CHAPTER EIGHT.
ALNERS AND SAMITELLE.
"And there's many a deed I could wish undone, though the law might not be broke; And there's many a word, now I come to think, that I wish I had not spoke."
The mercer's stock, spread out upon the benches of the hall, was a sightat once gay and magnificent. Cloth of gold, diaper, baldekin, velvet,tissue, samite, satin, tartaryn, samitelle, sarcenet, taffata, sindon,cendall, say--all of them varieties of silken stuffs--ribbons of silk,satin, velvet, silver, and gold, were heaped together in brilliant andbewildering confusion of beautiful colours. Lady Foljambe, MrsMargaret, Marabel, and Agatha, were all looking on.
"What price is that by the yard?" inquired Lady Foljambe, touching apiece of superb Cyprus baldekin, striped white, and crimson. Baldekinwas an exceedingly rich silk, originally made at Constantinople: it wasnow manufactured in England also, but the "oversea" article was the morevaluable, the baldekin of Cyprus holding first rank. Baldachino isderived from this word.
"Dame," answered the mercer, "that is a Cyprus baldekin; it is eightpound the piece of three ells."
Lady Foljambe resigned the costly beauty with a sigh.
"And this?" she asked, indicating a piece of soft blue.
"That is an oversea cloth, Dame, yet not principal [of first-classquality]--it is priced five pound the piece."
Lady Foljambe's gesture intimated that this was too much for her purse."Hast any gold cloths of tissue, not over three pound the piece?"
"That have I, Dame," answered the mercer, displaying a pretty palegreen, a dark red, and one of the favourite yellowish-brown shade knownas tawny.
Lady Foljambe looked discontented; the beautiful baldekins first seenhad eclipsed the modest attractions of their less showy associates.
"Nay, I pass not [do not care] for those," said she. "Show me velvet."
The mercer answered by dexterously draping an unoccupied form, firstwith a piece of rich purple, then one of tawny, then one of deepcrimson, and lastly a bright blue.
"And what price be they?"
He touched each as he recounted the prices, beginning with the purple.
"Fifteen shillings the ell, Dame; a mark [13 shillings 4 pence];fourteen shillings; half a mark. I have also a fair green at halfa mark, a peach blossom at fourteen shillings, a grey atseven-and-sixpence, and a murrey [mulberry colour] at a mark."
Lady Foljambe slightly shrugged her shoulders.
"Say a noble [6 shillings 8 pence] for the grey, and set it aside," shesaid.
"Dame, I could not," replied the mercer, firmly though respectfully."My goods be honest matter; they be such as they are set forth, and theyhave paid the King's dues."
Like many other people, Lady Foljambe would have preferred smuggledgoods, if they were cheaper than the honest article. Her conscience wasvery elastic about taxes. It was no great wonder that this spiritprevailed in days when the Crown could ruthlessly squeeze its subjectswhenever it wanted extra money, as Henry the Third had done a hundredyears before; and though his successors had not imitated his example,the memory of it remained as a horror and a suspicion. Dishonestpeople, whether they are kings or coal-heavers, always make a place moredifficult to fill for those who come after them.
"Well! then set aside the blue," said Lady Foljambe, with a slight pout."Margaret, what lackest thou?"
Mrs Margaret looked wistfully at the fourteen-shilling crimson, andthen manfully chose the six-and-eightpenny green.
"Now let us see thy samitelles," said her Ladyship.
Samitelle, as its name implies, was doubtless a commoner quality of therich and precious samite, which ranked in costliness and beauty withbaldekin and cloth of gold, and above satin and velvet. Samite was asilk material, of which no more is known than that it was veryexpensive, and had a glossy sheen, like satin. Some antiquaries havesupposed it to be an old name for satin; but as several Wardrobe Rollscontain entries relating to both in immediate sequence, this suppositionis untenable.
The mercer exhibited three pieces of samitelle.
"Perse, Dame, four marks the piece," said he, holding up a very paleblue; "ash-colour, thirty shillings; apple-bloom, forty shillings."
"No," said Lady Foljambe; "I would have white."
"Forty-five shillings the piece, Dame."
"Hast no cheaper?"
"Not in white, Dame."
"Well! lay it aside; likewise three ells of the red. I would havemoreover a cendall of bean-flower colour, and a piece or twain of say--murrey or sop-in-wine."
Cendall was a very fine, thin silk fit for summer wear, resembling whatis now called foulard; say was the coarsest and cheapest sort of silk,and was used for upholstery as well as clothing.
"I have a full fair bean-flower cendall, Dame, one shilling the ell; anda good sop-in-wine say at twopence."
The mercer, as he spoke, held up the piece of say, of a nondescriptcolour, not unlike what is now termed crushed strawberry.
"That shall serve for the chamberers," said Lady Foljambe; "but thecendall is for myself; I would have it good."
"Dame, it is principal; you shall not see better."
"Good. Measure me off six ells of the cendall, and nine of the say.Then lay by each piece skeins of thread of silk, an ounce to the piece,each to his colour; two ounces of violet, and two of gold twist. Enoughfor this morrow."
The mercer bowed, with deft quickness executed the order, and proceededto pack up the remainder of his goods. When the forms were denuded oftheir rich coverings, he retired into the corner, and the jeweller cameforward.
The little jeweller was less dignified, but more lively and loquacious,than his companion the mercer. He unstrapped his pack, laid it open atthe feet of Lady Foljambe, and executed a prolonged flourish of twoplump brown hands.
"What may I lay before your Ladyship? Buttons and buttoners of de best,paternosters of de finest, gold and silver collars, chains, crucifixesgarnished of stones and pearls; crespines, girdles of every fashion,ouches, rings, tablets [tablets were of two sorts, reliquaries andmemorandum-books], charms, gipsers, and forcers [satchels to hang fromthe waist, and small boxes], combs, spoons, caskets, collars for deleetle dogs, bells, points [tagged laces, then much used], alners[alms-bags, larger than purses], purses, knives, scissors, cups--whatasks your Ladyship? Behold dem all."
"Dost call thyself a jeweller?" asked Lady Foljambe, with a laugh."Why, thou art jeweller, silversmith, girdler, forcer-maker, andcutler."
"Dame, I am all men to please my customers," answered the littlejeweller, obsequiously. "Will your Ladyship look? Ah, de beautifultings!"
"Art thou Englishman?"
"Ah! no, Madame, I am a Breton. I come from Hennebon."
A sudden flash of suspicious uneasiness lighted up the eyes of theCountess of Montfort's gaoler. Yet had the man meant mischief, he wouldscarcely have been so communicative. However that might be, LadyFoljambe determined to get him out of the house as quickly as possible.
"I lack but little of thy sort," she said. "Howbeit, thou mayest showus thine alners and thy buttons."
"I would fain have a gipser," said Mrs Margaret.
While Mrs Margaret was selecting from the stock of gipsers a pretty redvelvet one with a silver clasp, price half-a-crown, Perrote came quietlyinto the hall, and stood beside Amphillis, a little behind LadyFoljambe, who had not heard her entrance.
"Here are de alners, Madame," said the lively little Breton. "Blue,green, black, white, red, tawny, violet. Will your Ladyship choose?T'ree shillings to free marks--beautiful, beautiful! Den here are--_Bonsaints, que vois-je_? Surely, surely it is Mademoiselle de Carhaix!"
"It is," said Perrote; "and thou art Ivo filz Jehan?"
"I am Ivo filz Jehan, dat man calls Ivo le Breton. I go from Cornwall,where dwell my countrymen, right up to de Scottish border. And howcomes it, den, if a poor man may ask, dat I find here, in de heart ofEngland, a Breton damsel of family?"
Lady Foljambe was in an agony. S
he would have given her best gold chainfor the little Breton jeweller to have kept away from Hazelwood. If hehad any sort of penetration, another minute might reveal the secrethitherto so jealously guarded, that his Sovereign's missing mother was aprisoner there. Her misery was the greater because she could not feelat all sure of Perrote, whom she strongly suspected of more loyalty toher mistress than to King Edward in her heart, though she had not shownit by any outward action. Perrote knew the direction of Lady Foljambe'sthoughts as well as if she had spoken them. She answered very calmly,and with a smile.
"May Breton damsels not tarry in strange lands, as well as Bretonpedlars? I have divers friends in England."
"Surely, surely!" said the pedlar, hastily, perceiving that he hadtransgressed against Lady Foljambe's pleasure. "Only, if so poor manmay say it, it is full pleasant to see face dat man know in strangeland. Madame, would it please your Ladyship to regard de alners?"
Lady Foljambe was only too glad to turn Ivo's attention back to thealners. She bought six for presents--they were a favourite form ofgift; and picked out twenty buttons of silver-gilt, stamped with aneagle. Mrs Margaret also selected a rosary, of coral set in silver, tohelp her in saying her prayers, for which article, in her eyes of thefirst necessity, she gave 33 shillings 4 pence, and for a minuteenamelled image of the Virgin and Child, in a little tabernacle or caseof silver filagree, of Italian work, she paid five pounds. This was tobe set before her on the table and prayed to. Mrs Margaret would nothave put it quite in that plain form of words, for no idolater will everadmit that he addresses the piece of wood or stone; but it was what shereally did without admitting it. Alas for the worshipper whose god hasto be carried about, and requires dusting like any other ornament!"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trustethin them."
Perrote bought an ivory comb of Ivo, which cost her three shillings, forold acquaintance sake; Marabel purchased six silver buttons in the formof a lamb, for which she paid 8 shillings 9 pence; Agatha invested fourshillings in a chaplet of pearls; while Amphillis, whose purse was verylow, and had never been otherwise, contented herself with a sixpennycasket. Ivo, however, was well satisfied, and packed up his goods witha radiant face.
When the two itinerant tradesmen had shouldered their packs, and hadgone forth, Lady Foljambe hastily summoned her husband's squire. Shewas not sufficiently high in dignity to have a squire of her own.
"Prithee, keep watch of yon little jeweller packman," said she,uneasily. "Mark whither he goeth, and see that he hold no discoursewith any of the household, without it be to trade withal. I desire toknow him clear of the vicinage ere the dark falleth."
Norman Hylton bowed in answer, and went out.
He found the two packmen in the courtyard, the centre of an admiringthrong of servants and retainers, all of whom were anxious to inspecttheir goods, some from a desire to make such purchases as they couldafford, and all from that longing to relieve the monotony of life whichbesets man in general, and must have been especially tempting in theMiddle Ages. A travelling pedlar was the substitute for an illustratednewspaper, his pack supplying the engravings, and his tongue the text.These men and pilgrims were the chief newsmongers of the day.
Ivo dangled a pair of blue glass ear-rings before the enchanted eyes ofKate the chambermaid.
"You shall have dem dirt sheap! Treepence de pair--dat is all. Vatlack you, my young maids? Here is mirrors and combs, scissors andknives, necklaces, beads and girdles, purses of Rouen, forcers andgipsers--all manner you can wish. Relics I have, if you desire dem--alittle finger-bone of Saint George, and a tooth of de dragon dat heslew; a t'read of de veil of Saint Agat'a, and de paring of SaintMatthew's nails. Here is brooches, crespines, charms, spectacles,alners, balls, puppets, coffers, bells, baskets for de maids'needlework, pins, needles, ear-rings, shoe-buckles, buttons--everyting!And here--here is my beautifullest ting--my chiefest relic, in de leetlesilver box--see!"
"Nay, what is it, trow?" inquired Kate, who looked with deep interestthrough the interstices of the filagree, and saw nothing but a fewinches of coarse linen thread.
"Oh, it is de blessed relic! Look you, our Lady made shirt for SaintJoseph, and she cut off de t'read, and it fall on de floor, and dere itlie till Saint Petronilla come by, and she pick it up and put it in herbosom. It is all writ down inside. De holy Fader give it my moder'sgrandmoder's aunt, when she go to Rome. It is wort' tousands ofpounds--de t'read dat our blessed Lady draw t'rough her fingers. Youshould have no maladies never, if you wear dat."
"Ay, but such things as that be alonely for folk as can pay for 'em, Ireckon," said Kate, looking wistfully, first at the blue ear-rings, andthen at the blessed relic.
Ivo made a screen of his hand, and spoke into Kate's ear.
"See you, now! You buy dem, and I trow him you into de bargain! Said Iwell, fair maid?"
"What, all for threepence?" gasped the bewitched Kate.
"All for t'ree-pence. De blessed relic and de beautiful ear-rings! Itis dirt sheap. I would not say it to nobody else, only my friends. Seeyou?"
Kate looked in his face to see if he meant it, and then slowly drew outher purse. The warmth of Ivo's friendship, ten minutes old at the most,rather staggered her. But the ear-rings had taken her fancy, and shewas also, though less, desirous to possess the holy relic. She pouredout into the palm of her hand various pence, halfpence, and farthings,and began endeavouring to reckon up the threepence; a difficult task fora girl utterly ignorant of figures.
"You leave me count it," suggested the little packman. "I will notcheat you--no, no! How could I, wid de blessed relic in mine hand?One, two, free. Dere! I put in de rings in your ears? ah, dey make youlook beautiful, beautiful! De widow lady, I see her not when I have mypack in hall. She is well?"
"What widow lady, trow?" said Kate, feeling the first ear-ring glidesoftly into her ear.
"Ah, I have afore been here. I see a widow lady at de window. Why comeshe not to hall?--Oh, how fair you shall be! you shall every eyecharm!--She is here no more--yes?"
"Well, ay--there is a widow lady dwelleth here," said Kate, offering theother ear to her beguiler, just as Norman Hylton came up to them; "butshe is a prisoner, and--hush! haste you, now, or I must run withoutthem."
"Dat shall you not," said Ivo, quickly slipping the second ear-ring intoits place. "Ah, how lovesome should you be, under dat bush by the gate,that hath de yellow flowers, when de sun was setting, and all goldenbehind you! Keep well de holy relic; it shall bring you good."
And with a significant look, and a glance upwards at the house, Ivoshouldered his pack, and turned away.
The mercer had not seemed anxious to do business with the household.Perhaps he felt that his wares were scarcely within their means. He satquietly in the gateway until the jeweller had finished his chaffering,when he rose and walked out beside him. The two packs were carefullystrapped on the waiting mules, which were held by the lad, and the partymarched down the slope from the gateway.
"What bought you with your holy relic and your ear-rings, Ivo?" askedthe mercer, with a rather satirical glance at his companion, when theywere well out of hearing. "Aught that was worth them?"
"I bought the news that our Lady abideth hither," was the grave reply;"and it was cheap, at the cost of a scrap of tin and another of glass,and an inch or twain of thread out of your pack. If yon maid have butwit to be under the shrub by the gate at sunset, I shall win more ofher. But she's but a poor brain, or I err. Howbeit, I've had myear-rings' worth. They cost but a halfpenny. Can you see aught fromhere? Your eyes be sharper than mine."
"I see somewhat white at yonder window. But, Ivo, were you wise to tellthe lady you came from Hennebon?"
"I was, Sir Roland. She will suspect me now, instead of you; and if, asI guess, she send a spy after us, when we part company he will followme, and you shall be quit of him."
The mercer glanced back, as though to see if any one were following.
"W
ell, perchance you say well," he answered. "There is none behind,methinks. So now to rejoin Father Eloy."
Norman Hylton had not followed the packmen beyond the gate. He did notlike the business, and was glad to be rid of it. He only kept watch ofthem till they disappeared up the hill, and then returned to tell LadyFoljambe the direction which they had taken.
Kate's mind was considerably exercised. As Ivo had remarked, her witswere by no means of the first quality, but her conceit and love ofadmiration far outstripped them. The little jeweller had seen this, andhad guessed that she would best answer his purpose of the youngermembers of the household. Quiet, sensible Joan, the upper chambermaid,would not have suited him at all; neither would sturdy, straightforwardMeg, the cook-maid; but Kate's vanity and indiscretion were both sopatent that he fixed on her at once as his chosen accomplice. His onlydoubt was whether she had sense enough to understand his hint aboutbeing under the bush at sunset. Ivo provided himself with a showybrooch of red glass set in gilt copper, which Kate was intended toaccept as gold and rubies; and leaving his pack under the care of hisfellow conspirator--for Ivo was really the pedlar which Roland was not--he slipped back to Hazelwood, and shortly before the sun set wasprowling about in the neighbourhood of the bush which stood just outsidethe gate of Hazelwood Manor. Before he had been there many minutes, alight, tripping footstep was heard; and poor, foolish Kate, with theblue drops in her ears, came like a giddy fly into the web of Ivo thespider.