"Let not my liege be displeased at our claiming his vows first, for it is he, in good sooth, whom the enterprize most concerns. We have ourself, it is true, done this Philip some good services in our time, and have been as uncourteously treated; but, the blessed Mary willing, we will be among the first to avenge ourselves for the injuries done us, and to enter, with sword new edged, his unjustly acquired possessions. And this we pledge ourselves to by the Heron of Artois! as witness ye lords and knights of England!"

'And thereupon he placed his hand upon the head of the bird; and anon, followed by his jongleurs and the merry damsels, he crossed over the hall to where our Lord of Salisbury was seated with the fair Lady Blanch of Derby, and her noble sire at his side.

"Sir Earl of Salisbury," quoth the Frenchman, "we know thee for as brave and courteous chevalier as any in Christantie, and, for the love thou bearest to all virtuous dames and damoiselles, do invite thee to pronounce on our heron thy vow, that thereby thou mayest set to the chivalry of England, an example of amorous chevesance."

"With all my heart," replied the Montague, "for were the virgin Mother to despoil herself of her divinity, and come hither to dispute the prize of beauty with Lord Derby's daughter, I should not know to which to give the preference, and fear me I should mistake the one for the other. Alas! where shall I find a motive powerful enough to exalt me to the summit of renown, if it be not in the eyes of her for whom I must ever glory to bear arms. Impatient to obtain the favour which hitherto she hath pitilessly refused to bestow, I crave this day, as an especial boon, that she will deign with a finger of her white hand, to close the right eye of her faithful knight; and on thy bird, Sir Robert, I swear never more to see therewith 'till the day when, triumphing over the enemies of our liege sovereign, I return to claim my reward!"

The lords and gentles shouted out lustily when they heard our master's vow and saw him kneel down at the

feet of the beauteous daughter of Derby, who instead of one finger, as she had been craved, placed two upon his right eye, and closed it so that from that hour he saw but with the left, and, whether in tent or battle field, the silken blind which the merry damsel gave him that same night hath not been removed.

"We grant thee thy boon, Sir Earl," said she," and when thou returnest, having fulfilled thy vow, and broken lance gallantly, as we doubt not thou wilt, in behalf of thy prince, we will release thee from thy promise, and withal embroider a banner for thy next adventure."

Then the Lord Salisbury, like a true knight, hied him anon to his lodging, and forthwith summoned his squires and men of arms for the apparelling, and posted off his page, with tidings of the vow that he had made, to his lady, who was then, as she hath been aye since, in this castle of Werk. Beshrew me but the stripling rode as fleet a palfrey as ever sped northward upon a king's errand!

Then our noble dame summoned forth her yeomen. and vassals, and in two days dispatched a hundred as sturdy knaves as ever brandished maul; with a like number of archers who all knew well how to draw their bows, and I warrant me, could bring down a knight in the uproar of the melèe, as surely as I could a buck at gaze!

And

Our Lord of Salisbury was right glad to receive so brave a company of soldiers, and to hear of his lady's wise governance on the borders; and he gave. his bold yeoman withal a princely welcome. many young knights and squires came to his lodging, and prayed they might serve beneath his banner, and he received them all with generous courtesy, and some of the squires he afterwards made knights, for the prowess they displayed, and the service they did him in the field. And these puissant chevaliers took upon them the vow of their lord, and each closed his right eye with a piece of blue silk, and swore, by the eagle of Montague! that for the love of the beauteous lady of

Derby they would see but with one eye 'till they had achieved some deed of arms in France, and were absolved from their oath by the damsel herself. Then King Edward sent forth his summonses to the barons of his realm, and commanded them to advance to his aid in the enterprize to which he stood pledged. But the Salisbury was already fully accoutred and apparelled for the field, and he prayed the prince would allow his company, and the amorous knights, who had chosen him for their lord to embark for the fulfilment of their vows; and thereupon we were ordered to bear the holy Bishop of Lincoln company, and to do the king what service we might. So we departed and crossed over the seas for Valenciennes, where we did the king much service, and made prisoner of Sir Guy of Flanders. Unfortunately, however, in our attack on Lisle, the impetuosity of the Earl Salisbury carried him within the gates, which immediately closed on him. Since then he has remained a prisoner in France; but it is said that he will shortly return to England.'

Saint Mary grant it may be so!' quoth he of the Lincoln green, for doubtless we shall have rare revelry when he returns-full larders, and free forage to booth-hey, Hubert ?'

Aye, marry! for all save thyself and the monks of St. Dunstan; for thou wilt have enough to do, I trow, in furnishing venison for those who have leisure to eat it; and as to the holy brotherhood, 'tis but right they should fast upon unhallowed festivals!'

'And think you our master will remember the vow that he vowed upon the Heron of Artois, and the oath he then swore to the fair Lady Blanch?'

'Aye, by my fay will he! Sir William is no false knight that he should forget his vows, or make light of a lady's favour:-Soho! soho! hear'st thou yon merry horn?'

A shrill and blithesome air broke upon the ears of our jolly foresters, as Hubert uttered these words, and they both leaped upon their feet at the sound thereof, VOL. 11. July, 1829.

E

and turned them towards the point whence it seemed to proceed. The nimble-footed deer fled to their leafy coverts, and the unseen choristers of the thorn and hazel-tree stopped short in the warbling of their woodnotes wild. Again those cheerful echoes made the forest ring, and awakened in the breasts of its rangers the most lively sensations of hope and rejoicing, Walter Merlin snatched up his long-bow and wellfledged shafts, and bounded off with all the agility of one of his own harts, shouting as he went, 'Strangers to the castle, Hubert! strangers! strangers!'

The strangers proved to be the Earl of Derby and his followers: he came to assure the Countess of Salisbury that her lord was on his way home, accompanied by a chevalier whom he had made prisoner in the wars. He had hardly delivered this cheering news when a loud shout, raised by the retainers, was heard in the castle yard. The countess, the earl, and his fair daughter, bounded towards the doorway, and met at its threshold the returning Salisbury, who, by choosing another and more concealed route up the park, was enabled to take all parties by surprise.

The first ardent and impassioned greetings of longseparated kinsfolk being over, the party retired from the hall to the tapestried chamber of the beauteous countess. And here Earl Salisbury-whose right eye was still closed by the blue silken blind presented him five years before by the Lord Derby's daughter-ever mindful of his duty to the fair, and of the vow which he had sworn upon the Heron of Sir Robert D'Artois, knelt down at the feet of the illustrious maiden, and besought her to remove the badge of his lady-service, if she thought he had fulfilled his vows as became a true and loyal knight; and the proud damsel forthwith released him from all obligations, and restored his long-darkened eye to its natural use.

And now, sir earl,' quoth she, 'ere the banner of Montague goeth forth to the field again, it behoveth us with our own hand to embroider it anew, for even such was the vow we made when thou sworest by the Heron

of Artois to be our true champion and faithful chevalier!'

We claim the pledge!' rejoined the favoured knight; and as sure token that we have accomplished our vow, and done the king good service, have brought hither a right gallant and courteous soldier, whom we vanquished in fair fight at the barriers of St. Quintin, and whom we now resign to thy sway, that thou mayest release him upon such conditions as it becometh fair lady to decree; for certes he hath pledged himself true and faithful prisoner, and therefore have we pledged our knighthood he should have safe conduct back again to the realm of France, if he willeth so to do.'

Fear not, noble brother, we'll answer for our daughter's courtesy added the Earl of Derby.

Sir William Montague withdrew, but in a few minutes returned again with the captive knight, and followed by Hubert and his fellow-forester, Walter Merlin, and half a score others, who were attracted thither by the magnet-curiosity, among whom the bluff abbot of St. Dunstan's appeared pre-eminently conspi~

cuous:

·

Beauteous damsel,' said the soldier of France, kneeling before the Lady Derby's throne, vanquished in fair fight by the superior skill and prowess of thy sworn champion, Sir Guy of Flanders yieldeth himself true prisoner.'

'Sir knight,' said she, 'seeing thou hast come hither cheerfully to redeem thy knightly gage, and hast owned thyself true prisoner of my Lord of Salisbury, we grant thee, sans ransom, free leave to depart, if it so pleaseth thee; yet we command that, while thou tarriest upon English ground, thou give no challenge, and accept no cartel, save with the king's permission.'

We shall obey the gage, noble damsel,' replied the liegeman of Philip de Valois, and would fain live in peace with the chivalry of England; for braver gentles, and as courteous withal, have we not met even in the realm of France.'