The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-12

snree noble swans, 50 quietly sat the watcher
on the hill, were leading forth their little dark
gray black-legged cygnets, to feed on th,
aquanc flies and insects, which dimpled tn,
tranquil river like falling shower Across tn,
sream was thrown o two-arched freesson,
Driage, high-backed and narrow, and half GOV
cred with dense ivy, the work evidently of th,
roman oonquerors of the island, from which
yenow sandy road wound OBVIOUSLY upward
sknung the foot OF the rounded hill, and show
ing i.seif IN TWO or three ascending curves q
long intervals above the tree-tops, till it wa
LOST In the distant forest while, far away &
the eastward, the topmost turret of what seem
60 sail Norman keep, with square banner
dropping from it's staff in the breezeless air
towering above the dim wood distance, indica
ted whittier it led 30 indirectly.
In the rear of the slope, or knoll. 30 otter
mentioned, was deep tangled dell or dingle
hued with thickset growth of holly, birch
and alder, with here feathery juniper, ant
there graceful fern bush and behind thi
arose higher ridge, clothed with tall thrifty
oaks and beeches, of the second growth, ant
cutting off in that direction all view beyonl
its own near horizon.
1t was not IN this direction, however, nor III
the road toward the remote castle, nor dowr
across the bridge over the silver Idle, that the
watchers turned their eager eyes; expecting
the more eagerly as at times, the distant
woods before them-lying beyond lone
stretch of native savanna, made probably by
the beaver, while that industrious animal vel
figured in the British fauna-seemed to moan
and labor with deep, indefinite murmurine
sound, half musical half solemn, but Iiker tC
an echo than to any known utterance of any
living human being. Ii was too varied for the
noise of falling waters, too modulated for the
wind harp of the west which was signing fit
fully among the branches. Eagerly they watch
ed, with wild look of almost painful expeota.
ton in their keen light-blue eyes, resembling
in no respect the lively glance with which the
jovial hunter awaits his gallant quarry; for
there was something that spoke of apprehen.
sion in the haggard eye, perhaps of the fear Of
Ill performing an unwilling duty.
And if it were so, it was not unnatural
not at that day, alas uncommon, for dress
air, aspect, and demeanor, all told them, at
first sight, to be of that most wretched, if not
most abject, class, the Saxon serfs of England
They were both clad alike, in short close cut
frocks or tunics of tanned leather, gathered
about their waists, with broad buff belts fasten.
ed with brazen buckles, in each of which stuck
a long buckhorn-hafted twoedged Sheffield
whttle; both were bare-headed, both shod with
heavy clouted shoes and both wore, riveted
about their necks, broad brazen dog-collars
having the brand of their condition, with their
own names and qualities, and that and the
condition of their master.
Here however, ended the direct resemblance,
even Of their garb; for, while the taller and
better-formed man of the two, who was also
somewhat the darker haired and finer featured
wore a species of rude leather gauntlets, with
buskins of the same matarial, reaching as high
as the binding of the frcck, the other man was
bare-armed, and bare-legged also, with the ex-
ception of an inartifcial covering of thongs Of
boar-hide plated from the ankle to the knee
upward. The latter also carried no weapon
but long qusrter-staff, though he led brace
of noble snow-white alans-the wire. haired
grayhounds Of the day-in leash of twisted
buokskin; while his brother-for so strong was
their personal resemblance that their kinship
could scarcely be doubted-carricd a short
steel headed javelin in his hand, and had be.
side him, unrestrained, a large coarser hound
of q deep brindled gray color, with clear hazel
eyes; and, what was strange to say, in view OF
the condition of this man, unnamed, accord
ing to the cruel forest code of the Norman
kings.
This difference in the apparel, and, it may
be added, in the neatness, well-being, and gen.
orally superior bearing of him who was better
armed, might perhaps be explained by glance
at the engraving on the respective collars.
For while that of the one, and he the better
clad and better looking, bore that he was
"Kenric the Dark, thral of the land to Philip
de Morville," that of the other stamped him
a" Eadwulf the Red, gros thral" of the same
Norman lord.
Both Saxon serfs of the mixed Northern
race, which, largely intermixed with Danish
blood, produced q nobler larger-limbed, loftier
and more athletic race than the pure Saxons
of the southern counties, they had fallen, with
the properties of the Saxon thane, to whom
they had belonged in common, into the hands
of the foreign conqueror. Yet Kenric was OF
that higher class-for there were classes even
among these miserable beings-which could
they were born, but at their own option while
Eadwulf, although his own twin-brother, for
some Cause into which it were needless to in.
quire, could be sold at any time, or to any per.
SOD, or even snapped for an animal, or gambled
away, at the slightest caprice OF his owner.
To this may be added, that probably from
caprice, or perhaps from some prediction for
his personal appearance and motions, which
n
his bearing, which was evidently less churlish
than that of his countrymen in general, his
master had distinguished him in some respects
from the other serfs of the soil; and, withou,
actually raising him to any of the higher off
ees reserved to the Normans, among whom the
very servitors claimed to be, and indeed were
gentlemen, had employed him in subordinate
stations under his huntsman, and intrusted him
so far as occasionally to permit his carrying
arms into the field.
With him, as probably is the case in mos
things, the action produced reaction and what
had been the effect of causes, came in time tc
be the cause of effects Some real or supposed
advantages procured for him the exceeding
small dignity of some poor half conceded rights
and those rights, the effect of perhaps an ina
ginary superiority, soon became the causes Of
something more real-of a sentiment of hall
independence, desire of achieving perfect
liberty.
In this it was that he excelled his brother
but we must not anticipate. What were the
characters of the men, and from their charac
ters what events grew, and what fates fol
lowed, it is for the reader of these pages to de-
cipher.
After our men had tarried where we found
them, waiting till expectation should become
certainty for above half an hour, and the morn.
ing had become clear and sunny, the distan,
indescribable sound, heard indistinctly in the
woods, ripened into that singularly modulated
all sweet, but half discordant craeh, which the
practiced ear is not slow to recognise as the
CRY of q large pack of hounds, running hard
on hot scent in high timber.
Anon the notes of individual hounds could
be distinguished; now the sharp, savage treble
of some fleet braoh, now the deep bass of come
southron talbot, rising above or falling far be
low the diapason of the packard now, shrill
and clear, the long keen flourish of Norman
bugle. :,
Az tho last SIGNAL Kenric rose silently but