CHAPTER IX.
_A STUDENTS' HOLIDAY._
"Wilt thou come to see the joustings in Beaumont meadows to-morrow, fairMistress Alys?"
Alys raised her eyes from her frame, and saw that Amalric had enteredthe room with his eager, elastic step. The young De Montfort was nostranger to that upper chamber now. Indeed, scarce a day passed but hefound his way thither, to tell the news of the city in the eager ears ofEdmund, or to look into the eyes of the fair Alys, and listen whilst sheplayed upon the lute.
A great friendship had sprung up between these three, and the fact thatAmalric had entered as a scholar at St. George's College in the Castlegave them the more chance of frequent meetings. Sir Humphrey and hiswife were glad that Edmund should be enlivened by the visits of afriend, and in his heart of hearts the Constable was devoted to thecause of the Barons, although his position obliged him to maintain anair of neutrality when political questions were discussed.
A great change had recently come over the lives of brother and sister.Instead of passing their days alone in this upper room, seeing hardlyany faces but those of their parents from one week's end to another,they now enjoyed a variety of diversions. A master of Arts came twice inthe week to instruct Edmund in some of that lore he was so eager to makehis own, and upon three other days in the week the young clerk LeofricWyvill made his appearance, to read with the invalid, and to assist himwith such preparation for his tutor as it was possible to make in thosedays. Alys shared these readings with her brother, and was almost askeenly interested as he. She almost neglected her tapestry frame now fora more congenial task, but her mother still looked for the dailyportion, and she would return to it and work hard again, whilst Leofricretailed to them such things as he had heard from those various masterswhose lectures he sedulously attended.
He was sitting beside Edmund's couch now, drawing mathematical figuresand working out the problems attached, when Amalric's voice broke inupon them, and for the moment thoughts of study were thrown aside.
"They say it will be a brave show," continued young De Montfort: "Northand South will meet together and tilt and hold joustings. They say theWelsh have joined the Northerners, and that they will challenge those ofthe South to meet them in mock combat. They have chosen St.Bartholomew's Day, and all men say it will be a goodly sight.--Art thouto be there, fair mistress?"
"I know not," answered Alys; "methinks my father little likes thesestudents' holidays. He says there is too often more of purpose than ofjest in their joustings. I trow he will judge that I am better safe athome."
Leofric looked up with parted lips, as though about to speak; and Edmundobserving him, said,--
"Is that thine opinion also, Leofric?"
"Perchance it is not for me to speak, seeing that I have but littleknowledge to go upon. Yet I have a feeling that to-morrow will not passwithout trouble. I have heard ill-whispers in the air. I have a fearthat one whom I love right well may be in danger on that day."
This was interesting, and all looked eagerly at Leofric.
"Tell us all," said Edmund quickly; "it may be that we can help thee."
"I speak of one whom you all know," answered Leofric,--"Hugh le Barbier,who has shown me great kindness since I came hither a poor, raw lad--"
"Hugh le Barbier! why, I know him well," cried Amalric. "What hast thouto say of him? If peril threatens, sure we can protect him! Tell us whatis in thy mind."
"He has an enemy," answered Leofric, "one Roger de Horn--"
At that name Edmund interrupted in his turn.
"I have heard my father speak of him. He is a turbulent fellow who hasoften disturbed the peace of the town, and but for the benefit ofclergy, which he claims, would have met with some severe chastisement.What is his cause of quarrel with honest Hugh, our friend?"
"In sooth I think it is about a maid," answered Leofric. "There be twofair sisters--daughters of the host where both Hugh and Roger dwell.Methinks I have told of them before. It is their faces I have drawn inmy idle hours--the two sisters so alike that few may tell them apart.From what I can learn, methinks that Hugh and Roger both love the samemaid, and that she returns the affection of Hugh, as any maiden would.Why Roger cannot please himself with the other, who is her verycounterpart to look at, I cannot tell," continued Leofric, who knewnothing of the mysteries of love, and was puzzled to know how even Hughhad come to give such deep affection to one sister, whilst showing acalm indifference to the other; "but it seems that they have both settheir fancy upon the same. And it is whispered that Roger has vowedvengeance upon his rival, and that he may seize upon his chance of doinghim a mischief to-morrow."
"That must be stopped," said Edmund quickly; "I will speak to myfather."
But Leofric slightly shook his head.
"I fear me that would do no good. Hugh will certainly not be withheldfrom joining in the joustings. He is to tilt, with Linda's snood ofcrimson ribbon fastened to his head-piece. If Roger be his antagonist inthe lists, none can well interpose. These joustings are held to be theright of all clerks and citizens upon a holiday. To seek to stop themnow would but stir up a riot in the place which might be worse than anymock battle in the fields."
"Then we must be there to see that our friend Hugh comes to no unfairmischief at the hands of his rival," said Amalric quickly. "Which sidedoth Hugh take--North or South? He is a dweller in the middle parts ofthe country, and might choose either."
"We have agreed to throw in our lot with the South," answered Leofric,"and Roger is of the fierce Northerners. Some men say that at the lastthere will be a grand mock battle, in which all men will join. Formyself, I would sooner it came not to such a pass. I fear me there mightbe less of mock fighting than true were it so."
Alys looked a little alarmed at the thought, and Amalric exclaimed,--
"Surely the Chancellor and Proctors, and the Constable your father,could contrive to keep men from falling upon each other in such savagefashion?"
Edmund slightly shook his head.
"I am not sure. Strange things happen in Oxford every year. It is notmany years since there was such a riot betwixt some Irish clerks andsome of the Northerners as made the Chancellor take oaths of thestudents to keep the peace for the future. But new men pour in everyyear, and oaths are forgotten all too quickly. I would that I could comeabroad to-morrow and see the tilting. I should not take it amiss ifthere were to be some collision betwixt party and party. I sicken ofthis life between high walls. I long to see life once more."
"And so thou shalt!" cried Amalric eagerly; "I have my horses here, andI will borrow a litter from somewhere, and will take thee and MistressAlys to the jousting-field. There shalt thou see all that goes on, andthy father shall give thee a few trusty fellows for a guard; so that ifthere be any rioting, thou and Mistress Alys can be brought safely backin haste, by Barbican Lane. The rioters will give the Castle a wideberth, we may be sure; the tide of battle--if battle there be--will allset the other way."
Alys clapped her little hands together; Edmund's eyes lighted withanticipation. To escape from his prison, to go abroad in the streets,was the great ambition of his life. But it was seldom that he hadachieved this end, and the thought of sharing in the gaieties of themorrow was enchanting alike to him and to his sister.
Sir Humphrey was willing to fall in with the plan suggested. He had agreat liking for Amalric, and perhaps had already formed an idea thatthe youth was attracted by his young daughter. Both youth and maidenwere still full young, but at least there was no harm in permitting themsome pleasant intercourse if they were disposed to like one another. TheEarl of Leicester was at this juncture perhaps the greatest man in thekingdom, and an alliance with the noble house might prove of greatadvantage to the knight in his career. His wife had suggested thisnotion to him, and he had listened not unwillingly. In those days menregarded their daughters somewhat in the light of chattels, to bedisposed of as best promoted the advancement of their own interests; andthe fact that Sir Humphrey was a tender father, and that
Alys was thelight of his eyes, did not detract from the pleasure of the thought thatshe might make a grand match, when a few years had passed over her head,with the scion of a house as likely to thrive and increase in power andglory as that of Simon de Montfort.
Upon the next day, therefore, he forwarded all the arrangementssuggested by Amalric, furnished a guard to his son and daughter, andputting them under the care of young De Montfort, permitted them tosally forth into the town to see the gay pageantry of a students'holiday.
The sun shone brightly to-day--the clouds had all rolled away. The townhad assumed a holiday appearance, and from every door a motley multitudepoured forth. Church bells rang; at every corner were to be metprocessions of clerks and scholars, many of whom had just achieved somescholastic success, and were in consequence crowned with wreaths offlowers; whilst their friends and supporters danced around themsimilarly adorned, some disguised with masks, others in grotesquegarments like mummers--all alike bent on amusement, and all with theirfaces set towards Beaumont meadows, in which the jousts and games andtiltings were to be held.
Conspicuous amongst the gay throng in holiday attire (for the citizenswith their wives and daughters were pouring out to see the fun) was asmall group of what some took to be mummers--tall figures dressed all inblack, with masks upon their faces and weapons in their belts. Therewere some six of these in all, and they glided hither and thitheramongst the shifting throng, unknown and silent, people making way forthem as they moved, as if half afraid of their strange appearance.
Alys and Edmund caught sight of them more than once, and eagerly askedAmalric who and what they were; but he could give them no reply, andsoon they ceased to think of them in the entertainment of watching thegay shifting throng.
A good position for seeing the jousting was fixed upon by the men incharge of the Constable's children, and Edmund's litter was drawn upupon a knoll under a clump of trees, which gave a pleasant shade fromthe sun's rays; whilst the horse, tethered close at hand, could feedupon the grass.
"I should like to see some of the people we have been told about," saidAlys, as she stood beside her brother's couch.--"Prithee, good Leofric,bring to us here thy friends Hugh and Gilbert and Jack, and those twotwin sisters Lotta and Linda, and any others of whom thou hast spoken. Iwould be friends with all the world to-day. Go seek them and bring themhither, and at noon we will feast here together under the greenwoodtrees, and watch the merry joustings at our ease."
Alys was in unwontedly gay spirits that day, and Leofric hurried off todo her behests. It was easy to persuade his comrades to accept theinvitation of the Constable's daughter, and she on her side had a prettyway of putting people at their ease in her company.
The twin sisters interested her greatly, but she did not think themquite so wonderfully alike as she had expected. One of them was pale andpensive, and had an anxious look in her soft eyes; whilst the other wasradiant and flushed, talking and laughing gaily with all whoapproached, and throwing towards Hugh le Barbier glances of suchwitchery and fascination that Alys at first thought she must be the ladyof his choice.
All seemed to be gaiety and good-humour during the early hours of theday. Games of all sorts, trials of skill and strength, wrestling,archery, and quoits were entered into with great zest. The jousting wasto take place after the mid-day meal, and at present the horsemen werecomparatively few; but these few rode hither and thither, and carriedoff the ring from the pole with considerable skill. Alys watchedeverything, and enjoyed herself mightily, making herself a very gracefuland gracious hostess to her invited guests.
As the meal proceeded she found herself able to speak a few words to thepensive twin, whom she now knew to be Linda, the maiden whom Leofric hadsaid that Hugh loved. Hugh had been sitting beside her for some littlewhile, but now he had gone off with Gilbert to look to their horses forthe tilting, and the shadow had fallen again upon the face of the girl.
"Is aught troubling thee, maiden?" asked Alys, in a gentle tone."Methinks that thou art pensive where others be gay. Tell me what is inthy heart, and I will seek to comfort thee."
Linda gave a sudden start, and glanced timidly into the face of theyounger girl; but what she saw there seemed to inspire her withconfidence. She had heard before of the gentle Alys, and felt that shewas not quite a stranger.
After a quick glance round to be sure that none else could hear herwords, she made reply,--
"In sooth, sweet mistress, I scarce know how to answer; and yet my heartis heavy within me, and I fear I know not what. I have one who is nearand dear to me, and I trow he is in danger. Yet how to succour him Iknow not; for he is brave of heart, and smiles at thought of fear; yet Ihave known terrible things happen in this strange city, and I fear--Ifear!"
"What dost thou fear?" asked Alys, drawing a little closer.
"I fear foul play for him," answered Linda; "I have heard things whichmake my heart heavy as lead within me. Lady, hast thou seen some strangemen in the crowd to-day--men all in black, who look to me like devilsmoving amongst the merry-makers? Hast thou seen them?"
"Ay, verily have I. Methought they were mummers, but none could tell meof them. Who and what are they?"
"I know hot for a certainty, and yet I fear them. I saw through themask-hole of one of them a pair of evil, flashing eyes, and methought itwas Roger de Horn who thus gazed at me with malice in his heart. I trulythink that my brother is another, and there are more whose names thouwouldest not know. But I fear me there are certain wild spirits boundtogether to do evil, and that the safety of my lover is to-daythreatened amongst them."
Alys sat silent, a sympathetic fear creeping over her. What could shesay to comfort this trembling maiden?
"But how can these men hurt him? he will be mounted, and they are onfoot. Dost think that they will join in the tourney too?"
"Nay; I should fear them less did they do so. Hugh would be more than amatch for any of them, skilled as he is in knightly exercises, strong,and full of courage. He could unhorse Roger de Horn at one blow, despitehis size and strength; and that does yon coward and braggart well know,wherefore he will not meet him in fair fight. What I fear is anambushment, in which my lover will be carried off by those wicked men.And if he be thus spirited away, Heaven alone knows what fate may awaithim: for I am very sure that these confederates have sold themselves tothe Evil One, and are masters of unholy crafts that we wot not of; andas all men know, when such seize upon a human victim, they do him todeath with their black arts in some fearful fashion, seeking to wresthis soul from him ere they let go their hold upon his body!" and Lindatrembled in every limb.
Alys shivered also, for these words sounded mysterious and terrible. Shedid not understand their import, but none the less did they fill herwith horror.
But before another word could be said the sound of trumpet blasts smoteupon the ears of the crowd, a great shout rent the welkin, and fromopposite sides of the field two gallant parties of mounted revellersrode in--banners flying, lances in rest--and made a complete circuit ofthe meadow, the crowd flying right and left before them, until thefield, lately covered with groups of merry-makers, became cleared forthe tiltings of the mounted rivals.
It was a gallant show of student prowess, and for a while all went well;the combatants were fairly well matched, and good-humour prevailed overfeelings of emulation and rivalry.
The sun slowly sank in the sky, but the revelry and joustings still wenton. The crowd had closed in more and more upon the combatants, and nowthere was to be one great final charge, all the horsemen taking part init together--a sort of mock battle before the sun should set.
Edmund was growing rather weary, but was still keenly interested; whilstAmalric, who had declined to join in the jousting, and had remained allthe while with brother and sister, gazed very intently at the groupingof the crowd, and in particular at the movements of certain blackfigures, who seemed to be directing in a rather curious fashion theactions of certain knots of clerks and citizens, who were drawing evernearer and near
er to the scene of action.
"Methinks, Edmund," he said suddenly, "that thou and Alys had better beturning homewards. The sun will soon be gone, and this is the last ofthe merry-making. It would be well not to get hemmed in by the crowd asit breaks up. I will call up the men, and we will return," and as hespoke he gave Edmund a look which the latter instantly understood.
Alys would fain have lingered, fascinated by the strange sightpresented by the plain, where she could have fancied a real battle wasraging. There were such shouting, such clashing of arms, such defiantyells from the combatants, that she almost trembled where she stood; andwhen she mounted her palfrey, she felt that the creature was tremblingalso at the unwonted clamour.
Suddenly a girl's voice close at hand broke into a quick wail of horrorand fear. Linda, clasping her hands closely together, cried in tones oflament,--
"It has begun! it has begun! They are fighting now. Oh, what will be theend of this?"
"Come, Mistress Alys," spoke Amalric, in tones that unconsciouslybetrayed anxiety and authority, "we must not linger here. It is tootrue; they have begun to fight in earnest now."
And so it was. Either the excitement of the moment had been too much forthe combatants, or there had been evil influences at work; but whateverthe cause, there was no mistaking the result. Yells of execration anddefiance, screams of agony from the wounded, threats, menaces, curses,rent the air, and in a moment the scene was changed from one of revelryand sport to one of fury and bloodshed. It was no sight for a maiden'seyes, and Alys was hurried by her attendants through the rough ground ofBroken Heys and into the Barbican Lane, where still the shouts of themultitude pursued her, and the din of battle drowned all other sounds.
"Oh, what is happening--what is happening?" she cried, as the partyhalted at last beneath the gateway. "Oh, do not let Hugh le Barbierfall into the hands of his foes! Cannot some of you rescue him fromthose wicked men?"
Her words were not altogether understood, but enough had passed upon thesubject to cause Amalric to cry,--
"Now that thou art safe, sweet lady, I will ride back and see what I cando to stop this riot, and save our friend if he be in any peril;" andLeofric sprang to his stirrup and said,--
"Let me run with thee, sir, and strike a blow for my friend, if need be.I know not what is purposed against him, but methinks this fight willnot fail to be taken advantage of by his enemy."
Leofric could run like a hare, and had no difficulty in keeping pacewith Amalric's steed as they once more crossed the broken ground towardsthe meadow. The light was fading by this time, but the din of battle waslouder than ever, and it seemed as though the whole populace of the townhad now joined in one indiscriminate _melee_. From within the wallscould be heard the clanging of the bells of St. Martin's and St.Mary's--signals that mischief was abroad; and from the gates of the citythe Chancellor and his men were already issuing, the Proctors inattendance, to seek to quell this formidable riot, in which at leasthalf the University clerks were involved.
The Constable of the Castle on his side had come forth with a guard, andat sight of these dignitaries bearing down upon them from either sidethe combatants paused and wavered. Then the men of the North, who weregetting the upper hand, made a sudden dash forward, drove theiradversaries before them pell-mell through the open gate from which theChancellor had lately issued, hewed down numbers of them in their rush,and made for their own Halls and lodgings, barricading themselves intothese and hurling defiance at the promoters of law and order, andflinging stones and other offensive missiles at any who sought todislodge them.
The fight was practically over, the victory, if such it could be called,remaining with the Northern section, who had certainly inflicted muchdamage upon their adversaries, whilst meeting with many reprisalsthemselves. Quite a dozen clerks had been killed or mortally wounded,whilst minor injuries had been inflicted upon more victims than could benumbered that night.
Amalric and Leofric, joined later on by Jack (whose head had been brokenby a quarter-staff) and by Gilbert (who had received a few bruises andcontusions), hunted all over the place for some trace of Hugh. His horsethey found grazing quietly in one corner, which excited some alarm forthe safety of the rider; but Gilbert declared he had seen Hugh ridesafely out of the _melee_ when it began to turn into a battle, and thathe had called out to him to go home quietly before worse happened. Hehimself rode off towards the Bocardo gate, and Gilbert lost sight of himin the confusion; but he never guessed that harm had come to him till hefound he had not been heard of at the inn, and he started off again insearch of him.
From dusk till moonrise did his friends seek for him, exploring everycorner of the field and the streets, and asking all whom they knew ifthey had seen him. Hugh was well known and popular in Oxford, and eventhe Chancellor and the Proctors gave a passing assistance in the search;but at length the party had to pause and look at each other in blankdismay.
"He has been spirited away!" said Amalric, beneath his breath.
"This is the doing of Roger de Horn," quoth Jack, between his shutteeth.