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About The Montgomery monitor. (Mt. Vernon, Montgomery County, Ga.) 1886-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 1906)
ts" WjM 7 '1- ’■, ' 1 -■ i : i ’ ’ii ■■' riIAPTKK XV. The Prlii<‘< with lilm EnglUh an<l Gas con army moved swiftly southward in battle array and Kir Nlicel havln*c rf* • rutted hia rank* with the two hun dred member* of the original White fVirnpany, from the wood* near Mont* la-zard. joined the army and received the honorable eommlinton from the Prince, to push ahead into Spain and !«< over the location and strength of the Spanish and French army under King Henry of TVanatamare. The lit tle hand wound through the panne* of Navarre and into the rugged land of Spain. Sir Nig* l had with him Sir William Felton. Sir Oliver Butteathorn. »tout old Sir Simon Burley, the Hootch knight errant, the Karl of Annua, and Sir Rich ard Taunton, all accounted among the bra vent knight* In the army, together with nlifr veteran men-ut nr tan. and three hundred and twenty archern Spies had been #ent out In the morAfng. and returned after night-fall to nay 'that the King of Spain win encamped some fourteen mil* •* **ff In the direction of tturgoa. having wJth him twenty tnou nand home and forty-five thouaand foot. A dry-wood fire bud lM*en lit. and round fill* the leader* crouched, the glare, heating upon their rugged fa?en. while the hardy archern lounged and chatted *mfd the tethered hornen. while they munched their noanty provision# “For my part.” nald Sir Simon Bur lev 1 am of the opinion that we have already done that which we have come for For do w«* not now know where the king In and how great a following he hath which wan the end of our jour ney .** ' True " answered Sir William Felton, •’but I have come on thin venture be cause it la a long time since I have broken a npear In war. and oerten, I shall n«*t go back until I have run a course with sum* cavalier of Spain.” • I will not leave you. Sir William.** returned Sir Simon Burley; "and yet. an an old noldler and one who hath seen much of war. I cannot but think that It In an 111 thing for four hundred men to find themselves between an ui r of sixty thousand «»n the one side and * broad river on the other.** * Yet.” nald Sir Richard Causton. *‘w« cannot for the honor of F.ngland go back without a blow struck Nor for the honor of Scotland, either.” cried tl»* l ari of Angus. H> Saint Paul* v»u have spoken \cr> well.' said Sir Nigel, and 1 have always heard that theta* were very worthy gentlemen among the Scots, nrtd flue #klrtnl*hh»g to he had upon their border Bethink you. Sir Simon, that w»* have thin news from the lip* of common aplea. who can scarce tell us an much of the »-n«*ri»y and of hi* forcer* an ths prin • would wish to hear.” All night they led their home*. htumbling and groping through wild j • flies and rugged a I let*, following the guidance of a frightened peasant who j u*« strapped by the wrist to Black Si mons stirrup-leather. With the early dawn they found themselves in a dark ravine, with other* sloping away from it on either side and the bare brown i rugs rising in long hleak terrace* all tound them ‘lf it plea.ne you. fair lord.” said Black Simon, this man hath misled us. ; .♦nd since there is no tree upon which i we may hang him. It might In* well ! to hurl him over yonder cliff Ths peasant, reading the soldier’s meaning In hi* fierce eye* and harsh j • cent* dropped upon hia knees scream- ; lug lomlly for uiercv How comes It, dOf r ' a*ker Hir Will lain Felton In Spanish. "Where Is ths* amp to which you swore you would lead us?” By the sweet Virgin’ By the blessed Mother of God‘ cried the trembling peasant. " l swear to you that in the darkness I have myself lost the path. I —*‘At tha instant, there rose the u ream of a hundred bugles, w ith the deep n filing of drums and tha clashing f cymbals, afl sounding together in one ieafentng uproar Knights and arch • * hprang to arms, convln* - *otne great host was upon them; but j the guide dropped upon bis knees and . thanked Heaven for Its mercies We have found them caballeros* he cried This i* their morning call.” As he spoke he scrambled down one of the narrow ravines, and. climbing ever a low ridge at the further end he j led them Into a short v alley with a stream purling down the centre of it. and a very thick growth of elder and box upon either * d« Pushing their way through the dense brushwood, they looked upon a scene which made their hearts beat harder and their breath come faster. In front of them lay a broad plain, watered by two winding streams and covered with grass, stretching away to where, in the furthest distance, the towers of Burgos bristled up against the light blue morning sk\ Over all this vast meadow there lava great city «>? tents thousands upon thousand# of them. *laid out in streets and square# like a well - ordered town. High silken pavilions or colored marquees. shoot lug up from among the crowd of mean er dwellings, marked where tin great lords and baron# of Loon and Cadttla displayed their standards, while over tfs# white roofs. .** fat as «ye could reach, the waging of ancients, pavon*. pensila, and banderoles, w»th flash of gold and glow of colors, proclaimed that all the chivalry of Iberia were mustered In the plain beneath them. Far off. in the centre of the camp a sge palace of red and white silk, with the royal arms of Castile waving from the summit, announced that the gallant Henry lay there m the midst of his warriors. \s the English adventurer*, peeping out from behind their brushwood «*• rear looked down upon this wondrous -cght. they could see that the vast army in front of them was already afoot. The first pink light of the rising sun glit tered upon she steel cap* -1 breast i *l+9 of dense masses of sltnger* and ruesbowmen. who drilled and marched :r; the spaces which had been left for their exercise A thousand columns * ? smoke reeked up into the pure morning air where the faggots were plied and the c*mp-kettles already simmering Tn the open plain floods 0 light horse galloped and «w«*oped with swaying bodies and waving iave '>• a*?er ♦he fashion which the «r*ftn «h had adopted from their Moorish en emies Alt along bv the sedev bark* * the river* long line* of page* led ffceir master** chargers down to water, while the knight* themselve# lounged in gar!y-dre**ed group* about the do**r* of their pavilions. or rode out with their falcon* upon their wrists and U Aft their greyhounds behind them, in quest •#f quail or leveret. The leaders sat amongst the box wood, and took counsel together as to V 1 at they should do: while from be low th* re surged op the bus# of voices, the shouting, the neighing of horses, and all the uproar of a great < amp. What boots It to wait?" said Hir William V* Hon. "I*et us ride down upon their camp before they discover "And so say I. cried the Scottish earl; for they do not know that there I# any enemy within thirty long league* of them " "For my part.” said Sir Simon Bur ley, "I think that It I* madness, for you i alifipt hope to rout this great ar my; and where are you to go and what i are you to do when they have turned upon you?** "Nav,** said Sir Nigel, "I have a plan j by which we may attempt some j small deed upon them, and yet, by th»* i help of Ood. may he aide to draw off again; which, as Hir Simon Burley hath said, would be scarce possible in any other way." “How then. Hir Nigel?’* asked #ev ! «*»*al voice*. .. “We shall lie here all day: for amid this brushwood it is 111 for them to see I us. Then when evening come# we shall sally out upon them and see If we may not gain some honorable advancement from them. We shall have nightfall , to cover us when we draw off so that we may make our way hack through the mountains I would station a score of archers lu re in the pas*, with j All our pennon* jutting forth from the ' rocks, and as many naklrs and drums • and bugles as we have with us, so that ' those who follow u* in the fading ( j light, may think that the whole army of the prlnc* *» upon them, and fear to go further. What think you of my plan. Sir Simon?" By my troth! 1 think very well of ( it," cried the prudent old commander. 1 If four hundred men must needs fun a tilt against sixty thousand. I cannot see how they can do It better or more ! safely.** "And so say I,** cried Felton, hearti ly. "But I wish the day were over, for - it will be an 111 thing for us if they chance to light upon us." The words were scarce out of his mouth when there came a clatter of loose stone*, the sharp clink of trotting hoofs, and a dark-faced cavalier, mounted upon a white horse, burst through the busht-s and rode swully down the valley from the end which was farthest from the Spanish camp. Uightly armed, with his vixor open at d a hawk perched upon his left writ* he looked about him with the caieloov ! air of a man who is bent w holly upon \ pleasure, and uncons ious of the pos | nihility of danger. Suddenly, nuwev* r. his eyes lit upon the fierce faces which glared at him from the brushwood, j With a cry of terror, he thrust his ■ spurs into his horse s sides, and dash ed for the narrow opening of the gorge. j For a m«»m nt It seemed a# though he ■ would have teachcd it, lor he hud ■ trampled over or dashed aside the ar { chers who threw themselves in his | way. but Hordle seised him by ! the foot In his grasp of iron and ' dragged him from the saddle, while j two others caught the frightened horse. Ho, ho!" roared the great archer, j "How many cows wilt buy my mother. ! if l set thee Jfree?" Hush that bulls bellowing!** cried Sir Nigel Impatiently. "Bring the man |h* re. By St. Paul! it is not the first j time that we have met; for, if 1 mis take not. it is lH>n Diego Alvarex, who was once at the prince’s court.” It * indeed 1. said the Spanish knight. * I trust that I am now tne prisoner of »<»me honorable knight or f gentleman." You are the prisoner of the man who « t » k >*>, Sir I»og answered Sir Ni gel. And l may tell you that better | than either you or 1 have found i themselves before now prisoners in i | the hands of the archers of England.” What ransom, then, does he de j mand? asked the Spaniard. Big John scratched his red head and grinned in high delight when the ques tion whs propounded to him. "Tell j him." said he, that I shall have ten | cows and a bull too. if it be but a lit tle one. Also a dress of blue sendali tor mother and a red one for Joan, with five acres of pasture laud, two scythes, and a fine new grindstone. likewise a small house, with stalls for the cows and thirty-six gallons of beer for the thirsty weather." Tut. tut. s iid Hir Nigel, laughing. "All these things may be had for mon ey: and l think. Don Diego, that five thousand crowns is not too much for so renowned a knight. It shall be duly paid him. For some days we must keep you with us; and l must cravg leave also to use your shield, your armor and your horse. I have need of it this day, but it shall be duly returned to you. Set guards. Aylward. with arrow or; ring, at either end of the pass, for it may happen that some other cava liers may ' istt us ere the time be come All day .* . little band of English men lay in the sheltered gorge, look ing down upon the vast host of their unconscious enemies. The sun had sunk behind a cloud-bank in the west before Sir Nigel at last gave word that the men should resume their arms and have their horses ready. He had him self thrown off hi# armor, and had dressed himself from head to foot in t ,e harness of the captured Spaniard. Sir W illiam, said he. "it is my opin ion to attempt a small deed, and l ask you therefore that you will lead this • outfall upon the camp For me. I will rkle Into their camp with my squire and two ar. ' ors l pray vou to watch m *. and to ride forth whan T atn com* tmonr the tents. Vou w ’ !B ' ' , tv men h-htnd here and an wo planned tM» mnrnntr and vou will ride back here after you have ventured as .ar to vou.** *•? wrtn do *s vou order Nigel*, but what I* *b-»t vou propose to do**** "You wi!! «ee snon and Indeed it Is but a t riff in r matter Alleyns, you "v"*! wit'' t— • ard 'ead a spare v i-w hr K,eta?# T have the •WO archers who F-canoe for they are trustv men and of stout heart T.et them - : de behind .« ,od let them leave their bows here • mere the boshes for it is not my i wish that thev should know that we are Rnirtishmen Sav no word to anv i whom we may meet, and If any speak [ to you. pass on as thouich you heard ' them not «o savin# Fir Kt*el mounted the I ‘ white home of the cavalier v . ' :> and rode quietly forth from ui* con ealment with his throe companions ••hind him. Alleyne leading hi.* mas- j •er s own steed by the bridle. H*» many -mall parties of French and Spanish ; dorse were sweeping hither and thither that the small band attracted little notice, and making its way at a gentle j trot across the plain, they came as far « the ramp without challenge r hindrance. On and on they pushed past the endle*s lines of ir.p*e 4 nmid the dense swarm# of horsemen and of footmen, until the huge royal pavilion | stretched in front of ' lose upon It when of a sudden there : broke out a wfM hubbub a dis tant portion of the camp, with screams and war-cries and all the tumult | r, f battle. At the sound sold*' ~ °me ■ ishing from thefr tent#. knights shouted loudlv for their #qu!re«. and there was mad turmoil on every hand i -of bewildered men and plunging horses 1 the royal tent a crowd of gorgeous 'v dressed servants ran hither and thither in hejnless panic for the guard of soldiers who were stationed there bad already ridden off in the direc tion of the alar-o A man-at-arms on ither side of the doorway were the oolc protectors of the royal dwelling "T have come f - the king." whisper -1 Sir Nigel: "and. by Faint T* i**t lack with us or T must i here.** Alleyne and Ay I ward sprang from their horses, and flew as the two sentries, who were disarmed and beaten down In an fn *tafit by K<» furious arid unexpected an at tack, Sir Nigel dashed Into the royal ; tent, and wa# followed by Hordle John ns si»on a h the horse# had l»e.*n secured. From j within came wild #rre*nilngs and the clash of steel, and then the two emerged once j more, their sword# and firearms red- j dened with blood, while John bore over j his shoulder the sen whose gray surconf. adorned with the lions and towers of Castile, proclaimed him to l>elong to the royal house. A crowd of . white-faced sewers and popes swarmed at ! their heels, those behind pushing forwards, while the foremost shrank back from tin* fierce faces and reeking weapons of the i adventurers. The senseless body was thrown aero** the spare horse, the four j sprang to their saddles, and away they j thundered with loose reins and busy spurs ; through the swarming camp. But confusion and among the Spaniards for Sir William FVlton and his m«*n hail swept through j half their camp, leaving a long litter of th»* ; dead and dying to mark their course. Un- | certain who were their attackers, and un able to tell their English enemies from Their newly-arrived Breton allies, the j Spanish knights rode wildly hither ami | thither In aimless fury. The mad tur moil. the mixture of race#, and the fading j light, were all in favor of the four who lone knew their own purpose among the j vast uncertain multitude. Another five minutes of wild galloping over the plain, j and they were all hack In their gorge. ! while their pursuers fell lack before the rolling of the English and blare of trumpets, which seemed to proclaim that the whole army of the prince was about to emerge from the mountain passe#. •'By my soul! Nigel.” cried Sir Oliver, “what have we here?” “It Is a prisoner whom I have taken, and In sooth, as he came from the royal t* tit and wear* the royal arms upon his jupon. I trust that he Is the King of . Spain.** "The King of Spain!” cried the com- ; pan ions, crowding round in amazement. “Nay, Sir Nigel,** said Felton, peering' at the prisoner through the uncertain light. “1 have twice seen Henry of Traustamare. and eertes this man in no way resembles him. “Who are you. fellow?” he added In Spanish, “and how is it that you dare to wear the arms of Castile?” The prisoner was but recovering the consciousness which had l*ecu squeezed from him by the grip of Hordle John. “If It please you.” be answered, *‘l and nine others are the body squires of the | king, and must ever wear his arms. s<> ; as to shield him from even such perils | :.s have threatened him this night. The king Is at the tent of the brave Du Guese lla, where h« will sup to night. But I am a eaballero of Aragon. Don Saneho Pene losa. and, though 1 be no king. 1 am yet ready to pay a fitting price for my ran som.” “By Salut Paul! I will not touch your gold,” cried Sir Nigel. “Go back to your master and give him greeting from Hir i Nigel looting of Twynham Castle, telling him #;at I had hoped to make his better j acquaintance this night, and that. If 1 , have disordered his tent, it was but in j ray eagerness to know so famed and cour teous a knight. Spur »*n. comrades! for we must cover many a league ere we can venture to light fire or to U*osen girth. CHAPTER XVI. It %%.kS a cold, blenk morning In the l>e ginnlug of March, and the mist was drift ing in dense rolling cloud* through the {msscs of the Cantabrian mountains. The j Company had passed the night in a shel tered gully. Here and there, through the dense haze which surrouuded them, there j loomed out huge pinnacles and jutting j l*oulders of rock: while high above the sea of vapor there towered up one gigantic joak. with the pink glow of the early sun shine ei>on It* snow-capped hea l. The tauip was loud with laughter and merriment, for a messenger had ridden in from the prince with word# of heart-stir ring praise for wlpit they had done, and with orders that they should still abide in the f%>refront of the rfreny. “The Lord Loring craves your attend ance In hi# tent. said a young archer to j Alleyne. The squire found the knight seated upon : a cushion, with his legs crossed in front ! of him and a broad ribbon of parchment j laid acres* hi# knees over w hich he % was ; poring with frowning t rows and pursed I “It came this morning by the prince's messenger ” said he. “and was brought from England by Sir John F’allisiee. who is new i-on.e from Sussex Alleyne turned to the letter, and. as bis j eye# rested upon it. his face turned pale and a cry of surprise and grief burst from his Ups. then*" sake*, t * krfefct. peering j up at him anxfot:«lT '*There !« renrht f amiss with the Ladv lfirr er w!?h the I Lftdv Maude**’ “It N mV brother my poor uiihsnuv brother*” cried Aflerwe. with hf< band , to his brow “He Is deed.** “Hr Saint Paul* T bar# never heard tha? he had shown so much love for x*m [ that von should mourn him so” “Yet he was itt brother - the oaly kith ( or kin that 1 had upon earth. Aims? ala#* He ha« been slain and slain. I fear, j amidst 'Tirae and viole«ee.” "Hi*** saw Fir Nl|«i. “Raftd ##, II pray yon “ “Gcid I*4' with Un***, lay U'iUoicd (wlti, and lintr tint in fits holy keeping, the Lormg until asked me, ini' priest, so net ilunii in writing what nath bciaiteu at Twyubuuj, and all tlial concerns me death »l tuj ill neighbor me ooctuau ol Min mead, lor wneu jv uau leu ns, tins e\li uian gathered aiounil linn ail outlaws, villeins, and lnastelless uieu. until tnei •v.re cuinc In mvli a lorve mat they sierf and scattered tlie mug s men wnu went against tneui. Then. coining tortn liotn lie wood*, they laid siege to till castle, ~d for two dais liiei girt us lu aud snot .ard against Us, with such uunil«-*rs as were a marvel to see. let ttie Isnly Lajt ,„g held the pij'-e stoutly, and on tlie -e. oml day the Socman was slain —by ids own men. as some think so that we i were delivered from luelr bauds, for | whieh praise I*> to all the saints, and j more espi-eially to the holy Anselm, upon j whose feast it eanie to pass The Lady la>rlng aud the Lady Maude, thy fair daughter, are in good health. May all the saints preserve thee”' "My fair lord." said Alleyne. with a flush on his weather-stained eheeks. "I love your daughter, the I-ady Maude; and, unworthy as I am. 1 would give my heart's blmsl to serve her." "By St. Paul! Kdrhson." said the ! knight eoldly, arching his eyebrows, “you dm high In this matter. Our blood Is | very old.” "And mine also Is very old." answered i the squire. "And the Lady Maude Is our single child. All our name and lands center upon her.” "Alas! that I should say it. but I also am now the only Edricson." "And why have I not heard this from you Ivefore, Alleyn#*? In so«»th. I think you have u.s***l in«* 11!.’* “Nay. ?ny fair Inr*l, sny not so; for I know not whether your daughter loves me. and there is no pledge between us.” Sir Nice! ponder#**! for a few moments, and then burst out n-lnughing. “By St. Paul!” said he. “I know not why T should mix in the matter: f«.r 1 have over found that the Lady Maude vns very well able to look to her own affairs. Since first she could stamp her little foot, she hath ever been able to get that for which she • raved: and If she set her heart on thee. .Alleyn**, and thou #» I do not tlrlnk that this Spanish kin?, with his three score thousand men. could hold you apart. Vet this I will say. that I would see you t full knight #**•*• yon go to my daughter with words of lo- c. I have ever said that a brave lance should wed her; and. by my sou!! Edrh>on. jf Go*! spare you. I think that you will acquit yourself well. But ♦ nongh *>f sn-h trifles, for we have our work before us. and It will be time to "P#*'’k of this matter when we see the white cliffs of England once more. Go to Sir William 1-Vlton. I pray you. and ask him to come hither, for it Is time that we were marching. There is no pass at j the further md of the^ valley, and it is a I perilous place should an enemy come upon : us.” Alleyne dell vert'd bis message, and then ! w mdere.l forth from the camp, f*»r his ; inir *! was all in a whirl with this un •*\pected news, and with his talk with Sir Nigel. Sitting upon :i ru**k. with his | burning brow restin? upon his hands, he j thought *»f his brother, of their cfuarrel. of the Lady Maude in her bedraggle*! rirl | ing-dres»i. of the gray old castle, of the ! proud pale face in the armory, and of the last fiery words with which she had sped | him on his way. Then he was but a penniless, nionk-brf*d lad. unknown and 1 unfriended. N*»w he was himself Sochian of Mlnstead. the head of an old stock, and the Lord of an <*state which, if reduced from its former size, was still ample to preserve the dignlt- of his family. Further, he had become a man of experience was counted brave amo«;g men. had won the esteem and confidence of her father, and above all. has been listened to by him when In* told him the sc*-r**t of his love. As to the gaining of knighrho«»*l. in such stirring times if was no great matter for a brave squire of gentle birth to aspire to that honor. He would leave his Nines among these Spanish ravines, or he would do some deed which would call the eyes of men upon him. Alleyne was still seated on the rock, his griefs .and his joys drifting swiftly over his mind like the shadow of clouds upon a sunlit nnwdow. when of a sudden he became conscious «»f a low. deep sound which came l*»oming up to him through the fog. He shont**d an alarm to the | ca mp. “It is a great body of horse.” said Sir; William Felton, “and they are riding very swiftly hitherwards.” The Company stood peering into the dense fog wreath, amidst a silence so profound that the dripping of the water from the rocks and the breathing of the horses grew loud upon the ear. Suddenly from out the sea of mist came the sound of a neigh, followed by a long blast of a bugle. ”!t is a Spanish call, my fafr lord.” said Black Simon. • By my faith, said Sir Nigel, smiling. “\\e may promise them some sport ere they sound the mort over us. But there is a hill in the center of the gorge upon which we might make our stand.” “1 marked it yester night.” said Felton, “and no tHr*tter spot could be found for ; our purpose, for it is very steep at tin* ] back. The whole Company, leading their h«»rs s, passed across to The small hill which loomed up from the mist. It was inib-ed admirably designed for defence, for j it sloped dowu in front, all jagged and j boulder strewn, while It fell away behind in a sheer cliff of a hundred feet or more. I On the summit was a small, uneven plateau, with a stretch across of a hun dred paces, and a depth of half as much again. “Fnloose the horses.” said Sir Nigel. “Now order the ranks, and fling w ide the banners, for our souls are God's and our odies the kings, ami our swords for Saint George and for England!” Sir Nigel had scarcely spoken when the mist seemed to thin lu the valley, and to sured away into long ragged clouds which i trailed from the edges of the cliffs, and the sun broke through. It gleamed and shimmered with dazzling brightness upon the armor ami head pieces of a vast body of horsemen who stretched across the barranca from one cliff to the other, and extended backwards until their rear-guard were far out upon the plain beyond. Line after line, and rank .after rank, they chocked the neck of the valley with a long vista of tossing pennons, twinkling lam ♦s. waving plumes and streaming banderoles, while rhe curvets and gam bades of the chargers lent a constant mo tion and shimmer To the glittering, many, colored mass A yell of exultation, and a forest of waving steel through the length and breadth of their column, announced that they could at last see their entrapped j enemies, while the swelling notes of a hundred bugles and drums, mixed w ith the clash of Moorish cymbals, broke forth into a proud ;♦ •rtial trim Strange it was to the«e gallant and sparkling eavs icr> of Spain to look upon this handful , „„ .. . v .ail. t.e thin of bow rho k" os of knights and men-at-arms a -h »rnor r’-sfed and discolored from lone service ypd *o loam that these were !n --deed the «• Miers fame and pw»- ess h-vl been the eamn-flre ts'k of every ,rmt in Cl'flttrodoni. Verv still and silent they stood. leaning noon their bows whPe th- ir leaders tmk munv l together ... .if them x.» flare of *>nele rose from their stern rsnk hut In the oenter waved the leopard* of Ergiarxt on the -'srhr th»* ensign of their Compsrv with j the o»e* of ts'Hne and on the left over ! three arose of Welsh humic, the-e f«-»t --j ed the red banner of Merits with the red j t-xar’s head* .>f The ButTesthorrs Grave. >v and sedately tbev stood before the | merrine «nn. waiting for the onslaught I 1 of their foenvets ••By Saint Paul.” said Sit XteeL Easing with 'puckered eye .town the valley, “there appear to be some very worthy people among then,. \V bal is Ibi* «« w ‘' u uei ohU-ti wales oief me iell • ll us the euaigu of me KmgbU of Oftiatrava' auzwcred ir el ton. • aml the uze upon ipe right: “it margd the Iwiiignlh oi Santiago 1 see by the banner that the grand mas ter rides at Lheir head. “You are right, lor 1 can also see them. There ia much Spauitili blazonry ai»o if 1 could but read it. .Don Diego, >uu know the arms ol ) our own country , and who are the> who ha\e done ns so much honor'/” Ihe Spanish prisoner looked with exul tant eyes upon the deep and serried lauxa of hia countrymen. : “By Saint James” lie said, “if ye fail this day, ye fall by no moan hands for the flower of the army of Castile ride . under the banner of lion Tello, with tlie chivalry of Asturias, Toledo. L.eou, Cor dova. Galicia and Seville and the knights of France and Aragon. If you will take my rede, you will come to a composi tion with them, for they will give you i such terms as you have given me." • Nay. by Saint Paul, it were pity if so many brave men. were drawn together and no little deed of arms come of it. Ha! | William, they advance upon t:s. and by my soul it is a sight worth coming over the seas to witness ” As he spoke the two wings of the Span- ] ish host, consisting of the Knights of Calatrava on the one side ami of Santiago on the other . came swooping swiftly down l the valley, while the main body followed more slowly behind. The vanguard halted j a long l>ow-shot from the bill, and with , waving spears and vaunting shouts dial- j lenged their enemies to come forth, while ! two cavaliers, pricking forward from the glittering ratiks. walked their horses slow ly between the two arrays with targets j braced and lances in rest like the chal- j ierigers in a tourney. "By Saint Paul!” cried Sir Nigel, with; his eye glowing like an ember, “these j appear to tie two very worthy and debo nair gentlemen. I do not call to mind when 1 have seen any people who seemed of so great a heart and so high of enter prise. We have our horses, Sir William: shall l<e not relieve them of any vow which they may have upon their souls?” Felton's reply was to bound upon his charger, and to urge it down the slope, while Sir Nigel followed not three spear’s- : lengths behind him. It was a rugged course, rocky and uneven, yet the two knights, choosing their men. dashed on wards at the top of their speed, while the gallant Spaniards flew as swiftly to meet them. The one to whom Felton found himself opposed was a tall stripling with a stag's head upon his shield, while Sir Nigel's man was broad and squat, with plain steel harness, and a pink and white torse bound round his helmet. first struck Felton on the target with such force as to split it from side to side, hut Sir William’s lance crashed through the cumuli which shielded the Spaniard's throat, and he fell, screaming hoarsely, to the ground. Carried away by the heat and madness of fight, the English knight never drew rein, but charged straight on into the array of the Knights of Calatrava. Long time the silent ranks upon the hill could see a swirl-and eddy deep down in the heart of the Spanish column, with a circle of rearing chargers and flashing blades. Here and there tossed the white j plume of the English helmet, rising and i falling like the foam upon a wave, with ‘ the fierce gleam and sparkle ever circling round it, until at last it had sunk from view, and another brave man hail turned war to peace. Sir Nigel, meanwhile, had found a foe man worthy of his steel, for liis opponent j was none other than Sebastian Gomez, the picked lance of the monkish Knights of Santiago, who hail won fame in a hun dred bloody combats with the Moors of Andalusia. So fierce vr s their meeting that their spears shivered up to the very j grasp, and the horses reared backwards until it sbemed that they must crash down i upon their riders. Yet with consummate horsemanship they Imth swung round in j a long curvet, and then plucking out their swords they lashed at eaeh other like two lusty smiths hammering upon their anvil, j The chargers spun round each others, bit ing and striking, while the two blades , wheeled and whizzed and circled in gleams ! of dazzling light. Cut. parry, and thrust ■ followed so swiftly upon each others that the eye could not follow them, until at ! last coming thigh to thigh, they cast their arms around each other and rolled off their saddles to the ground. The heavier Spaniard threw himself upon his enemy, and pinning him down beneath him raised Ids sword to slay him, while a shout of triumph rose from the ranks of his count rymen. But the fatal blow never fell, for even as his arm quivered before descend ing. the Spaniard gave a shudder, and stiffening himsdf. rolled heavily over upon his side, with the blood gushing from his arm-pit and from the slit of his vizor. Sir Nigel sprang to his feet with his bloody dagger in his left hand and gazed down upon his adversary, but the fatal and sudden stab in the vital spot, which the Spaniard had exposed by raising his arm. had proved instantly mortal. The Eng lishman leaped upon his horse and made for the hill, at the very instant that a yell of rage from a thousand voices and the clang of a score of bugles announced the Spanish onset. CHAPTER XVII. But the islanders were ready and eager for the encounter. With feet firmly planted, their sleeves rolled back to give free play to their muscles, their long yellow bow-staves in their left hands, and : their quivers slung to the front, they had waited in the four-deep harrow formation which gave strength to their array, and yet permitted every man to draw his arrow freely w ithout harm to those iu front. On swept the Spaniards, over the level and up to tile slope, ere they met the bliuding storm of the English arrows Down went the whole ranks in a will:, of mad confusion, hor-es plunging ami kicking. liewßdered men failing, rising, daggering ou or back, while ever new I lines of horsemen came spurring through j the gaps ami urged their ehurgers up the fatal slope. All around him. Alleyne could i hear the stern, short orders of the master- I Isiwmen. while the air was filled with j the keen twanging of the strings aud the swish and patter of the shafts. Right I across the foot of the hill there had -prung up a long wall of struggling horses and stricken men. which ever grew and j heightened as fresh squadrons poured or. ; the attack. So for five long minutes the galls: t horsemeu of Spaiu and of Frunre , strove ever and again to force a passage, until the low wailing note of a bugle called them l*ack, ami they ride slowly out of bow-shot, leaving their best and thei:- Sravest in the ghastly. Mood-mottie heap , 'ehind them Bu* there was little rest for the victors Whilst the knights had chnrg.sl them in front, the slingers had crept round upon either ..ank and had gained a -ooting upon cliffs and behind The onttving rocks. A storm of stones broke sndd 'v i.por the defenders, who. drawn up in lines upon the exposed summit offered a fair mark to their hidden foes J.iboston. the old archer, was struck upon the temnlc and fell dead without a groan, while fif teen of his bowmen and six of the men at-arms were struck down at the same moment The othe-s lav on their faces avoid the dead!v hail while at each side o' the plateau a fringe of bowmen exchanged shots with the slingers and crossbowmen among the rooks, aiming m-iir.lv at those who had swarmed no the ilffs a n d tc--s*. ing into laughter and cheers when a Well aimed shaft brought one of their opponents toppling down from his ioftv perch "Bv Saint Paul!" qu--th ' Sir NlgM plucking rhe patch from bis eye. "I think that I am now .-'ear of mv vow for this Spanish knight was a person from whom much honor might he woo Indeed, be * very Worthy gentleman, of goo-1 ■•oarage, and great hardiness, and ft grieves me that be should have come by j such a hurt ” 1 1 ;. . , -.S O - - \ "NigeE cued bu- million Burley, hurry, lug up with cousujruauoii upou lu s iac9> Aylvvaid tells lue imu luere are not ten score arrows iell rn air lheir sheaves, oeel tuey are sp, legrug Horn Uieir horse-., and culling luce soirerels that they wuj rush upon us. aright ' e uut even uuw make a retreat; •My soul will retreat from uiy body first. -.*ieu tue hi Lie kurgnt. Here i aiu, aud here 1 blue, wane God gives uic strength lo litl a srforU." * ‘Amu so say 1. shouted Bir Oliver, throwing his mace high into lire air am. ealcniao it agaiu oy the handle. "lo your arms, men. cried Sir Nigel. Suool while yuu limy aud theu out sworn, and let us lire or uie together: I hc-n uprose Horn the hill ih the r..„ 0 - Caiuuriau valley a sound such as irau ... .ecu heard iu those purls oelore, nor agaiu, until the Stiearns which rip t j.._, alma the rocks Uau . c-eu frozen by olet tour hunureu winters aud UuiWed by a . many returning springs. Deep aud full and strong it thundered down the ravihe, the tierce battle-call ol a warrior race, lb.; last stern welcome to who so should join with them iu that world-ohl game where the stake is death. Thrice it swelled forth ! and thrice it sank away, echoing and re verberating amidst the crags. Then, with set faces, the Company rose up among tic . storm of stones, and looked down upon tie rhousaii'B who sped swiftly up the slope against them. Horse and spear had been set aside, but on foot, with sword and bat tle-axe, their broad shields slung in front of them, the chivalry of Spain rushed t., the attack. And now arose a struggle so fell, so long so evenly sustained, that even now th. memory of it is handed down amongst tin j Calabrian mountaineers, and the ill-omen cd knoll is still pointed out by fathers t, ] their children as the “Altura de los Ingle -sos,’’ where the men from across the sea ; fought the great fight with the knight of the south. The last arrow was quickly shot, nor could the slingers hurl then stones, so close were friend and foe. From ; side to side stretched the thin line of the English, lightly armed and quick-footed, while against it stormed and raged the pressing throng of fiery Spaniards and of gallant Bretons. The clink of crossing sword-blades, the dull thudding of heavy blows, the panting and gasping of wearv ! and wounded men. all rose together in a wild, long-drawn note, which swelled upwards to the ears of the wondering peasants who looked down from the edge iof the cliffs upon the swaying turmoil of the battle beneath them. Back and for ward reeled the leopard banner, now borne up the slope by the rush and weight of the onslaught, now pushing downwards again as Sir Nigel, Burley, and Black Simon, with their veteran men at-arms, flung themselves madly into the fray. Alleyne, at his lord’s right h«nd. found himself swept hither and thither in the desperate struggle, exchanging savage thrusts one instant with a Spanish cava ; Her. and the next torn away by the whirl of men and dashed up against some new antagonist. To the right Sir Oliver, Ayl ward. Hordle John, and the bowmen of i the Company fought furiously against the monkish Knights of Santiago, who were ! ied up the hill by their prior—a great-deep chested man, who wore a brown monastic ; habit over his suit of mail. Three archers |he slew in three giant strokes, but Sir Oliver flung bis arms round him. aud the two. staggering aud straining, reeled back wards and fell, locked in each other - ' grasp, over the edge As the steep cliff which flanked the hill. In vain his knight- I stormed and raved against the thin line Which marred their path: the sword of Aylward and the great axe of John gleam ed in the forefront of the battle and huge j jagged pieces of rock, hurled by the strong arms of the bowmen, crashed and hurtled amid their ranks. Slowly thev gave back down the hill, the arehers still j hanging upon their skirts, with a long ! litter of writhing and twisted figures t,. mark the course which they had take:,. , At tlie same instant the Welshmen up,,u ' the left, led on by the Scotch earl, had i charged out from among the rocks whim, j sheltered them, and by the fury of their | outfall had driven the Spaniards in front ’ °f them in headlong flight down the hil | In the centre only things seemed to ',e going ill with the defenders. Black Simon was down—dying, as he would wish to tiav»- died. like a grim oid wolf iu its lair with a ring of his slain around him. Twi.-e Sir N'igel had been overborne, and twice A - leyne had fought over him until he ha: staggered to his feet once more. Bur . ; lay senseless, stunned by a blow from m mace, and half of the men-at-arms t littered upon the ground around him. N'igel s shield was broken, his crest sh- ■ his armor cut and smashed, ami the vizur ! torn from his helmet: yet he sprang hither j and thither with light foot and ready hand, engaging two Bretons and a Spa: iard at the same instant thrusting, stoop ing. dashing in, springing out —while A j leyne still fought by his side, stemmin.- with a handful of men the fierce tide which surged up against them. Yet it would have fared ill with them had no' tin- archers from either side closed in up>- the flanks of the attackers, and press-- them very slowly and foot by foot dow the long slope, until they were on tin plain once more, where their fellows wore already rallying for a fresh assault. But terrilde Indeed was the cost at which the last had been repelled. Os the three hundred and seventy men who had held the crest, one hundred and seventi . two were left standing, many of whom were sorely wounded and weak from ios ••f blood. Sir Oliver Buttestborn. Sir Richard Causton, Sir Simon Burley, Black Simon, Johnston, a hundred and fifty archers, and forty-seven men-at-arms had fallen, while the pitiless hail of stones was already whizzing and piping once more "•ut their ears, threatening every in stant to further reduce their numbers. Sir N'igel looked about biui at his shat tered ranks, and his face flushed with a soldier's pride. "By St. Paul!" he cried. "I have fought in many a little bickering, hut never one that 1 would be more loth to have missed thau this. But you are wounded, Alleyne: "It is nought,” answered squire, stanching the blood which dripped from a sword-cut across his forehead. "These gentlemen of Spain seem to be most courteous and worthy people. 1 see that they are already forming to continue , this debate with us. Form up the bowmen two deep instead of four. By my faith! -uie very brave men have gone from among us. Aylward. you are a trusty sol- U-r. for all that your shoulder has never f-lt accolade, nor your heels worn the gold spurs. Do you take charge of the right; 1 will hold the center, and you. my Lord of Angus, the left.” Ho' for Sir Sanikin Aylward!" cried a rough voice among the archers, and a roar of laughter greeted their new leader. "By my hilt!" said the old bowman. *T never thought to lead a wing in u strick en field. Stand --lose, camarades. for, by i these finger-bones! we must play the man this day.” "Come hither, Alleyne,” said Sir Nigel, walking ba--k to the edge of the cliff which formed the rear of their position And you. N'orburv," he continued, beck oning to the squire of Sir Oliver, "do you also come here." The two squires hurried across to him. aud the three stood looking down into the rocky ravine which lay a hundred and fifty feet beneath them. . "The prince must hear of how thing* are with us." said the knight. “Anoth er onfall we may withstand, but they an many and we are few. so that the time must come when we ran no longer form line acres* the hill Yet if help were brought us we might hold the crest until It | comes. S#»- yonder horses which stray among the rocks beneath us?” * “I see them my fair lord." (“And w-e yonder path which winds along the hill* upon the further end of the valley ?"^ | . * *V 1 »* cr* y OU ou thoso hors**, and riding J
