CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
HIGH MEADOW HOUSE.
High Meadow House, where Massey's troops were quartered, was but a stepfrom the Buckstone. A first-class mansion it was, belonging to agentleman, by name Benedict Hall, and inhabited by him till within a fewdays before. A large landowner, with estates both in the shires ofGloucester and Hereford, he commanded some influence throughout theForest country, and being a bigoted Papist, he, of course, went for theKing and the devil, as those of his sort have ever done since Vaticanismbecame a power upon the earth.
But in something more than a mere sentimental way had the master of HighMeadow shown his political inclinings. Second only to those of thesilly old Marquis of Worcester, and the wicked Sir John Wintour, werehis services to the Royal cause in that quarter, his great wealthenabling him to pay for soldiers, if he could not himself handle them.More than one well-appointed squad had he armed and equipped at his ownexpense, now sending subsidies to Wintour at Lydney, and now helpingLord Herbert on the Monmouth side. Moreover, at the breaking out ofhostilities he had fortified High Meadow House, and ever since held itwith his own servants and hired retainers.
His wife, a priest-ridden woman, had been prime inspirer and chiefinstigator to all this, herself moving about among the men employed onthe defensive works, encouraging them with speech, and promises ofreward for devotion to the King's cause.
There came a time, however, when this ultraloyal couple began to gettired of the bauble which was costing them so dearly. For over twoyears it had been a constant drain upon their resources: all output andnothing returned, save the scantiest of thanks--such gratitude as mightbe expected from princes, above all, one like Rupert. Had Benedict Hallbetter held by his Bible, it would have warned him against the hollowtrust. The battle of Marston Moor did that more effectively than thesacred Book; showed him the fool's part he had been playing, and thatlikely a day was on the dawn when England's people would no longer bethe consenting slaves of Royal caprice. So, bitter Papists andmalignants as were he and his wife, their worship for Pope and King didnot blind them to coming events; and they had now turned their thoughtsto the rising sun. When the news came from the North of the Royalistrout, and was followed by other adverses to the King's cause, BenedictHall, like many others of higher rank, hastened to change sides, or, atall events, save himself by "compounding." Which, in reality, heafterwards did, the wife, clever woman, conducting the negotiations withthe Parliamentary Committee.
Ere this, however, on hearing of Wintour's defeat by the Wye's mouth,they had forsaken their fortified mansion at High Meadow, betakingthemselves to Bristol; just as the master of Hollymead with his familyhad fled to it many months before--both seeking it as a city of refuge,but from enemies the very opposite!
Even more abruptly, and in greater haste, had the Halls abandoned theirhome, leaving behind, not only their furniture, but some of their mostcherished household gods. Provisions, too, in plenty--eatables anddrinkables, with the still undischarged staff of domestics. Snugquarters for the Parliamentarians, fatigued after their sharp conflictat Beachley, and difficult march through the Forest, with its tortuousroutes and steep pitches.
As already said, Colonel Walwyn and his troopers had come on in advance,Massey's men having but just arrived, when, forsaking saddle, he and SirRichard started off to the Buckstone to reconnoitre.
Now returned from it, they looked upon a spectacle which, though of astriking character, was not new to either of them. Huge fires blazed upeverywhere, with great joints of meat spitted and sputtering over them;soldiers, with doublets off and shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow,knife in hand, still engaged in cutting up the beeves they hadbutchered; hundreds of horses, with saddles off, standing haltered alongthe walls, munching corn, which the master of High Meadow House had beenhoarding up for visitors who would have been more welcome. For, up to alate period, he had been expecting Rupert and his Cavaliers to come thatway.
The soldiers were in high glee, congratulating one another on thecomfortable quarters into which they had dropped. For at High MeadowHouse they found not only full granaries, but a well-stocked larder andcellar containing various potables. A portion of the last had beenalready dealt out to them, and they were quaffing and laughing, onegiving ironical thanks to the absent host for having so thoughtfullyprovided the entertainment, another in like strain drinking his health.
The arrival of the Governor on the ground caused but a momentarysuspension of their boisterous mirth. Though a strict disciplinarian ina military sense, Massey was aught but puritanical, and rather likedseeing his soldiers enjoy themselves in a harmless way. Besides, he andColonel Walwyn--who, hurrying after, had overtaken him--at once wentinside the house, where dinner, already prepared, was awaiting them andthe other officers.
Before sitting down to it, the Governor called for pen, ink, and paper,and writing to Sir Richard's dictation, hastily scratched off a note,which he handed to the latter, as they exchanged some words inundertone.
The knight, on taking it, passed hurriedly out to see close to the doora horse under saddle and bridled with a trooper standing by his head.That he expected this was evident by his saying,--
"You can mount now. Take this to Coleford. Give it to MajorRowcroft,--into his own hands, mind you,--and stay there till he sendsyou back. Don't spare your horse: ride whip and spur all the way."
The soldier, an orderly, simply saluted as he took the folded sheet,then slipping it under his doublet, sprang to the saddle, and went offat a gallop through the gate.
The bivouackers, inside the courtyard and without, having commencedtheir Homeric repast, paid little heed to an incident so slight and ofsuch common occurrence. They were more interested in the roast beef,with which the pastures around High Meadow House had provided them, andthe beer drawn from its subterraneous depositories. Good store of sackhad been found there too, with claret, metheglin, and other daintydrinks. But these were reserved for the officers, who, in a somewhatsimilar fashion, were making merry inside.
For the better part of an hour was the feasting kept up, amid jest andlaughter, then, interrupted by the hoof-stroke of a horse in gallop,afar off in the Forest when first heard, but at each repetition louderand nearer, till at length the sound abruptly ceased.
All listening knew why. The fast-riding horseman, whoever he was, hadpulled up by the out-picket, whose challenging hail could be faintlyheard through the trees.
Time enough elapsed for the necessary parley and permission to pass on,when the trampling recommenced, and soon after horse and rider were insight, still at a gallop, making direct for the gate of the fortifiedmansion.
Some who were expecting to see the orderly that had late ridden off sawa different man, though to many of them no stranger. A dragoon orderlytoo, but acting with the detachment at Coleford. His horse was in alather of sweat, tossing clots of froth from the champed bit back uponhis counter, as dashing in through the outer gate, he was drawn up atthe house door.
On the stoup were several officers, who had just stepped out afterfinishing dinner, Massey himself in their midst.
"What is it?" he demanded, as the dragoon, springing down from thesaddle, advanced towards him. He was feigning ignorance, for he wellknew what it was.
"Despatch from Major Rowcroft, your Excellency," answered the orderly,presenting it. "H. commanded it brought in all haste, saying 'twas ofgreat importance."
"Yes!" exclaimed the Governor, after tearing the sheet open, and givingbut a glance to the writing. "Major Rowcroft is right: it _is_ of greatimportance. Gentlemen," he added, turning to his officers, and speakingloud enough to be heard all over the place, "this is a serious matter.Rowcroft advises me of news just reached Coleford that the PrincesRupert and Maurice have united their forces, taken Stroud, Cirencestertoo, and are supposed to be _en route_ for Gloucester. Our own citythreatened, we mustn't think more of Monmouth. Glorious old Gloucester,that has so long defied all the strength of Cavalierism, with al
l itsmalevolent spite! But we shan't let it fall; no! Let us get back therewithout a moment's delay. So each of you to your respective commands.Have your men in marching order within twenty minutes. I give you that,and no more."
No more was needed. The troops under Massey were too well-disciplined,too often summoned into action with like suddenness, to go bunglingabout getting ready for the route.
Quick after his words came the notes of a bugle sounding the "assembly,"with other calls taken up by the trumpeters of the respective corps,followed by a hurrying to and fro--horses un-haltered, bitted andsaddled, men buckling on swords, grasping lances, or adjustingaccoutrements; then trumpets once more commanding the "march," and inless than the prescribed time neither trooper nor soldier of any sortcould be seen within the precincts of High Meadow House, or anywherearound.
But the place was not altogether deserted. The domestics and outdoorservants of its absent owner were still there. In greater numbers now,as many--came stealing from holes and corners, where they had been allday hiding in fear of rough treatment by the Roundheads.
Hall's head man, the steward of the estate, was among them, he toohaving come from a place of concealment as soon as warned that thetroops had taken departure. Different from the rest, he was onhorseback. Nor did he alight. Instead, after getting their report,from such of the house-servants as had been there all the while andheard everything, he reined about and rode off again. Not to follow theretiring Parliamentarians, but in quite the contrary direction.
So, while Massey and his troops were on the march from High Meadow,apparently _en route_ for Gloucester, a man--this same steward--wasriding down the Kymin at a breakneck pace, the bearer of glad news tothe Governor of Monmouth.