ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

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down yonder wild glade, which would bring them to the hermitage of
Copmanhurst, where a pious anchoret would make them sharers for the
night of the shelter of his roof and the benefit of his prayers."

The Prior shook his head at both proposals.

"Mine honest friend," said he, "if the jangling of thy bells had not
dizzied thine understanding, thou mightst know "Clericus clericum non
decimat"; that is to say, we churchmen do not exhaust each other's
hospitality, but rather require that of the laity, giving them thus
an opportunity to serve God in honouring and relieving his appointed
servants."

"It is true," replied Wamba, "that I, being but an ass, am,
nevertheless, honoured to hear the bells as well as your reverence's
mule; notwithstanding, I did conceive that the charity of Mother Church
and her servants might be said, with other charity, to begin at home."

"A truce to thine insolence, fellow," said the armed rider, breaking in
on his prattle with a high and stern voice, "and tell us, if thou canst,
the road to--How call'd you your Franklin, Prior Aymer?"

"Cedric," answered the Prior; "Cedric the Saxon.--Tell me, good fellow,
are we near his dwelling, and can you show us the road?"

"The road will be uneasy to find," answered Gurth, who broke silence for
the first time, "and the family of Cedric retire early to rest."

"Tush, tell not me, fellow," said the military rider; "'tis easy for
them to arise and supply the wants of travellers such as we are, who
will not stoop to beg the hospitality which we have a right to command."

"I know not," said Gurth, sullenly, "if I should show the way to my
master's house, to those who demand as a right, the shelter which most
are fain to ask as a favour."

"Do you dispute with me, slave!" said the soldier; and, setting spurs
to his horse, he caused him make a demivolte across the path, raising at
the same time the riding rod which he held in his hand, with a purpose
of chastising what he considered as the insolence of the peasant.

Gurth darted at him a savage and revengeful scowl, and with a fierce,
yet hesitating motion, laid his hand on the haft of his knife; but the
interference of Prior Aymer, who pushed his mule betwixt his companion
and the swineherd, prevented the meditated violence.

"Nay, by St Mary, brother Brian, you must not think you are now in
Palestine, predominating over heathen Turks and infidel Saracens; we
islanders love not blows, save those of holy Church, who chasteneth whom
she loveth.--Tell me, good fellow," said he to Wamba, and seconded his
speech by a small piece of silver coin, "the way to Cedric the Saxon's;
you cannot be ignorant of it, and it is your duty to direct the wanderer
even when his character is less sanctified than ours."

"In truth, venerable father," answered the Jester, "the Saracen head of
your right reverend companion has frightened out of mine the way home--I
am not sure I shall get there to-night myself."

"Tush," said the Abbot, "thou canst tell us if thou wilt. This reverend
brother has been all his life engaged in fighting among the Saracens
for the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre; he is of the order of Knights
Templars, whom you may have heard of; he is half a monk, half a
soldier."

"If he is but half a monk," said the Jester, "he should not be wholly
unreasonable with those whom he meets upon the road, even if they should
be in no hurry to answer questions that no way concern them."

"I forgive thy wit," replied the Abbot, "on condition thou wilt show me
the way to Cedric's mansion."

"Well, then," answered Wamba, "your reverences must hold on this path
till you come to a sunken cross, of which scarce a cubit's length
remains above ground; then take the path to the left, for there are
four which meet at Sunken Cross, and I trust your reverences will obtain
shelter before the storm comes on."

The Abbot thanked his sage adviser; and the cavalcade, setting spurs to
their horses, rode on as men do who wish to reach their inn before the
bursting of a night-storm. As their horses' hoofs died away, Gurth
said to his companion, "If they follow thy wise direction, the reverend
fathers will hardly reach Rotherwood this night."

"No," said the Jester, grinning, "but they may reach Sheffield if they
have good luck, and that is as fit a place for them. I am not so bad a
woodsman as to show the dog where the deer lies, if I have no mind he
should chase him."

"Thou art right," said Gurth; "it were ill that Aymer saw the Lady
Rowena; and it were worse, it may be, for Cedric to quarrel, as is most
likely he would, with this military monk. But, like good servants let us
hear and see, and say nothing."

We return to the riders, who had soon left the bondsmen far behind
them, and who maintained the following conversation in the Norman-French
language, usually employed by the superior classes, with the exception
of the few who were still inclined to boast their Saxon descent.

"What mean these fellows by their capricious insolence?" said the
Templar to the Benedictine, "and why did you prevent me from chastising

down yonder wild glade, which would bring them to the hermitage of

Copmanhurst, where a pious anchoret would make them sharers for the

night of the shelter of his roof and the benefit of his prayers."

The Prior shook his head at both proposals.

"Mine honest friend," said he, "if the jangling of thy bells had not

dizzied thine understanding, thou mightst know "Clericus clericum non

decimat"; that is to say, we churchmen do not exhaust each other's

hospitality, but rather require that of the laity, giving them thus

an opportunity to serve God in honouring and relieving his appointed

servants."

"It is true," replied Wamba, "that I, being but an ass, am,

nevertheless, honoured to hear the bells as well as your reverence's

mule; notwithstanding, I did conceive that the charity of Mother Church

and her servants might be said, with other charity, to begin at home."

"A truce to thine insolence, fellow," said the armed rider, breaking in

on his prattle with a high and stern voice, "and tell us, if thou canst,

the road to--How call'd you your Franklin, Prior Aymer?"

"Cedric," answered the Prior; "Cedric the Saxon.--Tell me, good fellow,

are we near his dwelling, and can you show us the road?"

"The road will be uneasy to find," answered Gurth, who broke silence for

the first time, "and the family of Cedric retire early to rest."

"Tush, tell not me, fellow," said the military rider; "'tis easy for

them to arise and supply the wants of travellers such as we are, who

will not stoop to beg the hospitality which we have a right to command."

"I know not," said Gurth, sullenly, "if I should show the way to my

master's house, to those who demand as a right, the shelter which most

are fain to ask as a favour."

"Do you dispute with me, slave!" said the soldier; and, setting spurs

to his horse, he caused him make a demivolte across the path, raising at

the same time the riding rod which he held in his hand, with a purpose

of chastising what he considered as the insolence of the peasant.

Gurth darted at him a savage and revengeful scowl, and with a fierce,

yet hesitating motion, laid his hand on the haft of his knife; but the

interference of Prior Aymer, who pushed his mule betwixt his companion

and the swineherd, prevented the meditated violence.

"Nay, by St Mary, brother Brian, you must not think you are now in

Palestine, predominating over heathen Turks and infidel Saracens; we

islanders love not blows, save those of holy Church, who chasteneth whom

she loveth.--Tell me, good fellow," said he to Wamba, and seconded his

speech by a small piece of silver coin, "the way to Cedric the Saxon's;

you cannot be ignorant of it, and it is your duty to direct the wanderer

even when his character is less sanctified than ours."

"In truth, venerable father," answered the Jester, "the Saracen head of

your right reverend companion has frightened out of mine the way home--I

am not sure I shall get there to-night myself."

"Tush," said the Abbot, "thou canst tell us if thou wilt. This reverend

brother has been all his life engaged in fighting among the Saracens

for the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre; he is of the order of Knights

Templars, whom you may have heard of; he is half a monk, half a

soldier."

"If he is but half a monk," said the Jester, "he should not be wholly

unreasonable with those whom he meets upon the road, even if they should

be in no hurry to answer questions that no way concern them."

"I forgive thy wit," replied the Abbot, "on condition thou wilt show me

the way to Cedric's mansion."

"Well, then," answered Wamba, "your reverences must hold on this path

till you come to a sunken cross, of which scarce a cubit's length

remains above ground; then take the path to the left, for there are

four which meet at Sunken Cross, and I trust your reverences will obtain

shelter before the storm comes on."

The Abbot thanked his sage adviser; and the cavalcade, setting spurs to

their horses, rode on as men do who wish to reach their inn before the

bursting of a night-storm. As their horses' hoofs died away, Gurth

said to his companion, "If they follow thy wise direction, the reverend

fathers will hardly reach Rotherwood this night."

"No," said the Jester, grinning, "but they may reach Sheffield if they

have good luck, and that is as fit a place for them. I am not so bad a

woodsman as to show the dog where the deer lies, if I have no mind he

should chase him."

"Thou art right," said Gurth; "it were ill that Aymer saw the Lady

Rowena; and it were worse, it may be, for Cedric to quarrel, as is most

likely he would, with this military monk. But, like good servants let us

hear and see, and say nothing."

We return to the riders, who had soon left the bondsmen far behind

them, and who maintained the following conversation in the Norman-French

language, usually employed by the superior classes, with the exception

of the few who were still inclined to boast their Saxon descent.

"What mean these fellows by their capricious insolence?" said the

Templar to the Benedictine, "and why did you prevent me from chastising