ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 1.91k
same metal upon their swarthy arms and legs, of which the former were
naked from the elbow, and the latter from mid-leg to ankle. Silk and
embroidery distinguished their dresses, and marked the wealth and
importance of their master; forming, at the same time, a striking
contrast with the martial simplicity of his own attire. They were armed
with crooked sabres, having the hilt and baldric inlaid with gold, and
matched with Turkish daggers of yet more costly workmanship. Each of
them bore at his saddle-bow a bundle of darts or javelins, about four
feet in length, having sharp steel heads, a weapon much in use among
the Saracens, and of which the memory is yet preserved in the martial
exercise called "El Jerrid", still practised in the Eastern countries.

The steeds of these attendants were in appearance as foreign as their
riders. They were of Saracen origin, and consequently of Arabian
descent; and their fine slender limbs, small fetlocks, thin manes, and
easy springy motion, formed a marked contrast with the large-jointed,
heavy horses, of which the race was cultivated in Flanders and in
Normandy, for mounting the men-at-arms of the period in all the panoply
of plate and mail; and which, placed by the side of those Eastern
coursers, might have passed for a personification of substance and of
shadow.

The singular appearance of this cavalcade not only attracted the
curiosity of Wamba, but excited even that of his less volatile
companion. The monk he instantly knew to be the Prior of Jorvaulx
Abbey, well known for many miles around as a lover of the chase, of
the banquet, and, if fame did him not wrong, of other worldly pleasures
still more inconsistent with his monastic vows.

Yet so loose were the ideas of the times respecting the conduct of the
clergy, whether secular or regular, that the Prior Aymer maintained a
fair character in the neighbourhood of his abbey. His free and jovial
temper, and the readiness with which he granted absolution from all
ordinary delinquencies, rendered him a favourite among the nobility and
principal gentry, to several of whom he was allied by birth, being of
a distinguished Norman family. The ladies, in particular, were not
disposed to scan too nicely the morals of a man who was a professed
admirer of their sex, and who possessed many means of dispelling the
ennui which was too apt to intrude upon the halls and bowers of an
ancient feudal castle. The Prior mingled in the sports of the field with
more than due eagerness, and was allowed to possess the best-trained
hawks, and the fleetest greyhounds in the North Riding; circumstances
which strongly recommended him to the youthful gentry. With the old,
he had another part to play, which, when needful, he could sustain
with great decorum. His knowledge of books, however superficial, was
sufficient to impress upon their ignorance respect for his supposed
learning; and the gravity of his deportment and language, with the high
tone which he exerted in setting forth the authority of the church
and of the priesthood, impressed them no less with an opinion of his
sanctity. Even the common people, the severest critics of the conduct of
their betters, had commiseration with the follies of Prior Aymer. He
was generous; and charity, as it is well known, covereth a multitude
of sins, in another sense than that in which it is said to do so in
Scripture. The revenues of the monastery, of which a large part was at
his disposal, while they gave him the means of supplying his own very
considerable expenses, afforded also those largesses which he bestowed
among the peasantry, and with which he frequently relieved the
distresses of the oppressed. If Prior Aymer rode hard in the chase, or
remained long at the banquet,--if Prior Aymer was seen, at the early
peep of dawn, to enter the postern of the abbey, as he glided home
from some rendezvous which had occupied the hours of darkness, men
only shrugged up their shoulders, and reconciled themselves to his
irregularities, by recollecting that the same were practised by many
of his brethren who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever to atone for
them. Prior Aymer, therefore, and his character, were well known to
our Saxon serfs, who made their rude obeisance, and received his
"benedicite, mes filz," in return.

But the singular appearance of his companion and his attendants,
arrested their attention and excited their wonder, and they could
scarcely attend to the Prior of Jorvaulx' question, when he demanded if
they knew of any place of harbourage in the vicinity; so much were they
surprised at the half monastic, half military appearance of the swarthy
stranger, and at the uncouth dress and arms of his Eastern attendants.
It is probable, too, that the language in which the benediction was
conferred, and the information asked, sounded ungracious, though not
probably unintelligible, in the ears of the Saxon peasants.

"I asked you, my children," said the Prior, raising his voice, and using
the lingua Franca, or mixed language, in which the Norman and Saxon
races conversed with each other, "if there be in this neighbourhood any
good man, who, for the love of God, and devotion to Mother Church,
will give two of her humblest servants, with their train, a night's
hospitality and refreshment?"

This he spoke with a tone of conscious importance, which formed a strong
contrast to the modest terms which he thought it proper to employ.

"Two of the humblest servants of Mother Church!" repeated Wamba to
himself,--but, fool as he was, taking care not to make his observation
audible; "I should like to see her seneschals, her chief butlers, and
other principal domestics!"

After this internal commentary on the Prior's speech, he raised his
eyes, and replied to the question which had been put.

"If the reverend fathers," he said, "loved good cheer and soft lodging,
few miles of riding would carry them to the Priory of Brinxworth, where
their quality could not but secure them the most honourable reception;
or if they preferred spending a penitential evening, they might turn

same metal upon their swarthy arms and legs, of which the former were

naked from the elbow, and the latter from mid-leg to ankle. Silk and

embroidery distinguished their dresses, and marked the wealth and

importance of their master; forming, at the same time, a striking

contrast with the martial simplicity of his own attire. They were armed

with crooked sabres, having the hilt and baldric inlaid with gold, and

matched with Turkish daggers of yet more costly workmanship. Each of

them bore at his saddle-bow a bundle of darts or javelins, about four

feet in length, having sharp steel heads, a weapon much in use among

the Saracens, and of which the memory is yet preserved in the martial

exercise called "El Jerrid", still practised in the Eastern countries.

The steeds of these attendants were in appearance as foreign as their

riders. They were of Saracen origin, and consequently of Arabian

descent; and their fine slender limbs, small fetlocks, thin manes, and

easy springy motion, formed a marked contrast with the large-jointed,

heavy horses, of which the race was cultivated in Flanders and in

Normandy, for mounting the men-at-arms of the period in all the panoply

of plate and mail; and which, placed by the side of those Eastern

coursers, might have passed for a personification of substance and of

shadow.

The singular appearance of this cavalcade not only attracted the

curiosity of Wamba, but excited even that of his less volatile

companion. The monk he instantly knew to be the Prior of Jorvaulx

Abbey, well known for many miles around as a lover of the chase, of

the banquet, and, if fame did him not wrong, of other worldly pleasures

still more inconsistent with his monastic vows.

Yet so loose were the ideas of the times respecting the conduct of the

clergy, whether secular or regular, that the Prior Aymer maintained a

fair character in the neighbourhood of his abbey. His free and jovial

temper, and the readiness with which he granted absolution from all

ordinary delinquencies, rendered him a favourite among the nobility and

principal gentry, to several of whom he was allied by birth, being of

a distinguished Norman family. The ladies, in particular, were not

disposed to scan too nicely the morals of a man who was a professed

admirer of their sex, and who possessed many means of dispelling the

ennui which was too apt to intrude upon the halls and bowers of an

ancient feudal castle. The Prior mingled in the sports of the field with

more than due eagerness, and was allowed to possess the best-trained

hawks, and the fleetest greyhounds in the North Riding; circumstances

which strongly recommended him to the youthful gentry. With the old,

he had another part to play, which, when needful, he could sustain

with great decorum. His knowledge of books, however superficial, was

sufficient to impress upon their ignorance respect for his supposed

learning; and the gravity of his deportment and language, with the high

tone which he exerted in setting forth the authority of the church

and of the priesthood, impressed them no less with an opinion of his

sanctity. Even the common people, the severest critics of the conduct of

their betters, had commiseration with the follies of Prior Aymer. He

was generous; and charity, as it is well known, covereth a multitude

of sins, in another sense than that in which it is said to do so in

Scripture. The revenues of the monastery, of which a large part was at

his disposal, while they gave him the means of supplying his own very

considerable expenses, afforded also those largesses which he bestowed

among the peasantry, and with which he frequently relieved the

distresses of the oppressed. If Prior Aymer rode hard in the chase, or

remained long at the banquet,--if Prior Aymer was seen, at the early

peep of dawn, to enter the postern of the abbey, as he glided home

from some rendezvous which had occupied the hours of darkness, men

only shrugged up their shoulders, and reconciled themselves to his

irregularities, by recollecting that the same were practised by many

of his brethren who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever to atone for

them. Prior Aymer, therefore, and his character, were well known to

our Saxon serfs, who made their rude obeisance, and received his

"benedicite, mes filz," in return.

But the singular appearance of his companion and his attendants,

arrested their attention and excited their wonder, and they could

scarcely attend to the Prior of Jorvaulx' question, when he demanded if

they knew of any place of harbourage in the vicinity; so much were they

surprised at the half monastic, half military appearance of the swarthy

stranger, and at the uncouth dress and arms of his Eastern attendants.

It is probable, too, that the language in which the benediction was

conferred, and the information asked, sounded ungracious, though not

probably unintelligible, in the ears of the Saxon peasants.

"I asked you, my children," said the Prior, raising his voice, and using

the lingua Franca, or mixed language, in which the Norman and Saxon

races conversed with each other, "if there be in this neighbourhood any

good man, who, for the love of God, and devotion to Mother Church,

will give two of her humblest servants, with their train, a night's

hospitality and refreshment?"

This he spoke with a tone of conscious importance, which formed a strong

contrast to the modest terms which he thought it proper to employ.

"Two of the humblest servants of Mother Church!" repeated Wamba to

himself,--but, fool as he was, taking care not to make his observation

audible; "I should like to see her seneschals, her chief butlers, and

other principal domestics!"

After this internal commentary on the Prior's speech, he raised his

eyes, and replied to the question which had been put.

"If the reverend fathers," he said, "loved good cheer and soft lodging,

few miles of riding would carry them to the Priory of Brinxworth, where

their quality could not but secure them the most honourable reception;

or if they preferred spending a penitential evening, they might turn