steel, fresh lances, and iron hooks to grasp hold of his adversary, and draw him off his horse.

When he saw the palmer, he called out to him, and bid him dismount and submit himself; for the giant felt certain of victory.

But in this case he did not know who was his foe. Sir Guy, putting spurs to the valiant charger on which the king had mounted him, and making the sign of the cross, met Colebrand, for so the giant was called, and pierced his shield in the first encounter, breaking his own lance into shivers. The palmer dismounted, and directed a blow at the giant's helmet, but, being smaller in stature, could only reach up to his shoulder.

At that advance Colebrand took one of his steel bars; but it was of no use, for, just as he was wielding it, the palmer managed to cut off his hand, and though he held out as long as he could, at last he fainted from loss of blood, and Guy then cut off his head.

Nothing could exceed the Danes' astonishment and dismay at their champion's defeat, while the English king and nobles were overjoyed at their unexpected and triumphant victory. Conducted

by the clergy and nobles, side by side with the king, his first act was to repair to the cathedral, to offer the axe with which he had killed his adversary to the church, laying it on the high altar.

The king urgently pressed him to disclose his name; but on that head the palmer was not to be persuaded. However, finding the king was quite bent upon knowing it, he disclosed it to him, outside the city gates, close to a cross, just as he was bidding him farewell, but only on receiving the most solemn promises of secrecy.

Nothing could exceed the king's surprise and delight to find out who his deliverer was. With mingled tears and embraces he entreated Sir Guy to remain with him; but the earl avowed his intention of remaining in a pilgrim's state, and then they parted.

Although, however, he had avowed his intention of remaining in the religious state, a secret desire seized hold of him once more to gaze on his beloved wife, and so he goes on foot to the gates of Warwick Castle.

She was a very good and pious lady, and

believed that if she relieved with alms and food the wants of the poor who daily visited her castle gate, their prayers would be offered up for the safety of her husband in the Holy Land, and her son's return home with Sir Herand.

Among twelve other pilgrims his wife gives the earl alms, little thinking he himself is so near; and then he repairs to an hermitage close by Warwick Castle, and lives with a holy man there, till the latter's death, when he gets possession of his cell, called 'Guy's Cliff.'

He lived there in the odour of sanctity till he was nearly seventy years of age, never once revealing himself to his wife the countess, till he felt death approaching.

Taking their wedding-ring off, he sends it her, begging her to see that he is buried as he desires, and he prophesied that she would only survive him fifteen days.

When the countess got the ring, she was overjoyed to find the earl so near her; but alas! on getting to the hermitage, finds that he is dead in his cell; and there, with a large body of clergy and the bishop of the diocese, she buries him as he

had requested; and, says the tradition, only survived him fifteen days!

Her long-lost son, Earl Reynburn, who had been stolen away into Russia in his childhood, succeeded the countess in her paternal estates; and here ends my story of Earl Guy of Warwick, and of Warwick Castle.

CHAPTER IX.

LUDLOW CASTLE.

THE LORDS MARCHERS OF WALES.

UDLOW CASTLE is situated most beautifully in the county of Shropshire; and its neighbourhood, besides being very picturesque, is replete with historical associations of all kinds.

It was not far from Ludlow that the pride and glory of ancient Britain, Caractacus the Brave, fought and lost his last battle, the scene of his defeat being seven miles westward of the old for

tress.

Such was the bravery of the original inhabitants of our little island, that it took their Roman invaders two hundred years to conquer them entirely; and the Saxons were five hundred years before they succeeded in getting a complete mastery over

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