El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-02
THE LORD ADMIRAL'S PLAYERS.
They Made q Brave Showing In the Good
Old Days of Queen Bess.

They Made a Brave Showing In the Coco
Old Days of Queen Bess.
At early dawn the Oxford carrier
had brought the news that the players
of the lord high admiral were coming
up to Stratford out of London from tho
south to play on May day there; ano
this was what had set the town to buz
zing like a swarm. For there We're il
England then but three great com
panies, the high chamberlain's, the ear
of Pembrolle'S men, and the staSe-play.
ers of my Lord Charles Howard, high
admiral of the realm; and the day OF
which they came into a Midland mar
ket-town TO play was one to mark with
red and gold upon the calendar of the
uneventful year.
Away by the old mill-bridge there
were fishermen angling for dace anC
perch; but when the shout came down
from the London road they dropped
their poles and ran. through the viii.
lows and over the gravel, splashing anC
thrashing among the rushes and sandy
shadows not to be last when the play
erS came. And old John Carter, com
ing down the Warwick road with q LOAD
of hay, laid on the lash until piebald
Dobbin snorted in dismay and broke
into Il numbering run to reach the old
stone bridge in time.
The distant hOrSemen now were com
ing on again. riding in double file
They had flung their banners to the
breeze, and on the changing wind, with
the humping of horses hoofs, came by
snatches the sound ola kettledrum.
mer drawing his drumhead tight, and
lNnD t,n Il nd ! Ir II
blasts of a trumpeter proving his lips
The first of the riders had reached old
Clopton bridge; and the banners
strained upon their slaves in the fresh
ening river wind. The trumpeters and
the drummers led, their horses pranc-
ing, white plumes waving in the breeze
and the April sunlight dancing on the
brazen horns and the silver bellies OF
the kettledrums.
Then came the banners of the COM
pany. curling down with silky swish
and unfurling again with Il snap like Il
broad-lashed whip. The greatest one
was rosy-red, and on it was n gallant
ship upon a flowing sea, bearing upon
its mainsail the arms of my Lord
Charles Howard, high admiral of Eng
land. Upon its mate was giant beard
ed man with a fish's tail, holding a
trident in his hand and blowing upon
a shell, the Triton of the seas which
ruled; this flag was bright sea
blue. The third was white, and on it
was a red wild rose with a golden heart.
The common standard of the company.
After the flags came two-score men.
the players of the admiral, the firing
men, grooms, horse-bOys and serving
knaveS, we'll mounted on good horses,
and all of them clad in scarlet tabards
with the Coat-armOr Of their
master. Upon their caps they wore the
famous badge of the Towards, a. ram
pant silver dcmi-lion; and beneath their
n bards at the side could be seen their
Jenkins of many colored silk, their sill
belts. and long, thin Span
sh rapiers, slapping their horses on the
tanks at every stride. Their legs were
.ased in high topped riding-boots of
tawny cordovan, with gilt spurs. and
he housings of their saddles were of
blue with the gilt anchors of the adj
niralty upon them. On their brides
we're jingling bits of steel. which made |
constant tinkling like a thousand lit |
lie bells very far away.
Some had faces as smooth as boys.
md were quite young; and others wore |
boards with stiff waNed |
and were Older men with n |
inge of iron in their hair and lines of |
ron in their faces, hardened by the life |
hey led, and some again were smooth |
'haven, so often and so closely that |
heir faces We're blue with the beard be- |
heath the skin. But, oh, to Nicholas |
and the rest of Stratford |
,oye. they were dashing. rakish. ad- |
nirable lot, with the air OF something |
wen greater than lords, and n keen |
in their sparkling, world |
V eyes that made a common wise man
eem almost a fool beside them.-John |
Bennett, in st. Nicholas.