The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-08-19
The Punishment.

GONE six hundred years ago, that gal
~ liant gentleman and wise prince, Ed
ward /, set out for the conquest of the
Holy Land, accompanied by his Queen
Among the many knights who followed the
valiant king, was one named Sir Francis
D. Essai, an admirer of the beautiful Eva
Clare, young lady attendant upon the
queen. The fair maid did not reciprocate
his attentions, but bestowed her smiles
upon Sir Henry Courtenay, young knight
distinguished for his valor and judgment.
D'Essai, jealous and mad with rage, deter
mined to possess the young lady at all haz-
ards. AS Queen Eleanor and Eva, with an
escort commanded by D'Essai, were pro-
ceeding on pilgrimage to the Jordan, a
band of his satellites dressed as Arabs sud-
denly attacked them, and carried off the
maid to the castle of the Old Man of the
Mountain, where D. Essai shortly repaired.
Soon Sir Henry Courtenay heard of the
outrage, and comprehended the plot. He
rescued his lady-love, took the false knight
prisoner, and had him conveyed to Arce,
for the punishment he so richly deserved at
the hands Of his brother knights. The
particulars of the awful ceremony of deg
radiation are thus recorded:
The great church of Arce was thrown
open, and knights in brilliant armor, and
Templars and Hospitallers in the habili-
ments of their orders, bishops and priests
in their sacred robes, and vassals in their
holiday array crowded up the long aisles,
and filled the spacious church, as though
eager to witness some splendid ceremonial.
But instead of gorgeous decorations, wains-
cot and windows draped with black, diff
fused funeral gloom, and the solemn re-
verberation of the toiling bell, seemed to
sound a requiem over the grave of Hope.
Sir Francis D. Essai had been tried in a
council of his peers, and found guilty of
treason to religion and knightly devoir ;
and this day, the anniversary Of his admis-
sion to the rank of knighthood, his COM
panions in arms, the vassals whom he
despised, and all those actuated by curiosi-
ty or enmity, were assembled to witness
his degradation. Eva shuddered at the
terrible doom of her former loverl and De-
Courtenay, with instructive delicacy, had
obtained permission to absent himself
from the scene on visit to the Holy
Sepulchre. AS king-at-arms and first in
rank, it was the duty of King Edward to
preside over this fearful ceremony, which,
by the true and loyal, was regarded as
more terrible than death itself.
At the first stroke of the great bell, the
pursuivants, having robed Sir Francis for
the last time in his knightly habiliments,
conducted him from the "Cursed Tower"
toward the church. AS they entered the
door, the doleful peak sank in silence, and
after one awful moment his fellow-knights,
with broken voices, began to chant the bu-
rial service.
An elevated stage, hung with black, had
been erected in the centre of the nave, and
upon this the pursuviants, whose business
it was to diyest him of every outward in
sigma Of courage and truth, placed the cul-
prit in full view of all the vast concourse.
When the chanting ceased, King Edward
spoke in voice that thrilled to every
heart "Sir Francis D'Essai thou who
didst receive the sword of knighthood from
the hand of the good st. Louis, dost stand
before us this day attaint of treason to thy
God, thy truth, and the lady of thy love-
Wherefore thy peers have willed that the
order of knighthood, by which thou hast
received all the honor and worship upon
thy body, be brought to naught, and thy
state be undone, and thou be driven forth
outcast and dishonored, according to thy
base deserts" Instantly the brazen
tongue from the belfry ratified the fiat, and
announced the hour of doom.
At tho word, the squire with trembling
hand removed the helmet, the defense of
disloyal eyes, revealing the pale and hag-
gard countenance of the recreant knight,
and the choir resumed the mouruful dirge.
Then each pursuivant advanced in his or
der to the performance Of his unwelcome
duty. One by one tho knightly trappings
Of D'Essai were torn from his body, and as
cuirass, greayes, brassarts and gauntlets
rang upon the the payements, the heralds
exclaimed
Behold the harness Of a miscreant p
Trembling and bent beneath the weight