The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-08
WASHINGTON, ID. G..
,re,rli, 10 get of Congress, Ia the year 1854 Oy
y NC. Al ,,,uoN in the Clerks Office of the Dstrict
run - a.. S,,,tbrru District uf Nrw York.
FOR rnE NATIONAL FRA.
SHERWOOD FOREST,
WAGER BY BATTLE.
i. Tale of Saxon Slavery in the Twelfth Century.
ny HENRY WILLIAM HERBERr.
CHAP. XVIII.
The arrest.
Count Ifihou be he. then thou sri prisoner
Jal P1.oner 10 whom '-!ShGksPtofs-

Tal Prisoner whom, 'ShaAsPeo's
For several days aher. the visit of the Lady
Guendolen and her lover to the house OF the
yarlnrer of Kentmere, rumors, many of which
L.J baan afoat since the catastrophe on the
sands began TO increase among the dalesmen,
If strangers seen at intervals among the hills
or IN the scattered hamlets, seeming to observe
EVERYTHING, but themselves carefully avoiding
observation, asking many questions. but an
,werinr none, and leaving general impression
on the minds of all who saw them, that they
were thus squandered, as it were, through the
lake country, as SPIES probably of some ma
r,uding band but certainly with no good intent
These individuals bore no sort of resemblance,
II was said, or affinity one to the other, nor
seemed to have any league of community be-
tween them, vet there was an unanimous senti-
meat, wherever they came and went, which
they ordinarily did in succession, that they
were all acting OH common plan and with
common purpose however dissimiar might be
their garb, their occupation, or their Immediate
purpose And widely dissimilar these we're
ior one Of those suspected was in appearance
MANNED beggar. displaying the scallop-shell
OF st. James of Compostella, in token that he
had crossed the seas for his souls good, and
HuN4uI ltidl he ntu lOSL dTUl Ill Il Sail
culinary conflict with the Saracens, who were
besegiag Jerusalem in the valley of Jehosha-
phat a second was dashing peddler, with
CAV wares for the village maidens, and costlier
iabrics-lawns from Cyprus, aud silks and en-
brodcries of Ind, for the taste of nobler wear
ers; another seemed mendicant friar, though
Of what order ii was not by any means so evil
dent, since, his tonsure excepted, his apparel
gave token OF. very little else than raggedness
and filth.
Nearly week had passed thus, when, at a
late hour in the afternoon, word was conveyed
10 the castle Of Sir GvO, under Hawkshead, by
the bailif. in person, Of the little town of Ken
dial. which Law about midway between Kent
mere and the bay, that a small body of horse,
completely armed, having at their head gen
tleman apparently of rank, had entered the
town about midday, demanded quarters for the
night for man and horse, and sent out one or
two unarmed riders, as if to survey the coun-
Try. In any part of England traversed by
great roads, this would have created no won
der or surmise I for hundreds of such parties
were TO be SEEN an the great thoroughfares
every day, few persons at that period travelling
without weapons OF offence and arms defensive,
all gentlemen a rank being invariably at
tended by bodies Of armed retainers, which
WIZ I4iNl'tA lthtltieN liNlSDCilohDlC ny AIic
prevalence of private ieuds and personal hos
tilities, which were never wholly at an end be-
tween the proud barons, whose conterminous
lands were constant cause of unneighborly
chickering's and strife.
la these wild rural districts, however, it was
quite different. where the roads merely gave
access and egress to the country lying below
The mountains. but opened no thoroughfare
either tor trade or travel, there being no means
OF approach from that side, even TO Penrith or
Carlisle, already towns of considerable magni-
iHde, lying but few miles distant across the
vas and gloomy fclls and mountains, except
by the bIindest of paths, known only to shep-
herds and outlaws leading through tremendous
passes. such as that terrible defile of Dun
mai'raise, famous to this day for its stern and
SAVAGE grandeur. Hence it came, that unless
u we're yIsters TO some of the few castles or
Nones IN the lower valleys, such az Fur
nes' Abbey, Calder Abbey, LannercoSt Priory
t'eas.on Castle, the stronghold Of the Elem
'n-s' Rrdai, the splendid manor of the Rat
c''lira, TINS iortalicc of de Tallebois, at Hawks
head aad some strong places of the Dacres
"Hd thiioris. yet farther TO the east, not con-
'hiullng IN the whole dozen within cir
'-mef'nce OF fifty miles, no strangers were
ever seen in these secluded valleys, without ex-
"''SAs anu ooiiclilllg Vi
- % VAS in this instance; and so urgent
t'd At appear to Sir Yvo, that, although he was
Just sitting down to supper when his officer
arrived for Kendall was his immortal town,
@Aere ne held his courts, leet and baron,) that
he put off the evening meal an hour, until he
s"ou!i have heard his report, and examined
'"4 AL the circumstances of the case.
linen commending his bailiff for his discre
''h re dismissed him, with orders to make all
lig'O home again, without signifying at Ken
'1l "Al'htf he had been, TO give all heed and
.'.'"5 attention to the strangers, keeping
'0i d sharp eve on their actions, and to ex-
I',t =, himself in the burgh ere midnight.
iiS Iohe, he returned to the hall, as calm
"olning had occurred to move him, though
ne was indeed doubly moved, both as lord of
'4e manor and sheriff of the country; and.
merely INSPIRING TO Aradas to have fifty lances
!" inc saddle within an hour, and to despatch
messenger, to have the horse-boats ready on
.' HAe' opposite to Bowness, took his place
: me o9ard-head, with his fair child on his
'.u'' ana Inc young esquire on the left, and
.ed The roe venison and moor fowl and Jest
J'yoasiy, and quaffed his modicum of the
l''e hight wines of Gascony, as if he had moth
l"s On hand that night beyond walk on the
'@'uements, before retiring. SO soon, how
e'ei as supper was over, he babe his page 90
" 10 his private apartment, and bidding Ara
s 'CGA sharp, for there was little time to lose,
~ SO'd Uuendoen, with smile, that he should
'Ne her chatelaine for the night, since he
-as nde across the lake to Kendall.
Il iionght, father !" she exclaimed, aston
- why, 1t is twenty miles you will not
'leFe before daybreak."
,ls-,.1 YES by midnight, girl, if we spur the
I~,f. PER and It is partly on your business that
49, -, 'Io' chId for fancy there is something
rc. ''i ul"t bodies no good to your friend Ken
tIa , oI' We Il nip it in the bud, well nip it in
'Ae bud, by St. Agathaln
win ~ SAID the girl, turning pale, there
ber g .LaS9 said the old knight, looking at
In, sSnafpi!y, danger, not a whit Of it! 1t is
If S 10. villain dolly, with score of spears
Lie f e.. | must take fifty lances with
-, ~, as sheriff. must keep peace without
!5aa, i ,;:'e"hlnS; were it not for that, / would
On W., In spear to spear and he should reck-
al = me- too, for poor Sir Philip, ere we
s-r ~, "S he shall do yet, one day, although /
he IN now to force him to it. So, now, kiss
go.r! mlmon, and to bed with you, while
caiina. ule stout old warrior strobe up to his
ami whence he descended in half an hour,
hsv;n. 'oP-aP'e IN chain mail, plate armor not
caso,,es YET come into use, with his fiat-topped
hum On ms head, his heater-shaped shield
swoTl I o" MS neck, and his huge, two-handed
apnea. ::IoSSlng his whole person, its cross-hilt
eiasL;Ne above his left shoulder, and its tip
6@eulng against the spur on his right heel. AS
all II - The court of the CASTLE his men were
ns.I N Their saddles, sitting firm as pillars OF
sim zach with his long lance secured by its
{ and the yockst attached 10 tho ,t;rrnn