by Knox Magee
CHAPTER V
FROM BERWICK TO WINDSOR
On this ride from Berwick to Windsor we had but one adventure to breakthe monotony of our journey, and that was of so little importance thatI will not describe it at any great length. It was as we were nearingYork, and passing through a great forest which lines that road oneither side, like two great rustic walls placed there to screenNature's lowliest children from the murderous hand of man, for aconsiderable distance, that we were attacked by a band of highwaymen,with which this forest doth abound. Indeed 'tis said that here they dogrow upon the trees like poisonous fruit. We had been riding hard allday, and, as the evening was drawing nigh, we were walking our horses,in order to give them a rest in the cool of the forest, ere we shouldmake our final effort, for that day, and dash into York at a gallop.Suddenly, about five score yards in front of us, two horsemen did rideout, one on each side of the great road, with drawn swords in theirhands. They started to come in our direction, so we thought they meantmischief. Then two more followed, and these were dressed as were thefirst. We now became convinced that we were the attraction whichseemed to be drawing these gentlemen of the greenwood. I glanced overmy shoulder, and there, about the same distance behind us as were theothers in front, were four more men, dressed in exactly the same mannerand also carrying their swords in their hands.
"We are in for a skirmish now," said I.
"Yes," replied Harleston; "but if we be careful we can do for them yet.If they do attempt to stop us, cut down the one on the right, and Iwill do the same on the left, then dash forward and see if we cannotpass the others. The ones behind we need not bother with. However,use great caution and do not show signs of resistance too early in thegame."
"I'll watch thee for the signal."
When the first two men were within a few paces of us, they suddenlywheeled their horses straight across the road, thus compelling us tostop.
"And what might you want, sirs?" asked Harleston, in his sweetest tone.The manner in which he spoke did seem to take their breath away; forthey did nothing but stare for a moment. Then the first to recoverhimself answered:--
"All that thou hast, and be damned quick about the giving it." This ina voice that told, in the plainest terms, the life these fellows lead.
My companion fumbled with his purse for a moment, which example Ifollowed. The two knaves eyed the bags as the wolf doth gaze in greedyadmiration at a lamb. Then, when the outlaws were off their guards,our swords did leap from their scabbards, and we cleft their heads asthough they had been made of putty--which, mayhap, they were. We nowdrove our spurs into the flanks of our horses and dashed at the othertwo. They waited until we were within a score of yards of them, andthen they changed their minds, and did not seem to relish the idea ofmeeting the same fate as their fellows; for they turned their horsesinto the greenwood, and disappeared along one of those many narrowpaths, with which these forests are burrowed, and which they know aswell as I do the corridors of the palaces at Westminster or Windsor.We did not attempt to follow them, but rode on at full speed for thedistance of a mile, and when we at length slackened our pace and lookedback, not one of the six was to be seen.
They had evidently thought to overawe us by a great show of numbers andthe copious use of bluster; but after two of their number had fallenthe courage of the rest did forsake them, and they lost their appetitesfor our purses, for which they should have to pay such a price.
So we rode into York, nothing the worse for our little adventure whichhad helped to make us forget the weariness of our long, hard ride.When we had entered our inn, and were preparing us for our supper, agreat crowd gathered about the door; for the news had soon leaked out,who we were and what our business was; for around inns every one dothknow one's business better than that person does himself; for what theydo not know they guess at. So we gave them the news of the greatvictory our army had won, and told them that the Duke of Gloucester nowoccupied Berwick. When they heard this they went wild with delight,and we had to shut ourselves in our rooms to keep from being carried,on their shoulders, all over the city; so great was the admiration ofthis sturdy, simple, congregation of England's stalwart sons.
Bonfires were lighted wherever they could find sufficient open space inwhich to build them. Processions were continually marching through thestreets, singing and cheering.
We had intended staying here for a few hours, in order that we mightget some much needed sleep; but we soon found this to be outside thebounds of possibility, on account of the uproar which was increasingevery moment.
My friend and I, after cursing our folly in telling them the good news,decided to not wait for a longer time than should be necessary for usto get some supper and a change of horses, and then proceed on ourjourney.
Needless to say, we did eat ravenously, after the long ride we had had.When we had refreshed ourselves, all that it was possible for us to do,we mounted our horses and set out through the surging, screaming,half-drunken mass of humanity and made our way slowly towards the citygates.
One drunken fellow, which did recognize us as being the persons who hadbrought the good news, caught my horse by the head and insisted uponour joining him in a friendly bowl at a near by inn. When I tried topersuade him to let me go, and to excuse the duty that did make ourpresence with him impossible, he said:--
"No, by the Virgin, your Royal Highness shall not pass out of the oldcity of your father without drinking with some of its citizens. Werehis Royal Highness, thy father, alive he would not pass out till he hadmade the whole town drunk, and so shall not you. Stay and revel withus, for this is a glorious day for England,--glorious day," and he didlean his head against the neck of my horse, and seemed inclined tospend the night thus.
I spurred my steed sharply and, as he bounded forward, the poortradesman was thrown to the ground; but as we rode on we could stillhear him calling out to "his Royal Highness," so long as he could makehimself heard above the uproar that was going on around us. Heevidently thought that I was the Duke of Gloucester, and he was mostdetermined to show his patriotism and loyalty, by giving us what heconsidered a glorious time.
We were permitted to pass through the gates, when we had told ourbusiness; and so we rode forth from the city and on to the moon-litroad, upon a long night's ride, through alternate wood and open country.
All that long night we rode on, now dozing in our saddles, and thenwaking with a start, when an owl would break the stillness of theforest with his unearthly noise, which seemed to us to be in keepingwith bats, serpents, brimstone, and all the general sounds of Hades,more than the peaceful quiet of our weary ride through the forest.Then, after cursing all these hideous disturbers, we would spur ourhorses on, and let the cool breezes, as they played against our facesand whistled past our ears and through our hair, refresh us and help todrive away those heavy veils that did seem ever to be settling downupon our brains and blotting out our consciousness with their soothingfolds.
The wolves, as they howled in the distance, seemed to be humming someunearthly lullaby, in keeping with the scene and with our feelings; andso weird-sweet did it sound that we would surely have gone to sleep,had not our horses, which had better sense than their riders, quickenedtheir paces at each of these, to us, melodious outbursts. How we keptour seats that night hath ever since been, to me, a mystery; for I havebut scant recollection of that agonizing ride from York.
When we entered Northampton, early the next day (for this was the roadwe came), we had to be lifted from our saddles, so stiff were we, afterthat awful night. Here we did refresh ourselves with wine and food,and had about an hour's sleep. Then we were rubbed with strong waters,the which did greatly refresh us, and then, mounting our seventh pairof horses, we did set out for Windsor.
We stopped but twice before we reached our destination, and then onlywhilst we could get some refreshments and changes of horses.
We reached Windsor that evening, and were so exhausted that we had tobe assisted into the pala
ce, and to the King's apartments. When I sawthe King, however, I remembered my mission, and this did seem to reviveme; for I rushed forward and, dropping to one knee, presented the Dukeof Gloucester's message to his Majesty. So soon as we had entered theroom Harleston, regardless of etiquette, flung himself into a chair andwas sound asleep almost the instant that he touched it. When I hadhanded the packet unto the King my duty was done and I had no ambitionto support me further. Mine ears did ring; the room began to whirl allaround me; weights then did seem to hang upon my weary eyelids; my headsank lower; and there, at the King's feet, I fell into a heavy sleep.