The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-07-08

WIN d" Fhi'Vi, VI thS tINu iiltE Will w
taking thy place here, and pledging me. "
STUFF ~ said the soldier hell never
trouble you more"
With this he marched out to consult
tho night, and almost ran against the
dead friar seated in the porch, white and
glariug this was too much even for the
iron soldier he uttered n sharp yell,
staggered back, and burst into the room
gaspug for breath. He got close to his
master aud stammered out, The dead
man-sit'ipg in the porch !" and crossed
himself energetically, the first time these
thirty years.
The knight stared and trembled and
so they drew close together, with their
eyes over their shoulders.
"Wiue ~ cried the knight.
"Ay," said the soldier, "but | 90 not
alone. He'll be squatting on the cask
else"
So they went together to the cellar,
often looking round, and fetched two
bottles.
They drank them out and the good
wine, falling upon more Of the sort, made
them madder and bolder They rolled
along holding on by one another, to the
porch, and there they stood and looked
at the dead iriar and shuddered.
But the soldier swore a great oath, and
vowed he should not stay there to get
them hanged. Thereupon a furious fit
OF recklessness succeeded to their terror
they got suit Of rusty armor and fas.en.
ed it on the body then they saldlcd an
old war horse that was kept in the stable
only as reminiscence, and tied the
lriar's body on him with many cords
they opened the stable door and prcked
the old war horse with their daggers and
he claliered out into the road with @
bound and a great rattling Of rusty armor
Now, as il.luck would have it, Frial
Richard and his borrowed mare were
pacing demurely through the town, scarce
fifty yards ahead. The old horse noaed
the mare, and being left to choose his
road. took very naturally after her; bu,
when he got to her the monk looked around
and saw the CHASTITY rider. He gave 0
yell so piercing it walked tho whole street
and, for lack Of spurs. drove his bare
heels into the mares sides she cantered
down the street at an easy pace the
fearful pageant cantered after; the frial
kept turning aud yelling, and the win.
dows kept opening and heads popped out
to sec, and by and by doors opened and
a few early risers joined in the pursuit
wondering and curious
The cavalcade never cleared the town
Of Norwich the friar in the blindness ol
despair turned his horse up what seemed
to be an open lane but there was nc
exit his dead pursuer came up with him
and he threw himself off and cried
Mercy mercy mea cu7pa Il con.
fess it, couiess it only take that hor.
rible face from me !" and in his despair
he owned that he had slain brother John
Then some led the horse and his ghast.
ly load away, and wondered sore but
others hauled Friar Richard to justice, and
he believing it was miracle and heaven S
hand upon him, persisted in bis confession
and was east ioto prison to abide his trial.
lie had not TO want long. Iu those
days the law did not tarr5 for judges of
ass2e to come round the country now
and then. Each town had its mayor and
its aldermen, any one of whom could try
c nd hang man il need was So Friar
Richard was tried next week.
BY this time he had somewhat recover.
ed his spirits and his love of lille. He
defended himself, and said that indeed he
had slain his hroIherhut it was by mistake
lie had thrown stone at him in some
anger, but net to do him deadly harm.
This he said with many tears But, on
the other hand, it was proved he had long
hated brother John that he had got out
OF the priOry without passing the door,
and had borrowed the maltsters mare on
o false fretense, finally, marks Of straug.
ulation had been found on the dead mans
throat All this overpowerd and nazed
the poor iriar, and although his terror at
the apparition was not SO easily recon.
ciled with his having been the person
who tied the body on the horse, and
though one alderman, shrewder than the
rest, said he thought great deal lay be.
hind that, yet upon the whole it was
thought the safest and most usual course
to hang him. So he was condemned to
die-in three days tine.
The iriar seeing his end so near. strug-
gled 10 more against his fate He sent
for ,hr prior to confess him, and ioll the
truth With deep sorrow and humility :
"Diea calpa , mea oulpa :" he cried. al
| had net hated my brother aud broken
our rule, then this had not come upon
me-"
Then the prior gave him full absolu-
ton. aud went away exceedingly sorrow
iul and doubling the wisdom and justice
of laymen, and in particular of those who
were about To harry brother Richard for
wiliul murder This preyed upon his
mind. aud hr wrnt 10 Sir Richard Err.
bingham 10 nlr.' hi, misgiviugs and pray
the good knight IA work uPou the sheriff
who was his freud. iar u respite until
the matter could b. !ootci into more
closely
The knight was not Al hone, hut my
lady saw the prior and leaned his erranl
Alas, good father - said She, 81 Rich,
ard is net here; he is gone to London
these two days"
The prior went home sick at heart
Even so long ago as this they hung
from Norwich castle so tho Iu le gal
lows was put up al seven o'clock. and al
eight brother Richard must hang and turn
in the wind like weathercock.
But before that fatal hour kings
messenger gallOped into the city aud spur.
red iuto the court yard Of the castle,
Very soon the sheriff was reading u
parchment, signed by the kings owa
hand the gellows was taken down, aud
the people dispersed by degrees Some
4. : a a