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he the right hand and right eye thereof. "

He paused. A low murmur went through the assembly. Some of the younger

part, who had been inclined to smile at the statute 'De osculis

fugiendis', became now grave enough, and anxiously waited what the Grand

Master was next to propose.

" Such, " he said, " and so great should indeed be the punishment of a

Knight Templar, who wilfully offended against the rules of his Order in

such weighty points. But if, by means of charms and of spells, Satan had

obtained dominion over the Knight, perchance because he cast his eyes

too lightly upon a damsel's beauty, we are then rather to lament than

chastise his backsliding; and, imposing on him only such penance as

may purify him from his iniquity, we are to turn the full edge of

our indignation upon the accursed instrument, which had so well-nigh

occasioned his utter falling away. --Stand forth, therefore, and bear

witness, ye who have witnessed these unhappy doings, that we may judge

of the sum and bearing thereof; and judge whether our justice may be

satisfied with the punishment of this infidel woman, or if we must

go on, with a bleeding heart, to the further proceeding against our

brother. "

Several witnesses were called upon to prove the risks to which

Bois-Guilbert exposed himself in endeavouring to save Rebecca from the

blazing castle, and his neglect of his personal defence in attending to

her safety. The men gave these details with the exaggerations common to

vulgar minds which have been strongly excited by any remarkable event,

and their natural disposition to the marvellous was greatly increased

by the satisfaction which their evidence seemed to afford to the eminent

person for whose information it had been delivered. Thus the dangers

which Bois-Guilbert surmounted, in themselves sufficiently great, became

portentous in their narrative. The devotion of the Knight to Rebecca's

defence was exaggerated beyond the bounds, not only of discretion, but

even of the most frantic excess of chivalrous zeal; and his deference

to what she said, even although her language was often severe and

upbraiding, was painted as carried to an excess, which, in a man of his

haughty temper, seemed almost preternatural.

The Preceptor of Templestowe was then called on to describe the manner

in which Bois-Guilbert and the Jewess arrived at the Preceptory. The

evidence of Malvoisin was skilfully guarded. But while he apparently

studied to spare the feelings of Bois-Guilbert, he threw in, from time

to time, such hints, as seemed to infer that he laboured under some

temporary alienation of mind, so deeply did he appear to be enamoured of

the damsel whom he brought along with him. With sighs of penitence, the

Preceptor avowed his own contrition for having admitted Rebecca and

her lover within the walls of the Preceptory--" But my defence, " he

concluded, " has been made in my confession to our most reverend father

the Grand Master; he knows my motives were not evil, though my conduct

may have been irregular. Joyfully will I submit to any penance he shall

assign me. "

" Thou hast spoken well, Brother Albert, " said Beaumanoir; " thy motives

were good, since thou didst judge it right to arrest thine erring

brother in his career of precipitate folly. But thy conduct was wrong;

as he that would stop a runaway steed, and seizing by the stirrup

instead of the bridle, receiveth injury himself, instead of

accomplishing his purpose. Thirteen paternosters are assigned by our

pious founder for matins, and nine for vespers; be those services

doubled by thee. Thrice a-week are Templars permitted the use of flesh;

but do thou keep fast for all the seven days. This do for six weeks to

come, and thy penance is accomplished. "

With a hypocritical look of the deepest submission, the Preceptor of

Templestowe bowed to the ground before his Superior, and resumed his

seat.

" Were it not well, brethren, " said the Grand Master, " that we examine

something into the former life and conversation of this woman, specially

that we may discover whether she be one likely to use magical charms

and spells, since the truths which we have heard may well incline us to

suppose, that in this unhappy course our erring brother has been acted

upon by some infernal enticement and delusion? "

Herman of Goodalricke was the Fourth Preceptor present; the other

three were Conrade, Malvoisin, and Bois-Guilbert himself. Herman was an

ancient warrior, whose face was marked with scars inflicted by the

sabre of the Moslemah, and had great rank and consideration among his

brethren. He arose and bowed to the Grand Master, who instantly granted

him license of speech. " I would crave to know, most Reverend Father,

of our valiant brother, Brian de Bois-Guilbert, what he says to these

wondrous accusations, and with what eye he himself now regards his

unhappy intercourse with this Jewish maiden? "

" Brian de Bois-Guilbert, " said the Grand Master, " thou hearest the

question which our Brother of Goodalricke desirest thou shouldst answer.

I command thee to reply to him. "

Bois-Guilbert turned his head towards the Grand Master when thus

addressed, and remained silent.

" He is possessed by a dumb devil, " said the Grand Master. " Avoid thee,

Sathanus! --Speak, Brian de Bois-Guilbert, I conjure thee, by this symbol

of our Holy Order. "

Bois-Guilbert made an effort to suppress his rising scorn and

indignation, the expression of which, he was well aware, would have

little availed him. " Brian de Bois-Guilbert, " he answered, " replies not,

most Reverend Father, to such wild and vague charges. If his honour be

impeached, he will defend it with his body, and with that sword which

has often fought for Christendom. "

" We forgive thee, Brother Brian, " said the Grand Master; " though that

thou hast boasted thy warlike achievements before us, is a glorifying of

thine own deeds, and cometh of the Enemy, who tempteth us to exalt our

own worship. But thou hast our pardon, judging thou speakest less of

thine own suggestion than from the impulse of him whom by Heaven's

leave, we will quell and drive forth from our assembly. " A glance of

disdain flashed from the dark fierce eyes of Bois-Guilbert, but he made

no reply. --" And now, " pursued the Grand Master, " since our Brother of

Goodalricke's question has been thus imperfectly answered, pursue we our

quest, brethren, and with our patron's assistance, we will search to the

bottom this mystery of iniquity. --Let those who have aught to witness of

the life and conversation of this Jewish woman, stand forth before us. "

There was a bustle in the lower part of the hall, and when the Grand

Master enquired the reason, it was replied, there was in the crowd a

bedridden man, whom the prisoner had restored to the perfect use of his

limbs, by a miraculous balsam.

The poor peasant, a Saxon by birth, was dragged forward to the bar,

terrified at the penal consequences which he might have incurred by the

guilt of having been cured of the palsy by a Jewish damsel. Perfectly

cured he certainly was not, for he supported himself forward on crutches

to give evidence. Most unwilling was his testimony, and given with many

tears; but he admitted that two years since, when residing at York, he

was suddenly afflicted with a sore disease, while labouring for Isaac

the rich Jew, in his vocation of a joiner; that he had been unable to

stir from his bed until the remedies applied by Rebecca's directions,

and especially a warming and spicy-smelling balsam, had in some degree

restored him to the use of his limbs. Moreover, he said, she had given

him a pot of that precious ointment, and furnished him with a piece of

money withal, to return to the house of his father, near to Templestowe.

" And may it please your gracious Reverence, " said the man, " I cannot

think the damsel meant harm by me, though she hath the ill hap to be a

Jewess; for even when I used her remedy, I said the Pater and the Creed,

and it never operated a whit less kindly--"

" Peace, slave, " said the Grand Master, " and begone! It well suits brutes

like thee to be tampering and trinketing with hellish cures, and to be

giving your labour to the sons of mischief. I tell thee, the fiend can

impose diseases for the very purpose of removing them, in order to bring

into credit some diabolical fashion of cure. Hast thou that unguent of

which thou speakest? "

The peasant, fumbling in his bosom with a trembling hand, produced a

small box, bearing some Hebrew characters on the lid, which was, with

most of the audience, a sure proof that the devil had stood apothecary.

Beaumanoir, after crossing himself, took the box into his hand, and,

learned in most of the Eastern tongues, read with ease the motto on the

lid, --" The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath conquered. "

" Strange powers of Sathanas. " said he, " which can convert Scripture into

blasphemy, mingling poison with our necessary food! --Is there no leech

here who can tell us the ingredients of this mystic unguent? "

Two mediciners, as they called themselves, the one a monk, the other

a barber, appeared, and avouched they knew nothing of the materials,

excepting that they savoured of myrrh and camphire, which they took to

be Oriental herbs. But with the true professional hatred to a successful

practitioner of their art, they insinuated that, since the medicine was

beyond their own knowledge, it must necessarily have been compounded

from an unlawful and magical pharmacopeia; since they themselves, though

no conjurors, fully understood every branch of their art, so far as it

might be exercised with the good faith of a Christian. When this medical

research was ended, the Saxon peasant desired humbly to have back the

medicine which he had found so salutary; but the Grand Master frowned

severely at the request. " What is thy name, fellow? " said he to the

cripple.

" Higg, the son of Snell, " answered the peasant.

" Then Higg, son of Snell, " said the Grand Master, " I tell thee it is

better to be bedridden, than to accept the benefit of unbelievers'

medicine that thou mayest arise and walk; better to despoil infidels

of their treasure by the strong hand, than to accept of them benevolent

gifts, or do them service for wages. Go thou, and do as I have said. "

" Alack, " said the peasant, " an it shall not displease your Reverence,

the lesson comes too late for me, for I am but a maimed man; but I will

tell my two brethren, who serve the rich Rabbi Nathan Ben Samuel, that

your mastership says it is more lawful to rob him than to render him

faithful service. "

" Out with the prating villain! " said Beaumanoir, who was not prepared to

refute this practical application of his general maxim.

Higg, the son of Snell, withdrew into the crowd, but, interested in the

fate of his benefactress, lingered until he should learn her doom, even

at the risk of again encountering the frown of that severe judge, the

terror of which withered his very heart within him.

At this period of the trial, the Grand Master commanded Rebecca to

unveil herself. Opening her lips for the first time, she replied

patiently, but with dignity, --" That it was not the wont of the daughters

of her people to uncover their faces when alone in an assembly of

strangers. " The sweet tones of her voice, and the softness of her

reply, impressed on the audience a sentiment of pity and sympathy. But

Beaumanoir, in whose mind the suppression of each feeling of humanity

which could interfere with his imagined duty, was a virtue of itself,

repeated his commands that his victim should be unveiled. The guards

were about to remove her veil accordingly, when she stood up before

the Grand Master and said, " Nay, but for the love of your own

daughters--Alas, " she said, recollecting herself, " ye have no

daughters! --yet for the remembrance of your mothers--for the love of

your sisters, and of female decency, let me not be thus handled in your

presence; it suits not a maiden to be disrobed by such rude grooms. I

will obey you, " she added, with an expression of patient sorrow in her

voice, which had almost melted the heart of Beaumanoir himself; " ye are

elders among your people, and at your command I will show the features

of an ill-fated maiden. "

She withdrew her veil, and looked on them with a countenance in which

bashfulness contended with dignity. Her exceeding beauty excited a

murmur of surprise, and the younger knights told each other with their

eyes, in silent correspondence, that Brian's best apology was in the

power of her real charms, rather than of her imaginary witchcraft. But

Higg, the son of Snell, felt most deeply the effect produced by the

sight of the countenance of his benefactress.

" Let me go forth, " he said to the warders at the door of the hall, --" let

me go forth! --To look at her again will kill me, for I have had a share

in murdering her. "

" Peace, poor man, " said Rebecca, when she heard his exclamation; " thou

hast done me no harm by speaking the truth--thou canst not aid me by

thy complaints or lamentations. Peace, I pray thee--go home and save

thyself. "

Higg was about to be thrust out by the compassion of the warders,

who were apprehensive lest his clamorous grief should draw upon them

reprehension, and upon himself punishment. But he promised to be silent,

and was permitted to remain. The two men-at-arms, with whom Albert

Malvoisin had not failed to communicate upon the import of their

testimony, were now called forward. Though both were hardened and

inflexible villains, the sight of the captive maiden, as well as her

excelling beauty, at first appeared to stagger them; but an expressive

glance from the Preceptor of Templestowe restored them to their dogged

composure; and they delivered, with a precision which would have seemed

suspicious to more impartial judges, circumstances either altogether

fictitious or trivial, and natural in themselves, but rendered pregnant

with suspicion by the exaggerated manner in which they were told, and

the sinister commentary which the witnesses added to the facts. The

circumstances of their evidence would have been, in modern days, divided

into two classes--those which were immaterial, and those which were

actually and physically impossible. But both were, in those ignorant

and superstitions times, easily credited as proofs of guilt. --The first

class set forth, that Rebecca was heard to mutter to herself in an

unknown tongue--that the songs she sung by fits were of a strangely

sweet sound, which made the ears of the hearer tingle, and his heart

throb--that she spoke at times to herself, and seemed to look upward

for a reply--that her garments were of a strange and mystic form,

unlike those of women of good repute--that she had rings impressed with

cabalistical devices, and that strange characters were broidered on her

veil.

All these circumstances, so natural and so trivial, were gravely

listened to as proofs, or, at least, as affording strong suspicions that

Rebecca had unlawful correspondence with mystical powers.

But there was less equivocal testimony, which the credulity of

the assembly, or of the greater part, greedily swallowed, however

incredible. One of the soldiers had seen her work a cure upon a wounded

man, brought with them to the castle of Torquilstone. She did, he said,

make certain signs upon the wound, and repeated certain mysterious

words, which he blessed God he understood not, when the iron head of a

square cross-bow bolt disengaged itself from the wound, the bleeding was

stanched, the wound was closed, and the dying man was, within a quarter

of an hour, walking upon the ramparts, and assisting the witness in

managing a mangonel, or machine for hurling stones. This legend was

probably founded upon the fact, that Rebecca had attended on the

wounded Ivanhoe when in the castle of Torquilstone. But it was the

more difficult to dispute the accuracy of the witness, as, in order to

produce real evidence in support of his verbal testimony, he drew from

his pouch the very bolt-head, which, according to his story, had been

miraculously extracted from the wound; and as the iron weighed a full

ounce, it completely confirmed the tale, however marvellous.

His comrade had been a witness from a neighbouring battlement of the

scene betwixt Rebecca and Bois-Guilbert, when she was upon the point of

precipitating herself from the top of the tower. Not to be behind his

companion, this fellow stated, that he had seen Rebecca perch herself

upon the parapet of the turret, and there take the form of a milk-white

swan, under which appearance she flitted three times round the castle of

Torquilstone; then again settle on the turret, and once more assume the

female form.

Less than one half of this weighty evidence would have been sufficient

to convict any old woman, poor and ugly, even though she had not been a

Jewess. United with that fatal circumstance, the body of proof was too

weighty for Rebecca's youth, though combined with the most exquisite

beauty.

The Grand Master had collected the suffrages, and now in a solemn

tone demanded of Rebecca what she had to say against the sentence of

condemnation, which he was about to pronounce.

" To invoke your pity, " said the lovely Jewess, with a voice somewhat

tremulous with emotion, " would, I am aware, be as useless as I should

hold it mean. To state that to relieve the sick and wounded of another

religion, cannot be displeasing to the acknowledged Founder of both our

faiths, were also unavailing; to plead that many things which these men

(whom may Heaven pardon! ) have spoken against me are impossible, would

avail me but little, since you believe in their possibility; and still

less would it advantage me to explain, that the peculiarities of my

dress, language, and manners, are those of my people--I had well-nigh

said of my country, but alas! we have no country. Nor will I even

vindicate myself at the expense of my oppressor, who stands there

listening to the fictions and surmises which seem to convert the tyrant

into the victim. --God be judge between him and me! but rather would I

submit to ten such deaths as your pleasure may denounce against me,

than listen to the suit which that man of Belial has urged upon

me--friendless, defenceless, and his prisoner. But he is of your own

faith, and his lightest affirmance would weigh down the most solemn

protestations of the distressed Jewess. I will not therefore return to

himself the charge brought against me--but to himself--Yes, Brian de

Bois-Guilbert, to thyself I appeal, whether these accusations are not

false? as monstrous and calumnious as they are deadly? "

There was a pause; all eyes turned to Brain de Bois-Guilbert. He was

silent.

" Speak, " she said, " if thou art a man--if thou art a Christian,

speak! --I conjure thee, by the habit which thou dost wear, by the name

thou dost inherit--by the knighthood thou dost vaunt--by the honour of

thy mother--by the tomb and the bones of thy father--I conjure thee to

say, are these things true? "

" Answer her, brother, " said the Grand Master, " if the Enemy with whom

thou dost wrestle will give thee power. "

In fact, Bois-Guilbert seemed agitated by contending passions, which

almost convulsed his features, and it was with a constrained voice that

at last he replied, looking to Rebecca, --" The scroll! --the scroll! "

" Ay, " said Beaumanoir, " this is indeed testimony! The victim of her

witcheries can only name the fatal scroll, the spell inscribed on which

is, doubtless, the cause of his silence. "

But Rebecca put another interpretation on the words extorted as it were

from Bois-Guilbert, and glancing her eye upon the slip of parchment

which she continued to hold in her hand, she read written thereupon in

the Arabian character, " Demand a Champion! " The murmuring commentary

which ran through the assembly at the strange reply of Bois-Guilbert,

gave Rebecca leisure to examine and instantly to destroy the scroll

unobserved. When the whisper had ceased, the Grand Master spoke.

" Rebecca, thou canst derive no benefit from the evidence of this unhappy

knight, for whom, as we well perceive, the Enemy is yet too powerful.

Hast thou aught else to say? "

" There is yet one chance of life left to me, " said Rebecca, " even by

your own fierce laws. Life has been miserable--miserable, at least, of

late--but I will not cast away the gift of God, while he affords me the

means of defending it. I deny this charge--I maintain my innocence, and

I declare the falsehood of this accusation--I challenge the privilege of

trial by combat, and will appear by my champion. "

" And who, Rebecca, " replied the Grand Master, " will lay lance in rest

for a sorceress? who will be the champion of a Jewess? "

" God will raise me up a champion, " said Rebecca--" It cannot be that in

merry England--the hospitable, the generous, the free, where so many are

ready to peril their lives for honour, there will not be found one

to fight for justice. But it is enough that I challenge the trial by

combat--there lies my gage. "

She took her embroidered glove from her hand, and flung it down before

the Grand Master with an air of mingled simplicity and dignity, which

excited universal surprise and admiration.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

---There I throw my gage,

To prove it on thee to the extremest point

Of martial daring.

--Richard II

Even Lucas Beaumanoir himself was affected by the mien and appearance

of Rebecca. He was not originally a cruel or even a severe man; but

with passions by nature cold, and with a high, though mistaken, sense of

duty, his heart had been gradually hardened by the ascetic life which he

pursued, the supreme power which he enjoyed, and the supposed necessity

of subduing infidelity and eradicating heresy, which he conceived

peculiarly incumbent on him. His features relaxed in their usual

severity as he gazed upon the beautiful creature before him, alone,

unfriended, and defending herself with so much spirit and courage. He

crossed himself twice, as doubting whence arose the unwonted softening

of a heart, which on such occasions used to resemble in hardness the

steel of his sword. At length he spoke.

" Damsel, " he said, " if the pity I feel for thee arise from any practice

thine evil arts have made on me, great is thy guilt. But I rather judge

it the kinder feelings of nature, which grieves that so goodly a form

should be a vessel of perdition. Repent, my daughter--confess thy

witchcrafts--turn thee from thine evil faith--embrace this holy

emblem, and all shall yet be well with thee here and hereafter. In some

sisterhood of the strictest order, shalt thou have time for prayer and

fitting penance, and that repentance not to be repented of. This do and

live--what has the law of Moses done for thee that thou shouldest die

for it? "

" It was the law of my fathers, " said Rebecca; " it was delivered in

thunders and in storms upon the mountain of Sinai, in cloud and in fire.

This, if ye are Christians, ye believe--it is, you say, recalled; but so

my teachers have not taught me. "

" Let our chaplain, " said Beaumanoir, " stand forth, and tell this

obstinate infidel--"

" Forgive the interruption, " said Rebecca, meekly; " I am a maiden,

unskilled to dispute for my religion, but I can die for it, if it be

God's will. --Let me pray your answer to my demand of a champion. "

" Give me her glove, " said Beaumanoir. " This is indeed, " he continued, as

he looked at the flimsy texture and slender fingers, " a slight and frail

gage for a purpose so deadly! --Seest thou, Rebecca, as this thin and

light glove of thine is to one of our heavy steel gauntlets, so is

thy cause to that of the Temple, for it is our Order which thou hast

defied. "

" Cast my innocence into the scale, " answered Rebecca, " and the glove of

silk shall outweigh the glove of iron. "

" Then thou dost persist in thy refusal to confess thy guilt, and in that

bold challenge which thou hast made? "

" I do persist, noble sir, " answered Rebecca.

" So be it then, in the name of Heaven, " said the Grand Master; " and may

God show the right! "

" Amen, " replied the Preceptors around him, and the word was deeply

echoed by the whole assembly.

" Brethren, " said Beaumanoir, " you are aware that we might well have

refused to this woman the benefit of the trial by combat--but though a

Jewess and an unbeliever, she is also a stranger and defenceless, and

God forbid that she should ask the benefit of our mild laws, and that it

should be refused to her. Moreover, we are knights and soldiers as well

as men of religion, and shame it were to us upon any pretence, to

refuse proffered combat. Thus, therefore, stands the case. Rebecca,

the daughter of Isaac of York, is, by many frequent and suspicious

circumstances, defamed of sorcery practised on the person of a noble

knight of our holy Order, and hath challenged the combat in proof of her

innocence. To whom, reverend brethren, is it your opinion that we should

deliver the gage of battle, naming him, at the same time, to be our

champion on the field? "

" To Brian de Bois-Guilbert, whom it chiefly concerns, " said the

Preceptor of Goodalricke, " and who, moreover, best knows how the truth

stands in this matter. "

" But if, " said the Grand Master, " our brother Brian be under the

influence of a charm or a spell--we speak but for the sake of

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