
as I have seen others of your race,' said Ralph,
shaking his head.'There was Sir Henry-at
your age he had made the Scottish thieves look
about them, I promise you.  And,go no further back than Sir Reginald himself-he stood
by the Prince's side at Crecy ere he was yet fifteen!''It is not my fault that I have not done as
much, Ralph,' said Eustace.  It is not for
want of the will, as you know full well.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           9'No. Thanks to me, I trust you have the
will and the teaching, at least to make a good
Knight,' said Ralph.'And yet, while I think
of the goodly height and broad shoulders of
those that have gone before you-''But hark! hark! cried Eustace, cutting
short a comparison which did not seem likely to
be complimentary.'Dost not hear, Ralph!
A horn!''The Lynwood note! My husband's note!
0 thanks, thanks to the Saints!' cried the
Lady, clasping her hands, whilst Eustace, vaulting into the saddle behind his little nephew,
rode across the drawbridge as fast as the stiffened joints of old Blanc Etoile could be prevailed
on to move. Gaining the summit of a rising
ground, both at once shouted,'Our own pennon! It is himself!' as they beheld the dark
blue crosslet on an argent field, floating above a
troop of horsemen, whose armour glanced in
the setting sun.'Ther are the Lances of Lynwood, Arthur,'
said Eustase, leaping to the ground.'Keep
your seat, and meet your father like a'brave
Knight's son.'
He then settled the reins in the child's hand,
and walked beside him to meet the new comers.
They were about twenty in number, armed alike
1*




10       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
with corslets marked with the blue cross, steel
head-pieces, and long lances. In front rode two
of higher rank.  The first was a man of noble
mien and lofty stature, his short, dark curled
hair and beard, and handsome though sunburnt
countenance displayed beneath his small blue
velvet cap, his helmet being carried behind him
by a man-at-arms, and his attire consisting of
a close-fitting dress of chamois leather, a white
mantle embroidered with the blue cross thrown
over one shoulder, and his sword hanging by his
side. His companion, who carried at his saddlebow a shield blazoned with heraldic devices in
scarlet and gold, was of still greater height, and
very slight; his large keen eyes, hair and moustache, black as jet; and his complexion dark
brown, with a well-formed aquiline nose, and a
perfect and very white set of teeth.
The instant the first-mentioned horseman
perceived Eustace and Arthur, he sprung to the
ground, and hurried to meet them with rapid
affectionate greetings and inquiries. In another
moment Dame Eleanor appeared on the drawbridge, and, weeping with joy, was clasped in
her husband's arms. Behind her stood the venerable chaplain, Father Cyril, and a step or two
further off, Ralph Penrose, both of whom  in
turn received the kindly greetings of Sir Regi



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         11
nald Lynwood, as, with his wife hanging on his
arm, and his boy holding his hand, he passed
under the gateway of his ancestral castle. Turning the next moment, he addressed his tall companion:'Friend Gaston, I bid you welcome!
Dame Eleanor, and you, brother Eustace, I present to you my trusty Esquire, Master Gaston
d'Aubricour.'
Due courtesies passed between the Lady and
the Squire, who, after a few words with the
Knight, remained to see to the disposal of the
men, while Sir Reginald himself entered the hall
with his wife, son, and brother. Eustace did not
long remain there: he found that Reginald and
Eleanor had much to say to each other, and his
curiosity and interest were, besides greatly excited by the novelty of the scene presented by
the castle court, so different from  its usual
peaceful monotony.  The men were unsaddling
their horses, rubbing them down, walking them
about, or removing the stains of dust and mud
from their own armour, while others were exchanging greetings with the villagers, who were
gathering in joyous parties round such of the
newly arrived, as were natives of the place.
In the midst stood the stranger-squire, superintending a horse-boy who was rubbing down
the Knight's tall war-horse, and at the same




12       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
time ordering, giving directions, answering inquiries, or granting permission to the men to
return home with their relations. Ralph Penrose was near, his countenance, as Eustace could
plainly perceive, expressing little satisfaction at
finding another authority in the court of Lynwood Keep; the references to himself short,
brief, and rapid, and only made when ignorance
of the locality compelled the stranger to apply
for information. The French accent and the
occasional French phrases with which the Squire
spoke, made him contract his brow more and
more, and at last, just as Eustace came up, he
walked slowly away, grumbling to himself,' Well, have it e'en your own way, I am too old
for your gay French fashions. It was not so in
Humfrey Harwood's time, when-But the world
has gone after the French now! Sir Reginald
has brought home as many Gascon thieves as
kindly Englishmen!'
Eustace listened for a moment to his mutterings, but without answering them, and coming
within a few steps of the stranger, stood waiting
to offer him any courtesy in his power, though
at the same time he felt abashed by the consciousness of his inferiority in accomplishments
and experience.
It was the Squire who was the first to speak.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           13'So this is Sir Reginald's old Keep! A fine
old fortalice-could stand at least a fortnight's
siege. Ha?  Is not yonder a weak point?  I
would undertake to scale that tower, so the battering rams made a diversion on the other side.''I trust it will never be tried,' said Eustace.'It would be as fair a feat of arms as ever
you beheld! But I crave your pardon,' added he,
displaying his white teeth with a merry laugh;'the state of my own land has taught me to
look on every castle with eyes for attack and
defence, and your brother tells me I am not behind my countrymen in what you English call
gasconades.'
You have seen many sieges and passages
of arms?' asked Eustace, looking up in his face
with an expression at once puzzled and respectful.'Since our castle of Albricorte was sacked
and burnt by the Count de Bearn, I have seen
little else- three stricken fields  two towns
stormed-castles more than I can remember.''Alas!' said Eustace,'I have seen nothing
but the muster of arms at Taunton!'
D'Aubricour laughed.'Look not downcast
on it,' said he;'you have time before you, and
one year at Bourdeaux is worth four elsewhere.
But I forget, you are the young clerk; and yet




14       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
that scarcely accords with that bright eye of
yours, and the weapon at your side.''They spoke once of making me a clerk,'
said Eustace;'but I hope to show my brother
that I am fit for his own way of life. Sir Squire,
do but tell me, do you think I look unfit to
sustain the honour of my name?'' Mere strength is little,' said the Squire,'else were that comely giant, John Ingram, the
best warrior in the army.  Nor does height
reckon for much; Du Guesclin himself is of
the shortest. Nor do you look like the boy over
whose weakly, timid nature I have heard Sir
Reginald lament,' he proceeded, surveying him
with a critical eye.
Eustace had, in fact, hardly reached the
middle height, and was very slender; his limbs
were, however, well proportioned, his step firm,
and every movement full of activity and grace.
His face, shaded with bright chestnut hair, was
of a delicate complexion, the features finely
moulded, and the usual cast of expression slightly thoughtful; but there was frequently, and
especially at this moment, a bright kindling
light in the dark blue eyes, which changed the
whole countenance from the grave and refined
look of the young scholar, to the bold ardent
glance of the warrior.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          15'A cavalier every inch of you!' cried d'Aubricour, striking Eustace on the shoulders as he
concluded his inspection.'I'll have the training of you, my gentil damoiseau, and see if I do
not make you as preux a chevalier as the most
burly giant of them all. Here, know you this
trick?'
He caught up one of the lances which the
men had laid aside, Eustace followed his example, and acquitted himself to his satisfaction in
one or two chivalrous manceuvres, till a summons to supper put an end to the sport.
CHAPTER II.
THE house of Lynwood had long been famed for
loyalty, which had often cost them dear, since
their neighbours, the Lords of' Clarenham, never
failed to take advantage of the ascendency of
the popular party, and make encroachments
on their privileges and possessions.
Thus when Sir Hugo Lynwood, the old
crusader, was made prisoner by Simon de Montford's party at Lewes, he was treated with great
severity, in order to obtain from him a recog



16       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
nition of the feudal superiority of the Clarenhams; and though the success of the royal party at Evesham  occasioned his liberation, his
possessions were greatly diminished.  Nor had
the turmoils of the reign of Edward II. failed
to leave their traces on the fortunes of the Lynwoods. Sir Henry, father of the present Knight,
was a staunch adherent of the unfortunate monarch, and even joined the hapless Edmund, Earl
of Kent, in the rising into which that Prince
was entrapped after the murder of his brother.
On this occasion, it was only Sir Henry's hasty
flight that preserved his life, and his lands were
granted to the Baron Simon de Clarenham  by
the young Edward III., then under the dominion of his mother, Isabel, and Roger Mortimer;
but when at length the King had freed himself
from their trammels, the whole county of Somerset rose to expel the intruders from Lynwood
Keep, and reinstate its true master. Nor did
Simon de Clarenham make much resistance, for
well knowing that an appeal to the King would
occasion an instant revocation of the grant, he
judged it advisable to allow it to sleep for the
present.
Sir Henry Lynwood, therefore lived and died
unmolested. His eldest son, Reginald, was early
sent to the Royal Camp, where he soon dis



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          17
tinguished himself and gained the favour and
friendship of the gallant Prince of Wales. The
feud with the Clarenhams seemed to be completely extinguished, when Reginald, chiefly by
the influence of the Prince, succeeded in obtaining the hand of a lady of that family, the
daughter of a brave Knight slain in the wars in
Brittany.
Since this time, both the Baron de Clarenham and his son, Sir Fulk, had been on good
terms with the Knight of Lynwood, and the
connection had been drawn still closer by the
Baron's second marriage with the Lady Muriel
de la Poer, a near relative of Sir Reginald's
mother. Many a time had Dame Eleanor Lynwood ridden to Clarenham castle, under the escort of her young brother-in-law, to whom such
a change, from the lonely old Keep, afforded no
small delight.
Eustace, the only one of Sir Henry's younger
children, who survived the rough nursing or the
over-nursing, whichever it might be, that thinned in former days the families of nobles and
gentlemen, might as well, in the opinion of almost all, have rested beneath a quaint little
image of his infant figure in brass, in the vaults
of the little Norman Chapel; for he was a puny,
ailing child, apt to scandalize his father and




18       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
brother, and their warlike retainers, by being
scared at the dazzling helm and nodding crest,
and preferring the seat at his mother's feet, the
fairy tale of the old nurse, the song of the minstrel, or the book of the Priest, to horse and
hound, or even to the sight of the martial sports
of the tilt-yard.
The last five years had, however, wrought a
great change in him; he began to outgrow the
delicacy of his constitution, and with it, to shake
off his timidity of disposition. A diligent perusal of the romances of chivalry filled him with
emulation, and he had applied himself ardently
to all knightly exercises, looking with great
eagerness to the time when he might appear in
the Prince's court. He had invested it with all
the glory of the Round Table, and of the Paladins; and though he knew he must not look
for Merlin or the Siege Perilous, the men themselves were in his fancy Rolands and Tristrems,
and he scarcely dared to hope he could ever be
fit to make one of them with all his diligent attention to old Ralph's instructions.
Some of Ralph's manceuvres were indeed
rather antiquated, and afforded much amusement
to Gaston d'Aubricour, who was never weary of
teazing the old Seneschal with descriptions of
the changes in the fashion of weapons, tournays,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         19
and machines, and especially delighted in histories of the marvellous effects of gunpowder.
Ralph would shake his head, vow that it would
soon put an end to all true chivalry, and walk
off to furbish his favourite cross-bow with many
a murmured reflection on the folly of quitting
good old plans, and especially on that of his
master, who must needs bring home a gibing
Gascon, when honest English Squires were not
scarce.
Very different was the state of the old Keep
of Lynwood from the quiet, almost deserted condition, in which it been left so long, now that
the Knight had again taken his wonted place
amongst the gentry of the county. Entertainments were exchanged with his neighbours,
hunting and hawking matches, and all the
sports of the tilt-yard followed each other in
quick succession, and the Summer passed merrily away. Merrily, that is to say, with Sir
Reginald, whose stirring life in camp and court
had left him but few and short intervals for enjoying his home and the society of his wife;
with Eleanor, who, relieved from long anxiety,
began to recover the spirits and health which
had nearly failed her; and with Eustace, to
whom the arrival of his brother and his followers
brought a continued course of novelty and de



20       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
ight; but less joyously with the Knight's followers, who had regretted more and more the
gay court of Bourdeaux, and grew impatient at
the prospect of spending a tedious Winter in a
peaceful English castle.
Their anticipations of weariness, and the contrary expectations of Sir Reginald, were destined
to be equally disappointed; for two months had
not passed since his return, before a summons
arrived, or more properly speaking, an invitation to the trusty and well-beloved Sir Reginald
Lynwood, to join the forces which the Duke of
Lancaster was assembling at Southampton; the
Prince of Wales having promised to assist King
Pedro of Castille in recovering the kingdom
from which he had been driven by his brother
Enrique of Trastamare.
Sir Reginald could not do otherwise than prepare with alacrity to obey the call of his beloved
Prince, though he marvelled that Edward should
draw his sword in the cause of such a monster
of cruelty, and he was more reluctant than ever
before, to leave his home. He even promised
his sorrowful Eleanor that this should be the
last time he would leave her.' I will but bestow
Eustace in some honourable household, where
he may be trained in knightly lore-that of
Chandos, perchance-or some other of the lead



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          21
ers who hold the good old strict rule; find good
masters for my honest men-at-arms; break one
more lance with Du Guesclin; and take my
leave of my brave Prince, and then will I return
to rule my vassals, till my fields, and be the
honest old country Knight my father was before
me.  Said I well, Dame Eleanor?'
Eleanor smiled, but the next moment sighed
and drooped her head, while a tear fell on the
blue silk with which she was embroidering the
crosslet on his pennon.  Sir Reginald might
have said somewhat to cheer her, but at that
instant little Arthur darted into the hall with
news that the armourer was come from Taunton
with two mules, loaded with a store of goodly
helmets, swords, and corslets, which he was displaying in the court.
The Knight immediately walked forth into
the court, where all had been activity and eagerness ever since the arrival of the summons, the
smith hammering ceaselessly in his forge, yet
without fulfilling half the orders continually
shouted in his ears; Gaston d'Aubricour and
Ralph Penrose directing from morning to night,
in contradiction of each other, the one always
laughing, the other always grumbling; the menat-arms and retainers some obeying orders, others
being scolded, the steel clanging, hammers ring



22       THE LANCES O0  LYNWOOD.
ing without intermission. Most of the party,
such at least as could leave their employment
without a sharp reprimand from one or the other
of the contending authorities, the Seneschal
and the Squire, were gathered round the steps
where the armourer was displaying, with many
an encomium, his bundles of lances, his real
Toledo blades, and his helmets of the choicest
fashion. Gaston d'Aubricour and Ralph were
disputing respecting a certain suit of armour
which the latter disapproved, because it had
no guards for the knees, while the former contended that the only use for such protection was
to disable a man from walking, and nearly from
standing when once unhorsed.'In my day, Master d'Aubricour, it was not
the custom for a brave man-at-arms to look to
being unhorsed, but times are changed.''Aye, that they are, Master Penrose, for in
our day we do nrot give ourselves over the moment we are down, and lie closed up in our shells
like great land tortoises turned on their backs,
waiting till some one is good enough to find his
way through our shell with the misericorde.''Peace, peace, Gaston,' said the Knight.'If we acquit ourselves as well as our fathers,
we shall have little to be ashamed of. What
think you of this man's gear?'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD             23
That I could pick up a better suit for half
the price at old Battista, the Lombard's at Bourt
deaux; nevertheless since young Eustace would
be the show of the camp, if he appeared there
provided in Ralph's fashion, it may be as well
to see whether there be an'e reasonableness in
this old knave.'
Before the question was decided, the tramp"
ling of horses was heard, and there rode into
the court an elderly man whose dress and bearing showed him  to be of consideration, accompanied by a youth of eighteen or nineteen, and attended by two servants.  Sir Reginald and his
brother immediately stepped forward to receive
them.' Sir Philip Ashton,' said the former,  how is
it with you? This is friendly in you to come
and bid us farewell.'
I grieve that it should be farewell, Sir Reginald,' said the old Knight, dismounting whilst
Eustace held his stirrup;'our country can ill
spare such men as you.  Thanks, my young
friend, Eustace.  See, Leonard, what good training will do for an Esquire; Eustace has already
caught that air and courteous demeanour that
cannot be learnt here among us poor Knights of
Somerset.'
This was to his son, who, with  a short




24       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
abrupt reply to the good-natured greeting of
Reginald, had scrambled down from his saddle,
and stood by Eustace's side, staring round him,
and chiefly fixing his large grey eyes upon Gaston, whose tall active figure, and lively dark
countenance, seemed to afford him an inexhaustible subject of study. The Squire was presented by name to Sir Philip, received a polite
compliment, and replying with a bow, turned to
the youth with the ready courtesy of one willing
to relieve the shyness of an awkward stranger.' We were but now discussing the merit between
damasked steel, and chain mail, what opinion
do you bring to aid us?' A  renewed stare,
an inarticulate muttering, and Master Leonard
turned away and almost hid his face in the
mane of his horse, whilst his father attempted
to make up for his incivility by a whole torrent of opinions, to which Gaston listened with
the outward submission due from a Squire, but
with frequent glances, accompanied by a tendency
to elevate shoulder or eyebrow, which Eustace
understood full well to convey that the old gentleman knew nothing whatever on the subject.
This concluded, Sir Philip went to pay his
respects to the Lady of Lynwood, and then, as
the hour of noon had arrived, all partook of the
meal, which was served in the hall, the Squires




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          25
waiting on the Knights and the Lady before
themselves sitting down to table.
It was the influence of dinner that first unchained the silent tongue of Leonard Ashton,
when he found himself seated next to his old acquaintance, Eustace Lynwood, out of hearing of
those whose presence inspired him with shyness,
and the clatter of knives and trenchers drowning
his voice.'So your brother has let you bear sword after
all. How like you the trade?  Better than
poring over crabbed parchments I trow. But
guess you why we are here to-day?  My father
says that I must take service with some honourable Knight, and see somewhat of the world.
He spoke long of the Lord de Clarenham, because his favour would be well in the county;
but at last he has fixed on your brother because
he may do somewhat for me with the Prince.''Then you are going with us to Bourdeaux?' exclaimed Eustace, eagerly.'Aye, truly.'
Nay, but that is a right joyful hearing!'
said Eustace.' Old friends should be bretheren
in arms.''But, Eustace,' said young Ashton, lowering
his voice to a confidential whisper,'I like not
2




26       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
that outlandish Squire so tall and black. Men
say he is a Moor-a worshipper of Mahound.'
Eustace laughed heartily at this report, and
assured his friend that though he had heard his
brother often give his Squire in jest, his nom de
guerre of Gaston le aMaure, that d'Aubricour
was a gallant gentleman of Gascony. But still
Leonard was not satisfied.' Had ever man born
in Christian land such flashing black eyes and
white teeth? And is not he horribly fierce and
strict?''Never was man' of kinder heart and blither
temper.''Then you think he will not be sharp with
us?'More straight in your saddle!" "    lance
lower!   "head higher!" that is what has
been riningn in my ears from morning till night
of late, sometimes enforced by a sharp blow on
the shoulders. Is it not so with you?'' 0, old Penrose took all that trouble off their
hands long ago. Gaston is the gentlest of tutors
compared with him.''I hope so!' sighed Leonard;'my very
bones ache with the tutoring I get from my
father at home.  And, Eustace, resolve me
this-'' ush, do not you see that Father Cyril is
about to pronounce the Grace-   There-now




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          27
must I go and serve your father with the gracecup, but I will be with you anon.'
Leonard put his elbow on the table, mumbling to himself,'And these of Eustace's be the
courtly manners my father would have me learn,
they cost a great deal too much trouble!'
The meal over, Eustace took Leonard into
the court to visit the horses and inspect the new
armour.  They were joined by Gaston, who took
upon himself to reply to the question which
Leonard wished to have resolved, namely, what
they were to do in Castille, by persuading him
to believe that Enrique of Trastamare was a
giant twenty feet high, who rode a griffin of proportionate dimensions, and led an army whose
heads grew under their shoulders.
In the meantime Sir Philip Ashton was, with
many polite speeches, entering upon the business
of his visit, which was to request Sir Reginald
to admit his son into his train as an Esquire.
The Knight of Lynwood, though not very desirous of this addition to his followers, could not
well refuse him, in consideration of the alliance
which had long subsisted between the two
houses; but he mentioned his own purpose of
quitting the Prince's court as soon as the present
expedition should be concluded.'That,' said Sir Philip, softly,'will scarce




28        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
be likely.  Such Knights as Sir Reginald Lynwood are not so easily allowed to hide themselves
in obscurity.  The Prince of Wales knows too
well the value of his right-hand counsellor.''Nay, Sir Philip,' said Sir Reginald, laughing,'that is rather too fine a term for a rough
soldier, who never was called into counsel at all,
except for the arraying a battle.  It would take
far sharper wits than mine, or, indeed, I suspect,
than any that we have at Bourdeaux, to meet
the wiles of Charles of France.  No, unless the
Royal Banner be abroad in the field, you may
look to see me here before another year is out.''I shall hope it may be otherwise, for my
boy's sake,' said Sir Philip.'But be that as it
may, his fame will be secured by his going forth
for the first time with such a leader as yourself.
The example and friendship of your brothers will
also be of the utmost service. Your chief Squire,
too-so perfect in all chivalrous training, and a
foreigner-who better could be found to train -a
poor Somersetshire clown for the Prince's Gascon court?'' Why, for that matter,' interrupted Sir Reginald, whose patience would seldom  serve him
to the end of one of his neighbour's harangues,'it may be honest to tell you that though Gaston is a kindly-tempered fellow, and of right




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           29
knightly bearing, his life has been none of the
most steady.  I took up with him a couple of
years since, when poor old Humfrey Harwood
was slain at Auray, and I knew not where to
turn for a Squire.  Save for a few wild freaks
now and then, he has done right well, though I
sometimes marvelled at his choosing to endure
my strict household.  He obeys my orders, and
has made himself well liked by the men, and I
willingly trust Eustace with him, since the boy
is of a grave, clerkly sort of turn, and under my
own eye; but it is for you to do as you will
with your son.''Is he of honourable birth?' asked Sir
Philip.'At least he bears coat armour,' answered
Reginald.'His shield is gules, a wolf passant,
or, and I have heard strange tales of his father,
Beranger d'Aubricour, the Black Wolf of the
Pyrenees, as he was called, one of the robber
noblesse of the Navarrese border; but I have
little time for such matters, and they do not
dwell in my mind.  If I find a man does his
duty in my service, I care not whence he comes,
nor what his forefathers may have been.  I listen to no such idle tales; but I thought it best
to warn you that I answer not for all the comrades your son may find in my troop.




3()      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'lMany thanks, noble Sir Reginald; under
such care as yours he cannot fail to prosper; I
am secure of his welfare in your hands.  One
word more, Sir Reginald, I pray you. You are
all-powerful with Prince Edward. My poor boy's
advancement is in your hand.  One word in his
favour to the Prince-a hint of the following I
could send his pennon-'' Sir Philip,' said Reginald,'you overrate my
influence, and underrate the Prince's judgment,
if you imagine aught save personal merit would
weigh with him. Your son shall have every
opportunity of deserving his notice, but whether
it be favourable or not, must depend on himself. If you desire more, you must not seek it
of me.'
Sir Philip protested that this was all he
wished, and after reiterating his thanks, took
his leave, promising that Leonard should be at
Lynwood Keep on the next Monday, the day fixed
for Sir Reginald's departure.
CHAPTER III.
THE morning of departure arrived.  The
men-at-arms were drawn up in the court, like




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           31
so many statues of steel; Leonard Ashton sat
on horseback, his eyes fixed on the door; Gaston
d'Aubricour, wrapped in his gay mantle, stood
caressing his Arab steed Brigliador, and telling
him they should soon exchange the chilly fogs
of England for the bright sun of Gascony;
Ralph Penrose held his master's horse, and a
black powerful charger was prepared for Eustace, but still the brothers tarried.'My Eleanor, this should not be!' said
Reginald, as his wife clung to him  weeping.'Keep a good heart.'Tis not for long. Take
heed of your dealings with your cousin Fulk.
She knows not what I say. Father Cyril, keep
guard over her and my boy, in case I should
meet with any mishap.'' I will, assuredly, my son,' said the Chaplain,  but it is little that a poor Priest like me
can do.  I would that grant to the Clarenhams
were repealed.''That were soon done,' said Reginald,'but
it is no time for a loyal vassal to complain of
grievances when his liege lord has summoned
him to the field.  That were to make the King's
need be his law.  No! no!  Watch over her,
good father, she is weak and tender. Look up,
sweet heart, give me one cheerful wish to speed




32       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
me on my journey.  No?  She has swooned.
Eleanor! my wife-''Begone, begone, my son,' said Father Cyril,
it will be the better for her.''It may be,' said Reginald,'yet to leave
her thus-Here, nurse, support her, tend her
well. Give her my tenderest greetings. Arthur,
be duteous to her; talk to her of our return;
farewell, my boy, and blessings on you. Eustace, mount.'
Sir Reginald, sighing heavily, swung himself
into the saddle; Eustace waited a moment
longer.'Good Father, this was to have been
in poor Eleanor's charge. It is the token, you
know for whom.''It shall reach her, my son.''You will send me a letter whenever you
can?'' Truly I will; and I would have you read and
write, specially in Latin, when you have the
chance-good gifts should not be buried.  Bethink you, too, that you will not have the same
excuse for sin as the rude ignorant men you will
meet.'' Eustace!' hastily called Reginald, and with
a hurried farewell to all around, the young
Squire sprang on horseback, and the troop rode
across the drawbridge.  They halted on the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          33
mound beyond, Sir Reginald shook his pennon,
till the long white swallow tails streamed on the
wind, then placed it in the hands of Eustace, and
saying,' On, Lances of Lynwood! In the name
of God, St. George, and King Edward, do your.devoir;' he spurred his horse forward, as if only
desirous to be out of sight of'his own turrets,
and forget the parting, the pain of which still
heaved his breast and dimmed his eye.
A few days brought the troop to Southampton, where John of Gaunt was collecting his
armament, and with it they embarked, crossed
the St. Malo, and thence proceeded to Bourdeaux, but there found that the Princeof Wales
had already set forth, and was waiting for his
brother at Dax.
Advancing immediately, at the end of three
days they came in sight of the forces encamped
around that town. Glorious was the scene before them, the green plain covered in every direction with white tents, surmounted with the
banners or pennons of their masters, the broad
red Cross of St. George waving proudly in the
midst, and beside it the royal Lions and Castles
of the two Spanish monarchies. To the south,
the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees began to
gleam white like clouds against the sky, and the
grey sea-line to the west closed the horizon.
2*




34       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Eustace drew his rein, and gazed in silent admiration, and Gaston, riding by his side, pointed
out the several bearings and devices which, to
the warrior of that day, spoke as plainly (often
far more so), as written words.'See yonder
the tent of my brave countryman, the Captal
de Buch, close to that of the Prince, as is ever
his wont.  No doubt he is willing to wipe away
the memory of his capture at Auray. There,
to the left, gules and argent, per pale is the
pennon of the stout old Englishman, Chandos.
Ha! I see the old Free Companions are here
with Sir Hugh Calverly! Why,'twas but the
other day they were starting to set this very
Don Enrique on the throne as blithely as they
now go to drive him from it.'
While Gaston spoke, the sound of horses'
feet approached rapidly from another quarter,
and a small party came in sight, the foremost
of whom checked his bridle, as at Reginald's
signal, his lances halted and drew respectfully
aside.  He was a man about thirty-six years of
age, and looking even younger, from  the remarkable fairness and delicacy of his. complexion.  The perfect regularity of his noble features, together with the commanding, yet gentle, expression of his clear light blue eyes, would,
even without the white ostrich feather in his




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          35
black velvet cap, have enabled Eustace to recognize in him the flower of chivalry, Edward,
Prince of Wales.'Welcome, my trusty Reginald' exclaimed
he.'I knew that the Lances of Lynwood
would-not be absent where knightly work is to
be done. Is my brother John arrived?''Yes, my Lord,' replied Reginald,'I parted
from him but now as he rode to the castle, while
I came to seek where to bestow my knaves.''I know you of old for a prudent man,' said
the Prince, smiling;'the Provost Marshal hath
no acquaintance with that gallant little band.
Methinks I see there a fair face like enough to
yours to belong to another loyal Lynwood.''I could wish it were a little browner and
more manly, my Lord,' said Reginald.-'It is
my brother Eustace, who has been suffered (I
take shame to myself for it) to tarry at home as
my Lady's page, till he looks as white as my
Lady herself.''We will soon find a cure for that in the sun
of Castille,' said Edward.' You are well provided with Squires. The men of Somerset know
where good training is to be found for their
sons.''This, my Lord, is the son of Sir Philip
Ashton, a loyal Knight of our county.'




36       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.' He is welcome, said the Prince.  We have
work for all. Let me see you this evening at
supper in my tent.''Well, Eustace, what sayest thou?' said
Gaston, as the Prince rode on.'A Prince to dream of a Prince for whom to
give a thousand lives!' said Eustace.'And that was the Prince of Wales!' said
Leonard.'Why he spoke just like any other
man.'
The two tents of the Lances of Lynwood
having been erected, and all arrangements made,
the Knights and Squires set outfor the Prince's
pavilion, the white curtains of which were conspicuous in the centre of the camp. Within, it
was completely lined with silk, embroidered with
the various devices of the Prince: the lions of
England-the lilies of France-the Bohemian
ostrich-plume, with its humble motto-the white
rose, not yet an emblem  of discord-the blue
garter and the red cross, all in gorgeous combination, a fitting background, as it were, on
which to display the chivalrous groups seen in
relief against it.
At the upper end was placed a long table
for the Prince and his guests, and here Sir Reginald took his seat, with many a hearty welcome
from his friends and companions in arms, while




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          37
Gaston led his comrades to the lower end, where
Squires and Pages were waiting for the provisions brought in by the servants, which they were
to carry to their Knights.  Gaston was soon engaged in conversation with his acquaintance,
to some of whom he introduced Eustace and
Leonard, but the former found far more interesting occupation in gazing on the company seated
at the upper table.
The Black Prince himself occupied the centre, his brother John at his left hand, and at his
right, a person whom both this post of honour
and the blazonry of his surcoat marked out as
the-dethroned King of Castille. Pedrothe Cruel
had not however the forbidding countenance
which imagination would ascribe to him; his
features were of the fair and noble type of the
old royal Gothic race of Spain; he had a profusion of flaxen hair, and large blue eyes, rather
too prominent, and but for his receding forehead,
and the expression of his lips, he would have
been a handsome man of princely mien.  Something too, there was of fear, something of a
scowl; he seemed to shrink from the open and
manly demeanour of Edward, and to turn with
greater ease to converse with John, who, less
lofty in character than his brother, better suited
his nature.




38       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
There, too, Eustace beheld the stalwart form
and rugged features of Sir John Chandos; the
slender figure and dark sparkling southern face
of the Captal de Buch; the rough joyous boon
companion visage of Sir Hugh Calverly, the freebooting warrior; the youthful form of the young
step-son of the Prince, Lord Thomas Holland;
the rude features of the Breton Knight, Sir
Oliver de Clisson, soon to be the bitterest foe
of the standard beneath which he was now
fighting. Many were there whose renown had
charmed the ears of the young Squire of Lynwood Keep, and he looked on the scene with
the eagerness with which he would have watched
some favourite romance suddenly done into life
and action.'Eustace! What, Eustace in a trance?'
said d'Aubricour.'Waken  and carry this
trencher of beef to your brother. Best that
you should do it,' he added in a low voice, taking up a flask of wine,'and save our comrade
from at once making himself a laughing-stock.'
The discontented glance with which Leonard's eyes followed his fellow Squires, did not
pass unobserved by a person with whom d'Aubricour had exchanged a few words, a squarelymade, dark-visaged man, with a thick black
beard, and a huge scar which had obliterated




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           39
one eye; his equipment was that of a Squire,
but instead of, like others of the same degree,
attending on the guests at the upper table, he
sat carelessly sideways on the bench, with one
elbow on the board.
You gaze after that trencher as if you
wished your turn was come,' said he, in a patois
of English and French, which Leonard could
easily understand, although he had always turned
a deaf ear to Gaston's attempts to instruct him
in the latter language.  However, a grunt was
his only reply.'Or,' pursued the Squire,'have you any
fancy for carrying it yourself? I, for my part,
think we are well quit of the trouble.'' Why, aye,' said Leonard,'but I trow I have
as much right to serve at the Prince's table, as
dainty Master Eustace.  My father had never
put me under Sir Reginald's charge, had he
deemed I should be kept here among the serving
men.''Sir Reginald?  Which Sir Reginald has
the honour of your service?' asked the Squire,
to whom Leonard's broad Somersetshire dialect
seemed to present few difficulties.'Sir Reginald Lynwood, he with the curled
brown locks, next to that stern-looking old fellow
with the grey hair.'




40       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'Aye, I know him of old.  Him whom the
Duke of Lancaster is pledging-a proud strict
Englishman-as rigid a service as any in the
camp.''I should think so!' said Leonard.'Up
in the morn hours before the sun, to mass like
a choir of novices, to clean our own arms and
the Knight's like so many horse-boys, and if
there be but a speck of rust, or a sword-belt
half a finger's length awry-''Aye, aye, I once had a fortnight's service
with a Knight of that stamp, but a fortnight
was enough for me, I promise you.  And yet
Gaston le Maure chooses to stay with him rather
than lead a merry life with Sir Perduccas d' A1bret, with all to gain, and nought to lose! A
different life from  the days he and I spent together of old.''Gaston  d'Aubricour is as sharp as the
Knight himself,' said Leonard,'and gibes me
without ceasing, but yet I could bear it all, were
it not for seeing Eustace, the clerk, preferred to
me, as if I were not heir to more acres than he
can ever count crowns.''What may then be your name, fair youth,
and your inheritance?' demanded the one-eyed
Squire,'for your coat of arms is new in the
camp.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          41' My name is Leonard Ashton; my father-'
but Leonard's speech was cut short by a Squire,
who stumbled over his outstretched foot. Both
parties burst into angry exclamations, Leonard's
new acquaintance taking his part. Bien looked
up, and serious consequences might have ensued,
had not Gaston hastened to the spot.' Shame
on you, young malapert,' said he to his hopeful
pupil.'Cannot I leave you one moment unwatched, but you must be brawling in the
Prince's own presence?  Here, bear this bread
to Sir Reginald instantly, and leave me to make
your peace.  Master Clifford,  added he, as
Leonard shuffled away, "tis an uncouth slip
whom Sir Reginald Lynwood has undertaken to
mould into form, and if he is visited as he deserves for each piece of discourtesy, his life will
not be long enough for amendment, so I must
e'en beg you to take my apology.''Most readily, Master d'Aubricour,' replied
Clifford,'there would not have been the least
offence had the youth only possessed a civil
tongue.''Is not he the son of one of your wealthy
Englishmen?' asked the one-eyed Squire carelessly.'Ha! Why should you think so?' said




42       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Gaston, turning sharply;'because he shows so
much good nurture?''Because his brains are grown fat with devouring his father's beeves, fare on which you
seem to thrive, le Maure,' said the one-eyed,' though you were not wont to like English beef
and English discipline better than Gascon wine
and Gascon freedom.  I begin to think that the
cub of the Black Wolf of the  Pyrenees is
settling down into a tame English house-dog.''He has teeth and claws at your service,'
replied Gaston.
Aye?' said the Squire interrogatively, then
changing his tone.'But tell me honestly, Gaston, repent you not of not having taken service
with gallant Sir Perduccas?''Why, you have left him  yourself.''Yes, because we had sharp words on the
spoil of a Navarrese village. My present leader,
Sir William Felton, is as free and easy as d'Albret, or Aymerigot Marcel himself.  And is not
yon ungainly varlet the hope of some rich English house?''I must see their hope meets with no downfall,' said Gaston, walking away, and muttering
to himself.'A plague upon it! To train two
boys is more than I bargained for, and over and
above to hinder this wiseacre Ashton from ruin



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           43
ing himself, or being ruined by le Borgne Basque! What brought him here?  I thought he
was safe in the Castille with the Free Companions.  I would let the oaf take his course,
for a wilful wrong-headed fool, but that it would
scarce be doing good service to Sir Reginald.'
The Knights had nearly finished their meal,
and the Squires having served them with wine,
returned to their own table, now freshly supplied with meat, which the yeomen in their
turn, carved for them.  Gaston kept Leonard
under his own eye till the party broke up.
On  the way to the tent, he began to take
him to task.'A proper commencement! Did
you take the Prince's pavilion for one of your
own island hostels, where men may freely brawl
and use their fists without fear of aught save
the parish constable?''What business had he to tread on my
foot?' growled Leonard.' What business had your foot there? Was
not your office, as I told you, to stand ready to
hand me whatever I might call for?''I was speaking a few words to another gentleman.''The fewer words you speak to le Borgne
Basque the better, unless you think it is Sir Reginald's pleasure that you should be instructed




44       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
in all the dicing and drinking in this camp, and
unless you wish that the crowns with which your
father stored your pouch should jingle in his
pockets.  It is well for you the Knight marked
you not.''You held long enough parley with him
yourself,' said the refractory pupil.'Look you, Master Leonard Ashton, I do
not presume to offer myself as an example to
you, save, perhaps, in the matter of sitting a
steed, or handing a wine-cup. I have no purse
to lose, and I have wit to keep it if I had, or at
least' as a recollection crossed him,  if I lost it,
it should be to please myself, and not le Borgne
Basque; above all, my name and fame are
made, and yours-''What would you say of mine?' said Leonard, with sulky indignation.' The heir of Ashton is not to be evened to a wandering landless
foreigner.''It is not in sight of those mountain peaks,'
said Gaston, contemptuously,'that I am to be
called a foreigner; and as to being landless, if
I chose to take my stand on the old tower of
Albricorte, and call myself Lord of the whole
hill side, I should like to see who would gainsay
me.  For name, I suspect you will find that
many a man has trembled at the sound of Beran



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          45
ger d'Albricorte, to whom Ashton would be but
that of an English clown.  Moreover, in this
camp, I would have you to know that the question is, not who has the broadest lands, but who
has the strongest arm. And, sir Squire, if you
are not above listening to a piece of friendly
counsel, to brag of those acres of yours, is the
surest way to attract. spoilers. I had rather a
dozen times trust Eustace in such company
than you, not only because he has more wit, but
because he has less coin.'' Who is is hs man?  What is his name?'
asked Eustace.
Le Borgne Basque, I know no other,' said
Gaston.'We reck little of names here, especially when it may be convenient to have them
forgotten.  He is a Free Companion, a routier,
brave enough, but more ready at the sack than
the assualt, and loving best to plunder, waste,
and plunder again, or else to fleece such sheep
as our friend here.''How could such a man gain entrance to
the Prince's pavilion?'
Stout hearts and strong arms find entrance
in most places,' said Gaston;'but, as you saw,
he durst not appear at the upper table.'
The next morning the army began their
march to the Pyrenees.  They halted for some




46       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
days at the foot of the hills, whilst negotiations
were passing between the Black Princes and
Charles the Bad, King of Navarre, who might
easily have prevented their entrance into the
Peninsula, by refusing a passage through his
mountain fastnesses.
When the permission was granted, they advanced with considerable danger and difficulty.
The rugged paths were covered with snow and
ice, which made them  doubly perilous for the
horses, and but for Gaston's familiarity with his
native hills, Sir Reginald declared that he would
never have brought his little troop across them
in safety.
At length they emerged through the celebrated Pass of Roncesvalles, where Eustace in
imagination listened to the echoes of the dying
blast of Roland. On the following evening he
had the delight of reading his history in the
veritable pages of Archbishop Turpin, which
precious work he found in the possession of
Brother Waleran, a lay-friar, in the employment of Sir John Froissart the chronicler, who
had sent him with the army as a reporter of the
events of the campaign.  This new acquaintance gave very little satisfaction to Sir Reginald, who was almost ready to despair of Eustace's courage and manhood when he found'he




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           47
had gone back to his books,' and manifested, if
not so much serious displeasure, yet even more
annoyance, on this occasion than when, shortly
after, he found that Leonard Ashton spent every
moment, at his own disposal, in the company of le
Borgne Basque.  That worthy, meeting the
young gentleman at every turn, had easily persuaded him  that Gaston's cautions only proceeded from fears of stories that might with too
much truth be told against himself, and by skilful flatteries of the young Englishman's selfimportance, and sympathy with his impatience
of the strict rule of the Knight of Lynwood, succeeded in establishing over him great influence.
So fared it with the two young Squires, whilst
the army began to enter the dominions of the
King of Castille.  Here a want of provisions
was severely felt, for such was the hatred borne
to Pedro the Cruel, that every inhabitant of the
country fled at his approach, carrying off, or destroying, all that could be used as food.  It was
the intention of Bertrand du Guesclin the ally
of Enrique of Trastamare, to remain quietly in
his camp of Navaretta, and allow hunger to do
its work with the invading force, but this prudent plan was prevented by the folly of Don
Tello, brother of Enrique, who, accusing Bertrand of cowardice, so stung his fiery spirit that




48       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
he resolved on instant combat, though knowing
how little dependence could be placed on his
Spanish allies.
The challenge of the Prince of Wales was
therefore accepted; and never were tidings more
welcome than these to the half-famished army,
encamped upon the banks of the Ebro, on the
same ground on which, in after years, English
valour was once more to turn to flight a usurping King of Spain.
CHAPTER IV.
THE moon was at her height, and shone full
into the half-opened tent of Sir Reginald Lynwood. At the further end, quite in darkness,
the Knight bare-headed, and rosary in hand,
knelt before the dark-robed figure of a confessor,
while at a short distance lay, on a couch of
deer-skins, the sleeping Leonard Ashton.  Before the looped-up curtain that formed the door,
was Gaston d'Aubricour, on one knee, close to
a huge torch of pine-wood, fixed in the earth,
examining by its flaring smoky light, into the
state of his masters armour, proving every




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           49
joint with a small hammer. Near him, Eustace, with the help of John Ingram, the stalwart yeoman, was fastening his charge, the pennon, to a mighty lance of the toughest ash-wood,
and often looking forth on the white tents on
which the moon-beams shed their pale tranquil
light. There was much to impress a mind like
his, in the scene before him; the unearthly
moonlight, the few glimmering stars, the sky,whose southern clearness and brightness were,to
his unaccustomed eye, doubly wonderful-the
constant though subdued sounds in the camp,
the murmur of the river, and, far away in the
dark expanse of night, the sparkling of a multitude of lights, which marked the encampment
of the enemy.  There was a strange calm  awe
upon his spirit.  He spoke in a low voice, and
Gaston's careless light-hearted tones fell on his
ear as something uncongenial; but his eye
glanced brightly, his step was free and bold, as
he felt that this was the day that must silence
every irritating doubt of his possessing a warrior-spirit.
The first red streak of dawn was beginning
to glow in the eastern sky, when the note of a
bugle rung out from the Prince's tent, and was
responded to by hundreds of other horns. That
instant the quiet slumbering camp awoke, the
3




50       THIE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
space in front of every tent was filled with busy
men, arming themselves, or saddling their horses.
Gaston and Eustace, already fully equipped, assisted Sir Reginald to arm; Leonard was roused,
and began to fasten on his armour; the men-atarms came forth from their tent, and the horses
were saddled and bridled;'And now!' called
Sir Reginald,  bring our last loaf, John Ingram.
Keep none back.  By this day's eve we shall
have abundance, or else no further need.'
The hard dry barley-bread was shared in
scanty, but equal measure, and scarcely had it
been devoured, before a second bugle blast, pealing through the camp, caused each mail-clad
warrior to close, his visor, and spring into his
saddle.  A  third, and all rode forth into the
open plain, where according to previous orders,
they arrayed themselves in two divisions, the first
commanded by the Duke of Lancaster and Sir
John Chandos; the second by Prince Edward
and Don Pedro.
After a pause, employed in marshalling the
different bands, the host advanced at an even
pace, the rising sun glancing on their armour,
and revealing the multitude of waving crests,
and streamers fluttering from the points of the
lances, like  the  wings of gorgeous insects.
Presently a wall of glittering armour was seen




TIME EVE OF;NAVARIETTA.








THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           51
advancing to meet them, with the same brilliant display.  It might have seemed some
mighty tournament that Nvas there arrayed, as
the two armies stood confronting each other,
rather than a stern battle for the possession of
a kingdom; and well might old Froissart declare,'It was a pleasure to see such hosts.'
But it would be presumptuous to attempt
to embellish a tale after Froissart has once
touched it. To him, then, I leave it to tell how
the rank of banneret was conferred on the gallant old Chandos, how'the Prince prayed aloud
for a blessing on his arms, how he gave the signal for the advance, and how the boaster, Tello,
fled in the first encounter. The Lances of Lynwood, in the division of the Duke of Lancaster,
well and gallantly did their part in the hard
struggle with the brave band of French, whose
resistance was not overcome till the Black Prince
himself brought his reserved troops to the aid of
his brother.
With the loss of only one man-at-arms, the
Lances of Lynwood had taken several prisoners.
It was high noon, and the field was well-nigh
cleared of the enemy, when Sir Reginald drew
his rein at the top of a steep bank, clothed
with brushwood, sloping towards the stream of
the Zadorra, threw up his visor, wiped his heated




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
brow, and, patting his horse's neck, turned to
his brother, saying,'You have seen sharp work
in this your first battle-lay, Eustace.''It is a glorious day!' said Eustace.' See
how they hurry to the water.' And he pointed
over the low shrubs to a level space on the bank
of the river, where several*ugitives, on foot and
horseback, were crowding together, and pressing
hastily forward.'Ha!' cried Sir Reginald,'The golden
circlet! Henry of Trastamare himself!' and
at the same instant he sprang to the ground.' You,' said he,  speed round the bushes, meet
me at the ford they are making for.' This was
directed to Gaston, and, ere the last words were
spoken, both Sir Reginald and Eustace were
already beginning to hurry down the bank.
Gaston rose to his full height in his stirrups,
and looking over the wood, exclaimed,'The
Eagle crest! I must be there. On, Ashton -
Ingram, this way-speed, speed, speed!' and
with these words threw himself from his horse,
and dashed after the two brothers, as they went
crashing, in their heavy armour, downwards
through the boughs.  In less than a minute
they were on the level ground, and Sir Reginald
rushed forward to intercept Don Enrique, who
was almost close to the river.' Yield, yield, Sir




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          53
King!' he shouted, but at the same moment
another Knight on foot threw  himself between, raising a huge battle-axe, and crying,'Away, away, Sir, leave me to deal with him!'
Enrique turned, entered the river, and safely
swam his horse to the other side, whilst his
champion was engaged in a desperate conflict.
The Knight of Lynwood caught the first
blow on his shield, and returned it, but without
the slightest effect on his antagonist, who,
though short in stature, and clumsily made,
seemed to possess gigantic strength. A few
moments more, and Reginald had fallen at full
length on the grass, while his enemy was pressing on, to secure him as a prisoner, or to seize
the pennon which Eustace held. The two
Squires stood with lifted swords before their
fallen master, but it cost only another of those
irresistible strokes to stretch Gaston beside Sir
Reginald, and Eustace was left alone to maintain the struggle. A few moments more, and
the Lances would come up-but how impossible to hold out! The first blow cleft his
shield in two, and though it did not pierce his
armour, the shock brought him to his knee, and
without the support of the staff bf the pennon,
he would have been on the ground. Still, however, he kept up his defence, using sometimes




54        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
his sword, and sometimes the staff, to parry the
strokes of his assailant; but the strife was too
unequal, and faint with violent exertion, as well
as dizzied by a stroke, which the temper of his
helmet had resisted, he felt that all would be
over with him  in another second, when his
sinking energies were revived by the cry of'St.
George,' close at hand.  His enemy relaxing his
attack, he sprang to his feet, and that instant
found himself enclosed, almost swept away by
a crowd of combatants of inferior degree, as
well his own comrades as Free Lances, all of
whose weapons were turned upon his opponent.
A sword was lifted over the enemy's head from
behind, and would the next moment have descended, but that Eustace sprang up, dashed it
aside, cried'Shame!' and grasping the arm
of the threatened Knight, exclaimedc,'Yield,
yield! it is your only hope.''Yield? and to thee?' said the Knight;'yet it is well meant.  The sword of Arthur
himself would be of no: avail.  Tiphaine was
right! It is the fated day. Thou art of gentle
birth?  I yield me then, rescue or no rescue,
the rather that I see thou art a gallant youth.
Hark, you fellows, I am a prisoner, so get off
with you.  Your name, bold youth?''Eustace Lynwood, brother to this Knight,'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           55
said Eustace, raising his visor, and panting for
breath.'You need but a few years to nerve your
arm.  But rest awhile, you are almost spent,'
said the prisoner, in a kind tone of patronage,
as he looked at the youthful face of his captor,
which in a second had varied from'deep crimson to deadly paleness.' My brother! my brother!' was all Eustace's answer, as he threw himself on the grass
beside Gaston, who, though bleeding fast, had
raised his master's head, and freed him from his
helmet, but his eyes were still closed, and the
wound ghastly; for such had been the force of
the blow, that the shoulder was well-nigh severed
from  the collar bone.'Reginald! 0 brother,
look up!' cried Eustace.'0 Gaston, does he
live?'' I have crossed swords with him before,' said
the prisoner.'I grieve for the mishap.' Then,
as the soldiers crowded round, he waved them
off with a gesture of command, which they instinctively obeyed.' Back, clowns, give him air.
And here-one of you-bring some water from
the river. There, he shows signs of life.'
As he spoke, the clattering of horses' feet
was heard-all made way, and there rode along
the bank of the river a bund of Spaniards,




5-6      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
headed by Pedro himself, his sword, from hilt
to point, streaming with blood, and his countenance ferocious as that of a tiger.'Where is
he?' was his cry;'Where is the traitor, Enrique?  I will send him to join the rest of the
brood.' Where has he hidden himself?'
The prisoner, who had been assisting to lift
the wounded man out of the path of the
trampling horses, turned round, and replied
with marked emphasis,' King Henry of Castile
is, thanks to our Lady, safe on the other side of
the Zadorra, to recover his throne another day.''Du Guesclin himself! Ah, dog!' cried
Pedro, his eyes glaring with the malignity of a
demon, and raising his bloody weapon to hew
down Bertrand du Guesclin, for no other was
the prisoner, who stood with folded arms, his
dark eyes fixed in calm scorn on the King's
face, and his sword and axe lying at his feet.
Eustace was instantly at his side, calling
out,'My Lord King, he is my prisoner''Thine!' said Pedro, with an incredulous
look.'Leave him to my vengeance, and thou
shalt have gold-half my treasury-all thy
utmost wishes can reach-''I give him up to none but my Lord the
Prince of Wales,' returned the young Squire,
undauntedly.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           57'Fool and caitiff! out of my path! or learn
what it is to oppose the wrath of Kings!'cried
Pedro.
Eustace grasped his sword.'Sir King, you
must win your way to him through my body.'
At this moment one of the attendants whispered,' El Principe, Senor Rey,' and, in a few
seconds more, the Black Prince, with a few followers, rode towards the spot.
Hastily dismounting, Pedro threw himself
on his knees to thank him for the victory; but
Edward, leaping from his horse, raised him, saying,'It is not to me, but to the Giver of victories, that you should return thanks;' and Eustace almost shuddered to see him embrace the
blood-thirsty monster, who, still intent on his
prey, began the next moment,'Here, Senor
Prince, is the chief enemy-here is the disturber
of kingdoms-Du Guesclin himself-and there
stands a traitorous boy of your country, who
resolutely refuses to yield him to my just vengeance.'
As Pedro spoke, the Prince exchanged with
Sir Bertrand the courteous salutation of honourable enemies, and then said, in a quiet, grave
tone,'It is not our English custom to take vengeance on prisoners of war.''My Lord,' said Eustace, stepping forwards,




58      TTHE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
as the Prince looked towards him,'I deliver
the prisoner into your princely hands.''You have our best thanks, Sir Squire,' said
the Prince.'You are the young Lynwood, if
I remember right.  Where is your brother?''Alas! my Lord, here he lies, sorely hurt,'
said Eustace, only anxious to be rid of prisoner
and Prince, and to return to Reginald, who by
this time had, by the care of Gaston, been recalled to consciousness.'Isit so?  I grieve to hear it' said Edward, with a face of deep concern, advancing to
the wounded Knight, bending over him, and
taking his hand,'How fares it with you, my
brave Reginald?''Poorly enough, my Lord,' said the Knight
faintly;'I would I could have taken King
Henry-''Lament not for that,' said the Prince,'but
receive my thanks for the prize of scarcely less
worth, which I owe to your arms.''What mean you, my Lord?  Not Sir Bertrand du Guesclin, I got nothing from him but
my death-blow.'' How is this then?' said Edward;' it was
from your young brother that I received him.'' Speak, Eustace!' said Sir Reginald, eagerly, and half raising himself;' Sir Bertrand your




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          59
prisoner? Fairly and honourably? Is it possible?''Fairly and honourably, to that I testify,'
said Du Guesclin.'He knelt before you, and
defended your pennon longer than I ever thought
to see one of his years resist that curtal axe of
mine.  The routier villains burst on us, and
were closing upon me, when he turned back the
weapon that was over my head, and summoned
me to yield, which I did the more willingly that
so gallant a youth should have such honour as
may be acquired by my capture.''He has it, noble Bertrand, said Edward.
Kneel down, young Squire. Thy name is Eustace?  In the name of God, St. Michael, and
St. George, I dub thee Knight.  Be faithful,
brave, and fortunate, as on this day. Arise, Sir
Eustace Lynwood.''Thanks, thanks, my gracious Prince,' said
Reginald, a light glancing in his fading eyes.'I should die content to see my brother's spurs
so well earned.'' Die! Say not so, my faithful Reginald.
Speed, Denis, and send hither our own leech!
I trust you will live to see your son win his spurs
as gallantly.''No, my good Lord, I am past the power of
leech or surgeon; I feel that this is my death



60       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
wound. I am glad it was in your cause. All
I desire, is your protection for my wife-my
boy-my brother-'' Your brother has earned it already,' said Edward. Your child shall be as my own. But,
oh! can nought be done?  Hasten the surgeon
hither! Cheer thee, Reginald!-look up! 0!
would that Du Guesclin were free, the battle
unfought, so that thou wert but safe, mine own
dear brother-in-arms!'' Where is the Prince?' called a voice from
behind.'My Lord, my Lord, if you come not
speedily, there will be foul slaughter made among
the prisoners by your Spanish butcher-King,
I would say.'
I come, I come, Chandos, answered Edward.'Fare thee well, my brave Reginald; and you,
my new-made Knight, send tidings to my tent
how it is with him.'
He pressed Reginald's hand, and sighing
deeply, mounted his horse, and rode off with Sir
John Chandos, leaving the wounded Knight to
the care of his own followers.
The stream of blood was flowing fast, life
was ebbing away, and Sir Reginald's breath was
failing, as Eustace relieving Gaston from his
weight laid his head on his breast, and laved
his brow with water from the river.' You have




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          61
done gallantly, my brave brother; I did wrong
to doubt your spirit. Thanks be to God that I
can die in peace, sure that Arthur has in you a
true and loving guardian. You are young, Eustace, but my trust in you is firm. You will
train him in all Christian and godly ways —''It shall be the most sacred charge of my
life,' said Eustace, scarcely able to speak.'I know it,' said Reginald, and making an
effort to raise his voice, he continued,' Bear
witness, all of you, that I leave my son in the
wardship of the King, and of my brother, Sir
Eustace Lynwood. And,' added he, earnestly,'beware of Fulk Clarenham.  Commend me to
my sweet Eleanor; tell her she is the last, as
the first in my thoughts.' Then, after a pause,'Is Gaston here?''Yes, Sir Reginald,' said Gaston, leaning
over him, and pressing the hand which he feebly
raised.'Gaston, farewell, and thanks to you for
your true and loving service. Eustace will find
wherewith to recompense you in some sort, in
my chest at Bourdeaux, and my brave Lances
likewise. And, Gaston, go not back to the
courses and comarades whence I took you.  On
the word of a dying man, it will be better for
you when you are in this case. Leonard, strive




62       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
to be a true and brave man, though I may not
fulfil your father's trust. Eustace-my eyes grow
dim-is this you supporting my head-are these
your tears?  Weep not for me, brother.  Save
for my poor Eleanor, I would not have it otherwise. Mercy is sure! Hold up the blessed
rood-the sign of grace-you are half a clerk,
repeat me some holy psalm or prayer.'
Eustace raised the cross hilt of his sword,
and with a broken voice, commenced the Xiserere.  Sir Reginald at first followed it with
his lips, but soon they ceased to move, his head
sank back, his hand fell powerless, and with one
long gasping breath, his faithful and noble spirit
departed.  For several moments Eustace silently continued to hold the lifeless form in his arms,
then raising the face, he imprinted an earnest
kiss on the pale lips, laid the head reverently on
the ground, hung over it for a short space, and
at last with an effort, passed his hand over his
face, and turned away.
His first look was towards d'Aubricour, who
sat resting his head on his hand, his elbow supported on his knee, while with the other hand
he dashed away his tears.  His countenance
was deathly pale and drops of blood were fast
falling from the deep gash in his side.' O, Gaston!' exclaimed Eustace, with a feeling of self



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          63
reproach at having forgotten him,' I fear you
are badly wounded!''You would think little of it, had you seen
more stricken fields, young Knight,' said Gaston, attempting to smile;'I am  only spent
with loss of blood. Bring me a draught of
water, and I can ride back to the tent.  But
look to your prisoner, Sir Eustace.'
Eustace turned to see what had become of
his illustrious captive, and saw him at a little
distance, speaking to a Knight on horseback.'Sir Eustace,' said Bertrand, stepping towards
him,'here is Sir William  Beauchamp, sent by
the Prince to inquire for your gallant brother,
and to summon me to his tent.  I leave you the
more willingly that I think you have no mind
for guests this evening. Farewell, I hope to be
better acquainted.'
Eustace had little heart to answer, but he
took up Du Guesclin's sword, as if to return it
to him.'Keep it, Sir Knight,' said Bertrand,'you know  how to wield it.  I am in some
sort your God-father in chivalry, and I owe you
a gift. Let me have yours, that my side may
not be without its wonted companion.  Farewell.'' And Sir Eustace Lynwood,' said Sir William Beauchamp, riding up,'you will advance




64       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
to Navaretta, where we take up our quarters
in the French camp. I grieve for the loss which
has befallen us this day; but I trust our chivalry
has gained an equally worthy member.'
Eustace bowed, and whilst Messire Bertrand
mounted a horse that had been brought for his
use, turned back to his own melancholy duties.
The body of Sir Reginald was raised from the
ground, and placed on the levelled lances of
four of his men, and Eustace then assisted Gaston to rise. He tottered, leant heavily against
the young Knight, and was obliged to submit to
be lifted to the saddle; but neither pain, grief,
nor faintness, could check his flow of talk.'Well, Eustace, Sir Eustace, I would say,
you have seen somewhat of the chances of
war.''The mischances you mean, Gaston.''I tell you, many a man in this host would
have given his whole kindred for such luck as
has befallen you. To cross swords with Du
Guesclin is honour enough. This cut will be a
matter of boasting to my dying day, but to take
him prisoner —'' Nay, that was no merit of mine. Had not
the rest come up, my wars had soon been over,
and I had been spared this grief.''I know what most youths would have done




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         65
in your place, and been esteemed never the worse.
Dropped the pennon at that first round blow,
that brought you to your knee, and called for
quarter. Poor pennon, I deemed it gone, and
would have come to your aid, but before I could
recover my feet, the fight was over, and I am
glad the glory is wholly yours. Knighted under
the banner in a stricken field! It is a chance
which befalls not one man in five hundred, and
you in your first battle!  But he heeds me
not. He thinks only of his brother! Look
up, Sir Eustace,'tis but the chance of war.
Better die under sword and shield, than like a
bed-ridden old woman; better die honoured and
lamented, than worn out and forgotten. Still
he has not a word! Yea, and I could weep too
for company, for never lived better Knight, nor
one whom Squire had better cause to love!'
CHAPTER V.
A BATTLE in the days of chivalry was far less
destructive than those of modern time.  The
loss in both armies at Navaretta did not amount
to six hundred; and on Pedro's side but four




66       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Knights had fallen, of whom Sir Reginald Lynwood was the only Englishman.
On the following day, all the four were buried
in solemn state, at the Church of the village of
Navaretta, Sir Eustace following his brother's
bier, at the head of all the men-at-arms.
On returning to his tent, Eustace found Gaston sitting on his couch, directing Guy, an old
Poitevin, who had the blue crossletted pennon
spread on the ground before him. Eustace expressed his wonder.'What,' exclaimed Gaston,'would I see my Knight banneret, the youngest
Knight in the army, with a paltry pennon! A
banneret are you, dubbed in open field, entitled
to take precedence of all Knight bachelors.
Here, Leonard, bring that pennon to me, that I
may see if it can be cut square.''Poor Eleanor's pennon!' said Eustace
sadly.' Nay, what greater honour can it have than
in becoming a banner? I only grieve that this
blood-stain, the noblest mark a banner can
bear, is upon the swallow-tail. But what dlo I
see? You, a belted Knight, in your plain Esquire's helmet, and the blood-stained surcoat!
Aye, and not even the gilded spurs!' he exclaimed indignantly.'Would that I had seen




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         67
you depart! But it was Leonard's fault. Why
man, knew you not your duty?''I am no Squire of Eustace Lynwood,' said
Ashton.'Every Squire is bound to serve the Knight
in whose company he finds himself,' said d'Aubricour.' Know you not thus much of the laws
of chivalry? Come, bestir yourself, that he
may be better provided in future.  You must
present yourself to the Prince to-morrow, Sir
Eustace.''One of his Squires bade me to his presence,'
said the young Knight,  but I must now write
these heavy tidings to my poor sister, and I am
going to Father VWaleran's tent to seek parchment and ink.''And how send you the letter?''By the bearer of the Prince's letters to the
King.  Sir Richard Ferrars knows him, and will
give them into his charge. So farewell, Gaston,
keep quiet, and weary not yourself with my
equipment.'
With these words he left the tent, and Gaston, shaking his head, and throwing himself
back on his deer-skins, exclaimed,'Tender and
true, brave and loving! I know not what to
make of Eustace Lynwood. His spirit is high
as a Paladin's of old, of that I never doubted,




68       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
yet is his hand as deft at writing as a clerk's,
and his heart as soft as a woman's. How he
sighed and wept the livelong night, when he
thought none could hear him! Well, Sir Reginald was a noble Knight, and is worthily
mourned, but where is the youth who would not
have been more uplifted at his own honours,
than downcast at his loss, and what new-made
Knight ever neglected his accoutrements to write
sad tidings to his sister-in-law? But, he continued, rising again,'Guy, bring me here the
gilded spurs you will find yonder. The best
were, I know, buried with Sir Reginald, and methought there was something amiss with one
rowel of the other.  So it is. Speed to Maitre Ferry, the Armourer, and bid him  come
promptly.'' And lie you still on your couch mean while,
master d'Aubricour,' said Guy,'or there will
soon be another Squire missing  among the
Lances of Lynwood.'' I marvel at you, d'Aubricour,' said Leonard,
looking up from a pasty, which he was devouring with double relish, to make up for past privations,'I marvel that you should thus weary
yourself, with your fresh wound, and all for
naught.'' Call you our brave young banneret naught?




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          69
Shame on thee! All England should be proud
of him, much more his friend and companion.''I wish Eustace Lynwooc well with all my
heart,' said Leonard,'but I see not why he is
to be honoured above all others. Yourself, Gaston, so much older, so perfect in all exercises,
you who fought with this Frenchman too, of
whom they make so much, the Prince might as
well have. Knighted you, as Eustace, who would
have been down in another moment had not I
made in to the rescue.  Miethinks if I had been
the Prince, I would have- inquired upon whom
Knighthood would sit the best.''And the choice would have been the same,'
said Gaston.'Not only was Sir Eustace the
captor of Messire Bertrand, whereas my luck
was quite otherwise; but what would Knighthood have availed the wandering landless foreigner, as you courteously term me, save to fit
me for the leadership of a band of routiers, and
unfit me for the office of an Esquire, which I
do, as you say, understand indifferently well.''Is it not the same with him?'cried Leonard.'He does not own a palm's breadth of
land, and for gold, all he will ever possess is on
those broken spurs of his brothers.''Listen to me, Leonard,' said Gaston.'Rich
or poor, Sir Eustace is the only fit leader of the




70       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Lances till the little boy is of age, but this he
could not be without Knightly rank. Even in
this campaign, when I might have taken the
command, I being ceabled for the present, it
must have devolved on him, who might not have
been so readily obeyed.'' No, indeed,' said Leonard.'Strange that
the touch of the Prince's sword should make so
great a difference between him and me.'' If it was the touch of the Prince's sword
that did so,' said Gaston.'What else?' sharply retorted Leonard.' Not height nor strength! His hand and arm
might belong to a girl, I could crush it in my
grasp.' So saying, he extended a huge hard. red
palm.'Aye!' said Gaston,'I should like to see
whether that great paw would have won Du
Guesclin's sword.''I tell you flatly,' proceeded Ashton,'I
might follow Sir Reginald, since he was a man
of substance, honoured in our country, and my
father meant to oblige and do him grace by
placing me with him.''Grace!' repeated Gaston.'But,' continued Ashton, angrily,'as to
serving Eustace, the clerk, no older than myself,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           71
half a head shorter, and a mere landless upstart,
that my father's son shall never do!'' Say you so?' said Gaston,'I recommend
you not to do so quite so loud, or perchance the
landless upstart might hand your father's son
over to the Provost Marshal, for preaching disaffection to his men.  And in good time, here
comes master armourer.'
The rest of the day was spent by Gaston in
the arrangement of the equipments, so important in his estimation, and scarcely another
word was spoken save on the choice of helm
and shield, and the adaptation of crests and
blazonry.  The next point for consideration was
the disposal of the prisoners, taken by the
Lances of Lynwood in the early part of the battle.  Two were Squires, the other four, roughlooking men-at-arms, who protested that they
could not pay one denier towards their ransom.
Eustace liberated them, and was greatly inclined
to do the same by the Squires, but Gaston
assured him it would be doing wrong to the
Prince's cause, to set the rogues free without
taking some good French crowns from them,
and, therefore, permitting him to name what
ransom  he thought fit, he returned to them
their horses, and dismissed them to collect the
sum.




72       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Early the next morning, Gaston had the
satisfaction of beholding his young banneret
arrayed in Knightly guise, the golden spurs on
his heels, Du Guesclin's sword by his side, and
his white mantle flung over his shoulder. Leonard was summoned to accompany him, but he
growled out something so like an absolute refusal, and utter disclaimer of all duty to Sir
Eustace, that Gaston began to reproach him
vehemently.'Never mind, Gaston,' said Eustace,'you
never mend matters with him in that way, I
shall do very well alone.''So you shall never go,' said Gaston, rising,'I will go myself I have been longing to see
you received by the Prince.  Where is my
sword?'' Nay, Gaston,' said Eustace,' that must not
be.  See how the hot sunbeams lie across that
hill between us and the Prince's tent.  You
must not waste your strength, if it is true that
we are to journey to Burgos to-day.''It shows how new  your chivalry is, that
you make so much of a mere scratch,' said
Gaston, hastily commencing his preparations;'Guy, go you and saddle Brigliador.''No, do not touch Brigliador,' said Eustace.'You deny it in vain, Gaston; your face betrays




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         73
that you do not move without pain. I learnt
some leech-craft among my clerkly accomplishments, and you had better take care that you
do not have the benefit. Leonard, since it is
the only way to quiet him, I order you to
mount.'
Leonard hung his head, and obeyed. They
rode towards the village of Najara, where Eustace found the Prince entering the church, to
hear morning mass. Giving his horse to John
Ingram, he followed among the other Knights
who thronged the little building.
The service at an end, he received more than
one kind greeting from his brother's friends, and
one of them, Sir Richard Ferrars, a fine old
man, whose iron-grey locks constrasted with his
ruddy complexion, led him forward to present
him to the Prince of Wales.'Welcome! our new-made Knight,' said
Edward.'Brave comrades, I present to you
the youngest brother of our order, trusting you
will not envy him for having borne off the fairest
rose of our chaplet of Navaretta.'
Bertrand du Guesclin, who stood among the
throng of nobles around the Prince, was the
first to come forward and shake Eustace by the
hand, saying with a laugh,' Nay, my Lord, this
is the first time the ugliest Knight in France
4




74        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD,
was ever called by such a name. However,
young Sir, may you win and wear many another.''That scarcely may be a sincere wish, Messire Bertrand,' said the Duke of Lancaster,
unless you mean roses of love instead of roses
of war. And truly with his face, and the fame
he owes to you, methinks he will not find our
damsels at Bourdeaux very hard of heart. See
he blushes, as if we had  guessed his very
thought.'' Truly, my Lord John,' said old Sir John
Chandos, sternly,'a man may well blush to
hear a son of King Edward talk as if such
trifling were the reward of Knighthood. His
face and his fame forsooth! as if he was not
already in sufficient danger of being cockered
up, like some other striplings, on whom it has
pleased his Highness to confer Knighthood for
as mere a chance as this.'' You have coloured his cheek in good earnest,' said the Captal de Buch.'Consider,
Chandos, this is no time to damp his spirits.''It were a spirit scarce worth fostering, if
it is to be damped by a little breath of the lips
one way or the other,' said Sir John, moving
off, and adding when out of Eustace's hearing,'A  likely lad enough had he been under his




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           75
brother's training, but they will spoil him, and
I will have no hand in it.'
Eustace had been accustomed to hold the
warrior in such veneration, that he felt considerably hurt and mortified at the want of wel-b
come which contrasted with the kindness of the
rest; and he could hardly recover his self-possession sufficiently to enquire the pleasure of the
Prince, with regard to his brother's troop.''Take the command yourself,' said Edward.' You surely have some Esquire or man-at-arms,
who can supply your own want of experience.''My brother's Squire, Gaston d'Aubricour,
is well learned in chivalry, my Lord,' said Eustace,'and I will do my best, with his aid, to
fulfil my trust.''It is well,' said Edward.'The Lances of
Lynwood are too well trained easily to forget
their duty, and I fear not but that you will do
well. How old is your brother's young heir?''Eight years, my Lord.''We will soon have him at Bourdeaux,' said
Edward,'that he may grow up with my boys
in the same friendship as their fathers.  And
now,' added he, turning from Eustace to the
assembled nobles around him,'let us part and
prepare for our further journey. In an hour's




76       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
time the bugles shall summon you to depart for
Burgos.'
The Prince walked away towards his tent
with the C-aptal de Buch, and Eustace looked
round for his horse, which he saw at no great
distance with Ingram, but Leonard Ashton was
nowhere in sight. Eustace mounted, and rode
towards his own tents, desiring the yeoman to
seek Ashton out, and inform him of the order
for departure, while he himself proceeded slowly,
musing, with feelings of considerable disappointment and vexation, on the reception he had met
from  Sir John Chandos, the man in the whole
camp whose good opinion he would have most
valued.'This is folly,' thought he, however,
rousing himself after a minute or two of such
meditations.  " What said the good old Baron,
but what I know full well myself, that I am far
from meriting my new honours?  On whom
does it depend, but myself, to win his praise?
And by our Lady's grace, I will make him confess at last, that young as I am, I can show
that I deserve my spurs.  What, ho! Ingram,
where is Master Ashton?''Where you will little like to hear of him,
Sir Knight,' said the yeoman, galloping up to
his tall Flemish horse. At the wine shop, yonder in the village, with that ill-favoured, one



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          77
eyed Squire, that you wot of. I called him as
you desired, and all that I got for an answer
was, that he would come at his own time, and
not at your bidding.''Said he so? the ungracious headstrong fellow!' said Eustace, looking back wistfully,'And what to do! To ride back myself, might
be the means of getting the whole troop late
in starting, and disorderly-yet to leave him!'
Eustace looked at John Ingram's comely and
stolid face, and then almost smiled at himself
for seeking counsel from him.'Ride you on,
John,' said he,'tell Master d'Aubricour of the
order to depart-let all be in readiness by the
time I return.'
Then turning his horse quickly, Eustace
rode back to the village. All was haste and
confusion there-horses were being led forth and
saddled, pages, grooms, and men-at-arms, hurrying to and fro-bugles sounding-every thing
in the bustle incident to immediate departure.
He could only make his way through the press
slowly, and with difficulty, which ill suited with
his impatience and perplexity. In front of the
Yenta, a low white cottage, with a wooden balcony overspread with vines, there was a still
closer press, and loud vehement voices, as of disputants, were heard, while the various men-at



78       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
arms crowded in so closely to see the fray, if
such it were, as to be almost regardless of the
horse which Eustace was pressing forward upon
them.  He looked over their heads for Leonard,
but in vain. He thought of retreat, but found
himself completely entangled in the throng.
At that moment, a cry was heard,'The Provost
Marshal!' the crowd suddenly, he knew  not
how, seemed to melt away from around him, in
different directions, and he found himself left on
horseback, in the midst of the little village
green, amongst scattered groups of disreputable
looking yeomen, archers, and grooms, who were
making what speed they could to depart, as from
the other side the Provost Marshal, the archers
of the guard, and Sir John Chandos, entered
upon the scene.'Ha! What is all this?  Whom have we
here?'  exclaimed the old Baron.' Sir Eustace Lynwood! By my life, a fair commencement for your dainty young knighthood!'' On my word, my Lord Chandos,' said Eustace, colouring deeply,'I am no loiterer here;
I came but to seek my Squire, Leonard Ashton,
and found myself entangled in the crowd.''Aye, aye! I understand,' said Chandos,
without listening to him;'I see how it will be.
Off to your troop instantly, master Knight.  I




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         79
suppose they are all seeking Squires in the wineshops!''You do mie wrong, my Lord,' said Eustace;' but you shall be obeyed.'
The bugles had already sounded before he
reached his own quarters, where he found that,
thanks to Gaston, all was right. The tent had
been taken down and packed on the baggage
mules, the men were mounted, and drawn up
in full array, with his banner floating above
their heads, and Gaston himself was only waiting his appearance to mount a stout mule, which
Martin, the horse-boy, was leading up and down.' This is well. Thanks, good Gaston,' said
Eustace, with a sigh of relief, as he took off his
heavy helmet, which had become much heated
during his hasty ride in the hot sun.'No news of the truant?' asked Gaston.'Who but you would have thought of going
after him? Well did I know you would never
prosper without me at your elbow.'
Eustace smiled, but he was too much heated
and vexed, to give a very cheerful assent. He
had only time to load Ferragus with his armour,
and mount a small pony, before the signal for
the march was given, and all set forth. Early
in the year as it was, the sun already possessed
great force, and the dry rocky soil of Castile re



80       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
flected its beams, so that, long before noon, it
seemed to Eustace almost as if their march lay
through an oven. Nor were his perplexities by
any means at an end-the thirst, occasioned by
the heat, was excessive, and at every venta, in
the villages through which they passed, the men
called loudly for liquor; but the hot fiery Spanish wine was, as Eustace had already been cautioned by Father Waleran, only fit to increase
the evil, by inflaming their blood. It was the
Holy-Week, which was to him a sufficient reason
for refraining entirely, contenting himself with
a drink of water, when it could be procured,
which, however, was but rarely.  He would
willingly have persuaded his men to do the
same, but remonstrances was almost without
effect, and his dry lips refused to utter a prohibition, which would have been esteemed at once
cruel and unreasonable. In his persuasions to
Gaston, he was, however, more in earnest, representing to him that he was increasing the fever
of his wound; but the Squire was perfectly impractiacble. At first, he answered in his usual
gay, careless manner, that the scratch was
nothing, and that, be it what it might, he had
as soon die of a wound, as of thirst; but as the
day wore on, it seemed as if the whole nature of
the man were becoming changed.  Sometimes




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           81
he was boisterously loud in his merriment, sometimes sullen and silent; and, when Eustace,
unwearied, reiterated his arguments, he replied
to him, not only with complete want of the deference he was usually so scrupulous in paying
to his dignity, but with rude and scurril taunts
and jests on his youth, his clerkly education,
and his inexperience. Eustace's patience could
scarcely have held out, but that he perceived
that d'Aubricour was by no means master of
himself, and he saw in his flushed brow, and
blood-shot eye, reason to fear for the future effect
of the present excess.  There was suppressed
laughter among the men at some of his sallies.
Without being positively in disorder, the troop
did not display the well-arrayed aspect which
had always hitherto distinguished the Lances of
Lynwood; and poor Eustace, wearied and wornout, his right-hand man failing him, dispirited
by Chandos's reproach, and feeling all the cares
of the world on his shoulders, had serious
thoughts of going to the Prince, and resigning
the command, for which he was unfit.
At last, he behec the Cathedral of Burgos,
rising in the midst of the Moorish fortifications
of the town, and, halting his men under the
shade of a few trees, he rode on in search of the
marshals of the camp, and as soon as the open
4




82       THE LANCES- OF LYNWOOD.
space for his tents had been assigned, he returned
to see them  raised. Gaston, who had of late
become more silent, was lifted from his mule,
and assisted into the tent, where he was laid on
his couch, and soon after, Eustace was relieved
from his anxiety on Leonard Ashton's account,
by his appearance.  He came stumbling in
without on word of apology, only declaring himself as weary as a dog, and, throwing himself
down on a deer-skin on his own side of the tent,
was fast asleep in another minute.
-4+ —CHAPTER VI.
LEONARD Ashton was awakened the next morning by the light of the rising sun streaming in
where the curtain of the tent had been raised
to admit the fresh dewy morning air. The sunbeams fell on the hair and face of Eustace as
he leant over Gaston, who lay stretched on his
couch, and faintly spoke,'I tell you it is more.
Such fever as this would not be caused by this
trifling cut. There is sickness abroad in the
camp, and why should it not be my turn as




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           83
well as another man's. Take care of yourself,
Sir Eustace.'
No sooner did Leonard understand the sense
of these words than he sprang up, rushed out of
the tent, and never rested till he thought himself at a safe distance, when he shouted to
Eustace to come to him.' Has he got this fever on him?' exclaimed
he, as Eustace approached.'He is very ill at ease,' replied Eustaca,'but to my mind it is caused by yesterday's
fatigue and heat, added to the wine which he
would drink.''It is the fever, I say,' replied Ashton;'I
am sure it is. Come away, Eustace, or we shall
all be infected.''I cannot leave him,' said Eustace.'What?  You do not mean to peril yourself
by going near him,' said Leonard.'I think not that there is peril in so doing,'
answered Eustace;'and even if there were, I
could not leave him  in sickness after all his
kindness to me and patience with my inexperience.''He is no brother nor cousin to us,' said
Leonard.'I see not why we should endanger
our lives for a stranger. I will not, for my own




84       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
part; and as your old friend and comrade, I
would entreat you not.'
These were kinder words than Eustace had
heard from Ashton since the beginning of his
jealousy, and he answered as he thought they
were meant, in a friendly tone,' Thanks, Leonard, but I cannot look on Gaston d'Aubricour
as a stranger; and had I fewer causes for attachment to him, I could not leave my post.''Only you do not expect me to do the same,
said Leonard;'my father sent me here to gain
honour and wealth and not to be poisoned with
the breath of a man in a fever.''Assuredly not,' said Eustace.'I will arrange matters so that you shall no longer sleep
in our tent. But let me ask of you, Leonard,
what was the meaning of your conduct of yesterday?'
You may ask yourself, said Leonard, sullenly;'it is plain enough, methinks.''Have a care, Leonard. Remember that
my brother's authority is given to me.'' Much good may it do you,' said Leonard;'but that is nothing to me. I am no vassal of
yours, to come at your call. I have my own
friends, and am not going to stay in this infected part of the camp with. men who keep a
fever among them. Give me but my sword and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         85
mantle from the tent, and I will trouble you no
more.'' Wait, Leonard, I will take all measures for
your safety; but remember that I am answerable to the Prince for lay brother's followers.''Answer for your own serfs,' retorted Leonard, who had nearly succeeded in working himself into a passion.' My father might be
willing to grace Sir Reginald by letting me
follow him, but by his death I am  my own
man, and not to move at your beck and call,
because the Prince laid his sword on your
shoulder. Knave Jasper,' he called to one of
the men-at-arms,'bring my sword and cloak
from the tent; I enter it no more.''I know not how far you may be bound to
me,' said Eustace,'and must inquire from
some elder Knight, but I fear that your breaking from me may be attended with evil effects
to your name and fame.'
Leonard had put on his dogged expression,
and would not listen. He had already set his
mind on joining le Borgne Basque, and leaving
the service which his own envious temper rendered galling; and the panic excited in his
mind by Gaston's illness, determined him  to
depart without loss of time, or listening to the
representations which he could not answer. He




86       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
turned his back on Eustace, and busied himself
with the fastenings of his sword, which had by
this time been brought to him. Even yet Eustace was not rebuffed.' One more hint, Leonard. From what I am told, there is more peril
to the health in revelry than in the neighbourhood of poor Gaston. If you will quit one who
wishes you well, take heed to your ways.'
Still the discourteous Squire made no reply,
and walked off in all the dignity of ill-humour.
The young Knight, who really had a warm
feeling of affection for him, stood looking after
him  with a sigh, and then returned to his
patient, whom  he found in an uneasy sleep.
After a few moments' consideration he summoned old Guy to take the part of nurse, and
walked to the tent of Sir Richard Ferrars, to
ask his counsel.
The old Knight, who was standing at the
door of his tent examining into some hurt
which his battle steed had received the day
before, kindly and cordially greeted Eustace on
his approach.'I am glad you are not above
taking advice,' he said,'as many a youth might
be after such fresh honours.''I feel but too glad to find some one who
will bestow advice on me,' said' Eustace; and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          87
he proceeded to explain his difficllties with
regard to Leonard Ashton.'Let him go! and a good riddance,' said Sir
Richard;'half your cares go with him.'
Yet I am unwilling not to attempt to hinder
my old comrade from running to ruin.''You have quite enough on your own hands
already,' said the old Knight;' he would do far
more harm in your troop than out of it, and try
your patience every hour.''He is my old play-fellow,' said Eustace,
still dissatisfied.'More shame for him,' said Sir Richard;'waste not another thought on so cross-grained
a slip, who, as I have already feared, might
prove a stumbling-block to you, so young in
command as you are. Let him get sick of his
chosen associates, and no better hap can befall
him. And for yourself, what shall you do with
this sick Squire?''What can I do, save to give the best attendance I may.'' Nay, I am not the man to gainsay it.'Tis
no more tlan you ought. And yet-' He surveyed the young Knight's slender form  and
slightly moulded limbs, his cheeks pale with
watching and the oppressive heat of the night,
and the heavy appearance of the eyelids that




88       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
shaded his dark blue thoughtful eyes.'Is your
health good, young man?''As good as that of other men,' said Eustace.' Men!' said Sir Richard;' boys, you mean!
But be a man, since you will, only take as good
care of yourself as consists with duty. I had
rather have you safe than a dozen of these blackvisaged Gascons.'
Eustace further waited to mention to Sir
Richard his untoward encounter with Sir John
Chandos, and to. beg him to explain it to the old
Baron.'I will,' said Sir Richard;' and don't take
old Chandos's uncourtliness too much to heart,
young Eustace.  He means you no ill.  Do
your duty, and he will own it in time.'
Eustace thanked the old Knight, and with
spirits somewhat cheered, returned to his tent,
there to devote himself to the service of his sick
Squire.  The report that the fever was in his
tent made most persons willing to avoid him,
and he met with little.interruption in his cares.
Of Leonard, all that he heard was from a manat-arms, who made his appearance in his tent to
demand Master Ashton's arms, horse, and other
property, he having entered the service of Sir
William  Felton; and Eustace was too much




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         89
engaged with his own cares to make further inquiry after him.
For a day or two Gaston d'Aubricour's fever
ran very high, and just when its violence was
beginning to diminish, a fresh access was occasioned by the journey from Burgos to Valladolid,
whither he was carrried in a litter, when the
army, by Pedro's desire, marched thither to
await his promised subsidy. The unwholesome
climate was of most pernicious effect to the
whole of the English army, and in especial to
tho Black Prince, who there laid the foundation of the disorder which destroyed his health.
Week after week passed on, each adding heat
to the summer, and increasing the long roll of
sick and dying in the camp, while Gaston still
lay, languid and feeble by day, and fevered by
night; there were other patients among the
men-at-arms, requiring scarcely less care; and
the young Knight himself, though owing to his
temperate habits, he had escaped the prevailing
sickness, was looking thin and care-worn with
the numerous troubles and anxieties that were
pressing on him.
Still he had actually lost not one of his men,
and after the first week or two, began to have
more confidence in himself, and to feel his place
as their commander more than he would have




90        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
done had Gaston been able to assist him. At
last his trusty Squire began slowly to recover,
though nightly returns of fever still kept him
very weak.'The Pyrenean breezes would make me
another man,' said he, one evening when Eustae had helped him to the front of the tent,
where he might enjoy the coolness which began
to succeed to the sultry heat of the day.'I hear, said Eustace,'that we are to return as soon as the Prince can be moved. He
is weary of waiting till this dog of a Spaniard
will perform his contract.''By my faith,' said d'Aubricour,'I believe
the butcherly rogue means to cancel his debts
by the death of all his creditors. I would give
my share of the pay, were it twenty times more,
for one gust of the mountain air of my own hills.'' Which way lies your home, Gaston?' asked
Eustace.'Near the pass by which we crossed?'' No; more to the west. My home, call you
it?  You would marvel to see what it is now.
A shattered, fire-scathed keep; the wolf's den
in earnest, it may be. It is all that is left of
the Castel d'Albricorte.''How?' exclaimed Eustace.'What brought
this desolation?''HIeard you never my story?' said Gaston.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         91' Mayhap not.  You are fresh in the camp, and
it is no recent news, nor do men question much
whence their comrades come. Well, Albricorte
was always a noted house for courage, and my
father, Baron Beranger, not a whit behind his
ancestors. He called himself a liegeman of
England, because England was farthest off, and
least likely to give him any trouble, and made
war with all his neighbours in his own fashion.
Rare was the prey that the old Black Wolf of
the Pyrenees was wont to bring up to his lair,
and right merry were the feastingsthere. Well
do I remember how my father and brothers used
to sound their horns as a token that they did
-not come empty handed, and then, panting up
the steep path, would come a rich merchant,
whose ransom filled our purses half a year after,
or a Knight, whose glittering armour made him
a double prize, or-''What! you were actually-'
Freebooters, after the fashion of your own
Quatre fils Aymon,' answered Gaston, composedly.'Yes, Beranger d'Albricorte was the terror of all around, and little was the chance that
aught would pursue him to his den. So there
I grew up, as well beseemed the cub of such
a wolf, racing through the old halls at my will.''Your mother?' asked Eustace.




92       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.' Ah! poor lady! I remember her not. She
died when I was a babe, and all I know of her
was from  an old hag, the only woman in the
Castle to whom the charge of me was left. My
mother was a noble Navarrese damsel whom my
father saw at a tourney-seized and bore away
as she was returning from the festival. Poor
lady! our grim Castle must have been a sad
exchange from her green valleys-and the more,
that they say that she was soon to have wedded
the Lord of Montagudo, the victor of that said
tourney. The Montagudos had us in bitter feud
ever after, and my father always looked like a
thunder storm if their name was spoken. They
say she used to wander on the old battlements
like a ghost, ever growing thinner and whiter,
and scarce seemed to joy even in her babes, but
would only weep over them. That angered the
Black Wolf, and there were chidings which
made matters little better, till at last the poor
lady pined away, and died while I was still an
infant.''A sad tale,' said Eustace.'Aye! I used to weep at it, when the old
crone who nursed me would tell it over as I sat
by her side in the evening. See, here is a holy
relic that she wore around her neck, and my
nurse hung round mine. It has. never been




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          93
parted from me. So I grew up to the years of
pagehood, which came early with me, and forth
I went on my first foray with the rest of them.
But as we rode joyously home with our prey before us, a band of full a hundred and fifty menat-arms set on us in the forest.  Our brave thirty-down they went on all sides. I remember
the tumult, the heavy mace uplifted, and my
father's shield thrust over me. I can well nigh
hear his voice, saying, " Flinch not, Gaston, my
brave wolf-cub!"  But then came a fall, man
and horse together, and I went down stunned, and
knew no more till a voice over me said, " That
whelp is stirring-another sword-thrust!"  But
another replied, "He bears the features of Alienor —I cannot slay him."''It was your mother's lover?'
Montagudo.  Even so; and I was about
to beg for mercy, but, at my first movement,
the other fellow's sword struck me back senseless
once more; and when I recovered my wits, all
was still, and the moonlight showed me where I
was. And a fair scene to waken to! A score of
dark shapes hung on the trees-our trusty menat-arms-and my own head was resting on my
dead father's breast. Us they had spared from
hanging-our gentle blood did us that service;
but my father and my three brethren all were




94       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
stone dead. The Count de Bearn had sworn to
put an end to the ravages of the Black Wolf,
and, joining with the Montagudos, had done the
work, like traitor villains as they were!''And yourself, Gaston?''I was not so badly wounded but that I
could soon rise to my feet-but where should I
go?  I turned towards the castle, but the
Bearnese had been there before me, and I saw
flames bursting from  every window. I was
weak and wounded, and sunk down, bleeding
and bewailing, till my sense left me; and I
should have died, but for two Benedictines
journeying for the service of their Convent.
The good brethren were in fear for their bags in
going through the Black Wolf's country, but
they had pity on me; they brought me to myself, and when they had heard my tale, they
turned aside to give Christian burial to my
father and brothers. They were holy men, those
monks, and, for their sakes, I have spared the
cowl ever since. They tended me nearly as well
as you have done, and brought me to their
Convent, where they would fain have made a
monk of me, but the wolf was too strong in
me, and, ere a month was passed, I had been
so refractory a pupil, that they were right glad
to open the Convent gates. I walked forth to




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         95
seek my fortune, without a denier, with nothing
but the sword I had taken from my father's
hand, and borne with me, much against the
good men's will. I meant to seek service with
any one who would avenge me on the Count de
Bearn. One night I slept on the hill-side, one
day I fasted, the next I fell in with Sir Perduccas d'Albret's troop. I had seen him in my
father's company. He heard my tale, saw me
a strong, spirited lad, and knew a d'Aubricour
would be no discredit to his free lances. So he
took me as his page, and thence-but the tale
would be long-I became what you see me.''And you have never seen your own Castle
again?''But once. D'Albret laughed when I called
on him to revenge me on the Count de Bearn,
and bade me bide my time till I met him in
battle. As to my heritage, there was no hope
for that. Once when I had just broken with
Sir N6le Loring, and left his troop, and times
were hard with me, I took my horse and rode
to Albricorte, but there was nought but the
bare mountain, and the walls black with fire.
There was, indeed, a wretched shepherd and his
wife, who trembled and looked dismayed when
they found that one of the Albricortes still lived,
but I could get nothing from them, unless I had




96       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
taken a sheep before me on the saddle; so I rode
off again to seek some fresh service, and, by
hap, lit on Sir Reginald, just as old Harwood
was dead.  All I have from my father is my
name, my shield, and an arm that I trust has
disgraced neither.''No, indeed. Your's is a strange history,
Gaston, such as we dream not of, in our peaceful land. Homeless, friendless, I know not how
you can be thus gay spirited?'A light heart finds its way through the
world the easiest,' said Gaston, smiling.'I
have nothing to lose, and no sorrows to waste
time on.  But are you not going forth this cool
evening, Sir Eustace? you spoke of seeking
fresh tidings of the Prince.'
Eustace accordingly walked forth, attended
by his yeoman, John Ingram: but all he could
learn was that Edward had sent a remonstrance
to the King of Castile on the delay of the subsidy.
CHAPTER  VII.
As Eustace was returning, his attention was
caught by repeated groans, which proceeded
from  a wretched little hovel almost level with




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          97
the earth.'Hark!' said he to Ingram, a tall,
stout man-at-arms from  the Lynwooc estate.' Didst {hou not hear a groaning?''Some of the Castilians, Sir.  To think
that the brutes should be content to live in
holes not fit for swine!''But methought it was an English tongue.
Listen, John!'
And in truth English ejaculations mingled
with the moans,' To St. Joseph of Glastonbury,
a shrine of silver! Blessed Lady of Taunton,
a silver candlestick! Oh! St. Dunstan!'
Eustace doubted no longer; and stooping
down, and entering the hut, he beheld, as well
as the darkness would allow him, Leonard Ashton himself stretched on some mouldy rushes,
and so much altered, that he could scarcely
have been recognized as the sturdy, ruddy youth
who had quitted the Lances of Lynwood but
five weeks before.'Eustace! Eustace!' he exclaimed, as the
face of his late companion appeared.'Can it
be you?  Have the saints sent you to my succour? 
It is I, myself, Leonard,' replied Eustace;'and I hope to aid you. How is it-''Let me feel your hand, that I may be sure
you are flesh and blood,' cried Ashton, raising
5




98       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
himself and grasping Eu-stace's hand between
his own,which burnt like fire; then lowering
his voice to a whisper of horror,  She is a
witch!''Who?' asked Eustace, making the sign
of the Cross.
Leonard pointed to a kind of partition which
crossed the hut, beyond which Eustace could
perceive an old hag-like woman, bending over a
cauldron, which was placed on the fire. Having
made this effort, he sunk back, hiding his face
with his cloak, and trembling in every limb. A
thrill of dismay passed over the Knight, and the
giant, John Ingram, stood shaking like an aspen,
pale as death, and crossing himself perpetually.' 0 take me from this place, Eustace,' repeated
Leonard,' or I am  a dead man, both body and
soul!''But how came you here, Leonard?''I fell sick some three days since, andand, fearing infection, Sir William Felton bade
me be carried from. his lodgings; the robbers,
his men-at-arms, stripped me of all I possessed,
and brought me to this dog-hole, to the care of
this old hag. 0  Eustace, I have heard her
mutter her prayers backwards; and last night
-oh! last night! at the dead hour, there came
in procession —of that I would take my oath



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          99
seven black cats, each holding a torch with a
blue flame, and danced around me, till one laid
his paw upon my breast, and grew and grew,
with its flaming eyes fixed on me, till it was as
big as an ox, and the weight was intolerable,
the while her spells were over me, and I could
not open my lips to say so much as an Ave-Miary.
At last, the cold dew broke out on my brow,
and I should have been dead in another instant,
when I contrived to make the sign of the Cross,
whereat they all whirled wildly round, and I
fell-oh! I fell miles and miles downwards, till
at last I found myself, at morning's light, with
the hateful old witch casting water in my face.
O Eustace, take me away!'
Such were the times, that Eustace Lynwood, with all his cool sense, and mental cultivation, believed implicitly poor Leonard's delirious fancy-black cats and all-and the glances
he cast at the poor old Spaniard were scarcely
less full of terror and abhorrence, as he promised
Leonard, whom he now regarded only in the
light of his old comrade, that he should, without loss of time, be conveyed to his own tent.'But go not-leave me not,' implored Leonard, clinging fast to him almost like a child to
its nurse, with a hand which was now cold as
marble.




100       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'No; I will remain,' said Eustace;' and
you, Ingram, hasten to bring four of the men
with the litter in which Master cl'Aubricour
came from Burgos.  Hasten, I tell you.'
Ingram, with his eyes dilated with horror,
appeared but too anxious to quit this den, yet
lingered.'I leave you not here, Sir Knight.''Thanks, thanks, John,' replied the youth;' but remain I must and will.  As a Christian
man, I defy the foul fiend and all his followers!'
John departed.  Never was Leonard so inclined to rejoice either in his friend's clerkly
education, or in his knighthood, which was then
so much regarded as a holy thing, that the
presence of one, whose entrance into the order
was so recent, was deemed a protection.  The
old woman, a kind-hearted creature in the main,
though certainly forbidding-looking in her poverty and ugliness, was rejoiced to see her patient
visited by a friend.  She came towards them,
addressing Eustace with what he took for a
spo1l, though, had he understood  Spanish, he
would have found it a fine flowing compliment.
Leonard shrank closer to him, and pressed his
hand faster, and he, again crossing himself, gave
utterance to a charm.  Spanish, especially old
CGstilian, had.likeness enough to Latin for the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          101
poor old woman to recognize its purport; she
poured out a voluble vindication, which the two
young men believed to be an attempt at further
bewitching them.  Eustace finding his Latin
rather the worse for wear, had recourse to all
the strange  rhymes, or exorcisms, English,
French, or Latin, with  which his memory
supplied him.  Thanks to these, the sorceress
was kept at bay, and the spirits of his terrified
companion were sustained till the arrival of all
the Lances of Lynwood, headed by Gaston
himself, upon his mule, in the utmost anxiety
for his Knight, looking as gaunt and spectral as
the phantoms they dreaded.  He blessed the
saints when Eustace came forth safe and sound,
and smiled and shook his head with an arch
look when Leonard was carried out; but his
never-failing good nature prevented him  from
saying a word which might savour of reproach
when he saw to what a condition the poor youth
was reduced.  As four stout men-at-arms took
up the litter, the old woman coming forth to her
threshold, uttered something which his knowledge of the Romanesque tongues of Southern
France enabled him to interpret into a vindication of her character, and a request for a reward
for her care of the sick Englishman.' Throw her a gold piece, Sir Eustace, or she




102      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
may cast at you an evil eye. There, you old
hag,' he added in the Provengal patois,'take
that, and thank your stars that'tis not with a
fire that your tender care, as you call it, is requited.'
The men-at-arms meditated ducking the
witch after their own English fashion, but it
was growing late and dark, and the Knight gave
strict orders that they should keep together in
their progress to their own tents.  Here Leonard
was deposited on the couch which Gaston insisted
on giving up to him; but his change of residence appeared to be of little advantage, for the
camp was scarce quiet for the night, before he
shrieked out that the black cats were there.
Neither Eustace nor Gaston could see them, but
that was only a proof that they were not under
the power of the enchantment, and John Ingram was quite sure that he had not only seen
the sparkle of their fiery eyes, but felt the scratch
of their talons, which struck him to the ground,
with his foot caught in the rope of the tent,
while he was walking about with his eyes shut.
The scratch was actually on his face the
next morning, and he set out at the head of
half the Lances of Lynwood to find the poor old
woman and visit her with condign punishment;
but she was not forthcoming, and they were




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          103
obliged to content themselves with burning her
house, assisted by a host of idlers.  In the
meantime Sir Eustace had called in the aid of
the Clergy: the Chaplains of the camp came in
procession, sprinkled the patient's bed with holy
water, and uttered an exorcism, but without
availing to prevent a third visit from the enemy.
After this, however, Leonard's fever began to
abate, and he ceased to be haunted.
He had been very ill, and thoroughly alarmed,
he thought himself dying, and bitterly did he
repent of the headstrong insubordination and
jealousy which had led him to quit his best and
only friend.  He had not, indeed, the refinement
of feeling which would have made Eustace's
generosity his greatest reproach; he clung to him
as his support, and received his attentions almost
as a right; but still he was sensible that he had
acted like a fool, and that such friendship was
not to be thrown away; and when he began to
recover, he showed himself subdued, to a certain
degree grateful, and decidedly less sullen, and
more amenable to authority.
In the meantime, the Prince of Wales found
himself sufficiently recovered to undertake to
return to-Aquitaine, and weary of the treacherous delays and flagrant crimes of his ally, resolved to quit this fatal land'of Castile.




104      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
There was a general cry of joy throughout the
camp when orders were given that the tents
should be struck, and the army begin its march
in the early coolness of the next morning; and
without further adventure the Black Prince led
his weakened and reduced forces over the Pyrenees back into France. Here they were again dispersed, as the war was at an end; and the young
Sir Eustace Lynwood received high commendation from the Prince, and even from Chandos
himself, for being able to show his brother's
band as complete in numbers and discipline as
on the day when it was given into his charge.'This,' as Chandos said,'was a service
which really showed him worthy of his spurs,
if he would but continue in the good course.'
The peace with France, however, prevented
the Prince from being desirous of keeping up
the Lances of Lynwood, and he therefore offered
to take their young leader into his own troop of
Knights, who were maintained at his own table,
and formed a part of his state, and so distingusished was this body, that no higher favour
could have been offered. Edward likewise paid to
Sir Eustace a considerable sum as the purchase
of his illustrious captive, and this, together with
the ransoms of the two other prisoners, enabled
him to reward the faithful men-at-arms, some




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          105
of whom  took service with other Knights, and
others returned to England. Leonard Ashton,
having no pleasant reminiscences of his first campaign, and having been stripped of all his property by his chosen associates, was desirous of
returning to his father, and Eustace, after restoring his equipments to something befitting an
Esquire of property, and liberally supplying him
with the expenses of his journey, bade him  an
affectionate farewell, and saw him depart, not
without satisfaction at no longer feeling himself
accountable for his conduct.'There he goes,' said Gaston,' and I should
like to hear the tales he will amaze the good
Somersetshire folk with.  I trow he will make
them believe that he took Du Guesclin himself,
and that the Prince knighted you by mistake.''His tale of the witches will be something
monstrous,' said Eustace;' but still, methinks,
he is much the better for his expedition. Far
less crabbed in temper, and less clownish in
manners.''Aye,' said Gaston,' if he were never to be
under any other guidance than yours, I think
the tough ash bough might be moulded into
something.less unshapely.  You have a calmness
and a temper such as he cannot withstand, nor
I understand.'Tis not want of spirit, but it is
5*




106      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
that you never seem to take or see what is meant
for affront.  I should think it tameness in any
other.''Well, poor fellow, I wish he may prosper,'
said Eustace.  But now, Gaston, to our own
affairs. Let us see what remains of the gold.'' Ah! your bounty to our friend there has
drawn deeply on our purse,' said Gaston.
It shall not be the worse for you, Gaston;
for I had set aside these thirty golden crowns
for you before I broke upon my own store.  It
is not such a recompense as Reginald or I myself would have wished after such loving and
faithful service; but gold may never recompense
truth.'' As for recompense,' said Gaston,  I should
be by a long score the debtor, if we came to that.
If it had not been for Sir Reginald, I should be
by this time a reckless freebooter, without a hope
in this world or the next; if it had not been for
you, these bones of mine would long since have
been picked by my cousins, the Spanish wolves.
But let the gold tarry in your keeping; it were
better King Edward's good crowns should not
go after all else that has been in my hands.'' But, Gaston, you will need fitting out for
the service of Sir William Beauchamp.''What! What mean you, Sir Eustace?'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          107
cried Gaston.   What have I done that you
should dismiss me from your followers?''Nay, kind Gaston, it were shame that so
finished a Squire should be bound down by my
poverty to be the sole follower of a banner which
will never again be displayed at the head of
such a band as the Lances of Lynwood.''No, Sir Eustace; I leave you not.  Recal
your brother's words, C Go not back to old ways
and comrades,' quoth he,'and if you cast me
off, what else is left for me? for having once
served a banneret, no other shall have my service.  Where else should I find one who would
care a feather whether I am dead or a live?  So
there it ends-put up your pieces, or rather give
me one wherewith to purvey a new bridle for
Brigliador, for the present is far from worthy of
his name.'
Accordingly the Gascon Squire still remained
attached to Eustace's service, while the'trusty
Englishman, John Ingram, performed the more
menial offices. Time sped away at the court of
Bordeaux; the gallant Du Guesclin was restored to liberty, after twice paying away his
ransom for the deliverance of his less renowned
brethren in captivity, and Enrique of Trastamare, returning to Castile, was once more crowned
by the inhabitants. His brother Redro, attempt



108      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
ing to assassinate him, fell by his hand, and all
the consequences of the English expedition were
undone-all save the wasting disease that preyed
on England's heir, and the desolation at the orphaned hearth of Lynwood Keep.
CHAPTER VIII.
Two years had passed since the fight of Navaretta, when Sir Eustace Lynwood received by
the hands of a Knight newly arrived from England, a letter from Father Cyril, praying him to
return home as soon as possible, since his sisterin-law, Dame Eleanor, was very sick, and desired
to see him upon matters on which more could
not be disclosed by letter.
Easily obtaining permission to leave Bourdeaux, he travelled safely through France, and
crossing from Brittany, at length found himself
once more in Somersetshire. It was late, and
fast growing dark when he rode through Bruton;
but, eager to arrive, he pushed on, though twilight had fast faded into night, and heavy clouds,
laden with brief but violent showers, were drifting across the face of the moon. On they rode,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          109
in silence save for Gaston's execrations of the
English climate, and the plashing of the horses'
feet in the miry tracks, along which, in many
places, the water was rushing in torrents.
At length they were descending the long low
hill, or rather undulation, leading to the wooded
vale of Lynwood, and the bright lights of the
Keep began to gleam like stars in the darkness-stars indeed to the eager eyes of the
young Knight, who gazed upon them long and
affectionately, as he felt himself once more at
home.'I wonder,' said he,'to see the light
strongest towards the east end of the Castle! I
knew not that the altar lights in the Chapel
could be seen so far!' Then riding on more
quickly, and approaching more nearly, he soon
lost sight of them behind the walls, and descending the last little rising ground, the lofty mass of
building rose huge and black before him.
He wound his bugle and rode towards the
gate, but at the moment he expected to cross
the drawbridge, Ferragus suddenly backed, and
he perceived that it was raised.' This is some
strange chance!' said he, renewing the summons, but in vain, for the echoes of the surrounding woods were the only reply.'Ralph
must indeed be deaf!' said he.' Let him be stone deaf' said Gaston;  he




110      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
is not the sole inhabitant of the Castle.  Try
them again, Sir Eustace.'' Hark-methought I heard the opening of
the hall door!' said Eustace.'No! What
can have befallen them?''My teeth are chattering with cold,' said
Gaston,'and the horses will be ruined standing
still in the driving rain.  Cannot we betake
ourselves to the village hostel, and in the morning reproach them with their churlishness?''I must be certified that there is nothing
amiss, said Sir Eustace, springing from  his
saddle;'I can cross the moat on one of the
supports of the bridge.''Have with you, then, Sir Knight,' said
Gaston, also leaping to the ground, while Eustace cautiously advanced along the narrow frame
of wood on which the drawbridge had rested,
slippery with the wet, and rendered still more
perilous by the darkness.  Gaston followed, balancing himself with some difficulty, and at last
they safely reached the other side. Eustace
tried the heavy gates, but found them fastened
on the inside with a ponderous wooden bar.'Most strange!' muttered he,'yet come on,
Gaston; I can find an entrance, unless old
Ralph be more on the alert than I expect.'
Creeping along between the walls and the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         111
moat, till they had reached the opposite side of
the Keep, Eustace stopped at a low doorway, a
slight click was heard, as of a latch yielding to
his hand, the door opened, and he led the way
up a stone staircase in the thickness of the wall,
warning his follower now and then of a broken
step.  After a long steep ascent, Gaston heard
another door open, and though still in total
darkness, perceived that they had gained a
wider space. C The passage from the hall to the
Chapel,' whispered the Knight, and feeling by
the wall, they crept along, until a buzz of voices
reached their ears, and light gleamed beneath a
heavy dark curtain which closed the passage.
Pausing for an instant, they heard a voice
tremulous with fear and eagerness.'It was
himself! tall plume, bright armour! the very
crosslet on his breast could be seen in the
moonlight! Oh! it was Sir Reginald himself,
and the wild young French Squire that fell with
him in Spain!'
There was a suppressed exclamation of
horror, and a sound of crowding together, and
at that moment, Eustace, drawing aside the curtain, advanced into the light, and was greeted
by a frightful shriek, which made him at first
repent of having alarmed his sister; but the
next glance showed him  that her place was




112      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
empty, and a thrill of dismay made him stand
speechless and motionless, as he perceived that
the curtain he grasped was black, and the hall
completely hung with the same colour.
The servants remained huddled in terror
round the hearth, and the pause was first broken by a fair-faced boy, who, breaking from
the trembling circle, came forward, and in a
quivering tone said,' Sir, are you my father's
spirit?'
Gaston's laugh came strangely on the scene,
but Eustace, bending down, and holding out his
hand, said,'I am your uncle Eustace, Arthur.
Where is your mother?'
Arthur, with a wild cry of joy sprung to his
neck, and hid his face on his shoulder, and at
the same moment old Ralph, with uplifted
hands, cried,' Blessings on the Saints, that my
young Lord is safe, and that mine eyes have
seen you once again.'' But where, oh! where is my sister?'
again demanded Eustace, as his eye met that
of Father Cyril, who, summoned by the screams
of the servants, had just entered the hall.' My son,' replied the good father, solemnly,'your sister is where the wicked may trouble
her no more. It is three days since she departed
from  this world of sorrow.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          113'0 had she but lived to see this day,' said
Ralph Penrose,'her cares would have been
over!'' Her prayers are answered,' said Father
Cyril.'Come with me, my son, Eustace, if you
would take a last look of her who loved and
trusted you so well.'
Eustace followed him to the chamber, where
the Lady Eleanor Lynwood lay extended on her
bed. Her features were pinched and sharpened,
and bore traces of her long wasting sufferings,
but they still looked lovely, though awful in
their perfect calmness.  Eustace knelt and recited the accustomed prayers, and then stood
gazing on the serene face, with a full heart, and
gathering tears in his eyes, for he had loved the
gentle Eleanor with the trusting affection of a
younger brother.  He thought of that joyous
time, the first brilliant day of his lonely childhood, when the gay bridal cavalcade came
sweeping down the hill, and he, half in pleasure,
half in shyness, was led forth by his mother to
greet the fair young bride of his brother.  How
had she brightened the dull old Keep, and given,
as it were, a new existence to himelf, a dreamy,
solitary boy-how patiently and affectionately
had she tended his mother-and how pleasant
were the long evenings when she had unwea



114      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
riedly listened to his beloved romances, and his
visions of surpassing achievements of his own!
No wonder that he wept for her as a brother
would weep for an elder sister.
Father Cyril, well pleased to perceive that
the hindly tenderness of his heart was still untouched by his intercourse with the world, let
him gaze on for some time in silence, then laying his hand on his arm, said,' She is in peace.
Mourn not that her sorrows are at an end, her
tears wiped away, but prepare to fulfil her last
wishes, those prayers, in answer to which, as I
fully believe, the Saints have sent you at the
very moment of greatest need.''Her last wishes?' said Eustace.'They
shall be fulfilled to the utmost as long as I have
life or breath!  Oh! had I but come in time to
hear them  from herself, and give her my own
pledge.'' Grieve not that her trust was not brought
down to aught of earth,' said Father Cyril.' She trusted in Heaven, and died in the sure
belief that her child would be guarded; and lo,
his protecter is come, if, as I well believe, my
son Eustace, you are not changed from the boy
who bade us farewell three years ago.''If I am  changed, it is not in my love for
home, and for all who dwell there,' said Eus



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         115
tace,' or rather, I love them better than before.
Little did I dream  what a meeting awaited
me!' Again there was a long pause, which
Eustace at length broke by saying,'What is
the need you spoke of?  What danger do you
fear?''This is no scene for dwelling on the evil
deeds of wicked men otherwise than to pray for
them,' said the Priest;'but return with me to
the hall, and you shall hear.'
Eustace lingered a few  moments longer,
before, heaving a deep sigh, he returned to the
hall, where he found Gaston and Ingram  just
come in from attending to the horses, and Ralph
hurrying the servants in setting out an ample
meal for the travellers.' My good old friend,' said Eustace, holding
out his hand as he entered,'I have not greeted
you aright.  You must throw the blame on the
tidings that took from  me all other thought,
Ralph; for never was there face which I was
more rejoiced to see.''It was the blame of our own reception of
you, Sir Eustace,' said old Penrose.'I could
tear my hair to think that you should have met
with no better welcome than barred gates and
owlet shrieks; but did you but know how wildly your bugle blast rose upon our ear, while we




116      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
sat over the fire, well nigh distraught with sorrow,
you would not marvel that we deemed that the
spirit of our good Knight might be borne upon
the moaning wind.'' Yet,' said Arthur,'I knew the note, and
would have gone to the turret window, but that
Mistress Cicely held me fast; and when they
sent Jocelyn to look, the cowardly knave brought
back the tale which you broke short.''Boast not, Master Arthur,' said Gaston;'you believed in our ghostship as fully as any
of them.'' But met us manfully,' said Eustace.'But
why all these precautions?  Why the drawbridge raised? That could scarce be against a
ghost.''Alas! Sir Eustace, there are bodily foes
abroad!' said Ralph.'By your leave, Master
d'Aubricour,' as Gaston was about to assist his
Knight in unfastening his armour;'none shall
lay a hand near Sir Eustace but myself on this
first night of his return; -hanks be to St. Dunstan that he has come! Eustace stood patiently for several minutes while the old man fumbled
with his armour, and presently came the exclamation,'A plague on these new-fangled clasps
which a man cannot undo for his life!'Twas
this low corslet that was the death of good Sir




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         117
Reginald.  I always said that no good would
come of these fashions!'
In process of time, Eustace was disencumbered of his heavy armour; but when he stood
before him in his plain dress of chamois leather,
old Ralph shook his head, disappointed that he
had not attained the height or the breadth of
the stalwart figures of his father and brother,
but was still slight and delicate-looking.  The
golden spurs and the sword of Du Guesclin,
however, rejoiced the old man's heart, and touching them almost reverentially, he placed the large
arm-chair at the head of the table, and began
eagerly to invite him to eat.
Eustace was too sorrowful and too anxious
to be inclined for food, and long before his followers had finished their meal, he turned from the
table, and asked for an account of what had befallen in his absence; for there was at that time
no more idea of privacy in conversation than
such as was afforded by the comparative seclusion of the party round the hearth, consisting of
the Knight, his arm around his little nephew,
who was leaning fondly against him, of Father
Cyril, of Gaston, and old Ralph, in his wonted
nook, his elbow on his knee, and his chin on his
hand, feasting his eyes with the features of his
beloved pupil.  In answer to the query,'Who




118      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
is the enemy you fear?' there was but one answer, given in different tones,   The Lord de
Clarenham!'
I-'Ha!' cried Eustace,'it was justly then
that your father, Arthur, bade me beware of
him, when he committed you to my charge on
the battle-field of Navaretta.'' Did he so?' exclaimed Father Cyril.' Did
he commit the boy to your guardianship! Formally and before witnesses?'' I can testify to it good Father,' said Gaston;' Aye! and you, Ingram, must have been
within hearing-to say nothing of Du Guesclin.'' And Leonard Ashton,' said Ingram.'It is well,' said Father Cyril;'he will be
here to-morrow to be confronted with Clarenham.  It is the personal wardship that is of
chief importance,. and dwelt most on my lady's
mind.'' Clarenham lays claim then to the guardianship?' asked Eustace.
Father Cyril proceeded with a narrative, the
substance of which was as follows: Simon de
Clarenham, as has been mentioned, had obtained
from King Edward, in the days of the power of
Isabel and Mortimer, a grant of the manor of
Lynwoocl, but on the fall of the wicked Queen,
the rightful owner had been reinstated, without,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         119
however, any formal revocation of the unjust
grant.  Knowing it would cost but a word of
Sir Reginald to obtain its recal, both Simon and
Fulk de Clarenham had done their best to make
him forget its existence; but no sooner did the
news of his death reach England, than Fulk began
to take an ungenerous advantage of the weakness of his heir.  He sent a summons fbr the
dues paid by vassals to their Lord on a new succession, and on Eleanor's indignant refusal, followed it up by a further claim to the wardship of
the person of Arthur himself, both in right of
his alleged feudal superiority, and as the next of
kin who was of full age. Again was his demand
refused, and shortly after Lady Lynwood's alarms
were brought to a height by an attempt on his
part to waylay her son and carry him off by
force, whilst riding in the neigbourhood of the
Castle. The plot had failed, by the fidelity of
the villagers of Lynwood, but the shock to the
lady had increased the progress of the decay of
her health, already undermined by grief. She
never again trusted her son beyond the Castle walls; she trembled whenever he was out of
her sight, and many an hour did she spend
kneeling before the altar in the chapel.  On her
brother-in-law, Sir Eustace, her chief hope was
fixed; on him she depended for bringing Ar



120      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
tlhur's case before the King, and, above all, for
protecting him from the attacks of the enemy
of his family, rendered so much more dangerous
by his relationship.  She did not believe that
actual violence to Arthur's person was intended,
but Fulk's house had of late become such an
abode of misrule, that his mother and sister had
been obliged to leave it for a Convent, and the
tales of the lawlessness which there prevailed
were such that she would have dreaded nothing
more for her son than a residence there, even if
Fulk had no interest in oppressing him.
That Eustace should return to take charge
of his nephew before her death, was her chief
earthly wish, and when she found herself rapidly
sinking, and the hope of its fulfilment lessening, she obtained a promise from Father Cyril
that he would conduct the boy to the Abbey
of Glastonbury, and there obtain from the Abbot protection for him until his uncle should return, or the machinations of Fulk be defeated
by an appeal to the King.
This was accordingly Father Cyril's intention. It was unavoidable, that Fulk, the near
kinsman of the deceased, should be present at
the funeral, but Father Cyril had intended to
keep Arthur within the sanctuary of the Chapel
until he could depart under the care of twelve




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        121
monks of Glastonbury, who were coming in the
stead of their Abbot-he being unfortunately
indisposed.  Sir Philip Ashton had likewise
been invited, in the hope that his presence might
prove a check upon Clarenham.
CHAPTER IX.
WITH the first dawn of morning, the Chapel
bell began to toll, and was replied to by the
deeper sound of the bell of the parish Church.
Soon the court began to be filled with the neighbouring villagers, with beggars, palmers, mendicant friars of all orders, pressing to the butteryhatch, where they received the dole of bread,
meat, and ale, from the hands of the pantler,
under the direction of the almoner of Glastonbury, who requested their prayers for the soul
of the noble Sir Reginald Lynwood, and Dame
Eleanor of Clarenham, his wife.  The peasantry
of Lynwood, and the beggars, whose rounds
brought them regularly to the Keep of Lynwood,
and who had often experienced the bounty of the
departed lady, replied with tears and blessings.
There were not wanting the usual though incon6




122      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
gruous accompaniments of such a scene-the
jugglers and mountebanks, who were playing
their tricks in one corner.
Within the hall, all was il sad, sober, and
solemn array, contrasting with the motley concourse in the court. Little Arthur, dressed in
black, stood by the side of his uncle, to receive
the greetings of his yeomen vassals, as they
came in, one by one, with clownish courtesy,
but hearty respect and affection, and great satisfaction at the unelxpected appearance of the
young Knight.
Next came in long file, mounted on their
sleek mules, the twelve monks of Glastonbury,
whom the Knight and his nephew reverently
received at the door, and conducted across the
hall to the Chapel, where the parish Priest,
Father Cyril, and some of the neighbouring
Clergy, had been chanting psalms since morning
light.  On the way Sir Eustace held some conference with the chief, Brother Michael, who
had come prepared to assist in conveying Arthur,
if possible, to Glastonbury, but was very glad
to find that the Knight was able to take upon
himself the charge of his nephew, without embroiling the Abbey with so formidable an enemy
as Lord de Clarenham.
The next arrival was Sir Philip Ashton and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         123
his son, who could hardly believe their eyes when
Eustace met them.  Leonard's manner was at
first cordial, but presently apparently checked
by some sudden recollection; he drew back, and
stood in sheepish embarrassment, fumbling with
his dagger, while Sir Philip was lavishing compliments on Eustace, who was rejoiced when the
sound of horses made it necessary to go and
meet Lord de Clarenham at the door. Arthur
looked up in Sir Fulk's face, with a look in
which curiosity and defiance were expressed;
while Fulk, on his side, was ready to grind his
teeth with vexation at the unexpected sight of
the only man who could interfere with his projects. Then he glanced at his own numerous
and well-appointed retinue, compared them with
the small number of the Lynwood vassals, and
with another look at his adversary's youthful
and gentle appearance, he became reassured,
and returned his salutations with haughty ceremony.
The whole company moved in solemn procession towards the Chapel, where the mass and
requiem were chanted, and the corpse of the
Lady Eleanor, inclosed in a stone coffin, was
lowered to its resting-place, in the vault of her
husband's ancestors.
It was past noon when the banquet was




124      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
spread in the hall; a higher table on the dais
for the principal guests, and two long ones below, for the retainers and yeomanry, the latter
of whom were armed with dagger, short sword,
or quarter-staff.
Sir Philip Ashton, and Brother Michael, were
chiefly at the expense of the conversation, Eustace, meanwhile doing the honours with grave
courtesy, taking care to keep his nephew by his
side.  There was no one who did not feel as if
on the eve of a storm; but all was grave and
decorous; and at length Brother Michael and
the monks of Glastonbury, rejoicing that they,
at least, had escaped a turmoil, took their leave,
mounted their mules, and rode off, in all correctness of civility toward the house of Lynwood, which, as Eustace could not help feeling,
they thus left to fight its own battles.'It waxes late,' said Lord de Clarenham
rising;'bring out the horses, Miles; and you,
my young kinsman, Arthur, you are to be my
guest from henceforth. Come, therefore, prepare
for the journey.'
Arthur held fast by the hand of his uncle,
who replied,' I thank you in my nephew's name
for your intended hospitality, but I purpose at
once to conduct him to Bourdeaux, to be enrolled among the Prince's pages.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          125'Conduct him  to  Bourdeaux, said the
Knight?' answered Sir Fulk with a sneer;'to
Bourdeaux forsooth! It is well for you, my
fair young cousin, that I have other claims to
you, since, were you once out of England, I can
well guess who would return to claim the lands
of Lynwood.'' What claim have you to his wardship, Sir
Fulk?' asked Eustace, coldly, disdaining to
take notice of the latter part of this speech.'As his feudal superior, and his nearest
relation of full age,' replied Clarenham.'There are many here who can prove that it
is twenty-one years past, since I was born on
the feast of St. Eustace,' replied the young
Knight.'The house of Lynwood owns no master beneath the King of England, and the
wardship of my nephew was committed to me
by both his parents. Here is a witness of the
truth of my words.  Holy Father, the parchment.'
Father Cyril spread a thick roll, with heavy
seals, purporting to be the last will and testament of Dame Eleanor Lynwood, bequeathing
the wardship and marriage of her son to her
beloved brother, Sir Eustace Lynwood, Knight
Banneret, and, in his absence, to the Lord




126      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Abbot of Glastonbury, and  Cyril Langton,
Clerk.'It is nought,' said Clarenhaml, pushing it
from  him;'the Lady of Lynwood had no
right to make a will in this matter, since she
unlawfully detained her son from me, his sole
guardian.''The force of the will may be decided by
the King's justices,' said Eustace;'but my
rights are not founded on it alone. My brother,
Sir Reginaldc  with his last words, committed
his son to my charge.'
What proof do you bring, Sir Eustace?'
said Fulk'I question not your word, but
something more is needed in points of law, and
you can scarcely -expect the world to believe
that Sir Reginald would commit his only child
to the guardianship of one so young, and the
next heir.''I am here to prove it, my Lord,' said Gaston, eagerly.  " To your care I commit him,
Eustace," said Sir Reginald, as he lay with his
head on his brother's breast, and methought he
also added, "beware of Clarenham."  Was it
not so, friend Leonard?'
Leonard's reply was not readily forthcoming.
His father was whispering in his ear, whilst
lie knit his brow, shuffled with his feet, and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           127
shrugged  his shoulder disrespectfully in  his
father's face.'Speak, Master Ashton,' said Clarenham, in
a cold, incredulous tone, and bending on father
and son glances which were well understood.' To your testimony, respectable and uninterested, credit must be added.''What mean you by that, Sir Fulk de Clarenham,' cried Gaston;'for what do you take
me and my word?'' Certain tales of you and your companions,
Sir Squire,' answered Clarenham,' do not dispose me to take a Gascon's word for more than
it is worth.''This passes!' cried Gaston, striking his
fist on the table,' you venture it because you
are not of my degree! Here, ye craven Squires,
will not one of you take up my glove, when I
cast back in his teeth your master's foul slander
of an honourable Esquire?''Touch it not, I command you,' said Clarenham,'unless Master d'Aubricour will maintain that he never heard of a certain one-eyed
Basque, and never rode on a free-booting foray
with the robber Knight, Perduccas d'Albret.''What of that?' fiercely cried Gaston.
Quite enough, Sir Squire,' said Fulk coolly.
Gaston was about to br,.k into a tempest




128      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
of rage, when Eustace's calm voice and gesture
checked him.'Sir Fulk, said Eustace,'were you at
Bourceaux, you would know  that no man's
word can be esteemed more sacred, or his character stand more high, than that of Gaston
d'Aubricour.''But in the meantime,' said Clarenham,'we must be content to take that, as well as
much besides, on your own assertion, Sir Eustace. Once more, Master Leonard Ashton, let
me hear your testimony, as to the dying words
of Sir Reginald Lynwood. I am  content to
abide by them.''Come, Leonard,' said his father who had
been whispering with him all this time,' speak
up; you may be grieved to disappoint a once
friendly companion, but you could not help the
defect of your ears.'' Sir Philip, I pray you not to prompt your
son,' said Eustace.'Stand forth, Leonard, on
your honour. Did you or did you not hear the
words of my brother, as he lay on the bank of
the Zadorra?'
Leonard half rose, as if to come towards
him, but his father held him  fast; he looked
down, and muttered,'Aye, truly, I heard Sir
Reginald say somewhat.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          129'Tell it out, then.'' He thanked the Prince for knighting you
-he prayed him to have charge of his wife and
child- he bade Gaston not return  to evil
courses,' said Leonard, bringing out his sentences at intervals.'And afterwards,' said Eustace sternly-'when the Prince was gone?  On your honour,
Leonard.'
Leonard almost writhed himself beneath the
eyes that Eustace kept steadily fixed on him.' Somewhat-somewhat, he might have said of
knightly training for his son-but-but what
do I know?' he added, as his father pressed
hard on his foot;'it was all in your ear, for as
he lay on your breast, his voice grew so faint,
that I could hear little through my helmet.''Nay, Master Ashton,' said John Ingram,
pressing forward,'if I remember right, you had
thrown off your helmet, saying it was as hot as a
copper-cauldron; and besides, our good Knight,
when he said those words touching Master
Arthur, raised himself up somewhat, and spoke
out louder, as if that we might all hear and
bear witness.''No witness beyond your own train, Sir
Eustace?' said Clarenhnam.'None,' said Eustace' excepting one whose
6*




130      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
word even you will scarcely dare to dispute, Sir
Bertrand cu Guesclin.''I dispute no man's word, Sir Eustace' said
Fulk;'I only say that until the claim which
you allege be proved in the King's court, I am
the lawful guardian of the lands and person of
the heir of Lynwood.  The Lord Chancellor
Wykeham may weigh the credit to be attached
to the witness of this highly respectable Esquire,
or this long-eared man-at-arms, or may send
beyond seas for the testimony of du Guesclin:
in the meantime I assume my office. Come
here, boy.'
I will not come to you, Lord Fulk,' said
Arthur;' or when I do, it shall be sword in hand
to ask an account for the tears you have made
my sweet mother shed.''Bred up in the same folly!' said Fulk.
Once more, Sir Eustace, will you yield him to
me, or must I use force?''I have vowed before his mother's corpse to
shield him from you,' returned Eustace.' Think of the consequences, Sir Eustace,'
said Sir Philip Ashton, coming up to him.' Remember the unrepealed grant to the Clarenhams.  The Lynwood manor may be at any
moment resumed, to which, failing your nephew,
you are heir. You will ruin him and yourself.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        131
It is his person, not his lands, that I am
bound to guard,' said Eustace.'Let him do
his worst, my nephew had better be a landless
man, than one such as Fulk would make him.'' Think,' continued Sir Philip,' of the disadvantages to your cause of provoking a fray at
such a time. Hold your hand, and yield the
boy, at least till the cause come before the
Chancellor.''Never,' said Eustace.'His parents have
trusted him to me, and I will fulfil my promise.
The scandal of the fray be on him who occasions it.'' Recollect, my Lord,' said Ashton, turning to
Fulk,' that this may be misrepresented. These
young warriors are hot and fiery, and this young
Knight, they say, has succeeded to all his brother's favour with the Prince.''I will not be bearded by a boy,' returned
Clarenham, thrusting him aside.   Hark you,
Sir Eustace. You have been raised to a height
which has turned your head, your eyes have been
dazzled by the gilding of your spurs, and you
have fancied yourself a man; but in your own
county and your own family, airs are not to be
borne. We rate you at what you are worth,
and are not to be imposed'on by idle tales which
the boastful young men of the Prince's court




132      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
frame of each other.  Give up these pretensions,
depart in peace to your fellows at Bourdeaux,
and we will forget your insolent interference.'' Never, while Ilive,' replied Eustace.' Vassals of Lynwood, guard your young Lord.''Vassals of Lynwood,' said Fulk,'will you
see your young Lord carried off to perish in some
unknown region, and yourselves left a prey to
an adventurer, and freebooter?''For that matter, my Lord,' said an old farmer,' if all tales be true, Master Arthur is like
to learn less harm with Sir Eustace than in your
jolly household-I for one will stand by our good
Lord's brother to the last.  What say you, comrades?''Hurrah for the Lances of Lynwood!'
shouted John Ingram, and the cry was taken
up by many a gruff honest voice, till the hall
rang again, and the opposing shout of'a Clarenham, a Clarenham!' was raised by the retainers of the Baron. Eustace, at the same
moment, raised his nephew in his arms, and
lifted him up into the embrasure of one of
the high windows.  Sir Philip Ashton still
hung upon Clarenhain, pleading in broken sentences which were lost in the uproar,' Hold!
hold! my Lord. Nay, nay, think but-(here
he was thrust roughly aside by Fulk) Sir Eus



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          133
tace, do but hear-it will be a matter for the
council-in  the name of the King-for the
love of Heaven-Leonard, son Leonard! for
Heaven's sake, what have you to do with the
matter?  Down with that sword, and follow
me!   Dost not hear, froward boy?   Our
names will be called in question! Leonard, on
your duty-Ha! Have a care! there!'
These last words were broken short, as Gaston,
rushing forwards to his master's side, overthrew
the table, which carried Sir Philip with it in the
fall, and he lay prostrate under the boards, a
stumbling-block to a stream of eager combatants, who one after another dashed against him,
fell, and either rose again, or remained kicking
and struggling with each other.
After several minutes' confused fighting, the
tumult cleared away, as it were, leaving the principals on each side opposite to each other, and
as the fortune of the day rested on their conflict, all became gradually fixed in attention,
resting upon their weapons, in readiness at any
moment, to renew  their own portion of the
combat.
Fulk, tall and robust, had far more the appearance of strength than his slenderly-made
antagonist, but three years in the school of
chivalry had not been wasted by Eustace, and




134      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
the sword of du Guesclin was in a hand -well accustomed to its use. Old Ralph was uttering
under his breath ecstatic exclamations,'Ha!
Well struck   A rare foil-a perfect hit-Have
a care-Ah! there comes my old blow-That is
right-Old Sir Henry's master-stroke-Thereone of your new French back-strokes-but it
told-Oh! have a care-The Saints guardAye-There-Follow it up!-Hurrah for Lynwood!' as Fulk tottered, slipped, sank on one
knee, and receiving a severe blow on the head
with the back of the sword, measured his length
on the ground.
"Hurrah for Lynwood! re-echoed through
the hall, but Eustace cut short the clamour at
once, by saying,' Peace, my friends, and thanks!
Sir Fulk de Clarenham,' he added, as his fallen
foe moved, and began to raise himself;'you
have received a lesson, by which I hope you
will profit. Leave the house, whose mourning
you have insulted, and thank your relationship
that I forbear to bring this outrage to the notice
of the King.'
While Eustace spoke Fulk had, by the
assistance of two of his retainers, recovered his
feet, but though unwounded, he was so dizzied
with the blow as to be passive in their hands,
and to allow himself to be led into the court,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         135
and placed on his horse. Before riding out of
the gates, he turned round, and clenching his
fist, glanced malignantly at Eustace, and muttered,'You shall abye it.'
Another shout of'Down with the false
Clarenham! Hurrah for the Lances of Lynwood,
and the brave young Kight!' was raised in the
court by the peasantry, among whom Fulk was
so much hated, that not even regard for their
future welfare could prevent them from indulging in this triumph. Probably, too, they expected the satisfaction of drinking the health of
the victor, for there were many disappointed
countenances, when he spoke from the steps of
the porch:-' Thanks for your good-will, my
friends. Fare ye well, depart in peace, and remember your young Lord.' Then turning to
the parish Priest, he added, in a low voice,' See
that they leave the Castle as soon as possible.
The gates must be secured as soon as may be.'
He turned back into the hall, and at the
door was met by little Arthur, who caught hold
of his hand, exclaiming,' So you have won me,
and shall keep me for ever, uncle Eustace; but
come in, for here is poor old Sir Philip, who was
thrown down under the table in the scuffle, bemoaning himself most lamentably.'
Sir Philip hurt?' said Eustace, who, vexed




136      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
as he was by Sir Philip's behaviour, preserved a
certain neighbourly hereditary respect for him,'I trust not seriously,' and he advanced towards
the arm-chair, where Sir Philip Ashton was sitting, attended by Father Cyril, and a man-atarms, and groaning and complaining of his
bruises, while at the same time he ordered the
horses to be brought out as speedily as possible.' Surely,' said Eustace,' you should not be in
such haste, Sir Philip.  I grieve that you should
have met with this mishap.  But you had better remain here, and try what rest will do for
you.'
Remain here!' said Sir Philip, almost shuddering.'Nay, nay, my young Sir, I would
not have you to remain here, nor any of us, for
longer space than the saddling of a horse. Alas!
alas! my young friend, I grieve for you. I loved
your father well.-Look from the window, Leonard.  Are the horses led forth?'' But why this haste?' asked Sir Eustace.'You are heavily bruised-best let Father Cyril
look to your hurts.''Thanks, Sir Eustace; but —Ah!  my
back!-but I would not remain under this roof
for more than you could give me. I should but
endanger myself without benefiting you. Alas!




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          137
alas! that I should have fallen upon such a
fray! I am sorry for you, my brave youth!''I thank you, Sir Philip, but I know not
what I have done to deserve your concern.''Hot blood! wilful blood!' said Sir Philip,
shaking his head.'Are the horses come?
Here! your hand, Leonard, help me to riseAh! ah! not so fast-Oh! I shall never get
over it! There-mind you, I did all to prevent
this unhappy business-I am clear of it! Fare,
you well, Sir Eustace-take an old man's advice,
give up the boy, and leave the country before
worse comes of it.''What is likely to come of it?' said Eustace;' Clarenham made an uncalled-for, unjust,
shameless attempt to seize the person of my
ward.  I repelled him  by force of arms, and I
think he would scarce like to call the attention
of justice to his own share in the matter.'' Ah! well, you speak boldly, but before you
have reached my years, you will have learnt
what it is to have for your foe the most mighty
man of the county-nay, of the court; for your
foe, Lord de Clarenham, is in close friendship
with the Earl of Pembroke.  Beware, my young
friend, beware!'
When the hall was clear of guests, a council was held between the Knight, the Priest,




138      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
and the two Esquires. Its result was, that Arthur's person, as the most important point,
should be secured, by his uncle carrying him at
once to the Prince's protection at Bourcleaux;
but it was only with difficulty that Eustace was
prevailed on to fly, as he said, from his accusers.
The good Father had to say, with a smile, that,
after all, there was as much need for patience
and'submission under the helm  as under the
cowl, before Eustace at length consented. Cyril meanwhile was to lay the case before the
Chancellor, William of Wykeham, and Eustace
gave him letters to the Duke of Lancaster and
to Sir Richard Ferrars, in the hopes of their
recommending his suit.
Eustace then received from the hands of the
Priest a bag of gold coins, his portion as a
younger son, part of which he gave to be distributed in alms, part he still confided to Father
Cyril's keeping, and the rest he was to take away
for present needs-and they parted for the last
night of his brief stay at Lynwood Keep.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         139
CHAPTER X.
IN the early morning, Sir Eustace and his few
followers were in their saddles, little Arthur
riding between his uncle and Gaston.  The
chief part of the day was spent on the journey.
They dined, to Arthur's glee, on provisions they
had brought with them, seated on a green bank
near a stream, and at evening found themselves
at the door of a large hostel, its open porch covered by a vine.
The host and his attendants ran out at first
to meet them with alacrity, but, on seeing them,
appeared disappointed. And as the Knight,
dismounting, ordered supper and bed, the host
replied that he could indeed engage to find food,
and to accommodate their steeds, but that the
whole of the inn had been secured on behalf of
two noble ladies and their train, who were each
moment expected.'Be it so,' said Eustace,' atruss of hay
beside our horses, or a settle by the fire is all we




140       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
need.  Here is a taste already of a warrior's life
for you, Arthur.'
The boy was delighted, certain that to sleep
beside his pony was far more delightful, as well
as more manly, than to rest in his bed, like a
lady at home.
As this was arranged, a sound of horses' feet
approached, and a band of men-at-arms rode up
to the door. Arthur started and squeezed his
uncle's hand as he recognized the Clarenham
colours and badge, uttering an exclamation of
dismay.'Never fear, Arthur,' said Eustace,'they come from  the way opposite to ours.  It
is not pursuit. See, it is an escort-there are
ladies among them.''Four!' said Arthur.    Uncle, that tall
dame in black must be the Lady Muriel.  And
surely the white veil tied with rose-colour belongs to kind cousin Agnes.''True!  These are no Clarenhams to guard
against,' said Eristace to his Squire, who looked
ready for action.' Lady Muriel, the step-mother
of the -Baron and his sister, is my godmother,
and, by birth, a Lynwood.'
Then stepping forward, he assisted the elder
lady to dismount; she returned his courtesy by
a slight inclination, as to a stranger, but her
companion, who had  lightly  sprung to the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         141
ground, no sooner, perceived him than she exclaimed, Eustace! then laying her hand on
Lady Muriel's arm,'Mother, it is Sir Eustace
Lynwood.'
Ha! my gallant godson!' said the Baroness, greeting him cordially.'Well met, brave
youth! No wonder in that knightly figure I
did not now my kinswoman's little page.  How
does my gentle niece, Eleanor?''Alack  then you have not heard the tidings?' said Eustace.' We heard long since she was sick with
grief,' said Lady Muriel, much alarmed.' What
mean you?  Is she worse?  You weep-surely
she still lives!'
Ah!  honoured dame, we come even now
from laying her in her grave. Here is her orphan
boy.'.Young Agnes could not restrain a cry of
grief and horror, and trying to repress her weeping till it should be without so many witnesses,
Lady Muriel and her bower-woman led her to
their apartments in the inn.  Eustace was
greatly affected by her grief. She had often accompanied her step-mother on visits to Lynwood
Keep in the peaceful days of their childhood;
she had loved no sport better than to sit listening to his romantic discourses of chivalry, and




142      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
had found in the shy, delicate, dreamy boy,
something congenial to her own quiet nature;
and, in short, when Eustace indulged in a vision,
Agnes was ever the lady of it, the pale slight
Agnes, with no beauty save her large soft brown
eyes, that seemed to follow and take in every
fancy or thought of his.  Agnes was looked
down on,-her father thought she would do him
little honour, her brother cared not for her;
save for her step-mother she would have met
with little fostering attention, and when Eustace saw her set aside and disregarded, his heart
had bounded with the thought that when he
should lay his trophies at her feet, Agnes would
be honoured for his sake.  But Eustace's hondurs had been barren, and he could only look
back with a sad heart to the fancies of his youth,
when he had deemed Knight-errantry might win
the lady of his love.
Eleanor had been one of the few who had
known and loved the damsel of Clarenham, and
had encouraged her to lay aside her timidity.
Agnes wept for her as a sister, and still could
hardly restrain her sobs, when Eustace and his
nephew were invited to the presence of the ladies
to narrate their melancholy tale.
Many tears were shed, and caresses lavished
upon the orphan.  The ladies asked his destina



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         143
tion, and on hearing that he was to be taken to
the Prince's court at Bourdeaux, Agnes said,' We too, are bound to the Prince's court.  I
am to journey thither with Fulk. Were it not
better for Arthur to travel with us?  Most
carefully would we guard him. It would spare
him  many a hardship, for which he is scarce
old enough, and his company would be a solace, almost a protection to me.  My pretty
play-fellow, will you be my travelling companion?'' I would go with you, cousin Agnes, for you
are kind and gentle, and I love you well; but a
brave Knight's son must learn to rough it; and
besides, I would not go with Sir Fulk, your
brother, for he is a false and cruel Knight, who
persecuted my blessed mother to the very death.''Can this be?  0 speak, Eustace!' said
Agnes.' What means the boy?  Hath Fulk
shown himself other than a loving kinsman?'
The Baroness, who understood her step-son's
character better than did his young sister, and
who was informed of the old enmity between
the two houses, felt considerable anxiety as to
what they were now to hear; when Eustace,
beginning,' Ah, Lady, I grieve twice in the day
to sadden your heart; yet since so much has
been said, it were best to relate the whole truth,'




144      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
proceeded to tell what had passed respecting the
wardship of young Arthur. Agnes's eyes filled
with burning tears of indignation.'0  dear
Lady Mother!' cried she' take me back to our
Convent! How can I meet my brother! How
conceal my anger and my shame!'
This is far worse than even I feared,' said
Lady Iuriel.'I knew Fulk to be unscrupulous and grasping, but I did not think him capable of such foul oppression. For you, my sweet
Agnes,-would that I could prevail on him to
leave you in the safe arms of the cloister,-but,
alas! I have no right to detain you from  a
brother's guardianship''I dreaded this journey much before,' said
Agnes;'but now, even my trust in Fulk is
gone; I shall see round me no one in whom to
place confidence. Alas! alas!''Nay, fair Agnes,' said Eustace,'he will
surely be a kind brother to thee-he cannot be
otherwise.''How love and trust where there is no esteem?  Oh, Mother, Mother! this is loneliness
indeed! In that strange, courtly throng, who
will protect and shelter me?'' There is an Arm-' began the Baroness.' Yes, noble Lady, there is one arm,' eagerly
exclaimed Eustace,'that would only deem it



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         145
self too much honoured if it could be raised in
your service.'' I spake of no arm  of flesh,' said Lady
Muriel, reprovingly-and Eustace hung his head
abashed.' I spake of the Guardian, who will
never be wanting to the orphan.'
There was a silence, first broken by Eustace.'One thing there is, that I would fain ask of
your goodness,' said he:' many a false tale,
many a foul slander, will be spoken of me, and
many may give heed to them-but let that be
as it will, they shall not render my heart heavy
while I can still believe that you give no ear to
them.''Sir Eustace,' said the Lady of Clarenham,' I have known you from childhood, and it would
go hard with me to believe aught dishonourable
of the pupil of Sir Reginald and of Eleanor.''Yes, Sir Eustace,' added Agnes,'it would
break my heart to distrust you; for then I must
needs believe that faith, truth, and honour, had
left the world.''And. now,' said Lady Muriel, who thought
the conversation had been sufficiently tender to
fulfil all the requirements of the connexion of
the families, and of their old companionship,'now, Agnes, we must take leave of our kind
7




146      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
kinsman, since, doubtless, he desires to renew
his journey early to-morrow.'
Eustace took the hint, and bent his knee to
kiss the hands which were extended to him by
the two ladies; then left the room, feeling,
among all the clouds which darkened his path,
one clear bright ray to warm and gladden his
heart. Agnes trusted his truth, Agnes would
be at Bourdeaux,-he might see her, and she
would hear of his deeds.
Agnes, while she wept over her kinswoman's
death, and her brother's faults, rejoiced in having
met her old playfellow, and found him as noble
a Knight as her fancy had often pictured him;
and in the meanwhile, the good old Lady Muriel
sighed to herself, and shook her head at the
thought of the sorrows which an attachment
would surely cause to these two young creatures.
It was early in the morning that Eustace
summoned his nephew from the couch which one
of the Clarenham retainers had yielded to him,
and mounting their horses they renewed their
journey towards the coast.
Without further adventure, the Lances of
Lynwood, as Arthur still chose to call their
little party, safely arrived at Rennes, the capital of Brittany, where Jean de Montfort held
his court. Here they met the tidings that




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.       147
Charles V. had summoned the Prince of Wales
to appear at his court, to answer an appeal
made against him to the sovereign by the vassals of the Duchy of Acquitaine. Edward's
answer was, that he would appear indeed, but
that it should be in full armour, with ten thousand Knights and Squires at his back; and the
war had already been renewed.
The intelligence added to Eustace's desire
to be at Bourdeaux, but he could not venture
through the enemy's country without exposing
himself to death, or captivity; and even within
the confines of Brittany itself, Duke John,
though bound by gratitude and affection to the
alliance of the King, who had won for him his
ducal coronet, was unable to control the enmity
which his subjects bore to the English, and
assured the Knight that a safe conduct from
him would only occasion his being robbed and
murdered in secret, instead of being taken a
prisoner in fair fight and put to ransom.
If Eustace had been alone with his staunch
followers, he would have trusted to their good
swords and swift steeds; but to place Arthur
in such perils would be but to justify Fulk's
accusations; and there was no alternative but
to accept the offer made to him by Jean de
Montfort, for the sake of his Duchess, a daugh



148      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
ter of Edward III., to remain a guest at his
court until the arrival of a sufficient party of
English Knights, who were sure to be attracted
by the news of the war.
No less than two months was he obliged to
wait, during which both he and Gaston chafed
grievously under their forced inactivity; but at
length he learnt that a band of Free Companions had arrived at Rennes, on their way to
offer their service to the Prince of Wales;
accordingly he set forth, and af'er some interval
found himself once more in the domains of the
house of Plantagenet.
It was late in the evening when he rode
through the gates of Bourdeaux, and sought
the abode of the good old Gascon merchant,
where he had always lodged.  He met with a
ready welcome, and inquiring into the most
recent news of the town, learnt that the Prince
was considered to be slightly improved in health;
but that no word was spoken of the army
taking the field, and the war was chiefly carried
on by the siege of Castles.  He asked for Sir
John Chandos, and was told that high words
had passed between him and the Prince respecting a hearth-tax, and that since he had returned to his government, and seldom  or never
appeared at the council board.  It was the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         149
Earl of Pembroke who was all-powerful there.
And here the old G-ascon wandered into lamentable complaints of the aforesaid hearth-tax,
from which Eustace could scarcely recal him to
answer whether the English Baron de Clarenham had arrived at Bourdeaux.  He had come,
and with him as splendid a train as ever was
beheld, and was in high favour at the court.
This was no pleasing intelligence, but Eustace determined to go the next day to present
his nephew to the Prince immediately after the
noontide meal, when it was the wont of the
Plantagenet Princes to throw their halls open
to their subjects.
Accordingly, leading Arthur by the hand,
and attended by Gaston, he made his appearance in the hall, just as the banquet was concluded, but ere the Knights had dispersed.
Many well-known faces were there, but as he
advanced up the space between the two long
tables, he was amazed at meeting scarce one
friendly glance of recognition; some looked
unwilling to seem to know him, and returned
his salutation with  distant coldness; others
gazed at the window, or were intent on their
wine, and of these was Leonard Ashton, whom,
to his surprise, he saw  seated  among the
Knights.




150      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Thus he passed on until he had nearly
reached the dais where dined the Prince and
the personages of the most exalted rank. Here
he paused as his anxious gaze fell upon the
Prince, and marked his countenance and mien
-alas! how changed! He sat in his richlycarved chair, wrapped in a velvet mantle, which,
even on that bright day of a southern spring, he
drew closer round him with a shuddering chilliness. His elbow rested on the arm of his chair,
and his wasted cheek leant on his hand-the
long thin fingers of which showed white and
transparent as a lady's; his eyes were bent on
the ground, and a look of suffering or of moody
thought hung over the whole of that face, once
full of free and open cheerfulness.  Tears filled
Eustace's eyes as he beheld that wreck of manhood, and thought of that bright day of hope
and gladness when his brother had presented
him to the Prince.
As he hesitated to advance, the Prince,
raising his eyes, encountered that earnest and
sorrowful gaze, but only responding by a stern
glance of displeasure. Eustace, however, stepped
forward, and bending one knee, said,  My Lord,
I come to report myself as returned to your
service, and at the same time to crave for my
nephew  the protection you were graciously
pleased to promise him.'




TIHE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         151
It is well, Sir Eustace Lynwood,' said
Edward, coldly, and with a movement of his
head, as if to dismiss him from his presence;
and  you, boy, come hither,' he added, as
Arthur, seeing his uncle rise and retreat a few
steps, was following his example.'I loved
your father well,' he said, laying his hand on
the boy's bright wavy hair,  and you shall find
in me a steady friend as long as you prove yourself not unworthy of the name you bear.'
In spite of the awe with which Arthur felt
his head pressed by that royal hand, in spite of
his reverence for the hero and the Prince, he
raised his eyes and looked upon the face of the
Prince with an earnest, pleading, almost upbraiding gaze, as if, child as he was, he deprecated the favour, which so evidently marked the
slight shown to his uncle. But the Prince did
not heed him, and rising from his chair, said,'Thine arm, Clarenham.  Let us to the Princess, and present her new  page. Follow me,
boy.'
With a wistful look at his uncle, standing
alone on the step of the dais, Arthur reluctantly
followed the Prince, as leaning on Clarenham's
arm  he left the hall, and, crossing a gallery,
entered a large apartment. At one end was a
canopy embroidered with the arms and badges




152      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
of the heir of England, and beneath it were two
chairs of state, one of which was occupied by
Joan Plantagenet, Princess of Wales, once the
Fair Maid of Kent, and though now long past
her youth, still showing traces of beauty befitting the lady for whom her royal cousin had
displayed such love and constancy.
As her husband entered, she rose, and looking anxiously at him, while she came forward to
meet him, inquired whether he felt fatigued.'No, my fair dame,' replied the Prince,'I came
but to present to you your new page; the young
cousin, respecting whose safety my Lord de
Clarenham hath been so much in anxiety.''Then it is his uncle who hath brought
him?' asked Joan.'Yes,' replied Edward'he himself brought
him to the hall, and even had the presumption
to claim the protection for him that I pledged
to his father, when I deemed far otherwise of
this young Eustace.''What account does he give of the length
of time that he has spent on the road?' asked
the Princess.' Aye, there is the strangest part of the tale,'
said Fulk Clarenham with a sneer,'since he
left the poor simple men at Lynwood believing
that he was coming at full speed to seek my




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          153
Lord the Prince's protection for the child, a
convenient excuse for eluding the inquiries of
justice into his brawls at the funeral, as well as
for the rents which he carried off with him;
but somewhat inconsistent when it is not for
five months that he makes his appearance at
Bourceaux, and then in the society of a band
of routiers.''It shall be inquired into,' said the Prince.'Nay, nay, my Lord,' said Fulk,'may I
pray you of your royal goodness to press the
matter no further.  He is still young, and it
were pity to cast dishonour on a name which
has hitherto been honourable.  Since my young
cousin is safe, I would desire no more, save to
guard him from his future machinations.  For
his brother's sake, my Lord, I would plead with
you.'' Little did I think such things of him,' said
the Prince'when I laid knighthood on his
shoulder in the battle field of Navaretta; yet'I
remember even then old Chandos chid me for
over-hastiness.  Poor old Chandos, he has a
rough tongue, but a true heart!'
And, under favour, I would say,' answered
Clarenham,'that it might have been those
early-won honours that turned the head of such
a mere youth, so entirely without guidance, or
7*




154      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
rather, with the guidance of that dissolute
Squire, who, I grieve to observe, still haunts his
footsteeps. Knighthood, with nought to maintain it, is, in truth, a snare.''Well, I am weary of the subject,' said the
Prince, leaning back in his chair.'The boy is
safe, and, as you say, Fulk, that is all that is
of importance.  Call hither the troubadour that
was in the hall at noon. I would have your
opinion of his lay,' he added, turning to his
wife.
The indignation  may be imagined with
which Arthur listened to this conversation, as
he stood on the spot to which Edward had
signed to him to advance, when he presented him
to the Princess.  He longed ardently to break
in with an angry refutation of the slanders cast
on his uncle, but he was too well trained in the
rules of chivalry, to say nothing of the awful
respect with which he regarded the Prince, to
attempt to utter a word, and he could only edge
himself as far away as was possible from Clarenham, and cast at him glances of angry reproach.
His uneasy movements were interpreted as
signs of fatigue and impatience of restraint by
one of the ladies, who was sitting at no great
distance, a very beautiful and graceful maiden,
the Lady Maude Holland, daughter to the Prin



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         155
cess of Wales, by her first marriage; and she
kindly held out her hand to him, saying,' Come
hither, my pretty page.  You have not learnt
to stand stiff and straight, like one of the
supporters of a coat of arms.  Come hither,
and let me lead you to company better suited
to your years.'
Arthur came willingly, as there was no more
to hear about his uncle; and besides, it was
away from  the hateful Clarenham.  She led
him across the hall to a tall arched doorway,
opening upon a wide and beautiful garden,
filled with the plants and shrubs of the south
of France, and sloping gently down to the
broad expanse of the blue waves of the Garonne. She looked round on all sides, and seeing
no one, made a few steps forward on the greensward, then called aloud,'Thomas!' no answer,'Edward! Harry of Lancaster!' but still her
clear silvery voice was unheeded, until a servant
came from some other part of the building, and,
bowing, awaited her orders.' Where are Lord
Edward and the rest?' she asked.
Gone forth,' the servant believed,' to ride
on the open space near St. Ursula's Convent.'' None left at home?''None, noble Lady.
None,' repeated Lady Maude,'save the




156      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
little Lord Richard, whose baby company your
pageship would hardly esteem. You must try
to endure the quietness of the lady's chamber,
unless you Would wish to be at once introduced
to the grave master of the Damoiseaux.'
At this moment Arthur's eye fell upon a
lady who had just emerged from a long shady
alley, up which she had been slowy walking, and
the bright look of recognition which lighted up
his face, was so different from the shy and constrained expression he had hitherto worn, that
Lady Maude remarked it, and following his
gaze, said,'Lady Agnes de Clarenham?  Ah,
yes, she is of kin to you. Let us go to meet her.'
Then, as they approached, she said,'Here, Agnes, I have brought you a young cousin of yours,
whom the Prince has just conducted into my
mother's chamber, where he bore so rueful a
countenance that I grew pitiful enough to come
forth on a bootless errand after his fellow Damoiseaux, wvho, it seems, are all out riding.  So
I shall even leave him to you, for there is a
troubadour in the hall, whose lay I greatly long
to hear.'
Away tripped Lady Maude, well pleased to
be free from the burthen her good-nature had
imposed on her.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         157'Arthur,' exclaimed Agnes,' what joy to see
you! Is your uncle here?''Yes,' said Arthur,'but oh, cousin Agnes 
if you had been by to hear the foul slanders
which Sir Fulk has been telling the Prince-oh
Agnes! you would disown him for your brother.''Arthur,' said Agnes, with a voice almost
of anguish,'how could he-why did he tarry
so long on the road?''How could we come on when the Duke of
Brittany himself said it was certain death or
captivity! We were forced to wait for an
escort. And now, Agnes, think of your brother
saying that uncle Eustace carried off the rents
of Lynwood, when every man in the Castle
could swear it was only the money Father Cyril
had in keeping for his inheritance.''Alas!' said Agnes.'And the Prince will believe it-the Prince
looks coldly on him already, and my uncle loves
the Prince like his own life. Oh, he will be
ready to die with grief! Agnes! Agnes! what
is to be done?  But you don't believe it!' he
proceeded, seeing that she was weeping bitterly.' You do not believe it-you promised you never
would! O say you do not believe it!''I do not, Arthur; I never believed half
they said of him; but oh, that long delay was a




158      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
sore trial to my confidence, and cruelly confirmed
their tales.''And think of Fulk, too, hindering the
Prince from inquiring, because he says he would
spare my uncle- for my father's sake, when, the
truth is, he only fears that the blackness of his
own designs should be seen! And Gaston, too,
he slandered.  Oh, Agnes  Agnes! that there
should be such wickedness, and we be able to
do nought!''Nought but weep and pray!' said Agnes.'And yet I can bear it better now that you are
here. Your presence refutes the worst accusation, and removes a heavy weight from  my
mind.'' You distrust him too! I cannot love you
if you do.''Never, never! I only feared some evil had
befallen you, and grieved to see the use made of
your absence.  Your coming should make my
heart light again.'' Shall I often see you, cousin Agnes? for
there is none else in this wide Castle that I shall
care for.''0 yes, Arthur, there are full twenty pages
little older than yourself; Lord Thomas Holland,
the Prince's step-son, brother to that lady that
led you to me; little Piers de Greilly, nephew




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          159
to the Captal de Buch; young Lord Henry of
Lancaster; and the little Prince Edward himself.  You will have no lack of merry playmates.''Ah, but to whom can I talk of my blessed
mother and of uncle Eustace, and of Lynwood
Keep, and poor old Blanc Etoile, that I promised
Ralph that I would bear in mind?'' Tell, Arthur,' said Agnes, cheerfully,'it
is the page's duty to wait on the ladies in hall
and bower, and the ladies' office to teach them
all courtly manners, and hear them read and say
the Credo and Ave. You shall be my own especial page and servant. Is it agreed?'' 0 yes,' said the boy.'I wonder if the
master of the Damoiseaux is as strict as that
lady said, and I wonder when I shall see uncle
Eustace again.'
CHAPTER XI.
IF Arthur Lynwood felt desolate when he left
his uncle's side, it was not otherwise with Sir
Eustace as he lost sight of the child, who had
so long been his charge, and who repaid his




160      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
anxiety with such confiding affection.  The
coveted fame, favour, and distinction seemed
likewise to have deserted him.  The Prince's
coldness hung heavily on him, and as he cast
his eyes along the ranks of familiar faces, not
one friendly look cheered him.  His greetings
were returned with coldness, and a grave haughty
courtesy was the sole welcome.  Chafed and
mortified, he made a sign to Gaston, and they
were soon in the street once more.
Coward clown!' burst forth Gaston at
once.' Would that I could send all his grinning
teeth down the false throat of him'' Whose?  What mean you?''Whose but that sulky recreant, Ashton?
He has done well to obtain knighthood, or I
would beat him within an inch of his life with
my halbert, and if he dared challenge me, slay
him as I would a carrion crow! He a Knight 
Thanks to his acres and to Lord Pembroke.''Patience, patience, Gaston-I have not yet
heard of what he accuses me.''No! he has learnt policy-he saith it not
openly! He would deny it, as did his Esquire
when I taxed him with it! Would that you
could not tell a letter! Sir Eustace, of your
favour, let me burn every one of your vile
books.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.           161'My innocent friends!  Nay, nay, Gaston-they are too knightly to merit such measure.  Then it is the old accusation of witchcraft, I suppose. So I was in league with the
Castilian witch and her cats, was I?''Aye! and her broom-stick or her cats
wafted you to Lynwood, where you suddenly
stood in the midst of the mourners, borne into
the hall on a howling blast!  How I got there,
I am sorry to say, the craven declared not, lest
I should give him the lie at once!''But surely, such a tale is too absurd and
vulgar to deceive our noble Prince.''0 there is another version for his ears.
This is only for the lower sort, who might not
have thought the worse of you for kidnapping
your nephew, vowing his mother should remain
unburied till he was in your hands, and carrying off all his rents.'
That is Clarenham's slander.''Yes.''And credited by the Prince?  Oh! little
did I think the hand which laid knighthood on
my shoulder, should repent the boon that it
gave!' exclaimed Eustace, with a burst of sorrow rather than anger.'Do you not challenge the traitor at once?'
v I trow not, unless he speaks the charge to




162      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
my face. Father Cyril declared that any outbreak on my part would damage our cause in the
eyes of the Chancellor; we must bide our time.
Since Arthur is safe, I will bear my own burden.
I am guiltless in this matter, and I trust that
the blessing of Heaven on my deeds shall restore
a name, obscured but not tarnished.'
The resolution to forbear, was tested, for some
time passed on without vindicating him.  With
such art had the toils of his enemies been spread,
that no opening was left him for demanding an
explanation.  The calumnies could only be
brought home to the lowest retainers of Clarenham  and Ashton, and the only result of the
zealous refutations by the followers of Sir Eustace, was a brawl between John Ingram and a
yeoman of Clarenham's, ending in their spending
a week in the custody of the Provost Marshal.
Had there been any tournament or like sport
at Bourdeaux, Eustace could have asserted his
place, and challenged the attention of the court;
but the state of the Prince's health prevented
such spectacles, nor had he any opportunity of
acquiring honour by his deeds in arms.  No
army took the field on either side, and the war
was chiefly carried on by expeditions for the
siege or relief of frontier Castles; and here his
unusual rank as Knight Banneret stood in his




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          163
way, since it was contrary to etiquette for him
to put himself under the command of a Knight
Bachelor.  He was condemned therefore to a
weary life of inaction, the more galling because
his poverty made it necessary to seek maintenance as formerly at the Prince's table, where
he was daily reminded by the altered demeanour of his acquaintance, of the unjust suspicions, beneath which he laboured.  He had
hoped that a dismissal from his post in the
Prince's band would give him the much-desired
opportunity of claiming a hearing, but he was
permitted to receive his pay and allowance as
usual, and seemed completely overlooked.  It
was well that Gaston's gay temper could not
easily be saddened by their circumstances, and
his high spirits and constant attachment often
cheered his Knight in their lonely evenings.
Eustace had more than once striven to persuade
him to forsake his failing fortunes, but to this
the faithful Squire would never consent, vowing
that he was as deeply implicated in all their accusations as Sir Eustace himself; and who
would wish to engage a fellow servant of the
black cats! There were two others whom Eustace would fain believe still confided in his truth
and honour, his nephew, Arthur, and Lady Agnes de Clarenham, but he never saw them, and




164      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
often his heart sank at the thought of the impression that the universal belief might make on
the minds of both. And to add to his depression, a rumour prevailed throughout Bourdeaux
that the Baron of Clarenham had promised his
sister's hand to Sir Leonard Ashton.
Nearly a year had passed since Eustace had
left England, and his situation continued unchanged. Perhaps, the Prince regarded him
with additional displeasure, since news had arrived tha^' Sir Richard Ferrars had made application to the Duke of Lancaster, to interest the
King in the cause of the guardianship; for
there was, at this time, a strong jealousy in the
mind of the Prince, of the mighty power and
influence of John of Gaunt, which he already
feared might be used to the disadvantage of his
young sons.
The cause was, at length, decided, and a
letter from good Father Cyril conveyed to Eustace the intelligence that the Chancellor William
of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, having
given due weight to Sir Reginald's dying words
and Lady Lynwood's testament, had pronounced
Sir Eustace Lynwood the sole guardian of the
person and estate of his nephew, and authorized
all the arrangements he had made on his departure.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         165
Affairs altogether began to wear a brighter
aspect.  The first indignation against Sir Eustace had subsided, and he was treated, in general, with indifference, rather than marked scorn.
The gallant old Chandos was again on better
terms with the Prince, and, coming to Bourdeaux, made two or three expeditions, in which
Eustace volunteered to join, and gained some
favourable, though slight notice, from the old
Knight. Fulk Clarenham, too, having received
from the Prince the government of Perigorcd
was seldom at court, and no active enemy appeared to be at work against him.
Agnes de Clarenham, always retiring and
pensive, and seldom sought out by those who
admired gayer damsels, was sitting apart in the
embrasure of a window, whence, through an
opening in the trees of the garden, she could
catch a distant glimpse of the blue waters of
the river where it joined the sea, which separated her from her native land, and from her
who had ever been as a mother to her.  She was
so lost in thought, that she scarce heard a step
approaching, till the unwelcome sound of'fair
greeting to you, Lady Agnes,' caused her to look
up and behold the still more unwelcome form of
Sir Leonard Ashton. To escape from him was
the first idea, for his clownish manners, always




166        THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
unpleasant to her, had become doubly so, since
he had presumed upon her brother's favour, to
offer to her addresses, from which she saw no
escape, and with a brief reply of'thanks for
your courtesy, Sir Knight,' she was about to rise
and mingle with the rest of the party, when he
proceeded, bluntly,'Lady Agnes, will you do
me a favour?''I know  of no favour in my power,' said
she.'Nay,' he said,' it is easily done, and it is
as much to your brother as to myself. It is a
letter which, methinks, Fulk would  not have
read out of the family, of which I may call myself one' and he gave a sort of smirk at Agnes;- but he writes so crabbedly, that I, for
one, cannot read two lines,-and I would not
willingly give it to a Clerk, who might be less
secret.  So methought, as'twas the Baron's
affair, I would even bring it here, and profit by
your Convent-breeding, Lady Agnes.'
Agnes took the letter, and began to read:'For the hand of the Right Noble and Worshipful Knight,
Sir Leonard Ashton, at the court of my Lord the Prince of
Wales, these;-' Fair Sir and brother-in-arms-I hereby do you to wit, that
the affair wherefore we spoke goes well. Both my Lord of
Pembroke, and Sir John Chandos, readily undertook to move




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.                  167
the Prince to grant the Banneret you wot of the government of
the Castle, and as he hath never forgotten the love he once bore
to his brother, he will the more easily be persuaded. Of the
garrison we are sure, and all that is now needful is, that the
one-eyed Squire, whereof you spoke to me, should receive warning before he arrive at the Castle.
Tell him to choose his time, and manage matters, so that
there may be no putting to ransom. He will understand my
meaning.
6 Greeting you well, therefore,
FULK, Baron of Clarenham.''What means this?' exclaimed Agnes, as
a tissue of treachery opened before her eyes.' Aye, that you may say' said Leonard, his
slow brain only fixed upon Fulk's involved sentences, and utterly unconscious of the horror
expressed in her tone.'How is a man to understand what he would have me to do?   Send
to le Borgne Basque at Chateau Norbelle?   Is
that it?   Read it me once again, Lady, for the
love of the Saints. What am I to tell le Borgne
Basque?   No putting to ransom, doth he say?
He might be secure enough for that matter —
Eustace  Lynwood is little like to ransom   himself.'
But what mean you?' said Agnes, eagerly
hoping that she had done her brother injustice
in  her first horrible  thought.    Sir Eustace
Lynwood, if you  spoke of him, is no prisoner,
but is here at Bourdeaux.'




168      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'He shall not long be so,' said Leonard.'Heard you not this very noon that the Prince
bestows on him  the government of Chateau
Norbelle on the marches of Gascony?  Well,
that is the matter treated of in this letter. Let
me see, let me see, how was it to be? Yes,
that is it! It is le Borgne Basque who is Seneschal.  Aye, true, that I know,-and'twas he
who was to admit Clisson's men.'' Admit Clisson's men!'' Aye-'tis one of those Castles built by the
old Paladin, Renaud de Montauban, that Eustace used to talk about.  I ween he did not
know of this trick that will be played on himself-and all of them  have, they say, certain
secret passages leading through the vaults into
the Castle.  Le Borgne Basque knows them all,
for he has served much in those parts, and Fulk
placed him as Seneschal for the very purpose.''For the purpose of admitting Clisson's
men?  Do I understand you right, Sir Knight,
or do my ears play me false?'' Yes, I speak right.  Do you not see, Lady
Agnes, it is the only way to free your house of
this stumnbling-block,-this beggarly, up-start
Eustace,-who, as long as he lives, will never
acknowledge Fulk's rights, and would bring up
his nephew to the same pride.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         169
And is it possible, Sir Leonard, that brother
of mine, and belted Knight, should devise so
foul a scheme of treachery! 0 unsay it again 
Let me believe it was my own folly that conjured up so monstrous a thought''Aye, that is the way with women,' said
Leonard;'they never look at the sense of the
matter.  Why, this Eustace, what terms should
be kept with him, who has dealings with the
Evil One? and-'' I will neither hear a noble Knight maligned,
nor suffer him  to be betrayed,' interrupted
Agnes.'I have listened to you too long, Sir
Leonard Ashton, and will stain my ears no
longer. I thank you, however, for having given
me sucli warning, as to enable me to traverse
them.''What will you do?' asked Leonard, with
a look of impotent anger.'Appeal instantly to the Prince. Tell him
the use that is made of his Castles, and the
falsehoods told him  of his most true-hearted
Knight!' and Agnes, with glancing eyes, was
already rising for the purpose, forgetting in her
eager indignation, all that must follow, when
Leonard, muttering, I What madness possessed
me to tell her!' stood full before her, saying,
gloomily,'Do so, Lady, if you'choose to ruin
8




170      THE LANCES OF LYNWOODT
your brother!' The timid girl stood appalled,
as the horrible consequences of such an accusation arose before her.
That same day Eustace was summoned to
the Prince's presence.' Sir Eustace Lynwood,' said Edward, gravely,'I hear you have served the King well beneath the banner of Sir John Chandos. Your
friends have wrought with. me to give you occasion to prove yourself worthy of your spurs, and
I have determined to confer on you the government of my Chateau of Norbelle, on. the
frontier of Gascony, trusting to find you a true
and faithful governor and Castellane.''I truSt my Lord, that you have never had
occasion to deem  less honourably of me,' said
Eustace, and his clear open eye and brow courted rather than shunned the keen look of scrutiny that the Prince fixed upon him. His heart
leapt at the hope, that the time for inquiry was
come, but the Prince in another moment sank
his eyes again, with more, however, of the weary
impatience of illness than of actual displeasure,
and merely replied,'Kneel down, then, Sir
Knight, and take the oaths of fidelity.'
Eustace obeyed, hardly able to suppress a
sigh at the disappointment of his hopes.
You will receive, the necessary orders and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          171
supplies from Sir John Chandos, and from the
treasurer,' said Edward, in a tone that intimated
the conclusion of the conference, and Eustace
quitted his presence, scarce knowing whether to
be rejoiced or dissatisfied.
The former, Gaston certainly was.' I have
often been heartily weary of garrison duty,' said
he,'but never can I be more weary of aught,
than of being looked upon askance by half the
men I meet.  And we may sometimes hear the
lark sing too, as well as the mouse squeak, Sir
Eustace.  I know  every pass of my native
county, and the herds of Languedoc shall pay
toll to us.'
Sir John Chandos, as constable of Aquitaine,
gave him the requisite orders and information.
The fortifications, he said, were in good condition, and the garrison already numerous; but a
sum of money was allotted to.him in order to
increase their numbers, as much as he should
deem  advisable, since it was not improbable
that he might have to sustain a siege, as Oliver
de Clisson was threatening that part of the
frontier. Four days were allowed for his preparations, after which he was to depart for his
government.
Eustace was well pleased with all that he
heard, and returned to his lodging, where, in the




172       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
evening twilight, he was deeply engaged in consultation with Gaston, on the number of followers to be raised, when a light step was heard
hastily approaching, and Arthur, darting into
the room, flung himself on his neck, exclaiming,' Uncle! Uncle, go not to this Castle!''Arthur, what brings you here?  What
means this? No foolish frolic, no escape from
punishment, I trust?' said Eustace, holding
him at some little distance, and fixing his eyes
on him intently.''No, Uncle, no! On the word of a true
Knight's son,' said the boy, stammering in his
eagerness,'believe me, trust me, dear Uncleand go not to this fearful Castle.  It is a trapa snare laid to be your death, by the foulest
treachery!'' Silence, Arthur!' said the Knight, sternly.' Know you not what treason you speak? Some
trick has been played on your simplicity, and
yet you-child as you are-should as soon think
shame of your own father, as of the Prince, the
very soul of honour.''  it is not the Prince: he knows nought of
it-it is those double traitors, the Baron of
Clarenham and Sir Leonard Ashton, who have
worked upon him, and deceived him.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         173' 0 ho!' said Gaston.'The story now begins
to wear some semblance of probability.'
Arthur turned, looking perplexed.'Master
d'Aubricour,' said he,'I forgot that you were
here.  This is a secret which should have been
for my Uncle's ears alone.''Is it so?' said Gaston,'then I will leave
the room, if it please you and the Knight —
though, methought, I was scarce small enough
to be so easily overlooked; and having heard
the half-'
You had best hear the whole' said Arthur,'Uncle Eustace, what think you?'' I know not what to think, Arthur. You
must be your own judge.'
Arthur's young brow wore a look of deep
thought, at last he said,'Do not go then,
Gaston.  If I have done wrong, I must bear
the blame, and be it as it may, my Uncle needs
must tell you all that I may tell him.'
Let us hear then,' said Eustace.' Well, then,' said Arthur, who had by this
time collected himself,'you must know that
this Chateau Norbelle is one of those built by
that famous Paladin, the chief of freebooters, Sir
Renaucl de Montauban, of whom you have told
me so many tales. Now all of these have secret




174      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
passages in the vaults communicating with the
outer country.''The boy is right,' said Gaston,'I have seen
one of them in the Castle of Montauban itself.'
Then it seems,' proceeded Arthur,  that
this Castle hath hitherto been in the keeping of
a certain one-eyed Seneschal, a great friend and
comrade of Sir Leonard Ashton-''Le Borgne Basque!' exclaimed both Knight
and Squire, looking at each other in amaze.'True, true' said Arthur.'Now you believe
me. Well, the enemy being in the neighbourhood, it was thought right to increase the garrison, and place it under the command of a
Knight, and these cowardly traitors have wrought
with my Lord of Pembroke and Sir John Chancos, to induce the Prince to give you this postit being their intention that this wicked Seneschal and his equally wicked garrison should
admit Sir Oliver de Clisson, the butcher of
Bretagne himself, through the secret passage.
And, Uncle,' said the boy, pressing Eustace's
hand, while tears of indignation sprang to his
eyes,  the letter expressly said there was to be
no putting to ransom. 0 Uncle Eustace, go
not to this Castle!'
CAnd how came you by this knowledge?'
asked the Knight.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          175' That may I never tell,' said Arthur.' By no means which might not beseem the
son of a brave man?' said Eustace.'Mistrust me not so foult,' said the boy.'I know it from  a sure hand, and there is no
dishonour, save on the part of those villain
traitors. 0 promise me, fair Uncle, not to put
yourself in their hands!'
Arthur, I have taken the oaths to the
Prince as Castellane. I cannot go back from
my duty, nor give up its defence for any cause'whatsoever.'Alas! alas.''There would be only one way of avoiding
it,' said Eustace,' and you must yourself say,
Arthur, whether that is open to me. To go to
the Prince, and tell him  openly what use is
made of his Castles, and impeach the villains
of their treachery.'' That cannot be,' said Arthur, shaking his
head sadly-' it is contrary to the pledge I gave
for you and for myself.  But go not, go not,
Uncle.  Remember, Uncle, if you will not take
thought for yourself, that you are all that is left
me- all that stands between me and that
wicked Clarenham.-Gaston, persuade him.'
Gaston would never persuade me to disgrace my spurs for the sake of danger,' replied




176      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Eustace.' Have you no better learnt the laws
of chivalry in the Prince's household, Arthur?
Besides, remember old Ralph's proverb, " Forewarned is fore-armed."  Think you not that
Gaston, and honest Ingram, and I, may not be
a match for a dozen cowardly traitors?  Besides which, see here the gold allotted me to
raise more men, with which I will obtain some
honest hearts for my defence-and it will go
hard with me if I cannot find Sir Renaud's
secret door.'' Then, if you will go, Uncle, take, take me
with you-I could, at least, watch the door;
and I know how to hit a mark with a cross-bow
as well as Lord Harry of Lancaster himself.''Take you, Master Arthur! What! steal
away the Prince's page that I have been at
such pains to bring hither, and carry him to a
nest of traitors! Why it would be the very way
to justify Clarenham's own falsehoods.'' And of the blackest are they!' said Arthur.'Think, Uncle, of my standing by to hear him
breathing his poison to the Prince, and then
preventing him from searching to find out the
truth, by pretending a regard for my father's
name, and your character.  0 that our noble
Prince should be deluded by such a recreant,
and think scorn of such a Knight as you!'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         177'I trust yet to prove to him that it is a
delusion,' said Eustace.'Many a Knight at
twenty-two has yet to make his name and fame.
Mine, thanks to du Guesclin and the Prince
himself, is already made, and though clouded
for a time, with the grace of our Lady, and of
St. Eustace, I will yet clear it; so, Arthur, be
not downcast for me, but think what Father
Cyril hath taught concerning evil report and
good  report.  But tell me how  came you
hither?'' She-that is, the person that warned melet me down from the window upon the head of
the great gurgoyle, and from thence I scrambled
down by the vines on the wall, ran through the
court without being seen by the Squires and
grooms, and found my way to the bridge, where
happily I met John Ingram, who brought me
hither.''She?' repeated Gaston, with a sly look in
his black eyes.'I have said too much,' said Arthur, colouring deeply,'I pray you to forget.''Forget!' proceeded the Squire,'that is
sooner said than done. We shall rack our brains
to guess what lady can-''Hush, Gaston,' said Eustace, as his nephew
looked at him imploringly,'tempt not the boy.
8*




178      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
And you, Arthur, must return to the palace immediately.''0 Uncle!' said the boy,'may I not stay
with you this one night?  It is eight weary
months since I have even seen you, save by
peering down through the tall balusters of the
Princess' balcony, when the Knights were going
to dinner in the hall, and I hoped you would
keep me with you at least one night.  See how
dark and late it is-the Castle gates will be
closed by this time.''It does indeed rejoice my heart to have you
beside me, fair nephew,' said Eustace,'and yet
I know not how to favour such an escape as this,
even for such a cause.''I never broke out of bounds before,' said
Arthur,'and never will, though Lord Harry and
Lord Thomas Holland have more than once
asked me to join them.''Then,' said the Knight,'since it is, as you
say, too late to rouse the palace, I will take you
back in my hand to-morrow  morn, see the
Master of the Damoiseaux, and pray him to excuse you for coming to see me ere my departure.''Yes, that will be all well,' said Arthur;' I
could, to be sure, find the corner where Lord
Harry has loosened the stones, and get in by the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         179
page's window, ere old Master Michael is awake
in the morn; but I think such doings are more
like those of a fox than of a brave boy, and
though I should be well punished, I will walk in
at the door, and hold-up my head boldly.''Shall you be punished then?' said Gaston.'Is your old Master of the Damoiseaux very
severe?'He has not been so hitherto with me,' said
Arthur:'he scolds me for little, save what you
too are displeased with, Master d'Aubricour, because I cannot bring my mouth to speak your
language in your own fashion. It is Lord Harry
that chiefly-falls under his displeasure. But
punished now I shall assuredly be, unless Uncle
Eustace can work wonders.'
I will see what may be done, Arthur,' said
Eustace.'And now, have you supped?'
The evening passed off very happily to the
little page, who, quite reassured by his-Uncle's
consolations, only thought of the delight of
being with one who seemed to supply to him
the place at once of an elder brother and of a
father.
Early the next morning Eustace walked with
him to the palace. Just before he reached it,
he made this inquiry,'Arthur, 6d you often see
the Lady Agnes de Clarenham?'




180      THE LANCES OF LYNWOODo'0 yes, I am with her almost every afternoon. She hears me read, she helps me with
my French words, and teaches me courtly manners. I am her own page and servant, but here
we are. This is the door that leads to the room
of Master Michael de Sancy, the master of the
Damoiseaux.'
CHAPTER  XII.
THE next few days were spent in taking precautions against the danger intimated by the
mysterious message.  Gaston gathered together
a few of the ancient Lances of Lynwood, who
were glad to enlist under the blue crosslet, and
these, with some men-at-arms, who had recently come to Bourdeaux to seek employment,
formed a body with whom Eustace trusted to be
able to keep the disaffected in check.  Through
vineyards and over gently swelling hills did
their course lead them, till, on the evening of
the second day's journey, the view to the south
was shut in by more lofty and bolder peaks,
rising gradually towards the Pyrenees, and on
the summit of a rock overhanging a small rapid




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          181
stream, appeared the tall and massive towers of
a Castle, surmounted by the broad red cross of
St. George, and which their guide pronounced
to be the Chateau Norbelle.'A noble eyrie!' said Eustace, looking up,
and measuring it with his eye.  Too noble to
be sacrificed to the snaring of one poor Knight.
Shame that such a knightly building should
serve for such a nest of traitors!' said Gaston.' Saving treachery, a dozen boys could keep it
against a royal host, provided they had half the
spirit of your little nephew.'
Let us summon the said traitors' said Eustace, blowing a blast on his bugle.  The gates
were thrown wide open, the draw-bridge lowered,
and beneath the portcullis stood the Seneschal,
his bunch of keys at his girdle.  Both Eustace
and Gaston cast searching glances upon him,
and his aspect made them for a moment doubt
the truth of the warning. A patch covered the
lost eye, his moustache was shaved, his hair appeared many shades lighter, as well as his
beard, which had been carefully trimmed, and
altogether the obsequious Seneschal presented a
strong contrast to the dissolute, reckless manat-arms.  The Knight debated with himself,
whether to let him  perceive that he was recog



182      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
nized; and, deciding to watch his conduct, he
asked by what name to address him.'Thibault Sanchez,' replied le Borgne Basque, giving his real name, which he might
safely do, as it was not known to above two men
in the whole Duchy of Acquitaine.'Thibault
Sanchez, so please you, noble Sir, a poor Squire
from the mountains, who hath seen some few
battles and combats in his day, but never one
equal to the fight of Najara where your deeds
of prowess —-''My deeds of prowess, Sir Seneschal, had
better rest in silence until our horses have been
disposed of, and I have made the rounds of the
Castle before the light fails us.'' So late, Sir Knight! and after a long and
weary journey? Surely you will drink a cup of
wine, and take a night's rest first, relying on
me, who, though I be a plain man, trust I understand somewhat of the duties of mine office.''I sleep not until I have learnt what is
committed to my charge,' replied the Knight.
Lead the way, Master Sanchez.'' Ah!' there is what it is to have a Knight
of fame,' cried le Borgne Basque.'What vigilance! what earnestness! Ah, this will be,
as I told my comrades even now, the very school
of chivalry, the pride of the country.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         183
They had by this time crossed the narrow
court, and passing beneath a second portcullised
door, defended on either side by high battlemented walls, nearly double as thick as the
steps themselves were wide. At the head was
an arched door, heavily studded with nails, and
opening into the Castle hall, a gloomy vaulted
room, its loop-hole windows, in their mighty
depth of wall, affording little light. A large
wood fire was burning on the hearth, and its
flame cast a bright red light on some suits of
armour that were hung at one end of the hall,
as well as on some benches, and a long table in
the midst, where were placed'some trenchers,
drinking horns, and a flask or two of wine.'A  drop of wine, noble Knight,' said the
Seneschal.'Take a cup to recruit you after
your journey, and wash the dust from  your
throat.'
A long ride in full armour beneath the sun
of Gascony made this no unacceptable proposal,
but the probability that the wine might be
drugged had been contemplated by Enstace,
who had not only resolved to abstain himself,
but had exacted the same promise from d'Aubricour, sorely against his will.'We will spare your flasks till a time of
need,' said Eustace, only accepting the basin of




184       THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
fair water presented to him to lave his hands.'And now to the walls,' he added, after he had
filled a cup with water from the pitcher and refreshed himself with it. Gaston followed his
example, not without a wistful look at the wine,
and Sanchez was obliged to lead the way up a
long flight of spiral steps to two other vaulted
apartments, one over the other-the lower destined for the sleeping chamber of the Knight
and his Squire, the higher for such of the menat-arms as could not find accommodation in the
hall, or in the offices below. Above this they
came out on the lead-covered roof, surrounded
with a high crenellated stone parapet, where
two or three warders were stationed.  Still
higher rose one small octagon watch-tower, on
the summit of which was planted a spear bearing St. George's pennon, and by its side Sir
Eustace now placed his own.
This done, Eustace could not help standing
for a. few moments to look forth upon the glorious expanse of country beneath him-the rich
fields and fair vineyards spreading far away to
the west and north, with towns and villages
here and there rising among them; while far
away to the east, among higher hills, lay the
French town of Carcassonne, a white mass, just
discernible by the light of i!: setting sun, and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          185
the south was bounded by the peaks of the
Pyrenees, amongst which  lay all Eustace's
brightest recollections of novelty, adventure,
and hopes of glory.
Descending the stairs once more, after traversing the hall, they found themselves in the
kitchen, where a large supper was preparing.
Here, too, was the buttery, some other small
chambers fit for storehouses, and some stalls for
horses, all protected by the great bartizan at
the foot of the stairs, which was capable of being
defended even after the outer court was won.
By the time the new comers had made themselves acquainted with these localities, the evening was fast closing in, and Sanchez pronounced
that the Knight's survey was concluded in good
time for supper.'I have not yet seen the vaults,' said Eustace.
The vaults, Sir Knight! what would you
see there, save a few rusted chains, and some
whitened bones, that have been there ever since
the days of the Count de Montfort and the
heretic Albigenses!  They say that their accursed spirits haunt the place.''I have heard,' returned Sir Eustace,'that
these Castles of Gascony are said to have secret
passages communicating with their vaults, and




186      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
I would willingly satisfy my own eyes that we
are exposed to no such peril here.''Nay, not a man in the Castle will enter
those vaults after sunnset, Sir Knight.  The
Albigenses, Sir Eustace!''I will take the risk alone,' said Eustace.' Hand me a torch there!'
Gaston took another, and Thibault Sanchez,
seeing them so resolute, chose to be of the party.
The torches shed their red glare over the stone
arches on which the Castle rested, and there
was a chill damp air and earthy smell, which
made. both Knight and Squire shudder and
start. No sooner had they entered than Thibault, trembling, exclaimed in a tone of horror,' There! there! 0 blessed Lady, protect us!''Where?' asked Eustace, scarce able to
defend himself from an impression of terror.''Tis gone-yet methought I saw it again.There! look yonder, Sir Knight-something
white fluttering behind that column!'
Gaston crossed himself, and turned pale, but
Eustace had settled his nerves.'A truce with
these vain follies, Master Seneschal,' said he
sternly.'Those who know le Borgne Basque,
cannot believe his fears, either of saints or
demons, to be other than assumed.'
No ghost could have startled the Seneschal




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          187
of the Chateau Norbelle as much as this soubriquet. He fell back, and subsided into complete
silence, as he meditated whether it were best to
confess the plot, and throw himself upon Sir
Eustace's mercy, or whether he could hope that
this was merely a chance recognition.  He inclined to the latter belief when he observed that
the Knight was at fault respecting the secret
passage, searching in vain through every part of
the vault, and twice passing over the very spot.
The third time, however, it so chanced that his
spur rung against something of metal, and he
called for Gaston to hold his torch lower.  The
light fell not only upon an iron ring, but upon
a guard which evidently covered a key-hole.
Sanchez, after in vain  professing  great
amazement, and perfect ignorance of any such
entrance, gave up his bunch of keys, protesting
that there was nothing there which could unlock
the mysterious door: but the Knight had another
method.'Look you, Master Sanchez,' said he,
it may be, as you say, that this door hath not
been unclosed for hundreds of years, notwithstanding, I see traces in the dust as if it had
been raised of late. I shall, however, sleep
more securely, if convinced that it is an impossibility to lift it.  Go, therefore, Gaston, and
call half a dozen of the men, to bring each of




188      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
them the heaviest stone they can find from that
heap I saw prepared for a mangonel in the courtyard.'
0 excellent!' exclaimed Gaston,  and yet,
Sir Eustace-'
There he stopped, but it was evident that
he was reluctant to leave his master alone with
this villain.  Eustace replied by drawing his
good sword, and giving him a fearless smile, as
he planted his foot upon the trap-door; and
fixing his gaze upon Le Borgne Basque, made
him feel that this was no moment for treachery.
Gaston sped fast out of the dungeon, and,
in brief space, made his appearance at the head
of the men-at-arms, some bearing torches, others
labouring under the weight of the huge stones,
which, as he rightly thought, they were far
more inclined to heave at Sir Eustace's head,
than to place in the spot he pointed out.  They
were, however, compelled to obey, and, with
unwilling hands, built up such a pile upon the
secret door, that it could not be lifted from beneath without gigantic strength, and a noise
which would re-echo through the Castle. This
done, Sir Eustace watched them all out of the
vault himself, closed the door, locked it, and
announced to the Seneschal his intention of relieving him for the future from the care of the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          189
keys.  Still watching him  closely, he ascended
to the hall, and gave the signal for the supper,
which shortly made its appearance.
Thibault Sanchez, who laid claim to some
share of gentle blood, was permitted to enjoy
the place of honour together with Sir Eustace
and d'Aubricour-the rather that it gave them
a better opportunity of keeping their eye upon
him.
There was an evident attempt, on the part
of the garrison, to engage their new comrades
in a carouse in honour of their arrival, but this
was brought to an abrupt conclusion by Sir
Eustace, who, in a tone which admitted no
reply, ordered the wine flasks to the buttery,
and the men, some to their posts and others to
their beds. Ingram walked off, muttering his
discontent, and great was the ill-will excited
amongst, not only the original garrison, but the
new comers from  Bourdeaux; who, from their
lairs of straw, lamented the day when they took
service with so severe and rigid a Knight, and
compared his discipline with that of his brother,
Sir Reginald, who, strict as he might be, never
grudged a poor man-at-arms a little merriment.'But as to this Knight, one might as well serve
a Cistercian monk!'
As to Le Borgne Basque, he betook himself




190      T-IE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
to the buttery; and there, in an under tone of
great terror, began to mutter to his friend and
ally, Tristan de la Fleche,'It is all over with
us! He is a wizard! Sir Leonard Ashton was
right-oaf as he was-I never believed him
before; but what, save enchantment, could
have enabled him  to recognize me under this
disguise, or how could he have gone straight to
yonder door?'' Think you not that he had some warning?'
asked Tristan.'Impossible, save from Clarenham or from
Ashton himself; and, dolt as he is, I trow he
has sense enough to keep his own counsel. He
has not forgotten the day when he saw this
dainty young sprig rise up in his golden spurs
before his eyes. I know how it is! It is with
him as it was with the Lord of Corasse!''How was that, Thibault?''Why, you must know that Raymond de
Corasse had helped himself to the tythes of a
certain Church in Catalonia, whereby the Priest
who claimed them, said to him, "  Know that
I will send thee a champion that you will be
more afraid of, than you have hitherto been
of me."  Three months after, each night in the
Castle of Corasse began such a turmoil as never
was known-the plates in the kitchen dashed




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          191
together-loud raps at every door, and especially
at that of the Knight-as if all the goblins in
fairy-land had been let loose.  The Knight lay
silent all one night; but the next, when the
rioting was renewed as loud as ever, he leapt
out of his bed, and bawled out, " Who is it at
this hour thus knocks at my chamber door?"
He was answered, " It is I."  "And who sends
thee hither?"  asked the Knight. "The Clerk
of Catalonia, whom thou hast much wronged.
I will never leave thee quiet until thou hast
rendered him a just account." " What are thou
called?" said the Knight, "who art so good a,
messenger."'Orthon is my name."  But it
fell out otherwise from  the Clerk's intentionsfor Orthon had taken a liking to the Knight,
and promised to serve him  rather than the
Clerk-engaging never to disturb the Castlefor, indeed, he had no power to do ill to any.
Often did he come to the Knight's bed by night,
and pull the pillow from under his head-''What was he like?' asked Tristan.'The Lord de Corasse could not tell-he only
heard him-he never saw aught; for Orthon
only came by night, and, having wakened him,
would, begin by saying, "he was come from
England, Hungary, or elsewhere," and telling
all the news of the place.'




19~2'r9T-  LANCES 01F LYTNWOOD.
QIi cl v^lat t1lk you -was he?''
That -was wv hat our Lord, the Count de
Fo-0ix^  wou!  fain  have Inn1owrn  w-hen he had
much luiarvelled at the t'icligs tha.t were brought
him3  by the Lord  de Corassc, and had heard of
the strange messenge r who brought thenm.  IHe
entreated the Knight to desire Orthon to show
himself in  his own  proper form~-and  then,
having seen, to describe him.
So at night, when Orthon came again, and
plucked away te pil the   llo   the KTnight asked him
from  whence he calme? P        From  Prague, in
Bohemia," answered Orthon. " How far is it? 
~ Sixty cays' journey."; Hast thou returned
thence in so short a time?  "  I travel as fast
as the windl   or faster."' What! hast thon
got wings?"       0  no."   " I-How, then, canst
thou fly so fast?"   " That is no business of
yours!"    i No,' said the Knight-'"    should
like exceedingly to see what form thou hast? 
That  concerns  you  not,"  repliel Orthon.
" Be satisfied that you hear me."    I[ should
love  thee better had  I seen theem" said the
KInight,-wlereupon Orthon promised that the
first thingl he should see to-morrow, on qut;ing
his bed, should be no other thanl hiimself.
Ha! then, I wager that he saw one of the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        193
black cats that played round young Ashton's
bed.''Nay, the Knight's lady would not rise all
day lest she should see Orthon; but the Knight,
leaping up in the morning, looked about, but
could see nothing unusual. At night when
Orthon came, he reproached him for not having
shewn himself, as he had promised.  "I have,"
replied Orthon.  "I say No," said the Knight.
" What! you saw arthing when you leapt out
of bed?"'Yes," said the Lord de Corasse,
after having considered awhile, "I saw  two
straws, which were turning and playing together
on the floor."  "That was myself," said Orthon.'The Knight now  desired importunately
that Orthon would show himself in his own
true shape. Orthon told him that it might
lead to his being forced to quit his service-but
he persisted, and Orthon promised to show himself when first the Knight should leave his
chamber in the morning. Therefore, as soon as
he was dressed, the Knight went to a window
overlooking the court, and there he beheld nothing but a large lean sow, so poor, that she
seemel-nothing but skin and bone, with long
hanging ears, all spotted, and a thin sharppointed snout. The Lord de Corasse called to
9




194      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
his servants to set the dogs on the ill-favoured
creature, and kill it; but, as the kennel was
opened, the sow uttered a loud cry, and looked
up at his face, then vanished away, and was
never seen  afterwards.  Then  the Lord de
Corasse returned pensive to his chamber, fearing that the sow had indeed been Orthon — and
truly Orthon never returned more to his bedside. Within a year, the Knight was dead!''Is it true, think you, Sanchez?''True! why, man, I have seen the Chateau
de Corasse, seven leagues from Orthes!''And what think you was Orthon?'' It is not for me to say; but, you see, there
are some who stand fair in men's eyes, who have
strange means of gaining intelligence! It will
be a merit to weigh down a score of rifled
Priests, if we can but circumvent a wizard such
as this!'' But he has brought his books! I saw that
broad-faced Englishman carry up a whole pile
of -— a,' cried Tristan, turning pale.'With
his books, he will be enough to conjure us all
into apes!''Now  or never,' said Sanchez, encouragingly.'When all is still, I will go round, and
waken our comrades, while you creep forth by




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          195
the hole beneath the bartizan, and warn Clisson
that the secret passage is nought, but that when
he sees a light in old Montfort's turret-'
Tristan suddenly trod on his foot, as a sign
of silence, as a step descended the stairs, and
Sir Eustace stood before them.' You appear to be agreeably employed, gentlemen,' said he, glancing at the stoup of wine
which was before them;'but my ordere are as
precise as Norman William's. No lights in this
Castle, save my own, after eight o'clock. To
your beds, gentlemen, and a good night to you!'
He was still fully armed, so that it was unsafe
to attack him. And he saw them up the spiral
stairs that led from the hall, and watched them
enter the narrow dens that served them as sleeping rooms, where many a curse was uttered on
the watchfulness of the wizard Knight.  At the
turn of midnight, le Borgne Basque crept forth
in some hope that there might be an opportunity of fulfilling his designs, and earning the reward promised him both by Clarenham.' the
French.  But he had not descended far, before
a red gleam of torch-light was seen on the dark
stairs, and, ere he could retreat, the black head
and dark eyes of Gaston appeared, glancing
with mischievous amusement, as he said, in his
gay voice,'You are on the alert, my old com



196      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
rade.  You have not forgotten your former
habits when in command here. But Sir Eustace entrusts the care of changing the guard to
none but me-so I will not trouble you to disturb yourself another night.' And the baffled
miscreant retreated.
In this manner passed day after day, in a
tacit yet perpetual war between the Knight and
the garrison. Not a step could be taken, scarce
a word spoken, without some instant reminder,
that either Sir Eustace or Gaston was on the
watch.  On the borders of the enemy's country,
there was so much reason for vigilance, that the
garrison could not reasonably complain of the
services required of them; the perpetual watch,
and numerous guards; the occupations which
Knight and Squire seemed never weary of devising for the purpose of keeping them separate,
and their instant prohibition of any attempt at
the riotous festivity, which was their only consolation for the want of active exercises. They
grew heartily weary, and fiercely impatient of
restraint; and though the firm, calm, steady
strictness of the Knight was far preferable to
the rude familiarity and furious passions of
many a Castellane, there were many of the menat-arms who, though not actually engaged in
the conspiracy, were impatient of what they
called his haughtiness and rigidity. These men




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          197
were mercenaries from different parts of France,
accustomed to a lawless life, and caring little or
nothihg whether it were beneath the standard
of King Charles or King Edward that they acquired pay and plunder. The Englishmen were,
of course, devoted to their King and Prince,
and though at times unruly, were completely to
be depended upon. Yet, while owning Sir Eustace to be a brave, gallant, and kind-hearted
Knight, there were times when even they felt a
shudder of dread and almost of hatred passed
over them, when tales were told of the supernatural powers he was supposed to possess;
when Leonard Ashton's adventure with the cats
was narrated, or the story of his sudden arrival
at Lynwood Keep on the night before the lady's
funeral.  His own immediate attendants might
repel the charge with honest indignation, but
many a stout warrior slunk off in terror to bed
from the sight of Sir Eustace, turning the pages
of one of his heavy books by the light of the
hall fire, and saw in each poor bat that flitted
about within the damp depths of the vaulted,
chambers, the familiar spirit, which brought him
exact intelligence of all that passed at Bourdeaux, at Paris, or in London. Nay, if he only
turned his eyes on the ground, he was thought
to be looking for the twisting straws.




CHAPTER XIII.
THERE was a village at some distance from the
Chateau Norbelle, the inhabitants of which were
required to furnish it with provisions. The
Castellane, by paying just prices, and preventing his men from treating the peasants in the
cruel and exacting manner to which they were
accustomed, had gained their good-will. Prompt
intelligence of the proceedings of the French
army was always brought to him, and he was
thus informed that a large treasure was on its
way from Bayonne to Carcassonne, being the
subsidy promised by Enrique, King of Castile,
to his allies, Bertrand du Guesclin and Oliver de
Clisson.
It became the duty of the English to intercept these supplies, and Eustace knew that he
should incur censure, should he allow the occasion to pass. But how divide his garrison?
Which of the men-at-arms could be relied on?
After consultation with d'Aubricour, it was determined that he himself should remain with




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        199
John Ingram and a sufficient number of English, to keep the traitors in check, while Gaston
went forth in command of the party, who were
certain to fight with a good-will, where spoil
was the object. They would be absent at least
two nights, since the pass of the Pyrenees,
where they intended to lie in ambush, was at a
considerable distance, nor was the time of the
arrival of the convoy absolutely certain.
The expedition proved completely successful, and on the morning of the third day, the
rising sun beheld Gaston d'Aubricour riding
triumphantly at the head of his little band, in
the midst of which was a long line of heavilyladen baggage mules.  The towers of Chateau
Norbelle appeared in his view, when suddenly
with a cry of amazement he perceived that the
pennon of St. George and the banner of Lynwood were both absent from  the Keep. He
could scarcely believe his eyes, but forcing his
horse onward with furious impetuosity to obtain
a nearer view, he discovered that it was indeed
true.'The miscreants!' he shouted.   Oh, my
Knight, my Knight!' and turning to the men
who followed him, he exclaimed,'There is yet
hope! Will you see our trust betrayed, our
noble Knight foully murdered or delivered to




200      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
his enemies, or will ye strike a bold stroke in
his defence? He who is not dead to honour,
follow me!'
There was a postern, of which Eustace had
given Gaston the key, on his departure, and
thither the faithful Squire hastened, without
looking back to see whether he was followed by
many or few-in fact, rather ready to die with
Sir Eustace, than hoping to rescue him. The
ten Englishmen and some eight Frenchmen, infected by the desperation of his manner, followed him closely as he rushed up the slope,
dashed through the moat, and in another moment, opening the door, burst into the court.
There stood a party of the garrison, upon whom
he rushed with a shout of c Death, death to the
traitors!' Gaston's arm did the work of three,
as he hewed down the villains, who, surprised
and discomfited, made feeble resistance. Who
they were, or how many, he saw not, he cared
not, but struck right and left, till the piteous
cries for mercy, in familiar tones, made some impression, and he paused, as did his companions,
while in a tone of rage and anguish he demanded,'Where is Sir Eustace?''Ah! Master d'Aubricour,'twas not me,'twas the traitor, Sanchez-'twas Tristan,' was




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          201
the answer.'0 mercy, for our blessed Lady's
sake!''No mercy, dogs! till ye have shown me Sir
Eustace, in life and limb.''Alas! alas! Master d'Aubricour!' This
cry arose from some of the English, and Gaston,
springing towards the bartizan, beheld the senseless form of his beloved Knight lying stretched
in a pool of his own blood!  Pouring out
lamentations in the passionate terms of the
south, tearing his hair at having been beguiled
into leaving the Castle, and vowing the most
desperate vengeance against Clarenham and his
accomplices, he lifted his master from the ground,
and, as he did so, he fancied he felt a slight
movement of the chest, and a faint moan fell
upon his ear.
What recked Gaston that the Castle was
but half taken, that enemies were around on
every side? He saw only, heard only, thought
only of Sir Eustace! What was life or death,
prosperity or adversity, save as shared with
him?  He lifted the Knight in his arms, and,
hurrying up the stone steps, placed him on his
couch.'Bring water! bring wine!' he shouted as
he crossed the hall. A horse-boy followed with
a pitcher of water, and Gaston, unfastening the
9*




202      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOP.
collar of his doublet, raised his head, held his
face towards the air, and deluged it with water,
entreating him to look up and speak.
A few long painful gasps, and the eyes were
half unclosed, while a scarce audible voice said,' Gaston! is it thou?  I deemed it was over!
and then the eyes closed again. Gaston's heart
was lightened at having heard that voice once
more, even had that word been his last-and
answering,'Aye truly, Sir Knight, all is well
so you will but look up;' he succeeded in pouring a little water into his mouth.
He was interrupted by several of the menat-arms, who came trooping up to the door,
looking anxiously at the wounded Knight, while
the foremost said,' Master Gaston, here is gear
which must be looked to.  Thibault Sanchez,
and half-a-dozen more, have drawn together in
Montfort's tower, and swear they will not come
forth till we have promised their lives.'' Give them no such pledge!-Hang without
mercy!' cried another voice from behind.'Did
not I myself hear the traitorous villains send off
Tristan de la Fleche to bear the news to Carcassonne?  We shall have the butcher of Bretagne at our throats before another hour is
over.'
Cowardly traitor!' cried Gaston.' Where



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          203
fore didst thou not cut the throat of the caitiff,
and make in to the rescue of the Knight?''Why, Master d'Aubricour, the deed was
done ere I was well awake, and when it was
done, and could not be undone, and we were
but four men to a dozen, what could a poor
groom do?  But you had better look to yourself,-for it is true as the legends of the Saints,
that Tristan is gone to Carcassonne! riding full
speed on the Knight's own black charger.'
The news seemed to have a greater effect in
restoring Eustace. than any of Gaston's attentions. He again opened his eyes, and made an
effort to raise his head, as he said, almost instinctively,'Secure the gates! Warders, to
your posts!'
The men stood amazed; and Eustace, rallying, looked around him, and perceived the
state of the case:' Said you they had sent to
summon the enemy?' said he.'Martin said so,' replied Gaston,  and I fear
it is but too true.''Not a moment to be lost!' said Eustace.
Give me some wine!' and he spoke in a stronger
voice,' How many men of you are true to King
Edward and to the Prince?  All who will not
fight to the death in their cause, have free leave




204      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
to quit this Castle; but, first, a message must
be sent to Bourdeaux.' True, Sir Eustace, but on whom can we
rely?' asked Gaston.' Alas! I fear my faithful Ingram must be
slain,' said the Knight,'else this could never
have been. Know  you aught of him?' he
added, looking anxiously at the men.
The answer was a call from  one of the
men:' Here, John, don't stand there grunting
like a hog: the Knight is asking for you, don't
you hear?'
A slight scuffle was heard, and, in a few
seconds, the broad figure of Ingram shouldered
through the midst of the men-at-arms.  He
came, almost like a man in a dream, to the
middle of the room, and there, suddenly dropping upon his knees, he clasped his hands, exclaiming,'I, John Ingram, hereby solemnly
vow to our blessed Lady of Taunton, and St.
Joseph of Glastonbury, that never more will I
drink sack, or wine of any other sort or kind,
spiced or unspiced, on holiday or common day,
by day or night. So help me, our blessed Lady
and St. Joseph.''Stand up, John, and let us know if you are
in your senses,' said Gaston angrily;'we have
no time for fooleries. Let us know whether you




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         205
have been knave, traitor, or fool-for one or
other you must have been, to be standing here
sound and safe.''You are right, Sir Squire,' said Ingram,
covering his face with his hands.'I would I
were ten feet under ground, ere I had seen this
day;' and he groaned aloud.'You have been deceived by their arts,' said
Eustace.'That can I well believe; but that
you  should be a traitor, never, my trusty
John.''Blessings on you for the word, Sir Eustace!' cried the yeoman, while tears fell down
his rough cheeks.' 0, all the wine in the world
may be burnt to the very dregs, ere I again let
a drop cross my lips; but it was drugged, Sir
Eustace, it was drugged-that will I aver to
my dying day.'' I believe it,' said Eustace,'but we must
not wait to hear your tale, John. You must
take horse and ride with all speed to Bourdeaux.
One of you go and prepare a horse —''Take Brigliador!' said Gaston,-' he is
the swiftest. Poor fellow! well that I spared
him  from  our journey amid  the mountain
passes.''Then,' proceeded Eustace,'bear the news
of our case-that we have been betrayed-that




206      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Clisson will be on us immediately-that we will
do all that man can do to hold out till succour
can come,-which I pray the Prince to send us.''Take care to whom he addresses himself,'
said Gaston.'To some our strait will be welcome news.''True,' said Eustace;'do thy best to see
Sir John Chandos, or, if he be not at the court,
prefer thy suit to the Prince himself; to any
save the Earl of Pembroke.  Or if thou couldst
see little Arthur, it might be best of all. Dost
understand my orders, John?''Aye, Sir,' said Ingram, shaking his great
head, while the tears still flowed down his
cheeks, —' but to see you in this case!''Think not of that, kind John,' said Eustace;'death must come, sooner or later, and a
sword cut is the end for a Knight.'' You will not, shall not die! Sir Eustace,'
cried Gaston;'your wounds-'' I know not Gaston; but the point is now,
not of saving my life, but the Castle. Speed,
speed, Ingram! Tell the Prince, if this Castle
be taken, it opens the way to Bourdeaux itself.
Tell him how many brave men it contains, and
say to him that I pray him not to deem that
Eustace Lynwood hath disgraced his knighthood.  Tell Arthur, too, to bear me sometimes




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.       207
in mind, and never forget the line he comes of.
Fare thee well, good John!''Let me but hear that I have your forgiveness, Sir Knight.'' You have it, as freely as I hope for mercy.
One thing more: should you see Leonard Ashton, let him know that I bear him no ill-will,
and pray him not to leave the fair fame of his
old comrade foully stained. Farewell: here is
my hand —do not take it as scorn that it is my
left-my right I cannot move-'
The yeoman still stood in a sort of trance,
gazing at him, as if unable to tear himself
away.'See him  off, Gaston,' said the Knight;' then have the walls properly manned; all is in
your hands.'
Gaston obeyed, hurrying him to the gate,
and giving him  more hope of Sir Eustace's
recovery than he felt; for he knew that nothing
but the prospect of saving him was likely to
inspire the yeoman with either speed or pertinacity enough to be of use. He fondly patted
Brigliador, who turned his neck in amaze at
finding it was not his master who mounted
him, and having watched them for a moment,
he turned to look round the court, which was
empty, save for the bodies of those whom he




208      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
had slain in his furious onset. He next repaired to the hall, where he found the greater part
of the men loitering about, and exchanging
different reports of the strange events which
had taken place:-' He can't be a wizard, for
certain,' said one,' or he never would be in this
case, unless his bargain was up.''It were shame not to stand by him now in
the face of the enemy!' said another.'How
bold he spoke, weak and wounded as he was!''He is of the old English stock,' said a
third,-' a brave stout-hearted young Knight.''Well spoken, old Simon Silverlocks,' said
Gaston, entering.'I doubt where you would
find another such within the wide realm  of
France.''He is brave enough, that no man doubts,
answered Simon,' but somewhat of the strictest,
especially considering his years. Sir Reginald
was nothing to him.'' Was it not time to be strict when there was
such a -nest of treachery within the Castle?'
said Gaston.'We knew that murderous miscreant of a Basque, and had we not kept well
on our guard against him, you, Master Simon,
would long since have been hanging as high
from  Montfort's tower as I trust soon to see
him.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        209'But how knew you him, Master d'Aubricour? that is the question,' said old Simon, with
a very solemn face of awe.'How? why by means of somewhat sharper
eyes than you seem to possess. I have no time
to bandy words,-all I come to ask is, will you
do the duty of honest men or not?  If not,
away with you, and I and the Knight will abide
here till it pleases Messire Oliver, the butcher,
to practise his trade on us. I remember, if
some of the Lances of Lynwood do not, a certain camp at Valladolid, when some of us might
have been ill off, had he not stood by our beds
of sickness; nor will I easily desert that pennon
which was so gallantly made a banner.'
These were remembrances to stir the hearts
of the ancient Lances of Lynwood, and there
was a cry among them of,'We will never turn
our backs on it! Lynwood for ever!''Right, mine old comrades. Our walls are
strong-our hearts are stronger-three days and
aid must come from Bourdeaux.  The traitors
are captives, and we know to whom to trust;
for' ye, of English birth, and ye, my countrymen, who made in so boldly to the rescue, ye
will not fail at this pinch, and see a brave and
noble Knight yielded to a pack of cowardly
murderers.'




210      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'Never, never! We will stand by him to
the last drop of our blood,' they replied; for
the sight of the brave wounded Knight, as well
as the example of Gaston's earnestness and devotion, had had a powerful effect, and they
unanimously joined the Squire in. a solemn
pledge to defend both Castle and Knight to the
last extremity.'Then up with the good old banner!' said
Gaston,'and let us give Messire Oliver such a
reception as he will be little prepared for.' He
then gave some hasty directions, appointed old
Silverlocks, a skilled and tried warrior, to take
the place of Seneschal for the time, and to
superintend the arrangements; and sending
two men to guard the entrance of Montfort's
tower, where Sanchez and his accomplices had
shut themselves up, he returned to the Castellane's chamber.
Never was there an apartment more desolate. Chateau Norbelle was built more to be
defended than to be inhabited, and the rooms
were rather so much inclosed space, than places
intended for comfort. The walls were of unhewn stone, and, as well as the roof, thickly
tapestried with cobwebs,-the narrow loop-hole
which admitted light, was unglazed,-and there
was nothing in the whole chamber that could




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         211
be called furniture, save the two rude pallets
which served the Knight and Squire for beds,
and a chest which had been forced open and
rifled by the mutineers.  They had carried off
Eustace's beloved books, to burn them in the
court as instruments of sorcery, and the few garments it had likewise contained, lay scattered
about the room. Gaston hastened to the side
of his beloved Knight, almost dreading from his
silence and stillness, to find him expiring.  But
he was only faint and exhausted; and when
Gaston raised him, and began to examine his
wounds, he looked up, saying,' Thanks, thanks,
kind Gaston; but waste not your time here.
The Castle! the Castle!''What care I for the Castle, compared to
your life!' said Gaston.'For my honour and your own,' said Eustace, fixing his eyes on his Squire's face.' Gaston, I fear you,' he added, stretching out his
hand and grasping that of d'Aubricour,'if you
survive, you will forget the duty you owe the
King, for the purpose of avenging me upon
Clarenham. If ever you have loved me, Gaston, give me your solemn promise that this shall
not be.'' It was the purpose for which I should have
lived,' said Gaston.




212      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'You resign it?' said Eustace, still retaining his hold of his hand.'You touch not
one of my wounds till you have given me your
oath.''I swear it, then,' said Gaston,'since you
will ever have your own way, and I do it the
rather that Messire Oliver de Clisson will probably save me the pain of keeping the pledge.'' You have taken all measures for defence?''Yes.  The men-at-arms, such as are left,
may be trusted, and have all taken an oath to
stand by us, which I do not think they will
readily break.  The rest, either made off with
the baggage mules, or were slain when we broke
in to your rescue, or are shut up with le Borgne
Basque in Montfort's tower.  I have sent the
men to their posts, put them under Silverlock's
orders and told him  to come to me for directions.'
Eustace at last resigned himself into the
Squire's hands.. A broken arm, a ghastly-looking cut on the head, and a deep thrust with a
poinard in the breast, seemed the most serious
of the injuries he had received; but there were
numerous lesser gashes and stabs which had occasioned a great effusion of blood, and he had
been considerably bruised by his fall.
Gaston could attempt nothing but applying




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         213
some ointment, sold by a Jew at Bourdeaux as
an infallible cure for all wounds and bruises,
and, having done all he could for the comfort of
his patient, quitted him to attend to the defence of the Castle.
His first visit was to Montfort's tower, one
of the four flanking the main body of the
Castle.'Well, Master Thibault Sanchez, or, if you
like it better, le Borgne Basque,' cried he,'thank
you for saving us some trouble.  You have
found yourself a convenient prison there, and I
hope you are at your ease.''We shall see how you are at your ease,
Master Gaston le Maure,' retorted Sanchez from
the depths of the tower,  when another Borgne
shall make his appearance, and string you up as
a traitor to King Charles, your liege LQr'l''Le Borgne Basque talking of traitors and
such gear!' returned Gaston;'but he will tell
a different tale when the succours come from the
Prince.''Ha, ha!' laughed Thibault,'a little bird
whispered in mine ear, that you may look long
for succour from Bourdeaux.'
This was, in a great measure, Gaston's own
conviction; but he only replied the more vehemently, that it could not fail, since neither




214      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Knights nor Castles were so lightly parted with,
and that he trusted soon to have the satisfaction
of seeing the inhabitants of the tower receive
the reward of their treachery.
Thus they parted-Thibault, perfectly well
satisfied to remain where he was, since he had
little doubt that Oliver de Clisson's speedy arrival would set him at liberty, and turn the tables
upon Gaston; and Gaston, glad that, since he
could not, at present, have the satisfaction of
hanging him, he was in a place where he could
do no mischief, and whence he could not escape.
Now the warder on the watch-tower blew a
blast, and every eye was turned towards the
eastern part of the country, where in the direction of Carcassonne, was to be seen a thick
cloud of dust, from which, in due time, were
visible the flashes of armour, and the points of
weapons.  Gaston, having given his orders, and
quickened the activity of each man in his small
garrison, hurried down to bear the tidings to Sir
Eustace, and to array himself in his own brightest helmet, and gayest surcoat.
Ascending again to the battlements, he could
see the enemy approaching, could distinguish
the banner of Clisson,-and count the long array
of men-at-arms, and cross-bow-men as they
pursued their way through the bright green land



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         215
scape, now half-hidden by a rising ground, now
slowly winding from its summit.
At last they came to the foot of the slope.
Gaston had already marked the start and pause,
which showed when they first recognized the
English standard; and there was another stop,
while they ranged themselves in order, and, after
a moment's interval, a man-at-arms rode forward
towards the postern door, looked earnestly at it,
and called' Sanchez!'' Shoot him dead,' said Gaston to an English
cross-bow-man who stood beside him-' it is the
villain Tristan, on poor Ferragus.'
The arblast twanged, and Tristan fell, while
poor Ferragus, after starting violently, trotted
round to the well-known gate, and stood there
neighing.'Poor fellow!' said Gaston,'art
calling Brigliador?  I would I knew he had
sped well.'
The French, dismayed by the reception of
their guide, held back; but, presently, a pursuivant came forward from  their ranks, and,
after his trumpet had been sounded, summoned,
in the name of the good Knight, Messire Oliver
de Clisson, the garrison of Chateau Norbelle to
surrender it into his hands, as thereto commissioned by his Grace, Charles, King of France.
The garrison replied by another trumpet, and




216      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Gaston, standing forth upon the battlements
over the gateway, demanded to speak with Sir
Oliver ce Clisson, and to have safe conduct to
and from the open space at the foot of the
slope. This being granted, the draw-bridge was
lowered, and the portcullis raised. Ferragus
entered, and went straight to his own stall; and
Gaston d'Aubricour came forth in complete
armour, and was conducted by the pursuivant
to the leader of the troop. Sir Oliver de Clisson, as he sat on horseback with the visor of his
helmet raised, had little or nothing of the appearance of the courteous Knight of the period.
His features were not, perhaps, originally as
harsh and ill-formed as those of his compeer,
Bertrand du Guesclin, but there was a want of
the frank open expression and courteous demeanour which so well suited the high chivalrous temper of the great Constable of France.
They were dark and stern, and the loss of an
eye, which had been put out by an arrow,
rendered him still more hard favoured. He was,
in fact, a man soured by early injuries-his
father had been treacherously put to death by
King John of France, when Duke of Normandy,
and his brother had been murdered by an Englishman-his native Brittany was torn by dissensions and divisions-and his youth had been




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         217
passed in bloodshed and violence. He had now
attained the deserved fame of being the second
Knight in France-honourable and loyal as regarded his King-but harsh, rigid, cruel, of an
unloveable temper, which made him, in after
years, a mark for plots and conspiracies; and
the vindictive temper of the Celtic race leading
him to avenge the death of his brother upon
every Englishman who fell into his hands.' o, Sir Squire!' exclaimed he, in his
harsh voice,' what excuse do you come to make
for slaying my messenger ere he had time to deliver his charge?''I own him as no messenger,' returned G-aston.'He was a renegade traitor from our own
Castle, seeking his accomplice in villainy!''Well, speak on,' said Oliver, to whom the
death of a man-at-arms was a matter of slight
importance.'Art thou come to deliver up the
Castle to its rightful Lord?''No, Messire Oliver,' replied Gaston.'I
come to bring the reply of the Castellane, Sir
Eustace Lynwood, that he will hold out the
Castle to the last extremity against all and each
of your attacks.''Sir Eustace Lynwood?  What means this,
Master Squire? Yonder knave declared he was
dead!'
10




218      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'Hear me, Sir Oliver de Clisson,' said Gaston.'Sir Eustace Lynwood hath a pair of
mortal foes at the Prince's court, who prevailed
on a part of the garrison to yield him into your
hands. In my absence, they, in part, succeeded.
By the negligence of a drunken groom, they were
enabled to fall upon him in his sleep, and, as
they deemed, had murdered him. I, returning
with the rest of the garrison, was enabled to
rescue him, and deliver the Castle, where he now
lies-alive, indeed, but desperately wounded.
Now, I call upon you, Sir Oliver, to judge,
whether it be the part of a true and honourable
Knight to become partner of such miscreants,
and to take advantage of so foul a web of
treachery?'
This may be a fine tale for the ears of
younger Knights-errant, Sir Squire,' was the
reply of Clisson.'For my part, though I am
no lover of treason, I may not let the King's service be stayed by scruples. For yourself, Sir
iquire, I make you a fair offer. You are, by
your tongue and countenance, a Gascon-a liegeman born of King Charles of France.  To
you, and to every other man of French birth,
I offer to enter his service, or to depart whither
it may please you, with arms and baggage, so
you will place the Castle in our hands-and




THE LANCES OF LYiNWOOD.        219
leave us to work our will of the island dogs it
contains!''Thanks, Sir Oliver, for such a boon as I
would not vouchsafe to stoop to pick up, were it
thrown at my feet!''Well and good, Sir Squire,' said Clisson,
rather pleased at the bold reply.' We understand each other.  Fare thee well.'
And Gaston walked back to the Castle,
muttering to himself,' Had it but been the will
of the Saints, to have sent du Guesclin hither,
then would Sir Eustace have been as safe and free
as in Lynwood Keep itself! But what matters
it? If he dies of his wounds, what good would
my life do me, save to avenge him-and from
that he has debarred me.  So, grim Oliver, do
thy worst!-Ha!' as he entered the Castle-'Down portcullis-up drawbridge!-Archers,
bend your bows! Martin, stones for the mangonel!'
Nor was the assault long delayed. Clisson's
men only waited to secure their horses and prepare their ladders, and the attack was made on
every side.
It was well and manfully resisted. Bravely
did the little garrison struggle with the numbers
that poured against them on every side, and the
day wore away in the desperate conflict.




220      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Sir Eustace heard the loud cries of' Montjoie St. Denis! Clisson!' on the one side, and
the' St. George for Merry England! A Lynwood!' with which his own party replied; he
heard the thundering of heavy stones, the rush
of combatants, the cries of victory or defeat.
Sometimes his whole being seemed in the fight;
he clenched his teeth, he shouted his war-cry,
tried to raise himself and lift his powerless
arm; then returned again to the consciousness
of his condition, clasped either the rosary or the
crucifix, and turned his soul to fervent prayer;
then, again, the strange wild cries without confounded themselves into one maddening noise
on his feverish ear, or, in the confusion of his
weakened faculties, he would, as it were, believe
himself to be his brother, dying on the field of
Navaretta, and scarce be able to rouse himself
to a feeling of his own identity.
So passed the day-and twilight was fast
deepening into night, when the cries, a short
time since more furious than ever, and nearer
and more exulting on the part of the French, at
length subsided, and finally died away; the
trampling steps of the men-at-arms could be
heard in the hall below, and Gaston himself
came up with hasty step, undid his helmet, and,
wiping his brow, threw himself on the ground




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          221
with his back against the chest, saying,'Well,
we have done our devoir, at any rate! Poor
Brigliador! I am glad he has a kind master in
Ingram!'
Have they won the court?' asked Eustace.'I thought I heard their shouts within it.'Aye!  Even so. How  could we guard
such an extent of wall with barely five-andtwenty men?  Old Silverlocks and Jaques de
l'Eure are slain, Martin badly wounded, and we
all forced back into the inner court, after doing
all it was in man to do.''I heard your voice, bold and cheerful as
ever, above the tumult,' said Eustace.' But
the inner court is fit for a long defence-that
staircase parapet, where so few can attack at
once.''Aye,' said Gaston,'it was that and the
darkness that stopped them.  There I can detain them long enough to give the chance of
the succours, so those knaves below  do not
fail in spirit-and they know well enough what
chance they have from yon grim-visaged Breton!
But as to those succours, I no more expect them,
than I do to see the Prince at their head! A
hundred to one, that he never hears of our need,
or, if he should, that Pembroke and Clarenhaml
do not delay the troops till too late.'




222      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
And there will be the loss of the most important Castle, and the most faithful and kindest heart!' said Eustace.'But go, Gastonfood and rest you must need after this long day's
fight-and the defences must be looked to, and
the men cheered!''Yes,' said Gaston, slowly rising, and bending over the Knight;'but is there nought I can
do for you, Sir Eustace?'' Nought, save to replenish my cup of water.
It is well for me that the enemy have not cut
us off from the Castle well.'
Gaston's supper did not occupy him long.
He was soon again in Eustace's room, talking
over his plan of defence for the next day; but
with little, if any, hope that it would be other
than his last struggle. At last, wearied out
with the exertions of that day and the preceding, he listened to Eustace's persuasions, and,
removing the more cumbrous portions of his armour, threw himself on his bed, and, in a moment his regular breathings announced that he
was sound asleep.
It was in the pale early light of dawn that
he awoke, and, starting up while still half-asleep,
exclaimed,'Sir Eustace, are you there?  I
should have relieved guard long since!' Then,
as he recalled his situation,'I had forgot!




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          223
How is it with you, Sir Eustace?  Have you
slept?''No,' said Eustace.'I have not lost an
hour of this last night I shall ever see. It will
soon be over now-the sun is already reddening
the sky; and so, Gaston, ends our long truehearted affection.  Little did I think it would
bring thee to thy death in the prime of thy
strength and manhood!'and he looked mournfully on the lofty stature and vigorous form of
the Squire, as he stood over him.' For that,' Sir Eustace,'there is little cause
to grieve. I have been a wanderer, friendless and
homeless, throughout my life; and save for yourself, and, perhaps, poor little Arthur's kind heart,
where is one who would cast a second thought
on me, beyond, perhaps, saying, " he was a
brave and faithful Squire? " But little aid I
think, when I saw your spurs so nobly won,
that this was to be the end of it-that you
were to die, defamed and reviled, in an obscure
den, and by the foul treachery of-'
Speak not of that, Gaston,' said Eustace.'I have dwelt on it in the long hours of the
night, and I have schooled my mind to bear it.
Those, with whom we shall soon be, know that
if I have sinned in many points, yet I am guiltless in that whereof they accuse me-and for




224      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
the rest, there are, at least, two who will think
no shame of Eustace Lynwood. And now, if
there is yet time, Gaston, since no Priest is at
hand, I would pray thee to do me the last favour
of hearing the confession of my sins.'
And Gaston kneeling down, the Knight and
Squire, according to the custom of warriors in
extremity, confessed to each other, with the
crucifix raised between them. Eustace then,
with his weak and failing voice, repeated several
Prayers and Psalms appropriate to the occasion,
in which Gaston joined with hearty devotion.
By this time, a slight stir was heard within the
Castle; and Gaston, rising from  his knees,
went to the loop-hole, which commanded a view
of the court, where the French had taken up
their quarters for the night in some of the outbuildings-and the lion rampant of Clisson was
waving in triumph on the gateway tower.'All silent there,' said he;'but I must go
to rouse our Knaves in time to meet the first
onset.' And, as he clasped on his armour, he
continued,'All that is in the power of man,
will we do! Rest assured, Sir Eustace, they
reach you not save through my body; and let
your prayers be with me. One embrace, Sir
Eustace, and we meet no more-''In  this world.' Eustace concluded the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          225
sentence, as Gaston hung over him, and his
tears dropped on his face.'Farewell, most
faithful and most true-hearted! Go, I command thee! Think not on me-think on thy
duty-and good angels will be around us both.
Farewell, farewell.'
Gaston, for the first time in his life, felt
himself unable to speak. He crossed the room
with slow  and lingering step; then, with a
great effort, dashed out at the door, closing his
visor as he did so, and, after a short interval,
during which he semed to have stopped on the
stairs, Eustace could hear his gay, bold tones,
calling,'Up! up! my merry men, all! Let
not the French dogs find the wolf asleep in his
den. They will find our inner bartizan a hard
stone for their teeth-and it will be our own
fault, if they crack it before the coming of our
brave comrades from  Bourdeaux!'
CHAPTER XIV.
THE open space beyond the walls of Bourdeaux presented a bright and lively scene. It
was here that the pages of the Black Prince




226      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
were wont to exercise those sports and pastimes,
for which the court of the palace scarce afforded
sufficient space, or which were too noisy for the
neighbourhood of the ladies, and of the invalid
Prince.
Of noble and often of princely birth were
all who entered that school of chivalry, and, for
the most part, the fine open countenances, noble
bearing, and well-made figures of the boys, testified their high descent, as completely as the
armorial bearings embroidered on the back and
front of their short kirtles.  Many different
provinces had sent their noblest to be there
trained in the service of the bravest Knights
and Princes.  There, besides the brown-haired,
fair-skinned English boy, was the quick fiery
Welsh child, who owed an especial allegiance to
the Prince; the broad blue-eyed Fleming, whose
parents rejoiced in the fame of the son of Philippa of Hainault; the pert, lively Gascon, and
the swarthy Navarrese mountaineer-all brought
together in close and ever-changing contrast of
countenance, habits, and character.
Of all the merry groups scattered through
that wide green space, the most interesting was
one formed by three boys, who stood beneath a
tree, a little from  the rest.  The two eldest
might be from. ten to eleven years old, the third




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          227
two or three years younger, and his delicate
features, fair, pale complexion, and slender limbs,
made him appear too weak and childish for such
active sports as the rest were engaged in, but
that the lordly glance of his clear blue eye, his
firm tread, and the noble carriage of his shapely
head, had in them  something of command,
which attracted notice even before the exceeding beauty of his perfectly moulded face, and
long waving curls of golden hair.
So like him, that they might have passed
for brothers, was one of the older boys, who
stood near-there was the same high white
brow, proud lip, regular features, and bright
eye; but the complexion, though naturally as
fair, was tanned to a healthy brown where exposed to the sun; the frame was far stronger
and more robust; and the glance of the eye
had more in it of pride and impatience, than of
the calm  command so remarkable in the little
one.  The three boys were standing in consultation over an arrow, which they had just discovered, stuck deep in the ground.
"Tis my arrow, that I shot over the mark
on Monday,' said the elder.'Nay, Harry,' said the younger boy,'that
cannot be; for remember Thomas Holland said




228      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
your arrow would frighten the good nuns of St.
Ursula in their garden.''It must be mine,' persisted Harry-' for
none other of you all can shoot as far.'' Yes, English Arthur can,' said the little
boy.' He shot a whole cloth-yard beyond you
the day-''Well, never mind, Edward,' said Harry
sharply-' who cares for arrows?-weapons for
clowns, and not for Princes!''Nay, not so, Lord Harry,' interposed the
third boy:'I have heard my uncle say, many a
time, that England's archery is half her strength
-and how it was our archers at the battle of
Crecy-'' I know all that-how the men of Genoa
had wet bow-strings and ours dry ones,' said
Henry;'but they were but peasants, after
all!''Aye; but a King of England should know
how to praise and value his good yeomen.
Henry turned on his heel, and, saying,' Well, let the arrow be whose it will, I care
not for it,' walked off.'Do you know  why Harry of Lancaster
goes, Arthur?' said Edward, smiling.'No my Lord,' replied Arthur.'He cannot bear to hear aught of King of




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        229
England,' was the answer.'If you love me,
good Arthur, vex him not with speaking of it.''Father Cyril would say, he ought to learn
content with the rank where he was born,' said
Arthur.' Father Cyril, again!' said Prince Edward.'You cannot live a day, without speaking of
him, and of your Uncle.''I do not speak of them so much now,' said
Arthur, colouring.'It is only you, Lord Edward, who never make game of me for so
doing-though, I trow, I have taught Pierre de
Greilly to let my Uncle's name alone.'' Truly, you did so,' said Edward, laughing,' and he has scarce yet lost his black eye. But
I love to hear your tales, Arthur, of that quiet
Castle, and the old Blanc Etoile, and your
Uncle, who taught you to ride. Sit down here
on the grass, and tell me more. But what are
you staring at so fixedly? At the poor jaded
horse, that yonder man-at-arms is urging on so
painfully?''Tis-No, it is not-Yes,'tis Brigliador,
and John Ingram himself,' cried Arthur.'Oh,
my Uncle! my Uncle!' And, in one moment,
he had bounded across the ditch, which fenced
in their exercising ground, and had rushed to
meet Ingram.'Oh, John!' exclaimed he,




230      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
breathlessly,'have they done it?  Oh, tell me
of Uncle Eustace! Is he alive?''Master Arthur!' exclaimed Ingram, stopping his wearied horse.' Oh, tell me, Ingram,' reiterated Arthur,' is
my Uncle safe?'' He is alive, Master Arthur-that is, he was
when I came away, but as sore wounded as ever
I saw Knight.  And the butcher of Brittany is
upon them by this time! and here I am sent to
ask succours and I know no more to whom to
address myself, than the cock at the top of Lynwood steeple!''But what has chanced, John?-make haste,
and tell me.'
And John, in his own awkward and confused
style, narrated how he had been entrapped by
Sanchez, and the consequences of his excess.'But,' said he,'I have vowed to our Lady of
Taunton, and St. Joseph of Glastonbury, that
never again-'
Arthur covered his face with his hands, and
gave away to tears of indignation and grief, as
he felt his helplessness. But one hand was
kindly withdrawn, and a gentle voice said,'Weep not, Arthur, but come with me, and my
father will send relief to the Castle, and save
your Uncle.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         231'You here, Lord Edward?' exclaimed Arthur, who had not perceived that the Prince had
followed him.'Oh yes, thanks, thanks! None
but the Prince can save him. Oh, let me see
him myself, and that instantly!''Then, let us come,' said Edward, still holding Arthur's hand.
Arthur set off at such a pace, as to press the
little Prince into a breathless trot by his side;
but he, too was all eagerness, and scorned to
complain. They proceeded without interruption
to the court of the palace. Edward, leading
the way, hastened to his mother's apartments.
He threw open the door, looked in, and, saying
to Arthur,'He must be in the council chamber,' cut short an exclamation of Lady Maude
Holland, by shutting the door, and running
down a long gallery to an ante-chamber, where
were several persons waiting for an audience,
and two warders, with halberts erect, standing
on guard outside a closed door.'The Prince is in council, my Lord.'
Edward drew up his head, and, waving them
aside with a gesture that became the heir of
England, said,' I take it upon myself.' He then
opened the door, and, still holding Arthur fast
by the hand. led him into the chamber where




232      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
the Prince of Wales sat in consultation with his
nobles and clerks.
There was a pause of amazement as the
two boys advanced to the high carved chair on
which the Prince was seated-and Edward exclaimed,' Father, save Arthur's Uncle!'' What means this, Edward?' demanded the
Prince of Wales, somewhat sternly.'Go to
your mother, boy-we cannot hear you now,
and-''I cannot go, father,' replied the child,' till
you have promised to save Arthur's Uncle! He
is wounded!-the traitors have wounded him!and the French will take the Castle, ahd he
will be slain! And Arthur loves him so much!''Come here, Edward,' said the Prince, remarking the flushed cheek and tearful eye of his
son,' and tell me what this means.'
Edward obeyed, but without losing his hold
of his young friend's hand.'The man-at-arms
is come, all heat and dust, on the poor drooping,
jaded steed-and he said, the Knight would be
slain, and the Castle taken, unless you would
send him relief. It is Arthur's Uncle that he
loves so well.''Arthur's Uncle?' repeated the Prince-and,
turning his eyes on the suppliant figure, he said,'Arthur Lynwood! Speak, boy.'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         233'  my Lord,' said Arthur, commanding his
voice with difficulty,'I would only pray you to
send succour to my Uncle at Chateau Norbelle,
and save him from being murdered by Oliver de
Clisson.'
It was a voice which boded little good to
Arthur's suit that now  spoke.'If it be Sir
Eustace Lynwood, at Chateau Norbelle, of whom
the young Prince speaks, he can scarce be in any
strait, since the garrison is more than sufficient.'
The little page started to his feet, and, regarding the speaker with flashing eyes, exclaimed,'Hearken not to him, my Lord Prince! He is
the cause of all the treachery!-he is the ruin
and destruction of my Uncle!-he has deceived
you with his falsehoods!-and now, he would be
his death!''How now, my young cousin!' said Clarenham, in a most irritating tone of indifference;-'you forget in what presence you are.''I do not,' replied Arthur, fiercely.'Before
the Prince, Fulk Clarenham, I declare you a
false traitor!-and, if you dare deny it, there
lies my glove!'
Fulk only replied by a scornful laugh, and,
addressing the Prince, said,'May I pray of your
Grace not to be over severe with my young malapert relation.'




234      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
The Captal de Buch spoke:'You do not
know what an adversary you have provoked,
Fulk! The other day, I met my nephew, little
Pierre, with an eye as black as the patch we
used to wear in our young days of Knighterrantry. " What wars have you been in, Master Pierre?" I asked. It was English Arthur
who had fought with him, for mocking at his
talking of nothing but his Uncle. But you
need not colour, and look so abashed, little
Englishman!-I bear no more malice than I
hope Pierre does-I only wish I had as bold a
champion! I remember thine Uncle, if he is
the youth to whom the Constable surrendered
at Navaretta, and of whom we made so much.''Too much then, and too little afterwards,'
said old Sir John Chandos.'You do not know all, Chandos,' said the
Prince.
You do not yourself know all, my Lord,'
said Arthur, turning eagerly:'Lord de Clarenham has deceived you, and led you to imagine
that my Uncle wished ill to me, and wanted to
gain my lands; whereas it is he himself who
wants to have me in his hands to bend me to
his will. It is he who has placed traitors in
Chateau Norbelle, to slay my Uncle and deliver
him to the enemy; they have already wounded




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         235
him almost to death,'-here Arthur's lips quivered, and he could hardly restrain a burst of
tears;'and they have sent for Sir Oliver de
Clisson, the butcher-Gaston will hold out as
long as they can, hut if you will not send succours, my Lord, he will-will be slain; and
kind Gaston, too;' and Arthur, unable to control himself any longer, covered his face with
his hands, and gave way to a silent suppressed
agony-of sobs and tears.' Cheer thee, my boy,' said the Prince, kindly.'We will see to thine Uncle;' then, looking at his nobles, he continued,'It seems that
these varlets will allow us no more peace; and
since there does in truth appear to be a Knight
and Castle in jeopardy, one of you had, perhaps,
better go with a small band, and clear up this
mystery.  If it be as the boy saith, Lynwood
hath had foul wrong.''I care not if I be the one to go, my Lord,'
said Chandos;' my men are ever kept in readiness, and a night's gallop will do the lazy
knaves all the good in the world.'
Arthur, brushing off the tears of which he
was much ashamed, looked at the old Knight
in transport.'Thanks, Chandos,' said the Prince;'I
would commit the matter to none so willingly




236      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
as to you, though I scarce would have asked it,
considering you were not quite so prompt on a
late occasion.''My Lord of Pembroke will allow, however,
that I did come in time,' said Sir John.' It
was his own presumption and fool-hardiness that
got him into the scrape, and he was none the
worse for the lesson he received.  But this young
fellow seems to have met with this mischance
by no fault of his own-and I am willing to see
him righted-for he is a good lad as well as a
brave, as far as I have known him.'' How came the tidings?' asked the Prince.'Did not one of you boys say somewhat of a
man-at-arms?'' Yes, my Lord,' said Arthur;'John Ingram, my Uncle's own yeoman, has come upon
Brigliador with all speed. I sent him  to the
guard-room, where he now waits in case you
would see him.''Aye,' said old Chandos,'a man would have
some assurance that he is not going on a fool's
errand.'Let us have him here, my Lord.''Cause him  to be summoned,' said the
Prince to Arthur.'And, at the same time,' said Chandos,'send for my Squire, Henry Neville, to the ante



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        237
chamber. The men may get on their armour in
the mean time.'
In a few minutes John Ingram made his appearance, the dust not yet wiped from  his
armour, his hair hanging in disorded masses
over his forehead, and his jaws not completely
resting from the mastication of a huge piece of
pasty. His tale, though confused, could not be
for an instant doubted, as he told of the situation in which he had left Chateau Norbelle and
its Castellane,'the best Knight ever man could
wish to live under. Well, he hath forgiven me,
and given me his hand upon it.'' Forgiven thee, for what?' said the Prince.' Ah! my Lord, I may speak of treason, but
I am one of the traitors myself! Did not the
good Knight leave me in charge, to make my
rounds constantly in the Castle, while he slept
after his long watching? and, lo, there comes
that wily rascal, the Seneschal, Sanchez, with
his "'Tis a cold night, friend John-the Knight
wakes thee up early-come down to the buttery,
and crack a cup of sack in all friendliness!"
Down then go I, oaf that I was, thinking that,
may be, our Knight was over strict and harsh,
and pulled the reins so tight, that a poor manat-arms must needs get a little diversion now
and then, as the proverb says, " when the cat's




238      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
away, the mice may play." But it was drugged,
my Lord, else when would one cup of spiced
wine have so overcome me, that I knew nought,
till I heard Master d'Aubricour shouting treason
in the court-yard like one frantic? But the
Knight has forgiven me, and I have sworn to
our blessed Lady of Taunton, and St. Joseph of
Glastonbury, that not a draught of wine, spiced
or unspiced, shall again cross my lips.''A wholesome vow,' said the Prince,'and
here is a token to make thee remember it,'and he placed in the hand of the yeoman a
chain of some value.'Go to the guard-room,
where you shall be well entertained till such
time as we need thee again, as we may, if you
have been, as you say, long in Sir Eustace Lynwood's service. But what now?  Hast more
to say?'
I would say-so please you, my Lord-that
I pray you but to let me ride back to Chateau
Norbelle with this honourable Knight,-for I owe
all service to Sir Eustace —nor could I rest, till
I know how it fares with him.''As you will, good fellow,' said the Prince,'and you Chandos, come with me to my chamber-I would speak with you before you depart.''My Lord,' said Arthur,'would you but




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         239
grant me one boon-to go with Sir John to
Chateau Norbelle?''You too?  You would almost make me
think you all drawn by witchcraft to this Castle!'
But Arthur's eagerness extorted a consent, and
he rode off amid Sir John Chandos's troop,
boldly enough. at first, but by-and-by so sleepily, that, as night advanced, Sir John ordered
him to be placed in front of a trooper, and he
soon lost all perception of the rough rapid pace
at which they travelled. It was broad day
when he was awakened by a halt, and the first
thing he heard was,'There is St. George's pennon still safe!'
He sat upright, gazed eagerly forwards, and
beheld a tall dark tower rising by the bank of a
stream at some distance.' Chateau Norbelle?'
he asked.' 0 ho! my little page,' said Chandos.' You
are alive again, are you? Aye, Chateau Norbelle it is-and we are in time it seems! But
let us have you on your own steed again. And
let us see-if Oliver be there himself, we shall
have sharp work. Aye, keep you by the side of
the old master leech there-he will be sure to
keep out of peril. Now-close in-lances in
rest-bows bent. Forward banner!'
Arthur, by no means approving of the com



240      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
panionship assigned him, contrived to wedge in
his pony a little in the rear of Sir John's two
Squires, as the whole squadron rode down the
slope of the hill, and up the ascent on which the
Castle stood.  Loud cries and shrieks from
within began to strike their ears-the clash of
arms-all the tumult of attack and defence
raging fearfully high and wild.'Ho, ho! friend Oliver!-we have you in a
trap!' said old Chandos, in high glee, as he
drew  up close without the walls.'Neville,
guard the gates!'
He signed to about half his band to remain
without, and cut off the retreat of the enemy.
The Jew doctor chose his post in their rear, close
to the Castle moat-but not so Arthur.  Unnoticed and forgotten, he still kept close behind
the Squire, who rode alongside of Sir John
Chandos, as he crossed the draw-bridge. The
Castle gate was open, and showed a wild confused mass of struggling men and flashing arms.
It was the last, most furious onset, when Clisson, enraged by the long resistance of so weak a
garrison, was concentrating his strength in one
effort, and, in the excitement of the assault, he
had failed to remark that his sentinels had
transgressed his orders, and mingled with the
crowd, who were striving, by force of numbers,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          241
to overwhelm the small troop of defenders of the
bartizan.
In rushed Chandos, shouting his war-cry!in dashed his stout warriors, and loud and fierce
pealed forth,' St. George! St. George!' drowning the now  feebler notes of'Montjoie, St.
Denis!' and fearful were the shrieks of horror
and of pain that rose mingled with it. Hemmed
in, attacked in front and rear, their retreat cut
off, the French looked in vain for escape; some
went down beneath the tremendous charge of the
English, some cried for mercy, and surrendered
as prisoners.  Oliver de Clisson himself, seeing
that all was lost, swinging round his head his
heavy battle-axe, opened for himself a way,
and, with a few followers, broke through the
men whom Chandos had left outside, and, cutting down a groom who was holding it, captured
one of his led horses, on which he rode off at
his leisure, confident in  his own  gigantic
strength.
So little resistance had been offered, that
Arthur's bold advance had involved him in little
danger; he was borne onwards, and only was
conscious of a frightful tumult, where all seemed
to be striking and crushing together. At last.
there was something of a lull, the cries of
mercy, and offers to surrender, alone were heard.
11




242      THE'LANCES OF LYNWOODo
Arthur found his pony standing still, and himself pressed hither and thither by the crowd, from
which he knew not how to escape.
Above these various sounds he heard an
opening door-there was a press forward, which
carried him with it. The heavy doors, shivered
here and there by Clisson's axe, had been
thrown wide open, but the crowd closed in-he
saw no more. He threw himself from his pony,
struggled forwards, and at last, emerging between the arms of two tall men, he beheld Sir
John Chandos dismounting from his war-horse,
which was held by a grim, bloody, dusty figure
in broken armour, whose length of limb, and
the crisp, black, curled  hair, that showed
through the shattered helmet, proved that it
could be no other than Gaston d'Aubricour.
Arthur darted forwards, his heart upon his
lips; but neither Knight nor Squire had eye or
ear for him; they were hastily exchanging
queries about-he knew not what-they were
not of his Uncle; and borne on by his impatience,
he hurried past them up the narrow stone stair.
More than one corpse, a ghastly sight, lay on
the steps, but he hastened on; half-a-dozen
men were standing on the stones at the top, all,
like Gaston, dusty and gory, and leaning on
their weapons, or on the wall, as if exhausted.




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        243
They were looking intently at the court, and
gave no heed to the boy, as he ran on into the
hall. Two men lay there groaning before the
fire. Arthur stood and looked round, hesitating
whether to ask them for his Uncle; but, perceiving the spiral stairs, quickly ascended them.
Far and far up he wound, till he came to a
low-browed arch; he paused, and saw a large
vaulted room, through the loop-hole window of
which shone a yellow stream of golden sunshine.
There was a low bed in one corner, and on it
lay a motionless form. On tiptoe, and with a
throbbing heart, the boy approached-he saw
the face-it was ghastly pale. He stood transfixed-could it be-yes, it must still be, his own
Uncle Eustace.
CHAPTER XV.
IT was still very early, and the narrow line of
sky seen from the turret window was gilded by
the bright pale green light of morning, when
Sir Eustace awoke;-all around was perfectly
still, and he could have believed himself waking
merely from  a dream  of tumult and dis



244      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
turbance, but for his feelings of pain and
weakness.  At some little distance lay, on a
softly-dressed sheepskin, the oriental figure of
the Jewish mediciner, and, at the foot of his
own bed, the unexpected form of little Arthur
reclined, half sitting, half lying, with his head
resting on his crossed arms, and his long curls
floating over them.  All was a riddle to his
misty remembrance, clouded by weakness; and,
in vague uncertain recollections and conjectures,
the time rolled away, till the sounds of awakening, and calls of the warders within the Castle
betokened that it was occupied by no small
number of persons.  Still Arthur slept on, and
Eustace abstained from the slightest movement
that could disturb him, till a step stole quietly
to the door, and Gaston's head was seen, cautiously and anxiously looking in. Eustace, raising his hand, beckoned him, and made a sign of
silence.' How is it with you, Sir Eustace?  It must
needs be better. I see a light in your eye once
mlore.'
I am another man since yesterday, Gaston,
but be careful-see there.''Little fear of breaking such sleep as that,'
said Gaston. "Tis a noble-hearted little fellow,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         245
and if matters go better with us henceforth, it
will be his work.''What is become of Clisson?''He was riding off headlong when Master
Henry Neville last beheld him, gaining thereby
a sound rating from old Chandos.'
Sir John Chandos here?''Fast asleep in your own carved chair, with
his feet on the oaken settle.'' Sir John Chandos!' again exclaimed Eustace.'Even so. All thanks to that brave young
damoiseau who-'
Here Gaston's ardour had the effect of awakening the doctor, who immediately began to
grumble  at his patient's admitting visitors
without permission.  By the time he had
examined Eustace's wounds, and pronounced
him  to be progressing favourably, the whole
Castle was up and awake, and Arthur, against
his will,.was sent down to attend on Sir John
Chandos at breakfast, when scarce satisfied that
his Uncle could speak to him.
In process of time, he came up to announce
a visit from Chandos himself, and close on his
steps followed the stalwart old warrior. Pausing
at the door, he looked around him, struck with
the aspect of the dungeon-like apartment, still




246      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
more rugged in the morning light than in the
evening gloom-the bare rough walls, an arrow
sticking between the stones immediately above
the Knight's head, the want of furniture, the
Knight's own mantle and that of Gaston both
called into requisition to protect him from the
damp chill night air, their bright hues and rich
embroidery contrasting with the squalid appearance of all around, as, indeed, did the noble,
though pale features of the wounded man himself,
and the graceful attire and shining hair of the
fair young boy who stood over him. But Sir
John beheld all with no dissatisfaction.'Well, my brave young Sir,' said he, advancing,'how is it with you this morning?
You' look cheerily; I trust we shall soon have
you on horseback again.'' Thanks to the blessed Saints and to you,
Sir John,' replied Eustace.'I fear you fared
ill last night, for-' and he looked round with
a smile,'you see, I occupy the state bedchamber.''The better, Sir Eustace,' said Chandos.'It does my heart good to see such a chamber
as this-none of the tapestry and hangings
which our young Knights now-a-days fence
themselves with, as if they kept out the foethis is what it is meant for-a stronghold, and




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         24*7
not a bower.  I'll have my  dainty young
Master Neville up here, to see how  a good
Knight should be lodged.''I. fear he would scarce consider it as an
example,' said Eustace, smiling,'since all our
simplicity would not have availed to protect us,
but for your coming. We little dreamt to see
this morning's light.''True, but where should I look for a garrison
to make such a defence as you and your Squire
have done?  When I saw the spot, and looked
at the numbers, and heard how long you had
held out, methought I was returned once more
to the good old days of Calais. And here this
youth of mine, not yet with his spurs, though I
dare say full five years older than you, must
needs look sour upon it, because he has to sleep
on a settle for one night-and that, too, when he
has let Oliver de Clisson slip through his fingers,
without so much as a scratch taken or given on
either side! It grieves my very soul to think
on it! But all has gone to rack and ruin,
since the Prince has been unable to set the
example.''Is the Prince better in health?'' es-so they say-but his looks tell another
tale, and I never expect to see him on horseback again,' said the old warrior, with a deep




248      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
sigh.'But I have to do his bidding here, and
have much to ask of you, Sir Eustace; and I
do it the more willingly, that I rejoice to see a
brave man righted.''Has the Prince then commanded an inquiry
into my conduct?' exclaimed Eustace, joyfully.'It is what I have ever most warmly desired.''And know you whom you have to thank?'
said Sir John.'That youngster who stands at
your feet —'twas he that, with little Prince Edward, burst into the council, and let not another
word be said, till he had told your need, given
Fulk Clarenham the lie direct, and challenged
him to prove his words. Pray when is the defiance to be fought out, Sir Page?'
Arthur coloured crimson, and looked down,
then raising his glowing face, said firmly,'Tomorrow, if need were, Sir-for God would defend
the right!''Roundly spoken, Master Page! But let
not your early years be all talk, nothing worth.''The same warning that you gave to me,
Sir John,' said Eustace.'When you thought I looked coldly and
churlishly on your new-won honours,' said Sir
John.'I own I thought the Prince was bestowing knighthood over lightly-and so do I
say still, Sir Eustace. But I saw, afterwards,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         249
that you were not so easily uplifted as I had
thought.  I saw you as diligent in the study of
all that was knightly, as if your spurs were yet
to earn, and I knew the Prince had a brave
young servant in you.''If he would have trusted me!' said Eustace.'He hath been deceived by the flatterers
who have gained his ear. It should not have
been thus, had I been at court-but things have
been much against my counsel. It may be,
that I have been too plain spoken-forgetting
that he is not the boy who used to be committed
to my charge-it may be that he hath been over
hasty-and yet, when I look on his changed
mien and wasted face, I can scarce blame him,
nor must you, Sir Eustace, though cruel injustice hath, I fear, been done you.''I blame our glorious Prince!' exclaimed
the young Knight.'I would as soon blame
the sun in heaven, because the clouds hide his
face from me for a time!''The clouds are likely to be dispersed with
a vengeance/ said Chandos.'The confession
of yonder mutinous traitors will clear you from
all that your accusers have said, by proving
their villainy and baseness!'
11*




250      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'How?  Sanchez and his fellows?  Have
they surrendered?''Yes. They kept themselves shut up in
MIontfort's tower, until they lost all hope of relief from their friends without; then, being in
fear of starvation, they were forced to surrender,
and came forth, praying that their lives might
be spared. I, as you may suppose, would as lief
have spared the life of a wolf, and the halters
were already round their necks, when your darkvisaged Squire prayed me to attempt to gain a
confession from them; and, sure enough, they
told a marvellous tale:-that Clarenham had
placed them  here, to deliver you up to the
enemy, whom they were to admit by a secret
passage-and that they would have done it,
long since, save that you and your Squire not
only discovered the passage, but showed such
vigilance and so frustrated all their plans, that
they firmly believed that you held commerce
with the foul fiend.  Did you, in truth, suspect
their treachery?''Yes,' replied Eustace, looking at Arthur.'The recognition of le Borgne Basque, in the
Seneschal, would have been sufficient to set us
on our guard.''But the passage?' asked Sir John,'what
knowledge had you of that; for they vow that




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          251
you could never have discovered it but by art
magic?'We found it by long and diligent search.''And what led you to search, Sir Eustace?
If you can clear up the matter, it will be the
better for you; for this accusation of witchcraft
will hang to you like a burr-the more, perhaps,
as you are somewhat of a scholar.''It was I who warned him of it, Sir Knight,'
said Arthur, stepping forward.' You, young Page!' exclaimed Sir John.'Are you jesting? Ha! then you must have,
page-like, been eaves-dropping!-I should scarce
have thought it of you.'' O Uncle!' exclaimed Arthur, in great distress,'you do not believe me capable of aught
so unknightly.  Do but say, that you, at least,
trust my word, when I say that I learnt their
plots by no means unbecoming the son of Sir
Reginald Lynwood.''I  believe you fully, Arthur,' replied his
Uncle;'the more, that I should have been the
last person to whom you would have brought information gained in such a fashion.''And how was it gained?' asked Sir John.'That,' said the boy,'is a secret I am bound
never to disclose.''Strange, passing strange,' repeated the old




252      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Knight, shaking his head.' Clarenham and
Ashton would scarce have taken any into their
councils who would warn you. And you will
or can tell no more?''No more,' replied the boy.'I was bidden
secretly to warn my Uncle of the entrance to
the vaults, and of the treachery of this villain
garrison. I did so, and he who says aught dishonourable of him or of me, lies in his throat.''Can you read this riddle, Sir Eustace?'
asked Chandos, looking rather suspiciously at
the very faint glow which mantled in the white
cheek of the wounded Knight.'I know nothing but what he has told you,
Sir John,' replied he.' Nor guess aught?' said Sir John;'but
perhaps that is scarce a fair query; and I will
to the rest of my business, though it is scarce
needed-only I would have the Prince see the
full extent of the falsehoods with which he has
been gulled.' And he then proceeded to inquire
into the circumstances of Lady Eleanor's funeral, the brawling, the violent abstraction of Arthur, and of a considerable portion of his property, and the long delay, which had given his
enemies so much opportunity to blacken his
character.  Eustace explained all fully to the




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          253
satisfaction of Chandos, and appealed to numerous witnesses.'That is well,' said the old Knight.'We
shall have it all clear as day-light; —and the
only wonder is, that the Prince could be so long
deceived by such monstrous falsehoods. Let me
see-your right to the wardship is established.''Yes; it hath been so decided by the Bishop
of Winchester.''And let me tell you, Sir Eustace, you did
yourself little good by getting the interest of
the Duke of Lancaster.  Methought, it still
further prejudiced the Prince.''It was justice that I sought, not favour,'
said Eustace.' The knightly view,' said Sir John;'and it
was more the work of your friends than yourself; but I never loved that young John of
Lancaster, and still less, since he hath seemed
willing to make a party for himself I trow, he
hath given the Prince a distrust of all uncles.
Ha! little varlet!' added he, as he met Arthur's eyes-' if you can keep one secret, keep
another, or, still better, forget what I have said.
Understandest thou?''I will answer for him,' said Eustace.
CAnd now' said Chandos,'I must be on
my way back; for that expedition to Besanqon




254      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
must be looked to.  But what is to be done
with the boy?''0, I remain here,' cried Arthur, eagerly.'The Prince consented. 0, I pray of you, to let
me stay here.''In this dismal old Castle, Arthur?' said
Eustace,'apart from all your playmates?  It
will not be like home, remember; for scarce
ever will you be able to go beyond the wallsand with me lying here, and Gaston always occupied, you will find it weary work.''Not with you, Uncle Eustace! I shall sit
by you, and tend you, and read to you. It is
so long since I have been with you  0 send
me not away! I care for no playmate-for
nothing in the wide world, as for you!''Well, let him e'en stay,' said Sir John;' it
will be a better training for him than among
the gilded little varlets who are cockered up
among Princess Joan's ladies.'
The two Knights had next to arrange some
matters respecting the garrison; Sir John leaving a sufficient number of men to secure the
Castle in case of a second attack.  He was
somewhat inclined to leave Master Henry Neville to command them; but, consideration for
Eustace and Gaston, induced him to spare the
young gentleman a sojourn, which he would




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        255
have regarded as so far from enviable. Nor was
the leech more desirous of a lengthened stay
with a patient whom he suspected to be unable
to requite him for the discomforts which he
might endure in his service. He, therefore, pronounced Sir Eustace to stand in no further need
of his attentions; and recommending rest, and
providing him with good store of remedies, he
saddled his mule to accompany Sir John Chandos.
The old Commander took his leave, with
many kind wishes for Sir Eustace's speedy recovery, and promises that he should ere long
hear from Bourdeaux. In ten minutes more,
Arthur, standing at the window, announced that
the troop was riding off, with Clisson's pennon
borne among them in triumph, and Sanchez and
his accomplices, with their hands tied, and their
feet fastened together beneath the bodies of
their horses.
CHAPTER XVI.
FOUR or five weeks had passed away since Sir
John Chandos had quitted the Chateau Norbelle.




256      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
The Knight had nearly recovered his full
strength, but still wore his broken arm in a scarf,
when, one evening, as he was sitting on the battlenments, delighting the ears of Arthur and of
Gaston with an interminable romance of chivalry; three or four horsemen, bearing the colours
and badges of the Black Prince, were descried
riding towards the Castle.  Knight, Squire, and
Page, instantly descended to the court-yard,
which, in short space, was entered by the messengers, the principal of whom, an elderly manat-arms, respectfully saluted the Knight, and
delivered to him a parchment scroll, tied with
silk of scarlet and blue, supporting the heavy
seal of the Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitaine, and addressed to the hands of the honourable Knight Banneret, Sir Eustace Lynwood,
Castellane of the Chateau Norbelle. This document bore the signature of Edward himself, and
contained his mandate to Eustace, toC come immediately to his court at Bourdeaux, leaving
the command of the Chateau Norbelle to the
bearer.
The old man-at-arms was closely questioned
all the evening respecting the state of the court,
but he could give little information.  Sir John
Chandos was at Bourdeaux, and had daily attended the council to which the Prince was de



THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         257
voting more attention than usual; a vessel had
also arrived bearing letters from England to the
Prince; this was all the information that could
be obtained.
The next morning Eustace, with Gaston,
Arthur, and Ingram, all full of expectation, and
delighted at the change from the gloomy solitary old Castle, were all posting on their way
back to Bourdeaux. They slept at an hostel
about twelve miles from the town, first, however, by desire of the Prince's messengers, sending Ingram on to announce their speedy arrival,
and, about ten in the morning, rode into the
town.
There was evidently some grand spectacle at
hand, for the Bordelais, gentle and simple, in
holiday habits, were proceeding in the direction
of the palace; but the Knight and his attendants had no time to wait for inquiries, and
pressed on with the stream to the gates of the
court-yard, where they found warders placed, to
keep back the dense throng of people. At the
mention of Sir Eustace's name, they readily and
respectfully admitted him and his companions
into the court.'Ha!' cried Gaston,'what means this? is
there a tilt towards? This reminds me of the
good old days, ere the Prince fell ill.  The lists,




258      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
the galleries, the ladies, the Prince's own chair
of state, too! 0, Sir Eustace! I could tear
my hair that you cannot yet use your sword
arm!'' Can it be a challenge on the part of Fulk?'
said Eustace,'or a reply to yours, Arthur?yet that can hardly be. And see, there is no
barrier in the midst, only a huge block-what
can be intended?''I do not see Agnes among the ladies in the
galleries,' said Arthur, looking up as eagerly, and
more openly, than his Uncle was doing.' And
-oh, here comes the Princess,-yes, and Lord
Edward, and little Lord Richard with her!
And here is the Prince himself leaning on the
Earl of Cambridge!  Uncle Eustace, Lord
Edward is beckoning to me! may I run to
him?''Come with  me, since I must present
myself,' said Eustace, dismounting, as one of
the Prince's Squires held his horse.'And, oh! who is yonder dark-browed dwarfish Knight at the Prince's right hand?' cried
Arthur.
Eustace could scarcely believe his eyes, as he
looked where the boy pointed.
The royal party were now seated in full array
on their raised platform; the Prince upon his




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         259
chair of state, with more of brightness in his
eye, and of vigour in his movements, than when
Eustace had last seen him; and at his side
sat his wife,-her features still retaining the
majestic beauty of Joan Plantagenet, the Fair
Maid of Kent-but worn  and  faded with
anxiety.  She watched her princely Lord with
an eye full of care, and could scarcely spare
attention for the lovely child who clung to her
side, and whose brilliantly fair complexion, wavy
flaxen hair, high brow, and perfectly formed,
though infantine features, already promised that
remarkable  beauty  which  distinguished  the
countenance of Richard II.  On the other side
of the Prince sat his sister-in-law, the Countess
of Cambridge, a Spanish  Infanta; and her
husband, Edmund, afterwards Duke of York,
was beside the Princess of Wales.  But more
wonderful than all, among them stood the Constable of France. The two boys, Prince Edward,
and his cousin, Henry of Lancaster, were stationed as pages on each side of the Princess, but
as their play-fellow, Arthur, advanced with his
Uncle, they both sprang down the steps of the
gallery to meet him, and each took a hand.
Edward, however, first bethinking himself of
the respect which, Prince as he was, he owed to
a belted Knight, made his reverence to Sir Eus



260      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
tace, who, at a sign from the Prince of Wales,
mounted the steps, and bent his knee to the
ground before him.'Nay, Sir Eustace,' said the Prince, bending
forward,'it is rather I who should kneel to you
for pardon; I have used you ill, Eustace, and,
I fear me, transgressed the pledge which I gave
to your brother on the plain of Navaretta.''0 say not so, my gracious liege,' said Eustace, as tears gathered in his eyes-' it was but
that your noble ear was deceived by the slanders of my foes!''True, Sir Eustace-yet once, Edward of
England would not have heard a slanderous tale
against one of his well-proved Knights, without
sifting it well. But I am not as once I wassickness hath unnerved me, and, I fear me, hath
often led me to permit what may have dimmed
my fame.  Who would have dared to tell me
that I should suffer my Castles to be made into
traps for my faithful Knights?  And now, Sir
EJustace, that I am about to repair my injustice
towards you, let me feel, as a man whose account
for this world must ere long be closed, that I
have your forgiveness.'
The Prince took the hand of the young
Knight, who struggled hard with his emotion.'And here is another friend,' he added-'a




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          261
firmer friend, though foe, than you have found
some others.''Well met, my chivalrous godson,' said the
Constable du Guesclin, holding out his hand,' I rejoice that my neighbour, Oliver, did not put
an end to your faits d'armes.''I marvel-' Eustace hardly found words,
between wonder and condolence.  The Prince
caught the import of his hesitating sentences.' He thinks you a prisoner, Sir Bertrand,' he
said.' No, Sir Eustace, Messire le Connetable
is captive only in his good-will to you. I wrote,
to pray him to send me his witness to those last
words of your brother, since you had ever appealed to him, and he replied by an offer, which
does us too  much  honour, to  become  our
guest.''I am no scribe, apart from my fairy Dame
Tiphaine,' said du Guesclin, abruptly.'It cost
me less pains to ride hither, —besides that I
longed to renew my old English acquaintances,
and see justice done to you, fair godson.''Ha! Sir Bertrand, thou recreant!-so no
other spell drew thee hither? Thou hast no
gallantry even for such an occasion as this I'
said a gay voice.'How should the ill-favoured Knight deal




262      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
in  gallantries?' said du  Guesclin, turning.'Here is one far fitter for your Grace's eyes.''And  you, discourteous Constable, were
keeping him for your own behoof, when all my
maidens have been speaking for weeks of no
name but the Knight of the beleaguered Castle!'
And Eustace had to kiss the fair hand of
the Princess of Wales.
In the mean time the three boys were whispering together,'It is all well, all gloriously
well, is it not, Arthur, as I told you?' said
Edward.'I knew my father would settle all
in his own noble fashion.''What said the Master of the Damoiseaux?'
asked Arthur, as the sight of that severe functionary revived certain half-forgotten terrors.'Oh, he, the old crab-stock!' said Henry-'he looked sour enough at first; but Edward
kept your counsel well, till you were safe at
a good distance from  Bourdeaux; and then,
though he said somewhat of complaining to my
Lord the Prince, it was too late to mend it.
And when Sir John Chandos came back, and
bade him be content, he vowed you were enough
to spoil a whole host of pages; but did not we
all wish some of our uncles would get themselves
betrayed?'




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          263'But what means all this preparation?'
asked Arthur-' these lists! 0, surely, there is
not to be a tourney, which I have so longed to
see!''No,' said Edward,'that cannot be, my
mother says, while my father is still so weakly
and ill.  But there are the trumpets! you will
soon see what will befal.'
And, with a loud blast of trumpets, the
gorgeously arrayed heralds rode into the court,
followed by a guard of halberdiers, in the midst
of whom rode a Knight in bright armour, his
visor closed, but his shield and crest marking
the Baron of Clarenham.
When the trumpets had ceased, and the
procession reached the centre of the lists, they
halted, and drew  up in order,-the principal
herald, Aquitaine, immediately in front of the
Prince. After another short clear trumpet blast,
Aquitaine unrolled a parchment, and, in a loud
voice, proclaimed the confession of Fulk, Baron
of Clarenham, of his foul and unknightly conduct, in attempting to betray the person of the
good Knight and true, Eustace Lynwood, Knight
Banneret, with that of his Esquire, Gaston
d'Aubricour, and of certain other trusty and
well-beloved subjects of his liege Lord, King
Edward of England, together with the fortalice,




264      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
called Chateau Norbelle, in the county of Gascogne, appertaining to my Lord Edward, Prince
of Wales, and Duke of Aquitaine, into the
hands of the enemy-having for that pupose
tampered with and  seduced  Thibault Sanchez, Seneschal of the Castle, Tristan de la
Fllche, and certain others, who, having confessed
their crime, have received their deserts, by being
hung on a gallows-upon which same gallows
it was decreed by the authority of the Prince,
Duke and Governor of Aquitaine, that the shield
of Fulk de Clarenham  should be hung-he
himself being degraded from the honours and
privileges of knighthood, of which he had proved
himself unworthy-and his lands forfeited to
the King, to be disposed of at his pleasure.
Clarenham was then compelled to dismount
from his horse, and to place, first one foot, and
then the other, upon the block, where a broad
red-faced cook, raising his cleaver, cut off the
golden spurs.  Sir John Chandos, as Constable
of Aquitaine, then came forward, and, taking
the shield from the arm of Clarenham, gave it,
reversed, into the hands of one of the heralds,
who carried it away. The belt, another token
of knighthood, was next unbuckled, and Chandos, taking the sword, broke it in three pieces
across his knee, saying,'Lie there dishonoured




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        265
steel!' and throwing it down by the spurs.
Lastly, the helmet, with the baronial bars across
the visor, was removed, and thrown to the
ground, leaving visible the dark countenance,
where the paleness of shame and the flush of
rage alternated.'And now, away with the traitor, away with
the recreant Knight! out upon him!' cried in
a loud voice Sir John Chandos, while the shout
was taken up by a deafening multitude of voices
-in the midst of which the degraded Knight
and landless Baron made his way to the gate,
and, as he passed out, a redoubled storm of
shouts and yells arose from without.'Out upon the traitor!' cried Harry of
Lancaster, with the loudest.'Away with him 
But, Edward, and you, too, Arthur, why shout
you not?  Hate you not traitors and treason?''I would not join my voice with the rabble,'
said Edward, cand it makes me sad to see
knighthood fallen. What say you, Arthur?''Alas! he is my mother's kinsman,' said
Arthur,'and I loved his name for her sake as
for that of Agnes too-Where is Agnes?''In the Convent of the Benedictine nuns,'
said Edward.'But in your ear, Arthur, what
say you to our plan that she shall be heiress of
12




266      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
her brother's lands, on condition of her wedding
-guess whom?'' Not mine Uncle! 0 Lord Edward, is it
really so?  How rejoiced old Ralph would be!'' Speak not of it, Arthur-it was my mother
who told me, when Agnes craved permission to
go to the Convent, and I feared she would
become one of those black-veiled nuns, and I
should never see her more.''Where is my Uncle?' asked Arthur, gazing
round.'I thought he was standing by the
Lady Princess's chair-''He went to speak to Sir John Chandos but
now,' said Prince Hlenry,'but I see him not.
Mark! what a lull in the sounds without.'
In fact the various cries of execration which
had assailed Fulk Clarenham on his exit from
the gates of the Castle, after sounding more
and more violent for some minutes, had suddenly died away almost into stillness-and the
cause was one little guessed at within the court.
The unhappy Fulk was moving onwards, almost
as in a dream, without aim or object, other than
to seek a refuge from the thousand eyes that
marked his disgrace, and the tongues that upbraided him with it; but, in leaving the court,
he entered upon a scene where danger, as well as
disgrace, was to be apprehended.  The rabble




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        267
of the town, ever pleased at the fall of one
whose station was higher than their own, mindful of unpaid debts and harsh and scornful
demeanour, and, as natives, rejoiced at the
misfortune of a foreigner, all joined in one cry
of'Away with the recreant Englishman!
down with him!-down with him!' Every
hand was armed with a stone, and brief would
have been Fulk's space for repentance, had not
the cry in its savage tones struck upon the ear
of Eustace as he stood in the lists, receiving the
congratulations of Sir John Chandos and of
other Knights, who, with changed demeanour,
came to greet the favoured hero.' They will murder him,' exclaimed Eustace,
and breaking from his new friends, he made his
way to the gate, and hurried into the town, just
as Fulk had fallen to the ground, struck by a
heavy stone, hurled by the hand of no other
than John Ingram.  He rushed forward amid
the hail of stones, and, as he lifted Clarenham's
head, called out,'How is this! brave men of
Bourdeaux, would you become murderers! Is
this like honourable men, to triumph over the
fallen!'
They held back in amazement for a second;
then, as Eustace knelt by him and tried to recal
his consciousness, murmurs arose,'Why inter



268      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
feres he with our affairs?  He is English,' and
they all held together.'Another of the purseproud English, who pay no debts, and ruin the
poor Bordelaix.''His blood we will have, if
we cannot have his money.  Away, master
Knight, be not so busy about the traitor, if you
would not partake his fate.'
Eustace looked up as the stones were uplifted, and more than one free companion had
drawn his sword.'Hold,' he exclaimed in a
clear, full-toned voice, that filled  every ear.'Hold! I am Eustace Lynwood, the Castellane
of Chateau Norbelle!'
There was an instant silence. Every one
pressed forward to see him, whose recent adventures had made him an object of much interest
and curiosity, and the attention of the crowd
was entirely diverted from the former unhappy
subject of their pursuit. Whispers passed of,'Noble Knight! flower of chivalry! how generous and Christian-like he bends over his enemy!
Nay, if he revenge not himself, what right have
we? And see, his arm is still in a scarf from the
treachery of those villains! Well, I would yet
give yon ruffian his desert.'
By this time Eustace having observed Ingram  among the crowd, summoned him to his
side, and at the same time courteously craving




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.          269
the aid of one of the by-stanclers (who, of
course, though collectively lions, were individually lambs), succeeded in conveying Clarenham,
whose senses had so far returned that he was
able to rise with their assistance, to the door of
a monastery Chapel, the porch of which opened
upon the street.'Holy Fathers,' said Eustace,'I crave the
protection of the Church, for an unhappy, and,
I trust, a penitent man, praying you will tend
him well to the aid and relief alike of body and
soul, until you hear from me again.'
With these words he quitted the Chapel before his late enemy had sufficiently recovered his
faculties to recognize his preserver.
Leonard Ashton, for whom Eustace enquired,
had, it appeared, saved himself by making fill
confession, and had been sent home, in deep disgrace, though spared public dishonour.
It was some few days after these events, that
the presence of the Lady Agnes de Clarenham
was requested in the parlour of her nunnery,
which was some miles distant from Bourdeaux,
by a person who, as the porteress informed her,
was the bearer of a message from the Princess
of Wales.  She descended accordingly, but her
surprise was great on beholding, instead of one
of the female attendants of her mistress as she




270      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
had expected, the slender figure of the young
Knight with whom she had last parted at the
hostelry.
Her first feeling was not one of kindness towards him. Agnes had indeed grieved and felt
indignant, when she saw him oppressed and in
danger from her brother's treachery, but in these
days of favour, she could not regard with complacency the cause of her brother's ruin, and of
the disgrace of her house. She started, and
would have retreated, but that he prevented, by
saying in a tone which had in it more of sorrow
than of any other feeling,'Lady Agnes, I pray
you to hear me-for you have much to forgive.''Forgive! Nay, Sir Eustace, it is you who
have so much to forgive my unhappy house!
0 can you,' she added, as the countenance and
manner recalling long passed days made her
forget her displeasure,'can you tell me where
the wretched one has shrouded his head from
the shame which even I cannot but confess he
has merited?''I heard of the Bar-of your brother this
very morn,' said Eustace,'from one of the good
brethren of the Convent where he has taken
shelter, the Convent of the Augustine friars of
St. Mary; they spoke of him as amended in




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         271
health, and, though sorely dejected, returning
they hoped to a better spirit.'' Thanks, Sir Eustace, even so do I hope and
pray it may be-since repentance is the only
good which can yet be his. But tell me, Sir
Eustace-for vague rumours only reach us in
this lonely cell-was it true that the populace
pursued the fallen one with clamours, and might
even have slain him, but for his rescue by a gallant Knight, who braved their utmost fury?''It was even so, Lady' said Eustace, with
some embarrassment.'Oh! who was that noblest of Knights,
that I may name his name in my most fervent
prayers? who has that strongest claim on the
gratitude of the broken-hearted sister?''Nay, Lady, it was but the common duty,
the mere mercy of a Christian man, who could
not see a fellow-creature die such a death, without attempting to save him.'' h, Sir Eustace! it is not like your former
self to deny the greatness of a noble deed! I
will not be robbed of my gratitude! Tell me
the name of that most noble of men!'
He half smiled, then looking down, and colouring deeply:'Do you remember, Lady Agnes, the Knight whom you bound by a promise,
that in case of the triumph of his cause-'




272      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.'Eustace, Eustace! Oh, I should have known
that nothing was too great and high for you,
that you would not disparage the nobleness of
any other than yourself. 0 how shall I ever
render you my thanks! After such cruel treachery as that from which you have, and I fear me,
are still suffering! Alas! Alas! that I should
be forced to use such harsh words of my own
brother''I trust you may still be comforted, Lady,'
said Eustace.'From what the good fathers
tell me, there is hope that Fulk may yet be an
altered man, and when the pilgrimage to the
Holy Land, which he has vowed, is concluded,
may return in a holy temper.''Return, but whither should he return?'
said Agnes, in a broken despondent tone,-'landless, homeless, desolate, outcast, what shelter is open to him? For if the porteress's tale
spoke truth, his lands and manors are forfeited
to the King.'
They are so, in truth, but there is one way,
Agnes, in which they may be still restored to
their true owner.''How so, what mean you, Sir Eustace?'' Agnes, I would not have broken upon your
sorrow by speaking thus abruptly, but that the
Prince, or rather the King's desire, was urgent,




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        273
that the matter should be determined, without
loss of time. To you, in all justice, does he will
that the Castles and Manors of Clarenham
should descend, but on one condition.'
Agnes raised her eyes, and, while she slowly
shook her head, looked anxiously at him as he
paused in considerable embarrassment.' On condition that you, Lady Agnes, should
permit the King and Prince to dispose of your
fair hand in marriage.'
Agnes gave a slight cry, and leant against
the grate of the parlour.'0 that may never
be, and-but how acvantageth that poor Fulk?''Because, Lady Agnes, because it is to me
that they would grant that hand which I have
so long loved passionately and hopelessly. Agnes, it was not willingly, but at the command
of the Prince, that I came hither with a suit
which must seem to you most strangely timed,
from one who has been the most unwilling cause
of so much misery to you, whom, from earliest
years, he has ever loved more than his own life.
I know, too, that you cannot endure to rise on
the ruin of your brother, nor could I bear to feel
that I was living on the lands of a kinsman and
neighbour whose overthrow I had wrought. But
see you not, that jointly we can do what we
never could do separately, that, the condition
12*




274      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
fulfilled, we could kneel before King Edward,
and entreat for the pardon and restoration of
Fulk, which, to such prayers, he would surely
grant.'
Agnes' tears were gathering fast, and she
spoke in a broken voice, as she said,' Eustace, you
are the most generous of Knights,' and then,
ashamed of having said so much, covered her
face with her veil and turned away. Eustace
stood watching her, with his soul in his eyes,
but before either had summoned courage to
break the silence, the porteress came hurrying
in,' Good lack! good. lack! if ever my eyes saw
the like-here is the Princess of Wales herself
at the gate, and all her train-where is sister
Katharine? where is the mother Abbess? Alas,
alas! that nought should be ready to receive
her! Oh, and I have mislaid the key of the
great gate!' While the good woman was bustling on in her career, Eustace had time to say'Yea, Agnes, the Princess is come, in case you
hear my suit favourably, to conduct you back to
Bourdeaux.  Think of a true and devoted heart,
think of Fulk ere you decide!' As he spoke,
the whole train of black-veiled nuns came sweeping into the parlour, whence Agnes hastily escaped to collect her thoughts during the few instants before she could be summoned to attend




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.        275
the Princess, while Eustace walked into the
Convent court, which was by this time filled by
the gay party which accompanied the Princess.
Agnes quickly gaiied her cell, and sank
down on her bed to make the most of the minutes that might be her own. Never, probably,
had lady shorter time in which to decide, or did
it seem more impossible to come to a resolution;
but Agnes had known Eustace all her life, had
never met one whom she thought his equal, found
him raised a thousand-fold in her estimation by
the events of the cay, and could' not bear to
think of disappointing the hopes which had
lighted up that bright eye, and animated that
whole face.
Then, too, why by her own act completely
ruin her brother? The thoughts flashed through
her mind in rapid succession, and she did not
rise with much reluctance, when called to meet
the Princess, though longing for more time,
which after all would but have enabled her to
harass herself more.'Well, my gentle Agnes,' said the Princess,'what say you?  Come you back to the court,
where my boys are wearying for their playfellow?
Hasten then, sweet maiden, for I promised little
Edward to bring you back, and I know not how
to face his wrath if you come not.'




276      THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.
Agnes, still almost dreaming, offered no opposition, but allowed her dress to be arranged,
took leave of the Abbess and her Nuns, and
shortly found herself, she scarcely knew how,
mounted on her palfry in the Princess's train,
with Sir Eustace Lynwood at her side.
And old Ralph Penrose was one of the happiest of mankind, when he beheld his pupil return the first Knight in the county-the honoured of the Prince.
For the next seven years the Clarenham vassals rejoiced in the gentle, noble, and firm rule of
their new. Lord and Lady; yet it was remarked,
with some surprise, that the title of Baron of
Clarenham was dropped, and that Sir Eustace
and Dame Agnes Lynwood, instead of living at
their principal Castle, took up their abode at a
small manor which had descended to the lady
from her mother, while the Castle was placed
under the charge of Gaston d'Aubricour, beneath whose care the fortifications assumed a
more modern character, and the garrison learnt
the newest fashions of handling their weapons.
At the end of that time, Sir Eustace and his
Lady travelled to the Court, where, alas! of all
the royal party who had rejoiced at their marriage, they found only the young King Richard
II., and his mother the Princess Joanna, once




THE LANCES OF LYNWOOD.         277
the fair Maid. of Kent, but now sadly aged by
time and sorrow, who received kindly, though
tearfully, those who reminded her of those last
bright days of her life at Bourdeaux, and readily
promised to forward their request at the council,'where, alas!' she said, shaking her head,' Lord
Henry of Lancaster, now Earl of Bolingbroke,
too often loved to oppose her and her son.'
No one at the council could refuse, though
the amazement of all was great, when the request was made known, that King Richard
would be pleased to reinstate in his titles, lands,
and manors, Fulk, late Baron of Clarenham, in
consideration of his good services to Christendom, rendered on the coast of Africa, under the
banner of the Knight of St. John, whose Grand
Master attested his courage and faithfulness.
Soon Clarenham Castle opened its gates to
receive its humbled, repentant, and muchchanged Lord, who was welcomed by all the
gentle blood in the county —at the head of
whom rode Sir Eustace with his Squire and his
nephew, Arthur, now a gallant young man,only waiting the summons promised him by the
Princess, to receive knighthood at the same time
as his royal rfaster, Richard II.
THE  END,








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MISS  MCINTOSH'S  WVORKIS.       \lWho Shall be Greatest? By do.        38
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HIearts and Homes,.. 150  Preservation of Health and Preven"  Prevention Better than Cure,   75        tion of Disease,.           75
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Goldsmith's Vicarof WValefield,.      5      Gaverre,...                75
Grant's Memoirs of an American              Select Italian Comedies.  TranslaLady,..                                    75    ted,....    75
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Margaret Maitland,..   75    Rhine....              50
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plete,..              3       "    English Items. 100
Elizabeth; or, The Exiles of Si-            Warner's Rudimental Lessons in
bei,...   31    Music,.                               50
Goldsm.ith's Vicar of Wakefield,       38  Womanl.'s Worth,                        38
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Gems from American Poets,  38                    Philosophical Works.
Hannah More's Private Devotions,   31
Hannh M e's  rcticl Piet                 Cousin's Course of Modern PhilosPractical Piety. 1
vols...  ohy,.00
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Hoffman's Lays of the Hudson, &c.   38                          Tr.      t        62
Johnson's History of Rasselas,         38            n   the're, Bcatif
Manual of Mntrllnony,.d Good,. 1.                                                  0
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Moore's Lalla Rookh,.                38.
Melodies. Complete,                  H on's    Philosphy            vol
Paul and Virginia                      31  H      tos   hilosop             ol
Pollok's Course of Time,.          38    8 
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Wilson's Sacra Privata,..           31    cloth,.                            200
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6    D. Appleton & Company's List of New Works.
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SEVEN WISE IEN OF GREECE, AVND SEVEN
VWONDERS OF TIIE  WORLD.  By A. D. JONF.S. 16mo., illustrated. 50 cts.
STORY  OF A  G NIIUS; or, Cola Monti.  By the author
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STUDIES OF ANIMiA LS.  With Instructions for the Lead
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and Groups from Nature; with Choice Selections from some of the
most distinguished Animal Painters: accompanied with copious Instructions. By F. N. OTIS. Complete in 5 numbers, $1 88; bound,
$2 25.
SUSAN  FINDAR'S STORY  BOOK   Comprising
"Fireside Fairies," and "Midsummer Fays."  Bound together in one
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TALES OF ILLUSfTRIOUS MEN. Comprising Henry
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THINK BEFORE YOU ACT; an excellent Tale. By
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TRA VELS AND EXTRIA ORDINAR Y AD VEN1TURES
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TREASURY OF STORIES FOR YO UNG CHILDREN,
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VICAR OF IWAKEFIELD. A Tale. By OLIVER GOLD
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VILLACGE AND OTHER TALES. By HANNAH MORE.
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WASTE NOT, WANTVNOT; or, Two Strings to your Bow.
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IWATTS' DIVINE AND MORAL SONGS. For the Use
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