The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-09-09
THE MINSTREL.
How His Song Found and
Rescued Royal Prisoner.
BY CLINTON MONTAGUE.

me sweetest singer OF MS llme was
Rlondel de Nesle the friend and
companion of England's King Richard
of hon hearted fame And he was
as handsome as girl as he stood be
fore his monarch his long curling hair
falling upon his velvet tunic flowed
with gold wearing silken hose and
elegant boots of green leather his
jeweled fingers lazily sweeping the
chords of the harp.
"Thou art a vain fellow my sweet
minstrel, said Richard. "Thou art
good for naught save for the music
that is in thee; yet would not ex-
change thee for the reason O. nv nv
proudest noble ,~zs-.'-
MARY then Is.ro 40, W, nsr.
chance .lp Of the minstrel might
WIN richer guerdon than the sword of a
knight.
"The knight for service in the field
the minstrel for my hours Of ease, "
laughed the king. Lucky it is fol
thee that | ask not weightier service.
Art is not strength, nor vet Is
strength art, answered Blondel the
minstrel. And art may sometimes do
what brute force cannot-save the life
of king.
Give Richard his armor and battle.
axe, and he asks no other defense.
What couldst thou, pert singer, do tc
save the king from his foesP
Hast thou forgotten the story of the
lion and the mouse that the good
bishop told US off asked the young
troubadour. The minstrel may one
day cut the web that entolds the lion
heart.
Fie, he. my bonny singer. 'Tis no,
thy part to be hero, but minstrel
Sing me now but one stave OF the ballad
that thou taughtcst me SO long ago.
love it well.
Then. when Blondel had finished his
song, the king bade him good bye, 10
buckle on his armor and take the red
cross shield to fight the Paynims in
Holy Land. Puissant deed did The
king in Palestine, cutting off lions
heads and rolling huge Saracens in the
dust, till Syrian mothers learned to
hush their babes by the mention Of his
awe inspiring name.
But though his arms were strong and
his heart brave, he could make no way
against internecine strife and secret
treachery. Weary and heavy hearted,
he turned away at last from the land
that he had hoped to save, and one still
October day his weather beaten fleet
moved out of the harbor of Acre and
directed its course towards the shores
of England.
The ships sailed slowly that night.
In the morning the distant hills of the
Holy Land and the tall spires of Acre
glimmering in the sun, still lay in view
With sad eyes KING Richard watched
the sinking hill and fading spires. He
had failed to win the Holy Land from
the hands of the inhdels and was de.
spondent, as on that shining dav wher
hezascended the great hill overlooking
Jerusalem and held his Norman shield
before his face, saying that he was un
worthy to behold the city that he wa
unable to conquer.
Rough wheather succeeded the fan
still days. The royal feet was tossec
hither and thither and dispersed by ths
storm. Richard endured many prva
tions and narrowly escaped with hi
life, being wrecked off the coast of ths
Adrlatic and forced to swim to th'
shore. Trusting to find his way through
Germany, the king assumed disguise
and called himself Hugh the mer
chant" He journeyed, IN compan.
with faithful page and priest namec
, Baldwin de Bethune, across the noun
tains to GorItz
When Richard reached Gortz he el
, deavored to assure his safety by sendin
his page to the governor tor passport
The value of ring with which he &C
| companied the request excited suspicio
and the governor could not conces
: his surprise.