A Clerk of Oxford, and His Adventures in the Barons' War

by Evelyn Everett-Green

  CHAPTER VII.

  _THE CONSTABLE'S CHILDREN._

  "Fair Mistress Alys, this is sooth a wondrous city, in the which strangesights are to be seen. Fain would I myself belong to it, and make one ofthose bands of scholars whom I see passing to and fro through thestreets. Fain would I learn more of the life here, and share it for awhile. I am aweary of the clash of arms and the strife of tongues. Thelife of a scholar has more charms for me."

  The fair-faced Alys looked up from the frame where was stretched a greatpiece of tapestry work, upon which her nimble fingers were at work.There was a smile in her eyes as she made reply,--

  "And yet, from all I hear and see, there is plenty of strife of tonguesand clash of arms even within the walls of this city, and amongst theclerks and scholars themselves. I have not dwelt long enough here toknow what it is all about; but methinks those who have the charge of thecity have hard work sometimes to keep the peace there."

  "That is very true," spoke a second voice, not at all unlike the onewhich had just ceased, although it belonged to a lad of seventeensummers, who lay full length upon a wide settle, over which a greatbearskin rug had been first laid. The face of this youth was thin andhollow, and his hands were white and wasted. But his hazel eyes wereliquid and full of brightness, and though the broad brow was oftenfurrowed by pain, the smile which lit up the thin, well-cut features wasfrequent and full of brightness.

  "Yes; Alys speaks no more than the truth," said the youth, as Amalric deMontfort turned to look at him. "We have not been long in this place, asthou dost know. Until our father had been settled here some time asConstable of the Castle, he would not summon us to be with him. Weremained with our mother's kindred in the south, and have only been afew short months within these walls. Yet we have learned many strangethings during this time, and truly do I think that the city of Oxfordcan be one of the most turbulent spots upon the face of the earth. Ihave heard my father and the Chancellor of the University taking counseltogether how the peace may be kept, and in sooth it seems no easy matterto decide."

  "Ah yes, where many hot-headed youths be pent up together in narrowbounds, there must needs be strife of a kind," answered Amalric; "butthat, after all, is a brotherly sort of strife, far removed from thisother strife of which I begin to grow strangely weary. If ye twain couldknow but the half of what my noble father has endured at the hands ofthe King--how he has spent his substance and his own life-blood awaythere in Gascony, all to establish the King's royal authority there; andhow for all his faithful service he has received naught but hard wordsand humiliations which would have turned many another into a bitter foe!The tyranny and caprice of the weak King (uncle though he be of mine, Iwill speak the truth of him) has been heartbreaking. It has aged my ladymother, and embittered my father's life. And now, when he is forced tostand forth as the champion of the nation, to hold the King to hispromises, there will be nothing before him but one long, strenuousfight. Oh, I begin to weary of it all! If I could help him, I would beever at his side; but I can do nothing, and my heart grows sick withinme. Would that he would leave me behind in this city of learning, that Imight join the ranks of scholars, and gain, perchance, by my pen what Iscarce think I shall ever do by my sword! Methinks I was not born forsuch strenuous days as these."

  "Would that I might be in the very thickest of the strife!" cried thelad, Edmund de Kynaston, his eyes dilating with a quick flash. "Methinkswere I as others are, I would ever seek out the post of greatest peril,and stand in the foremost of the fight! Yet here am I, a useless log,scarce able to put one foot before the other. Such is the caprice ofDame Fortune!"

  Alys rose from her frame, and crossed the room with light steps; shebent over her brother and gently smoothed away the hair from his brow.

  "But thou art happy here with me, my brother?" she questionedpleadingly; "and when our father has time to see to the matter, we willstudy together, and grow learned and wise, even if we cannot go forthinto the great world of battles without."

  Edmund's smile was bright and eager as he imprisoned his sister'sfingers in his own.

  "Verily, we will do great things together in one fashion or another,sweet sister. I am always happy with thee at my side; yet I would that Icould serve and tend thee, instead of receiving all the service at thyhands."

  "I love to tend thee, brother mine," whispered Alys, as she bent overhim and kissed his brow, and then tripped lightly back to her frame; foridleness was not permitted to the daughter of the Constable, and hermother required a daily portion of work from those skilful fingers.

  This conversation took place in a pleasant upper chamber belonging toone of the many solid buildings enclosed within the walls of what wasknown as the Castle of Oxford.

  There were several buildings within these circling walls--the Collegeand Chapel of St. George, the Constable's quarters, and certain strongtowers that were often used as prisons for unruly clerks and scholars.The Chancellor himself, although exercising a wide jurisdiction over theliberties of the members of the University, had no place of durance inwhich to place offenders, so that they were most often brought into theCastle and lodged there.

  Sir Humphrey de Kynaston had not occupied the position of Constable verylong, and so far he and the Chancellor had been excellent friends. Theywere both anxious to maintain the peace of the city, and were agreed toact in concert, instead of in rivalry, as had sometimes been the casebetween former Governors of Castle and University.

  Sir Humphrey had only two children, a boy and a girl. Edmund had alwaysbeen famed for his daring spirit and sunny temperament, and during hisboyhood had been the pride and joy of his father's heart. Two years ago,however, he had received what appeared at the time to be a fatal injuryduring a boar-hunt in the New Forest, where he was staying with hismother's kinsfolks. The boar had turned to bay, and when some daringhuntsman, together with Edmund's uncle, approached to try to give thefinal blow, the maddened creature sprang at them with such fury thatboth fell before him, and all thought their lives must pay the forfeit.But Edmund had seized a strong spear, and had made so sudden and fiercea rush that the beast was borne back for a moment, giving the two timeto gain their feet once again. When they turned to slay their quarry,however, they found that he had inflicted a terrible wound upon Edmundwith his great tusks. The boy was carried home in what was thought to bea dying state, and although his fine constitution had enabled him topull through the long and dangerous illness, he had remained permanentlycrippled, unable to do more than trail himself painfully from room toroom, or occasionally in warm weather to take a little very gentleexercise on the back of a quiet and well-trained horse, which would becontent to pace sedately without prancing or curvetting.

  Since that day it had been the chiefest happiness of Alys's life to waitupon her brother, soothe his hours of suffering, which were many, andshare with him every simple joy and interest in life. Brother and sisterhad both been greatly pleased to join their father at the Castle here,and were ready to take a keen interest in all that went on at this seatof learning.

  Edmund had been fired with the desire to excel now in learning as he hadonce excelled in feats of skill and strength. Their father had promisedto find for them a tutor with whom they might study; and perhaps someyouthful clerk to read to them out of such books as were thenobtainable, that they might progress the faster in their studies.

  But the present excitement occasioned by the Parliament assembled in thecity had for the moment driven everything else out of the minds of thosedwelling there, and Sir Humphrey had his hands and mind and house alikefull.

  The Parliament was sitting in the vacated quarters of the Black Friarsin the Jewry. The largest of their buildings there had been hastilyfitted up as a Council chamber; and the King and Barons met in dailyconclave to discuss the situation, and agree upon some definite plan forthe future.

  The great De Montfort, who had been accustomed to rough it under allsorts of climates and in all sorts of conditions, would have beencontent to take up his own
quarters at the inn in the town, had not SirHumphrey insisted that he and his sons should be his guests at theCastle, leaving only the retinue at Dagville's Inn.

  Thus it came about that, whilst the Earl and his two elder sons wentdaily to the meeting-place in the Jewry, the younger sons, Guy andAmalric, were left pretty much to their own devices, and spent theirtime for the most part either in wandering about the town and learningwhat they could as to the life there, or with the fair Alys and herbrother in this pleasant, airy chamber.

  The room was itself very attractive, for it was adorned with tapestryhangings which Alys's skilful fingers had wrought, and upon the stonefloor lay the dressed skins of many a wild creature of the woods whichEdmund had slain ere he had been laid low. Several stuffed birds andsmall beasts were to be seen set upon the brackets which Edmund carvedin his hours of ease; and a tame falcon upon a perch occupied a littlerecess, and when released from his chain would fly about the room orperch affectionately on the hand of the master he loved. A greatwolf-hound also was generally to be found lying at full length besidehis master's couch. He had been Edmund's most faithful follower almostfrom boyhood, and was now growing old and a little infirm. Therefore hismaster's ways were little trouble to him, and save when he pacedbackwards and forwards in the courtyard with his mistress, he seldomcared to move from beside Edmund's couch.

  Both Guy and Amalric de Montfort had grown fond of this upper chamberand its inhabitants, and came and went almost at will. Edmund had beenkeenly interested in all that these lads could tell him of theirfather's campaigns, and of the battle for constitutional liberty whichhe was so strenuously fighting now. Edmund knew that his own father wasstrongly in sympathy with the action that the Barons were now taking,and he listened eagerly to any items of information which he could pickup. But whilst the Parliament was sitting, little was said as to thecourse the deliberations were taking. There were whispers of stormyscenes, and of outbreaks of fierce and rather impotent anger on the partof the King; but for the most part a discreet silence was observed as tothe probable result of the deliberations, though from the King'sincreasing irritability and fits of gloom it was surmised that he wasnot best pleased at the course things were taking.

  The talk between the De Kynastons and Amalric de Montfort on thisparticular day was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Guy, who camein eagerly and joyously.

  "I have a plan!" he cried. "I was wandering down hard by the Grandpont,when I saw a man in a right comely wherry, and he was pleased to hire itto me for a few pence. He says that it will carry a party well, and thatif we lift it over the fall by Iffley Church, we can navigate a greatstretch of the river, or if we better like we can go up against thecurrent. Methought thou mightest well go with us, Edmund, for thou canstride down to the river-bank, and then the boat will carry thee bravely,and we can take with us that bear's skin and make a couch for thee alongthe bottom."

  Alys clapped her hands in delight at the thought. Somehow it had neveroccurred to them that the river might open up a new source of amusementfor the invalid.

  Quickly was the matter settled. Dame Kynaston, though rather a martinetin her household, as a managing housewife in those days had some need tobe, was a loving mother also, and was only too glad to forward any planwhereby Edmund might benefit in health or spirits. Very soon the littleparty was on its way to the wherry lying by the bridge, eagerly planningthe day's pleasuring, and finally settling that the navigation of theCherwell would afford the most amusement and novelty.

  "What is yon tower hard by the bridge?" asked Amalric of Alys, by whoseside he was walking, a little in advance of the other pair.

  "They call it Friar Bacon's study," answered Alys. "You may have heardof Friar Bacon. They say he was a great and a good man, and he joinedhimself to the Minorite Friars. But he grew too learned in what men callthe black arts--in astrology and astronomy; and he built himself yontower, that he might the better study the stars. So men got frightenedat him and his learning, and he was banished the city and the realm. Ihave heard that he went to Paris, but I know not if that be true. Theysay that if a greater or more learned man should ever pass beneath thetower, its walls will crumble away, and it will fall to the ground. Butit has not fallen yet!"

  "I have heard of Friar Bacon and his learning in very truth," answeredAmalric. "I call it shame that such a man should be banished the realm.I believe not that any learning hurts the soul of man, so it be gottenin the fear of God and the love of man."

  Just at that moment a youth in the dress of a clerk turned a corner, andcame face to face with Alys and her companion.

  "Hugh!" cried Amalric joyfully. "If I have not been looking for anothersight of thy face ever since we first entered the city, and I caughtsight of thee in the crowd! Now this is well met, for we are bent on adays pleasuring on the water, and I am very sure that fair Mistress Alyswill give me leave to ask thee to join our company."

  Alys bent her head with ready assent. She was interested in all clerks;and the pleasant, open face of Hugh was attractive, besides theguarantee of his being known to Amalric. Guy also gave him a friendlygreeting when the palfrey was led down to the waters edge, and beforelong the whole party had embarked, and were rowing gently down thestream to the point where the Cherwell made its junction with the Isis.

  Hugh was called upon to tell his experiences as a scholar in the city,and was nothing loth to do so. Amalric listened with all his ears, andEdmund likewise. The youngest son of the warlike Earl of Leicester hadmore of the scholar than the soldier in his composition, and was alreadydeeply bitten by the idea of remaining in Oxford and becoming a scholarthere. It was not likely that his father would oppose the wish ifstrongly urged, and Amalric thus lost no opportunity of obtaininginformation as to the life there.

  Edmund lay along the bottom of the boat, delighted with the easy motion,with the tree-crowned banks between which they were gliding, and thebeauty of all they saw in wood and meadow. The waterway was so narrow inplaces that Alys could hardly believe they could force their way throughit at all; but this they always managed to do, and pushed on and onuntil the sound of falling water told them that they would find anobstruction to further progress.

  "Never mind," cried Hugh; "it is but the fall. We must disembark andcarry the boat a few yards, and launch it afresh on the upper stream.There we shall have a wider highway and more water. Ha! and here, ashappy chance wills it, are two good friends who will lend us a hand."

  They had come in sight of the fall now, and also of a little canoe drawnup near to the bank, in which a pair of lads were seated, one diligentlyfishing in the pool, the other poring over a small volume which he heldin his hands; and so intent did this latter appear over his task, thatit was not until hailed in a loud voice by Hugh that he lifted his face.

  When he did so, however, Alys gave a little cry, and bending overEdmund, she said eagerly,--

  "Brother, yonder is the clerk who saved me when the palfrey went nigh tohurting me that day in the spring-tide. I am sure it is he; and it washe I saw in the meadows the day when the Barons made their entry intothe city. Prithee may I speak to him? he seems to be known to MasterHugh."

  "I will speak him first," answered Edmund; and then with a good deal ofconfusion of tongues the boat was drawn ashore, and all the partydisembarked--Alys giving her shoulder to her brother to lean upon whilstthe wherry was carried to the upper waters close above the fall.

  "May I not help you, sir?" asked Leofric, coming up with a shy smile inhis eyes. The other four youths--for Jack had taken his part there--werecarrying the boat, and Leofric had been sent back to help Edmund up thenarrow path. "I am very strong, and the way is not long. Lean upon me,and I will take you there gently."

  "Thanks, good lad," answered Edmund, availing himself of the strong armextended to him. "I was wanting a word with thee, for my sister heretells me that thou didst do her a good turn one day some while back,when her horse took fright, and might have thrown her from its back."

  Leofric blushed
and disclaimed, declaring that Jack had done more thanhimself; but Alys was of another opinion, and both brother and sisterfell into conversation with their new acquaintance, whose face, asusual, won him favour at once.

  "Thou wert reading when we came up," said Edmund; "art thou a scholar ofthis place?"

  Leofric told of himself, who and what he was, and admitted that he wasable to read Latin fairly well and understand it too, and that BrotherAngelus had given him several books to study, to help him to a greaterproficiency.

  "These are the 'Sentences' they think so much of in the schools," saidLeofric, drawing the little volume from his pouch; "but Brother Angelusprefers to go straight to the Scriptures themselves for learning, andloves not the Sentences very greatly. But it is well for a clerk to beversed in them. I have begun to study the philosophy of Aristotle too,for all men talk much of him now, though some say that his learning isdangerous to the soul. How-beit all men are eager to learn it."

  "And where dost thou dwell?" asked Edmund eagerly; "and if thou be poor,as thou sayest, how dost thou live?"

  "Our wants are but few, and we live in a little turret on the walls,where we have made a chamber for ourselves, no man forbidding us. Mycomrade, Jack Dugdale, fishes, and snares rabbits in the woods; and Igain small sums of money by painting on vellum, which I learned from thegood monks of St. Michael. We have enough for our needs, and can pay ourfees to the masters we seek after. Your father, sir, gave us money thatday of which you spoke. It was very welcome to us then, for we had butcome into the city, and scarce knew then how we should live."

  By this time the boat was launched again, and the whole party assistedEdmund to regain his former position along the bottom. Guy de Montforthad taken an immense fancy to the canoe he had seen, and nothing wouldserve him but that Jack should bring it up and give him a lesson in themanagement of the craft. When he heard how the two lads had travelledin it from a region not so very far from his own home of Kenilworth, hewas very much astonished; and getting Leofric to take his place in theboat, he and Jack set off together up the stream, and were soon lost tosight of the others.

  This left Amalric, Hugh, and Leofric to navigate the larger boat, and totalk together of those matters which interested them and Edmund so much.It was natural that Amalric and Hugh should consort together, havingbeen friends and comrades in old days. This left Leofric free to answerthe many eager questions put to him by Edmund, whilst Alys sat by witheager face and shining eyes, not losing a word of the conversation, andsometimes taking a share in it herself.

  "I can get books," said Edmund, "but they be nearly all in Latin. I canneither read them easily nor understand what I read. I want to findsomebody who will come and read with me; for soon my eyes grow weary,and my back aches if I try to hold up the volume myself, and I amwellnigh ashamed to ask my father for a tutor, when perchance I might sosoon get aweary of his teachings. What I want rather, to begin with, isa tutor for perhaps a few hours in the week, and for the rest a youthlike myself, himself a clerk, but with more learning than I, who wouldcome and read to me and with me till I could get the mastery myself overthe Latin tongue."

  Leofric's eyes were bright with interest. He was too modest to speak thewords that trembled on his tongue; but the thought of having access tobooks was strangely tempting, and there was something about Edmund andAlys which attracted him greatly. The gentle refinement of their mannersand speech was in such pleasing contrast to the _brusquerie_ of the bulkof his associates. When Alys said timidly,--

  "Would Leofric Wyvill come to us if our father approved?" his faceburned with gratification and joy at being thus singled out; and Edmundlooked at him, saying,--

  "I had scarce liked to ask, in case thou mightest have other work moreimportant; but I trow my father would approve, and would pay thee forthy time and labour."

  "O sir, to have books to read would be payment enough!" cried Leofriceagerly. "I have longed to see more, but there be all too few in thecity for the needs of scholars and clerks; and but for the kindness ofBrother Angelus, I should never have aught to study save what I canwrite down of the things we hear. I am but a learner myself; but if Ican help you, it will make me glad and proud to do so. I could at leaststrive to remember all I hear, and repeat it to you. That is what I haveto do for Jack, who is not used to learning. He forgets all too soon,and then we go over each lecture together, and I write upon the wallssuch things as we most desire to remember, and there they are to remindus if we want information another day."

  Before the boat and its occupants made their way back to the town,Amalric de Montfort had made up his mind to ask of his father grace toremain behind and enter himself as a clerk in some Hall at Oxford;whilst Edmund had fully resolved to beg his parents to engage LeofricWyvill to come to him several times in the week, to read with him, andinstruct him in brother-like fashion in those things which he waslearning for himself.