The Betrothed

shines the

er'd cas

, tower, and

dding to

BA

s been properly victualled for a siege, ought to have been tenanted by cattle; and great was his delight to see more than a score of fat kine and bullocks in the place which had last night been empty! One of them had already been carried to the shambles, and a Fleming

victuals as on a religious score; but the blessings of the saints must not be slighted.- Sir Cook, let me have half a yard or so of broiled beef presently; bid the pantler send me a manchet, and the butler a cup of wine. I will take a run

ary measures of defence. He greeted him courteously, congratulated him on the stock of provisions with which the castle had been supplied during the

d before other discourse, to consult thee on a matter which press

ce is a jewel! and he that will not listen when it saith, 'Pour out thy doubts into the ear of the priest,' shall one day have his own dolorou

ome dealings with my neighbour, Jan Vanwelt, concerning my daughter Rose, a

r, "this gear can lie over - this is no time for marrying o

more nearly than you wot of.- You must know I have no will to bestow Rose on this same Jan Vanwelt, who i

h somewhat hasty; and I think you may honestly withdraw your

ney will reduce me to utter poverty. The Welsh have destroyed my substance; and t

ntain? Is it not answered again, Qui jurat proximo et non decipit? - Go to, my son - break not thy plighted word for a little filthy lucre - better is an empty stomach and an hungry heart with a clear conscience, than a fatted ox with iniquit

e'en render up the castle, or restore to the Welshman, Jorworth, th

I speak to thee of Rose Flammock, and Jan Van-devil, or whatever you call

ughter I had promised to deliver over - the Welshman is Jan Vanwelt, and the gil

e trick put on him; "what has a boor like thee to do

o the Welshman, or restore him his ca

soul to Satan!"

ve," said the Fleming; "for the

hen presently subjoined, "Our Lady be with her servant!-

your reverence cited to me eve

foolish Fleming, the text speaketh but of promises made unto Christians, and there is in the Rubric a special exception of such as are made to Welshmen." At this commentary the Fleming grinned so broadly as to show his whole case of broad strong white teeth. Father Aldrovand himself grinned in sympathy

ng your reverence in a little matter of deceit? Surely Heaven hath sent

n swineherd," said A

re that I should restore the cattl

cald the hair from his goatskin cloak. And, hark thee, do thou, in the first place, try the temperatur

ich Jorworth had come alone. Placing himself at the wicket, which, however, he kept carefully barred, and spea

the castle, agreeable t

ome on such errand

"I have some two score of men

ckly," answered Wilkin, "before our arch

not mean to keep thy pr

thou didst say. I have done so, and have communicated with my ghostly

he cattle, which I simply sent into the

wait the phlegmatic and lingering answer of the Fleming, "if he give horn, ho

taken this castle, as it shall not longer shelter such a pair of faithless traitors, I will have you sewed up each into the carcass

it is matched with thy power,"

same breath, the more irascible monk. "I trust to see hounds

ity right against the aperture in the wicket. It whizzed through the opening at which it was aimed, and flew (harmlessly, however) between the heads of the monk and the Fleming; the

with a volley of arrows, but the Fleming observed that ammunition was too precious with them to be wasted on a few runaways. Perhaps the honest man remembered that they had come within the danger of such a salutation, in som

monk, in a tone of foreboding seriousness, w

, and the obstinacy of these Welsh fiends almost equal to their fury. But we will do the best. I will to the Lady Eveline - She must show herself upon the battlements - She is fairer in feature t

nted be presently served forth; it will give my Flemings more strength than the sight of the