The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-07-21
TIE KNIGHTS SECRET.
A New story by Charles Rcade

and valiant service.
This Sir Thomas Erpingham
Knight Of the Garter, afterwards
fought by the side of Henry the
Fifth in his French wars, and was
made warden ofthe Cinque Ports.
but retired TO Norwich, his native
place. He married beautiful
pious lady and after the turbulent
career and the horrors Of war;. de-
sired to end his days in charity.
Being wealthy and of one mind
lie and Lady Erpinghana built a
goodly church in the city and also
erected and endowed a religious
house for twelve monks and a pri.
or close TO the Knights house
and parted only by high wall.
But though the retired soldier
wished to be at peace with all
men, two Of his friars were Of an
other mind. Friar John and Friar
Richard hated each other, and
and could by no means be recon
ciled; neither had evera good
word for the other; and at last
Friar Richard a fair excuse for his
invectives. Lady Erpingham
came over to mathis in the con
vent, and Friar John would al
ways await her coming and attend
her through the cloister with
ducks and cringes and open adula-
tions, whereat she smiled, being,
in truth, a most innocent lady. af
fable to all, and slow to think i'll
of any man.
But Richard denounced John as
a licentious monk, and some
watched and whispered; others re-
buked Richard, for it was the mo-
nastic rule to put an i'll cOnstruc-
ton where the matter might be
innocent.
But Richard stood his ground,
and unfortunately, Richard was
right; misunderstanding the lady's
courtesy and charity, brother
John thought his fawning advanc-
es were encouraged, and this bred
in him such impudence that one
day he sent her d fulsome love
letter. and had the hardihood to
beg for 4 private interview.
The lady, when she opened this
letter, could hardly believe her
senses; and, at last, as gentlewo-
men will be both unsuspicious
and suspicious in the wrong place,
She made up her mind that the
poor, good, ridiculous friar could
never have been so wicked as to
write this; nay, but it was her
husbands doing, and a trial Of her
virtue. lie was older than her
self; and great love is often taint
cd with Jealousy.
This brought tears into her eyes,
to think she should be doubted;
but soon anger dried them, and
she took occasion to put the let.
ter suddenly into Sir Richards
hand, and fixed her eyes on him
so keenly that, if there had been
flaw in his conjugal armor, no
doubt those eyes had pierced it.
The Knight read the letter and
turned black and white with rage;
his eyes sparkled with fury and
he looked so fearful that the lady
was very sorry she had shown hin
the letter, and begged him net to
take a madman's folly to heat
"Not take it to hearth said he.
"What. !. these beggarly shave
lings that ! have housed and fed,
and so lessened my estage and
thine-they shall corrupt thee and
rob me of my one earthly treas
ure! Sit thou down and write"
"Write--Richa what ITO
whom y
"Do as | bid thee, damc," said
he, sternly. sand no more words"
Those were the days when hus-
bands commanded and wives
obeyed; so she sat down, tremb-
ling, and took the pen.
Then he made her write letter
back to the friar and say she com
passionated his love, and her his-
band was to ride towards London
that night, and her servant, on
whom She could depend, should |
adlRit him to her by a side door OF
the house.
Friar John, at the appointed
time, took care to be in the town
for he knew the lay-brother
who kept the gate of the priory,
would not let him in so late. He
came to the side door, and was
admitted by servant of the
night, a reckless old soldier who
cared for neither iman nor devil,
as the saying is, but only for his
master. This man took him into
Il room and Left him; then went
for the Knight--he was not far
of. Now, the unlucky monk, be-
ing come TO the conquest of
beautiful lady, as he vainly
thought, had fine linen on, and
perlllmcd Ikea civet. The knight
smelt these perfumes and rushed
in upon him with his man, like
dogs upon the odorilerous fox,
and, ia the fMry, without giving
him to call for help, or to say one
strangled him and left
him dead.
But death breeds calm; The
Knights rage abated that mo-
nent. and he saw he had done n
'oul and remorseless deed. He