The grim veteran of the Low Countries, in stained buff, and with fiercely curled mustachios, side by side with the young gallant in velvet or plush doublet, his lip scarcely shaded with a downy beard, and his long hair so lately fondled by fair hands falling from a face flushed with wine, and the excitement of a first carouse. A glittering row of swords hung against the wall, surmounted by as many helmets or plumed hats: at every movement of the revelers, as the flagons clashed, armor or arms clanked, and afforded martial accompaniment to the stormy song or cheer.

broke him under mine own hand and eye. And now, my cousin, you must let me cement our new-found friendship by a trifling gift; this horse is indeed too light for my burly person, but he will carry you like a cherubim, and to-morrow you must let him be removed to your stable, if his ill-boding name does not daunt you, which I believe to be no easy matter."

Sir Jacob Astley, who sat next to my young kinsman, declared the name to be a sin and shame; and Wilmot, having eagerly inquired the subject of the worthy old Cavalier's indignation, immediately gave the name the benefit of his unqualified praise; defending its propriety with much profanity and wit.

At the head of this fiercely gay company sat Digby, apparently the gayest and most careless of them all, though to my knowledge days and "If thou show thyself," said Sir Jacob, "as nights of anxious and dangerous watching had bold against the enemies of the King as against passed over him since he had tasted of repose. the enemy of mankind, it will be well for our This singular man having passed the morning cause. I pray heaven thou hast not as good an among the graver councilors of the King, dis-understanding with them!"

cussing various and tedious concernments of Sir Marmaduke Langdale stopped the converState, now seized this evening's opportunity to sation at this dangerous juncture, by proposing to ingratiate himself with the mere tools of his pledge my health, and immediately all individual previous elaborate designs. No one could so well conversation was lost in the confused roar of adapt himself to all men's tastes: he was master general conviviality. of every mood, and acquainted with the vagaries The hilarity, however, was soon interrupted of every passion. It was especially in a scene by a trooper, whose appearance showed that he like the present that the versatility and exquisite had ridden in hot haste, and the poor fellow's pliancy of his talents was displayed: by some gauntleted hand shook, as he presented a small well applied word, or look, or smile, he had al- note to Lord Digby. The latter filled his own ready established a certain intimacy with every beaker to the brim, and handed it to the messenman at table, old or young, gay or grave, grim ger, who eagerly quaffed its red contents. veteran or smooth-faced youth, chivalrous aspirant or sensual debauchee.

As soon as his eye caught mine, he exclaimed, A place! a place! for our new recruit! What now, my gallant Paladin; what new adventures hast thou crowded into the twenty-four hours that have chimed on old St. Simon's Tower since we began our enterprise?" He heard my report. "What! treachery, ambuscades, and hair-breadth 'scapes? why, 'tis a tale fit for a stirring time like this, to whet the appetite of young blood for strife, and recall the fervor of the old. Gallant gentlemen all! I present to you a worthy son of the noble House of Hastings, to whose conduct and bravery I owe my safety here, and who has seized the opportunity of our entertainment to encounter the vanguard of the rebels."

While Digby continued in this strain, I was cordially greeted by the Cavalier whom I have previously mentioned; the owner of the steed Satanic that had carried me so well in my late

encounter.

Gentlemen," said Lord Digby, with a congratulatory air, "I should regret to break up this good company, were it not that these tidings are of such interest. The crop-eared knaves of Coventry have not only refused the King admittance into their smoky town, but have fired on his Majesty's train, and, I fear me, have slain some. My Lord Wilmot, you and all your troops will prepare to mount instantly and set forward to the King's assistance. We may expect to see you return in a day or two as the escort of his Majesty."

Wilmot and his officers sprang from their seats with alacrity. With no small outlay of round oaths, down came armor and arms clanging from the walls, and a few hasty salutations being exchanged, some twenty Cavaliers left the room, and the rest dispersed themselves more slowly. Soon afterward we heard trumpets far and near, and just as I was sinking to rest, I caught the tramp of horse, the sound of which mingled with and shaped my dreams.

"Such has been the hurry of events," said he, Notwithstanding the excitement of such novel "that I have not yet introduced myself to you or scenes, I slept soundly, and was only wakened claimed the honor of kindred; my name is Harry by the stir of the crowded town. I sprang to Hastings, more commonly known, I fear, as my feet with the consciousnes of having much Harry Hotspur, and though I have had the fortune to learn and to perform, and as I hastily made to command my Lord Hastings' troop of horse in what Digby would have called my toilet, my that scurvy Scotch business, I was prevented attention was more occupied with the little from becoming acquainted with his son by your details of life that were passing in the street. absence during my only visit at Beaumanoir." Here a long wagon of hay was urged toward the It was indeed my fearless and much-feared cavalry stables; there, a wagon load of pikecousin, who has since held out his castle of Ashby handles was trundling up to the stores, superinde la Zouche for years, kept the Roundheads in tended by Sir Jacob Astley, who was already on check throughout three counties, and well won foot and ready to scrutinize them; huge butts of for himself the title of Lord Loughborough. ale were to be seen dragged along by willing I cordially accepted his proffered friendship, and thanked him once more for the use of his charger.

"A better never served a hunter's or a soldier's need," said he, "though I say it, who bred and

soldiers toward their quarters; and armorers? apprentices, laden with back and breast pieces, potts and taces, were constantly hurrying by. Booths full of London wares, and, in many cases, with London warehousemen as well, were fitted

up, lining the whole street; and rustics, whose my brother, brief as had been his stay after my ordinary markets were in distant villages, now departure. He told me he had left my father so thronged the good city of Nottingham with fowls much recovered that he rode with his troop some and eggs, and other farm-yard products, for miles, and in bidding them farewell had spoken which they received (or were promised) three- of leading them before long in person. He told fold prices. me also that he had been at the castle to take Before I was dressed, I heard the sonorous leave of Zillah and Phoebe; that the former gave voice of Harry Hastings calling lustily for his him rather the impression of Deborah, when she morning draught, and swearing at the oak table, warned the Israelites against battle, but that her for being the hardest board he had ever slept sister was all tenderness, anxiety, and devotion. upon. To this necessity had he been compelled Fancy that light-hearted, laughing girl," he at last by the repletion of the house, and by his said, "giving me sage counsel with tearful eyes, disinclination "to presume on our brief acquaint- and in a voice so earnest, it might have peneance," as he said, by taking my miserable straw-trated a tougher heart than mine. Amongst other stuffed bed from under me; all the other rooms matters that surprised me, she told me to beware, in the house were well barricaded before the and to warn you, of that most accomplished and orgies of the preceding night had well begun. clever person whom she met under your escort. Such a state of things had made the whole house- She also told me she had seen your page Bryan in hold wakeful, and Dame Deerly herself was al- long conference with Zillah, who appeared sadder ready stirring and arranged in her best attire. and more stern than ever after your last interview. Poor Phœbe! her prospects are dismal enough, for one like her; prisoned in that gloomy castle, which has assumed a decidedly puritanic caste since the Parliament waxed so strong. It was a hard task to leave her. From the moment, however, that I mounted and rode away from our valley, I felt lighter at heart than I have done for many, many months, and I almost hope that in the stir of our future life I shall be able to forget the past."

From her we learnt that in the course of the night, "some great foreign Prince had arrived; and on finding the King was absent, had taken horse, almost without taking breath, and spurred away like mad on the road to Coventry; some say it is Prince Rupert Palatine, and some that it is the Soldan himself come to fight for our religion and rightful Majesty."

Anxious for surer intelligence, I issued forth from the Antlers to seek Lord Digby, whom I found in the midst of business at the castle.

It was very touching to hear the mournful accents of this boy-soldier as he spoke of his past life-pure and innocent though it had been. Indeed he might have stood for the picture of one of the angel warriors in the old Christian stories, as he lent pensively on his sword, his long auburn hair curling down his cuirass, and his tearful blue eyes fixed steadily on heaven, as if there lay his only hope.

CHAPTER XII.

The field all iron cast a gleaming brown,
Nor wanted clouds of foot; nor, on each horn
Cuirassiers, all in steel for standing fight.

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K

Such and so glorious was their chivalry.

MILTON.

"Welcome, my Paladin," he cried, pushing from him a heap of papers, and stretching his limbs, weariedly, "I hope you have slept better than has been my lot. Scarcely was I in bed when a dispatch arrives from the King, ordering petards to be forwarded forthwith to Coventry; and when Will Legge and I had, at length, got a couple of 'potticaries' mortars to serve for the purpose, I lay down again. I was soon roused, however, by the news that that blundering Prince Rupert was arrived, and was storming for information about the King. I got his highness a fresh horse and guide, and sent him forward like a tennis-ball. Then comes a trumpet from Essex, apologizing for an affront offered yester-even to a Cavalier, by a vidette, which it appears had been sent to look out for the return of your Puritan's embassy; and one of the present objects of this second mission is to take back the associates of friend Hezekiah, whom Hyde ordered, forsooth, I PASS over the raising of the standard, and the to be honorably lodged at the Antlers; they now consequent events that are fresh in every recolfear that in reprisal for their rascally attack on lection, and not easy to be obliterated. Never you, we shall detain this canaille, of whom we seemed a nation more reluctant than was England shall have only too good a riddance. By Pluto, a to go to war; but when once thoroughly upgovernor of a royal castle in these times had need roused, her efforts were prodigious. of as many heads as Cerberus in order to under-gathered round the King, as if by magic, and stand, and as many hands as Briareus, to sign all when we marched away from Shrewsbury unos these papers; not a base peasant of them all will London (as we fondly hoped), we mustered u trust the King with a sack of corn, unless he has ward of ten thousand fighting men, besides a a promissory note under my hand to pay for it." crowd of mere idlers, courtiers, and officials. 1 This day passed slowly away; it was the eve also pass over the various incidents of our march, of that appointed for the setting up of the and arrive at once at my first battle-field. standard, and though no person expected that appointment would be kept, a sort of feverish suspense almost universally prevailed. In the afternoon, however, my brother Hugo arrived at the head of as goodly a troop of horse as ever armed for the King. I had thenceforth sufficient occupation all the remainder of the evening in providing for their wants, to prevent my time from passing slowly. I had also much to learn from

An army

On the morning of the 23d of October, we found ourselves descending the steep side of Edgehill to form in the plain below, where the enemy stood ready to receive us. Hugo rode that day in Lord Bernard Stuart's Life-Guards, which I had hoped would have remained in attendance on the King; but when our battle-line was forming, the life-guards requested and obtained permission to charge with Rupert's corps

of cavalry, to which my troop also was attached. an unsuppressed shout of welcome and triumph I was not, however, destined to command it on that fatal day.

"Lord Hastings, I hail it as a good omen for I know not how long I lay in that sudden this day, that you return to my side. Nay, man, swoon, but as I slowly recovered, I could still speak not of the cause that made you absent; I faintly hear the shouts and yells of desperate fight remember it at this hour, perhaps too well, espe- approaching and retiring, and the ground shaken cially when I see yonder traitor, Holland, in the under me, as masses of cavalry charged to and ranks of mine enemies. Enough for the present, fro. Gradually the sounds grew more distinct, my true-hearted and gallant Hastings! if it shall and vision returned to my eyes; I looked round, please Heaven that we both survive this day, and-Heaven!-what a cruel spectacle revealed hasten to me when it is over. Now tell those troopers to move on, or the rebels will have the triumph of the first move, and there is my nephew Rupert, impatiently waving his sword below for the troops to advance."

less painful attitude. Most of them were ene- I felt the force of his last words, and the agony mies, but all thought of enmity seemed to have of my heart sought refuge in desperate action passed away. Not a few of these poor fellows I flung a fallen standard over the gallant dead, and had belonged to my own devoted troop, who had forgetful of all bodily pain and wounds, I sprang sealed their fidelity with their lives, in endeavor- to my feet. My horse, fearless and well-trained ing to support my charge. It was miserable to had never left me. Though rolled over and me to see those honest manly features, so well trampled on, and bleeding from a dozen wounds known in childhood's happier days, now distorted he was quietly grazing on a patch of grass, from or pale, as the sword or musket had destroyed which he had pawed away the dead body of a them. I not only knew every yeoman who lay little drummer-boy. there, but every child and village girl, that vainly I remember nothing more of that fearful day, expected the return to his home of their slain except charging across the plain, strewn as it was soldier. A young trumpeter, whose first attempts with parties confusedly attacking and flying. I to sound a horn I well remembered in our wood-felt my strength failing me, and I only sought to land chase, lay close to me, empaled by a Round-reach the first mêlée, to fling myself among the head pike; and across his breast lay his father, enemy, and perish in the clash of swords. his gray hairs dabbled in the blood that_streamed tried to collect myself—to take in the position of from the boy's side. He was a sturdy forester the battle, and lead my scanty troops where they who taught me woodcraft long ago; his right hand still grasped the sword with which he had severed the arm that smote his son, but a small mark upon his manly forehead showed where the bullet had freed the childless father from all

sorrow.

Many such groups lay scattered widely round, formed by death and agony into terrible picturesqueness. Not one mere mercenary soldier could see; all were honest, simple-looking countrymen, who wore their soldier garments awkwardly, as they lay there, manuring their native soil with rich red blood. As my dizzy eyes wandered over the dead and dying and slowly recognized each altered face, they were arrested by the prostrate form of an officer, whose crimson scarf showed him to be a Cavalier. I dragged myself toward where he lay upon his face, bathed in gore. I lifted him gently, raised his vizor, and beheldmy father!

He was not dead; but my joy on finding him alive was soon checked, when I observed that indescribable pallor, which even to the inexperienced eye is the sure sign of approaching death. Once more, however, he smiled-smiled upon me with a look of tenderest affection, and his warm heart rallied its energies again as it spoke in his kindling eye and voice. He faintly and solemnly blessed me; and through the roar of war's infernal din, his whispered words fell distinctly on my ear like the accents of an angel.

"Mourn not;" he said softly, "no one ever so rejoiced to live as I to die-to die thus on my son's brave breast, while my King's enemies are scattered before him. Now I have no earthly fear to mingle with my hope of heaven! Long may you live, my son, loyally, righteously-and when you die, may you welcome death as I do

now."

were most needed, but in vain; my brain reeled, and it was only by a glimmering instinct that Í led-still at a furious gallop-my willing men against the first body of orange scarfs that I could reach. My troops cheered bravely as we dashed in among the enemy, and I can remember no more.

A few watch-fires marked the ground where the videttes of both armies now occupied the po sition which the line of battle had held during the day. Here and there, on the hill-side, burnt a few other scanty fires. The tent I lay in stood upon the summit of Edgehill, and from vague, lazy noises I heard around me, I guessed that the camp was there also. As my eyes became accustomed to the light, I observed a glimmering in the darkness opposite my bed, and there I soon He paused, and some inarticulate words rattled recognized the dead body of my father, armed in his throat; but his last heart's pulse lent vigor from head to heel, as he had fallen, but carefully to his voice, as he saw some of our troopers re-disposed on a crimson cloak. His hands were turning from the chase; they flung themselves crossed in warrior-fashion upon his breast, and from their horses, and gazed with clasped hands his countenance-so sweetly grave-seemed to and mournful eye upon their lord. He tried to say that his spirit had parted from his last battle raise himself, and pointing with his trembling into happy rest. hand to where the battle was still struggling, he I had dragged my maimed and bruised body near to his, and was kneeling by his side, when "The standard is taken! To the rescue-to the canvas door was darkened, and then Hugo the rescue! This day or never-fight-" Then, was kneeling by my side. How we prayed I after a moment's pause, he rose with a dying effort cannot, what we prayed, I will not tell; but from from my arms and strove to utter his last war-cry. that time forth we mourned for him that was "For God-" he cried, and his voice failed, his gone no more. As sorrow, and disappointment, head sunk upon his cuirass, as he murmured, "and and despair fell upon us and on the cause he loved, for the King." And then he ceased to breathe. we could think with pleasure and gratitude how

exclaimed:

mercifully he had been spared from the evil days

to come.

Henceforth Hugo and I were alone in the world; we parted no more; we shared the same bed and board; fought in the same battle when it came, charged side by side, and held the same watch when the fight was done.

of my leg, and laid me on the green grass, so that I had nothing to do but look about me, and wonder how your honor was getting on among the rebels. By dint of the purse of gold my Lord Pedlar gave me, I persuaded the doctor's men to take me to where I saw your honor fall, but you were gone; and though I found Sam Willis, and Bill Everard, and many more of our boys from home there, the only one that had any life worth mentioning left was old Blount, who had a sore whack upon the head and a broken

The day after the battle of Edgehill I was carried on a litter to Banbury, and thence in a few days to Oxford, where I recovered so rapidly as to take part in the King's advance on London in November. During my illness, I was watch-leg, so that he couldn't stand, and was cleaning fully and tenderly cared for by Bryan, who gave me by degrees his own account of the battle in which I had suffered so much, yet of which I knew so little.

one of your honor's pistols to amuse himself. He told me that Master Hugo had carried you off, and promised to send back for himself; and now he's hard by and doing well, only that he's in great trouble about the key of your honor's trunk, that the camp women picked his pocket of when he was in a swoon; for those she-devils follow as close on the soldiers in the fight as the gleaners after the harvesters."

"Well, my lord," said he, "you remember you ordered me to stay on the outskirts of the battle with the spare horse. I was scarcely set, when the trumpets screeched, and your honor and the rest went at the enemy at such a rate, that the sight left my eyes; whether it was the beating of my heart that pushed out the tears, or the dust that blinded me, I cannot tell. But I soon saw clear enough, and there was the Prince cutting away like mad, well in front of all the troops, that seemed to be running a race after him; and then I saw my Lord that was (rest his soul) leading on the second lines, and seeing there was nothing more to do in front, he turned to the left against the rebel foot, and the next minute your honor was in amongst their pikes, and down: and poor old Blount, who was close to you, thinking fit to follow you always, went down on top of you, and the rebels closed over all like waves of the sea, and for a little while the rest of the troop was turned aside. But then my Lord came up, riding quite steady and easy like, and rode in among them as if they were a field of wheat: and the rest followed, and there was great struggling for a little while, till Master Hugo came back from the chase with the gentleman-troop of my Lord Bernard and drove away the rebels like chaff, and followed them too, for he knew nothing of your honor's fall. Meanwhile, the King's Horse on the left cleared their part of the field; and I thought the business was done, when I saw the middle of the rebels pushing on with their foot till they drove ours in, and took the royal standard: it was a long time before they were beaten back, and the King got his flag into his own hands again. And then there was such confusion that I couldn't tell what was happening, or who was beating, or who was Blount now recovered from his wounds; and winning; and it's my own belief that our Gen-looking more grim than ever from a deep scar eral and my Lord Essex knew as little as I did; upon his cheek, was still constant in his attendbut at last both sides began to look for their own people, and got together as fast as they could; to talk about the great victory, and to settle how they could most conveniently get away from those that they had conquered so entirely."

This confused narration was, after all, one of the best accounts I ever heard of this memorable battle; from my brother Hugo to the King, every one had a different version of it. Digby swore that Prince Rupert lost the battle, and Mr. Hyde was ready enough to show how it might have been won, and Sir Philip Warwick swore it was won. All I know is, that nothing-not even defeat-could have been more disastrous to England than this undecided battle. I verily believe that the Parliament, if then victorious, would have been forced by the country to give the King better terms, than now, after all their defeats they are disposed to offer. Our men fought only too well, and forgot the better part of valor-that discretion and presence of mind which alone can dignify and turn it to a successful issue.

“But,” said I, “what were you doing all this time?"

Six months passed by in various triumphs and, defeat. The King had knighted Hugo on the field of Keinton for rescuing the royal standard from the Roundheads. His Majesty had also condoled with us kindly on Lord Hastings's death, and had borne honorable testimony to his merit, and his virtues; but my dead father's service was naturally soon forgotten in the crowd of living claimants for court favor.

My brother and I were generally with Prince Rupert, whose restless spirit of enterprise, alldaring courage, and quenchless love of adventure kept us in constant occupation, which was well suited to our circumstances, if not always to our feelings.

ance, while Bryan hovered round me with pertinacious zeal to do me service. My black horse, too, had survived our various dangers, and was still unrivaled in the chase as well as in the

ranks.

The summer of 1643 closed in with a stormy autumn, that ended the campaign sooner than "Oh! I forgot to tell your honor that just as I usual. Mutually worn out, but mutually unforwas going down to you, that rollicking, swearing giving, the two great parties that divided Enggentleman that gave you the devil (here he land were now fain to retire to their wintercrossed himself)-Satan I mean-came up to me quarters, the Roundheads concentrated in and all bloody and out of breath, and bid me give about London, we for the most part at Oxford or him your horse; and when I wouldn't, he pitched at York.

me off him as if I was a sack, and the next minute he was on him, and away like a madman, looking for somebody to fight with. In the mean time, a bullet slipped into the left calf