The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-01-07
THE LORD ADMlRAL'S PLAYER
They Made Brave Showing In the Good
Old Days of Queen Bess.

They MADE a Brave showing III tno OOOu
Old Days of Queen Bess.
At early dawn the Oxford carrier
had brought the news that the played
of the lord high admiral were cominl
up to Stratford out of London from tH
south to play on May day there; AM
this was what had set the town to bud
ling like a swarm. For there were in
England then but three great com.
panies, the high chamberlain's, the earl
of Pembroke's men, and the stage-play-l
ers of my Lord Charles Howard, high
admiral of the realm; and the day on
which they came into 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 AID
perch; but when the shout came down
from the London road they droppfd
their poles and ran, through the WI
lows and over the gravel, splashing and
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 load
of hay, laid on the lash until piebald
Dobbin snorted in dismay and broke
into numbering run to reach the old
stone bridge in time.
The distant horsemen now were COM
ing on again, riding in doubleGl 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 of kettledrum-
mer drawing his drumhead tight, and
| beating as he drew, and the mut1ted
| blasts of a trumpeter proving his lips.
The first of the riders had reached old
! Clopton bridge; and the banners
strained upon their slaves i'll 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 a silky swish
and unfurling again with a snap like 4
broad-ashed whip. The greatest one
was rosy-red, and on it was a gallant
ship upon a flowing sea, bearing upor
its mainsail the arms of my Lore
Charles Howard, high admiral of Eng
land. Upon its mate was giant beard
ed man with a fishs tail, holding (
trident in his hand and blowing upoI
shell, the Triton of the seas which
England ruled; this flag was bright sea
blue. The third was white, and on /
was led wild rose with a golden heart
tho 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, well mounted on good horses
and all of them clad in scarlet tabard
blazoned with the coat-armor of thei
master. Upon their caps they wore IN
famous badge of the Towards, ram
pant silver demi-lion; and beneath thel
tabards at the side could be seen thel
Jenkins of many colored silk, their 81
ver-buckled belts, and long, thin Spar
> ish rapiers, shaping their horses op ID
TANKS at every stride. Their legs "ef
rased in high topped riding-boots c
tawny cordovan, with gilt spurs, an
the housings of their saddles were
blue with the gilt anchors of the at
miralty upon them. On their birdie
were iingling bits of steel, which mad
a constant tinkling like thousand IL
+ tie bells very far away.
Some had faces as smooth as boy
and were quite young; and others woi
sharp-pointed boards with stiff wake
: mustaches, and were older men with
i tinpe of iron in their hair and lines
iron in their faces, hardened by the IL
) they led, and some again were smoot
= shaver, so often and so closely th'
Il their faces were blue with the beard D
Y meath the skin. But, oh, to Nlchoi'
Atwood and the rest OF Strat1ol
;, bows. they were a dashing, raklsh, a
'e mirable lot, with the air of somethlI
ryeu greater than lords, and ket
llnowingness in their sparkling, worf
~ " ewes that made a common wise mt
~ seem almost fool beside them. OF
Bennett, in st. Nicholas.