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much weight; and if she calls a combat with me, it is odds but she has

the worst. "

This reply was made while Gurth was buckling on the Knight's heels a

pair of large gilded spurs, capable of convincing any restive horse that

his best safety lay in being conformable to the will of his rider.

The deep and sharp rowels with which Ivanhoe's heels were now

armed, began to make the worthy Prior repent of his courtesy, and

ejaculate, --" Nay, but fair sir, now I bethink me, my Malkin abideth not

the spur--Better it were that you tarry for the mare of our manciple

down at the Grange, which may be had in little more than an hour, and

cannot but be tractable, in respect that she draweth much of our winter

fire-wood, and eateth no corn. "

" I thank you, reverend father, but will abide by your first offer, as

I see Malkin is already led forth to the gate. Gurth shall carry mine

armour; and for the rest, rely on it, that as I will not overload

Malkin's back, she shall not overcome my patience. And now, farewell! "

Ivanhoe now descended the stairs more hastily and easily than his

wound promised, and threw himself upon the jennet, eager to escape the

importunity of the Prior, who stuck as closely to his side as his

age and fatness would permit, now singing the praises of Malkin, now

recommending caution to the Knight in managing her.

" She is at the most dangerous period for maidens as well as mares, " said

the old man, laughing at his own jest, " being barely in her fifteenth

year. "

Ivanhoe, who had other web to weave than to stand canvassing a palfrey's

paces with its owner, lent but a deaf ear to the Prior's grave advices

and facetious jests, and having leapt on his mare, and commanded his

squire (for such Gurth now called himself) to keep close by his side, he

followed the track of the Black Knight into the forest, while the

Prior stood at the gate of the convent looking after him, and

ejaculating, --" Saint Mary! how prompt and fiery be these men of war!

I would I had not trusted Malkin to his keeping, for, crippled as I

am with the cold rheum, I am undone if aught but good befalls her. And

yet, " said he, recollecting himself, " as I would not spare my own old

and disabled limbs in the good cause of Old England, so Malkin must e'en

run her hazard on the same venture; and it may be they will think our

poor house worthy of some munificent guerdon--or, it may be, they will

send the old Prior a pacing nag. And if they do none of these, as great

men will forget little men's service, truly I shall hold me well repaid

in having done that which is right. And it is now well-nigh the fitting

time to summon the brethren to breakfast in the refectory--Ah! I doubt

they obey that call more cheerily than the bells for primes and matins. "

So the Prior of Saint Botolph's hobbled back again into the refectory,

to preside over the stockfish and ale, which was just serving out for

the friars' breakfast. Busy and important, he sat him down at the table,

and many a dark word he threw out, of benefits to be expected to the

convent, and high deeds of service done by himself, which, at another

season, would have attracted observation. But as the stockfish was

highly salted, and the ale reasonably powerful, the jaws of the brethren

were too anxiously employed to admit of their making much use of their

ears; nor do we read of any of the fraternity, who was tempted to

speculate upon the mysterious hints of their Superior, except Father

Diggory, who was severely afflicted by the toothache, so that he could

only eat on one side of his jaws.

In the meantime, the Black Champion and his guide were pacing at their

leisure through the recesses of the forest; the good Knight whiles

humming to himself the lay of some enamoured troubadour, sometimes

encouraging by questions the prating disposition of his attendant, so

that their dialogue formed a whimsical mixture of song and jest, of

which we would fain give our readers some idea. You are then to imagine

this Knight, such as we have already described him, strong of person,

tall, broad-shouldered, and large of bone, mounted on his mighty black

charger, which seemed made on purpose to bear his weight, so easily he

paced forward under it, having the visor of his helmet raised, in order

to admit freedom of breath, yet keeping the beaver, or under part,

closed, so that his features could be but imperfectly distinguished. But

his ruddy embrowned cheek-bones could be plainly seen, and the large and

bright blue eyes, that flashed from under the dark shade of the raised

visor; and the whole gesture and look of the champion expressed careless

gaiety and fearless confidence--a mind which was unapt to apprehend

danger, and prompt to defy it when most imminent--yet with whom danger

was a familiar thought, as with one whose trade was war and adventure.

The Jester wore his usual fantastic habit, but late accidents had led

him to adopt a good cutting falchion, instead of his wooden sword, with

a targe to match it; of both which weapons he had, notwithstanding

his profession, shown himself a skilful master during the storming of

Torquilstone. Indeed, the infirmity of Wamba's brain consisted chiefly

in a kind of impatient irritability, which suffered him not long to

remain quiet in any posture, or adhere to any certain train of ideas,

although he was for a few minutes alert enough in performing any

immediate task, or in apprehending any immediate topic. On horseback,

therefore, he was perpetually swinging himself backwards and forwards,

now on the horse's ears, then anon on the very rump of the animal, --now

hanging both his legs on one side, and now sitting with his face to the

tail, moping, mowing, and making a thousand apish gestures, until his

palfrey took his freaks so much to heart, as fairly to lay him at his

length on the green grass--an incident which greatly amused the Knight,

but compelled his companion to ride more steadily thereafter.

At the point of their journey at which we take them up, this joyous pair

were engaged in singing a virelai, as it was called, in which the clown

bore a mellow burden, to the better instructed Knight of the Fetterlock.

And thus run the ditty: --

Anna-Marie, love, up is the sun,

Anna-Marie, love, morn is begun,

Mists are dispersing, love, birds singing free,

Up in the morning, love, Anna-Marie.

Anna-Marie, love, up in the morn,

The hunter is winding blithe sounds on his horn,

The echo rings merry from rock and from tree,

'Tis time to arouse thee, love, Anna-Marie.

Wamba.

O Tybalt, love, Tybalt, awake me not yet,

Around my soft pillow while softer dreams flit,

For what are the joys that in waking we prove,

Compared with these visions, O, Tybalt, my love?

Let the birds to the rise of the mist carol shrill,

Let the hunter blow out his loud horn on the hill,

Softer sounds, softer pleasures, in slumber I prove, --

But think not I dreamt of thee, Tybalt, my love.

" A dainty song, " said Wamba, when they had finished their carol, " and I

swear by my bauble, a pretty moral! --I used to sing it with Gurth, once

my playfellow, and now, by the grace of God and his master, no less than

a freemen; and we once came by the cudgel for being so entranced by the

melody, that we lay in bed two hours after sunrise, singing the ditty

betwixt sleeping and waking--my bones ache at thinking of the tune ever

since. Nevertheless, I have played the part of Anna-Marie, to please

you, fair sir. "

The Jester next struck into another carol, a sort of comic ditty, to

which the Knight, catching up the tune, replied in the like manner.

Knight and Wamba.

There came three merry men from south, west, and north,

Ever more sing the roundelay;

To win the Widow of Wycombe forth,

And where was the widow might say them nay?

The first was a knight, and from Tynedale he came,

Ever more sing the roundelay;

And his fathers, God save us, were men of great fame,

And where was the widow might say him nay?

Of his father the laird, of his uncle the squire,

He boasted in rhyme and in roundelay;

She bade him go bask by his sea-coal fire,

For she was the widow would say him nay.

Wamba.

The next that came forth, swore by blood and by nails,

Merrily sing the roundelay;

Hur's a gentleman, God wot, and hur's lineage was of Wales,

And where was the widow might say him nay?

Sir David ap Morgan ap Griffith ap Hugh

Ap Tudor ap Rhice, quoth his roundelay

She said that one widow for so many was too few,

And she bade the Welshman wend his way.

But then next came a yeoman, a yeoman of Kent,

Jollily singing his roundelay;

He spoke to the widow of living and rent,

And where was the widow could say him nay?

Both.

So the knight and the squire were both left in the mire,

There for to sing their roundelay;

For a yeoman of Kent, with his yearly rent,

There never was a widow could say him nay.

" I would, Wamba, " said the knight, " that our host of the Trysting-tree,

or the jolly Friar, his chaplain, heard this thy ditty in praise of our

bluff yeoman. "

" So would not I, " said Wamba--" but for the horn that hangs at your

baldric. "

" Ay, " said the Knight, --" this is a pledge of Locksley's goodwill, though

I am not like to need it. Three mots on this bugle will, I am assured,

bring round, at our need, a jolly band of yonder honest yeomen. "

" I would say, Heaven forefend, " said the Jester, " were it not that that

fair gift is a pledge they would let us pass peaceably. "

" Why, what meanest thou? " said the Knight; " thinkest thou that but for

this pledge of fellowship they would assault us? "

" Nay, for me I say nothing, " said Wamba; " for green trees have ears as

well as stone walls. But canst thou construe me this, Sir Knight--When

is thy wine-pitcher and thy purse better empty than full? "

" Why, never, I think, " replied the Knight.

" Thou never deservest to have a full one in thy hand, for so simple an

answer! Thou hadst best empty thy pitcher ere thou pass it to a Saxon,

and leave thy money at home ere thou walk in the greenwood. "

" You hold our friends for robbers, then? " said the Knight of the

Fetterlock.

" You hear me not say so, fair sir, " said Wamba; " it may relieve a man's

steed to take of his mail when he hath a long journey to make; and,

certes, it may do good to the rider's soul to ease him of that which is

the root of evil; therefore will I give no hard names to those who do

such services. Only I would wish my mail at home, and my purse in my

chamber, when I meet with these good fellows, because it might save them

some trouble. "

" WE are bound to pray for them, my friend, notwithstanding the fair

character thou dost afford them. "

" Pray for them with all my heart, " said Wamba; " but in the town, not

in the greenwood, like the Abbot of Saint Bees, whom they caused to say

mass with an old hollow oak-tree for his stall. "

" Say as thou list, Wamba, " replied the Knight, " these yeomen did thy

master Cedric yeomanly service at Torquilstone. "

" Ay, truly, " answered Wamba; " but that was in the fashion of their trade

with Heaven. "

" Their trade, Wamba! how mean you by that? " replied his companion.

" Marry, thus, " said the Jester. " They make up a balanced account with

Heaven, as our old cellarer used to call his ciphering, as fair as Isaac

the Jew keeps with his debtors, and, like him, give out a very little,

and take large credit for doing so; reckoning, doubtless, on their own

behalf the seven-fold usury which the blessed text hath promised to

charitable loans. "

" Give me an example of your meaning, Wamba, --I know nothing of ciphers

or rates of usage, " answered the Knight.

" Why, " said Wamba, " an your valour be so dull, you will please to learn

that those honest fellows balance a good deed with one not quite so

laudable; as a crown given to a begging friar with an hundred byzants

taken from a fat abbot, or a wench kissed in the greenwood with the

relief of a poor widow. "

" Which of these was the good deed, which was the felony? " interrupted

the Knight.

" A good gibe! a good gibe! " said Wamba; " keeping witty company

sharpeneth the apprehension. You said nothing so well, Sir Knight, I

will be sworn, when you held drunken vespers with the bluff Hermit. --But

to go on. The merry-men of the forest set off the building of a cottage

with the burning of a castle, --the thatching of a choir against the

robbing of a church, --the setting free a poor prisoner against the

murder of a proud sheriff; or, to come nearer to our point, the

deliverance of a Saxon franklin against the burning alive of a Norman

baron. Gentle thieves they are, in short, and courteous robbers; but it

is ever the luckiest to meet with them when they are at the worst. "

" How so, Wamba? " said the Knight.

" Why, then they have some compunction, and are for making up matters

with Heaven. But when they have struck an even balance, Heaven help them

with whom they next open the account! The travellers who first met

them after their good service at Torquilstone would have a woeful

flaying. --And yet, " said Wamba, coming close up to the Knight's side,

" there be companions who are far more dangerous for travellers to meet

than yonder outlaws. "

" And who may they be, for you have neither bears nor wolves, I trow? "

said the Knight.

" Marry, sir, but we have Malvoisin's men-at-arms, " said Wamba; " and let

me tell you, that, in time of civil war, a halfscore of these is worth

a band of wolves at any time. They are now expecting their harvest,

and are reinforced with the soldiers that escaped from Torquilstone.

So that, should we meet with a band of them, we are like to pay for our

feats of arms. --Now, I pray you, Sir Knight, what would you do if we met

two of them? "

" Pin the villains to the earth with my lance, Wamba, if they offered us

any impediment. "

" But what if there were four of them? "

" They should drink of the same cup, " answered the Knight.

" What if six, " continued Wamba, " and we as we now are, barely two--would

you not remember Locksley's horn? "

" What! sound for aid, " exclaimed the Knight, " against a score of such

'rascaille' as these, whom one good knight could drive before him, as

the wind drives the withered leaves? "

" Nay, then, " said Wamba, " I will pray you for a close sight of that same

horn that hath so powerful a breath. "

The Knight undid the clasp of the baldric, and indulged his

fellow-traveller, who immediately hung the bugle round his own neck.

" Tra-lira-la, " said he, whistling the notes; " nay, I know my gamut as

well as another. "

" How mean you, knave? " said the Knight; " restore me the bugle. "

" Content you, Sir Knight, it is in safe keeping. When Valour and Folly

travel, Folly should bear the horn, because she can blow the best. "

" Nay but, rogue, " said the Black Knight, " this exceedeth thy

license--Beware ye tamper not with my patience. "

" Urge me not with violence, Sir Knight, " said the Jester, keeping at a

distance from the impatient champion, " or Folly will show a clean pair

of heels, and leave Valour to find out his way through the wood as best

he may. "

" Nay, thou hast hit me there, " said the Knight; " and, sooth to say, I

have little time to jangle with thee. Keep the horn an thou wilt, but

let us proceed on our journey. "

" You will not harm me, then? " said Wamba.

" I tell thee no, thou knave! "

" Ay, but pledge me your knightly word for it, " continued Wamba, as he

approached with great caution.

" My knightly word I pledge; only come on with thy foolish self. "

" Nay, then, Valour and Folly are once more boon companions, " said the

Jester, coming up frankly to the Knight's side; " but, in truth, I love

not such buffets as that you bestowed on the burly Friar, when his

holiness rolled on the green like a king of the nine-pins. And now that

Folly wears the horn, let Valour rouse himself, and shake his mane;

for, if I mistake not, there are company in yonder brake that are on the

look-out for us. "

" What makes thee judge so? " said the Knight.

" Because I have twice or thrice noticed the glance of a motion from

amongst the green leaves. Had they been honest men, they had kept the

path. But yonder thicket is a choice chapel for the Clerks of Saint

Nicholas. "

" By my faith, " said the Knight, closing his visor, " I think thou be'st

in the right on't. "

And in good time did he close it, for three arrows, flew at the same

instant from the suspected spot against his head and breast, one of

which would have penetrated to the brain, had it not been turned aside

by the steel visor. The other two were averted by the gorget, and by the

shield which hung around his neck.

" Thanks, trusty armourers, " said the Knight. --" Wamba, let us close with

them, " --and he rode straight to the thicket. He was met by six or seven

men-at-arms, who ran against him with their lances at full career. Three

of the weapons struck against him, and splintered with as little effect

as if they had been driven against a tower of steel. The Black Knight's

eyes seemed to flash fire even through the aperture of his visor. He

raised himself in his stirrups with an air of inexpressible dignity, and

exclaimed, " What means this, my masters! " --The men made no other reply

than by drawing their swords and attacking him on every side, crying,

" Die, tyrant! "

" Ha! Saint Edward! Ha! Saint George! " said the Black Knight, striking

down a man at every invocation; " have we traitors here? "

His opponents, desperate as they were, bore back from an arm which

carried death in every blow, and it seemed as if the terror of his

single strength was about to gain the battle against such odds, when a

knight, in blue armour, who had hitherto kept himself behind the other

assailants, spurred forward with his lance, and taking aim, not at the

rider but at the steed, wounded the noble animal mortally.

" That was a felon stroke! " exclaimed the Black Knight, as the steed fell

to the earth, bearing his rider along with him.

And at this moment, Wamba winded the bugle, for the whole had passed so

speedily, that he had not time to do so sooner. The sudden sound made

the murderers bear back once more, and Wamba, though so imperfectly

weaponed, did not hesitate to rush in and assist the Black Knight to

rise.

" Shame on ye, false cowards! " exclaimed he in the blue harness, who

seemed to lead the assailants, " do ye fly from the empty blast of a horn

blown by a Jester? "

Animated by his words, they attacked the Black Knight anew, whose best

refuge was now to place his back against an oak, and defend himself with

his sword. The felon knight, who had taken another spear, watching the

moment when his formidable antagonist was most closely pressed, galloped

against him in hopes to nail him with his lance against the tree, when

his purpose was again intercepted by Wamba. The Jester, making up by

agility the want of strength, and little noticed by the men-at-arms, who

were busied in their more important object, hovered on the skirts of the

fight, and effectually checked the fatal career of the Blue Knight, by

hamstringing his horse with a stroke of his sword. Horse and man went to

the ground; yet the situation of the Knight of the Fetterlock continued

very precarious, as he was pressed close by several men completely

armed, and began to be fatigued by the violent exertions necessary

to defend himself on so many points at nearly the same moment, when

a grey-goose shaft suddenly stretched on the earth one of the most

formidable of his assailants, and a band of yeomen broke forth from the

glade, headed by Locksley and the jovial Friar, who, taking ready and

effectual part in the fray, soon disposed of the ruffians, all of whom

lay on the spot dead or mortally wounded. The Black Knight thanked his

deliverers with a dignity they had not observed in his former bearing,

which hitherto had seemed rather that of a blunt bold soldier, than of a

person of exalted rank.

" It concerns me much, " he said, " even before I express my full gratitude

to my ready friends, to discover, if I may, who have been my unprovoked

enemies. --Open the visor of that Blue Knight, Wamba, who seems the chief

of these villains. "

The Jester instantly made up to the leader of the assassins, who,

bruised by his fall, and entangled under the wounded steed, lay

incapable either of flight or resistance.

" Come, valiant sir, " said Wamba, " I must be your armourer as well as

your equerry--I have dismounted you, and now I will unhelm you. "

So saying, with no very gentle hand he undid the helmet of the Blue

Knight, which, rolling to a distance on the grass, displayed to the

Knight of the Fetterlock grizzled locks, and a countenance he did not

expect to have seen under such circumstances.

" Waldemar Fitzurse! " he said in astonishment; " what could urge one of

thy rank and seeming worth to so foul an undertaking? "

" Richard, " said the captive Knight, looking up to him, " thou knowest

little of mankind, if thou knowest not to what ambition and revenge can

lead every child of Adam. "

" Revenge? " answered the Black Knight; " I never wronged thee--On me thou

hast nought to revenge. "

" My daughter, Richard, whose alliance thou didst scorn--was that no

injury to a Norman, whose blood is noble as thine own? "

" Thy daughter? " replied the Black Knight; " a proper cause of enmity, and

followed up to a bloody issue! --Stand back, my masters, I would speak

to him alone. --And now, Waldemar Fitzurse, say me the truth--confess who

set thee on this traitorous deed. "

" Thy father's son, " answered Waldemar, " who, in so doing, did but avenge

on thee thy disobedience to thy father. "

Richard's eyes sparkled with indignation, but his better nature overcame

it. He pressed his hand against his brow, and remained an instant gazing

on the face of the humbled baron, in whose features pride was contending

with shame.

" Thou dost not ask thy life, Waldemar, " said the King.

" He that is in the lion's clutch, " answered Fitzurse, " knows it were

needless. "

" Take it, then, unasked, " said Richard; " the lion preys not on prostrate

carcasses. --Take thy life, but with this condition, that in three days

thou shalt leave England, and go to hide thine infamy in thy Norman

castle, and that thou wilt never mention the name of John of Anjou as

connected with thy felony. If thou art found on English ground after the

space I have allotted thee, thou diest--or if thou breathest aught

that can attaint the honour of my house, by Saint George! not the altar

itself shall be a sanctuary. I will hang thee out to feed the ravens,

from the very pinnacle of thine own castle. --Let this knight have a

steed, Locksley, for I see your yeomen have caught those which were

running loose, and let him depart unharmed. "

" But that I judge I listen to a voice whose behests must not be

disputed, " answered the yeoman, " I would send a shaft after the skulking

villain that should spare him the labour of a long journey. "

" Thou bearest an English heart, Locksley, " said the Black Knight, " and

well dost judge thou art the more bound to obey my behest--I am Richard

of England! "

At these words, pronounced in a tone of majesty suited to the high rank,

and no less distinguished character of Coeur-de-Lion, the yeomen at once

kneeled down before him, and at the same time tendered their allegiance,

and implored pardon for their offences.

" Rise, my friends, " said Richard, in a gracious tone, looking on

them with a countenance in which his habitual good-humour had already

conquered the blaze of hasty resentment, and whose features retained no

mark of the late desperate conflict, excepting the flush arising from

exertion, --" Arise, " he said, " my friends! --Your misdemeanours, whether

in forest or field, have been atoned by the loyal services you rendered

my distressed subjects before the walls of Torquilstone, and the rescue

you have this day afforded to your sovereign. Arise, my liegemen, and be

good subjects in future. --And thou, brave Locksley--"

" Call me no longer Locksley, my Liege, but know me under the name,

which, I fear, fame hath blown too widely not to have reached even your

royal ears--I am Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest. " [561]

" King of Outlaws, and Prince of good fellows! " said the King, " who

hath not heard a name that has been borne as far as Palestine? But be

assured, brave Outlaw, that no deed done in our absence, and in the

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