ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 1.91k
had at first escaped him in the twilight; "Here is some one either
asleep, or lying dead at the foot of this cross--Hugo, stir him with the
butt-end of thy lance."

This was no sooner done than the figure arose, exclaiming in good
French, "Whosoever thou art, it is discourteous in you to disturb my
thoughts."

"We did but wish to ask you," said the Prior, "the road to Rotherwood,
the abode of Cedric the Saxon."

"I myself am bound thither," replied the stranger; "and if I had a
horse, I would be your guide, for the way is somewhat intricate, though
perfectly well known to me."

"Thou shalt have both thanks and reward, my friend," said the Prior, "if
thou wilt bring us to Cedric's in safety."

And he caused one of his attendants to mount his own led horse, and give
that upon which he had hitherto ridden to the stranger, who was to serve
for a guide.

Their conductor pursued an opposite road from that which Wamba had
recommended, for the purpose of misleading them. The path soon led
deeper into the woodland, and crossed more than one brook, the approach
to which was rendered perilous by the marshes through which it flowed;
but the stranger seemed to know, as if by instinct, the soundest ground
and the safest points of passage; and by dint of caution and attention,
brought the party safely into a wilder avenue than any they had yet
seen; and, pointing to a large low irregular building at the upper
extremity, he said to the Prior, "Yonder is Rotherwood, the dwelling of
Cedric the Saxon."

This was a joyful intimation to Aymer, whose nerves were none of the
strongest, and who had suffered such agitation and alarm in the course
of passing through the dangerous bogs, that he had not yet had the
curiosity to ask his guide a single question. Finding himself now at his
ease and near shelter, his curiosity began to awake, and he demanded of
the guide who and what he was.

"A Palmer, just returned from the Holy Land," was the answer.

"You had better have tarried there to fight for the recovery of the Holy
Sepulchre," said the Templar.

"True, Reverend Sir Knight," answered the Palmer, to whom the appearance
of the Templar seemed perfectly familiar; "but when those who are under
oath to recover the holy city, are found travelling at such a distance
from the scene of their duties, can you wonder that a peaceful peasant
like me should decline the task which they have abandoned?"

The Templar would have made an angry reply, but was interrupted by the
Prior, who again expressed his astonishment, that their guide, after
such long absence, should be so perfectly acquainted with the passes of
the forest.

"I was born a native of these parts," answered their guide, and as he
made the reply they stood before the mansion of Cedric;--a low irregular
building, containing several court-yards or enclosures, extending over
a considerable space of ground, and which, though its size argued the
inhabitant to be a person of wealth, differed entirely from the tall,
turretted, and castellated buildings in which the Norman nobility
resided, and which had become the universal style of architecture
throughout England.

Rotherwood was not, however, without defences; no habitation, in
that disturbed period, could have been so, without the risk of being
plundered and burnt before the next morning. A deep fosse, or ditch,
was drawn round the whole building, and filled with water from a
neighbouring stream. A double stockade, or palisade, composed of pointed
beams, which the adjacent forest supplied, defended the outer and inner
bank of the trench. There was an entrance from the west through the
outer stockade, which communicated by a drawbridge, with a similar
opening in the interior defences. Some precautions had been taken to
place those entrances under the protection of projecting angles, by
which they might be flanked in case of need by archers or slingers.

Before this entrance the Templar wound his horn loudly; for the rain,
which had long threatened, began now to descend with great violence.






Then (sad relief!) from the bleak coast that hears
The German Ocean roar, deep-blooming, strong,
And yellow hair'd, the blue-eyed Saxon came.
Thomson's Liberty

In a hall, the height of which was greatly disproportioned to its
extreme length and width, a long oaken table, formed of planks
rough-hewn from the forest, and which had scarcely received any polish,
stood ready prepared for the evening meal of Cedric the Saxon. The roof,
composed of beams and rafters, had nothing to divide the apartment from
the sky excepting the planking and thatch; there was a huge fireplace at
either end of the hall, but as the chimneys were constructed in a very
clumsy manner, at least as much of the smoke found its way into the
apartment as escaped by the proper vent. The constant vapour which this
occasioned, had polished the rafters and beams of the low-browed hall,

had at first escaped him in the twilight; "Here is some one either

asleep, or lying dead at the foot of this cross--Hugo, stir him with the

butt-end of thy lance."

This was no sooner done than the figure arose, exclaiming in good

French, "Whosoever thou art, it is discourteous in you to disturb my

thoughts."

"We did but wish to ask you," said the Prior, "the road to Rotherwood,

the abode of Cedric the Saxon."

"I myself am bound thither," replied the stranger; "and if I had a

horse, I would be your guide, for the way is somewhat intricate, though

perfectly well known to me."

"Thou shalt have both thanks and reward, my friend," said the Prior, "if

thou wilt bring us to Cedric's in safety."

And he caused one of his attendants to mount his own led horse, and give

that upon which he had hitherto ridden to the stranger, who was to serve

for a guide.

Their conductor pursued an opposite road from that which Wamba had

recommended, for the purpose of misleading them. The path soon led

deeper into the woodland, and crossed more than one brook, the approach

to which was rendered perilous by the marshes through which it flowed;

but the stranger seemed to know, as if by instinct, the soundest ground

and the safest points of passage; and by dint of caution and attention,

brought the party safely into a wilder avenue than any they had yet

seen; and, pointing to a large low irregular building at the upper

extremity, he said to the Prior, "Yonder is Rotherwood, the dwelling of

Cedric the Saxon."

This was a joyful intimation to Aymer, whose nerves were none of the

strongest, and who had suffered such agitation and alarm in the course

of passing through the dangerous bogs, that he had not yet had the

curiosity to ask his guide a single question. Finding himself now at his

ease and near shelter, his curiosity began to awake, and he demanded of

the guide who and what he was.

"A Palmer, just returned from the Holy Land," was the answer.

"You had better have tarried there to fight for the recovery of the Holy

Sepulchre," said the Templar.

"True, Reverend Sir Knight," answered the Palmer, to whom the appearance

of the Templar seemed perfectly familiar; "but when those who are under

oath to recover the holy city, are found travelling at such a distance

from the scene of their duties, can you wonder that a peaceful peasant

like me should decline the task which they have abandoned?"

The Templar would have made an angry reply, but was interrupted by the

Prior, who again expressed his astonishment, that their guide, after

such long absence, should be so perfectly acquainted with the passes of

the forest.

"I was born a native of these parts," answered their guide, and as he

made the reply they stood before the mansion of Cedric;--a low irregular

building, containing several court-yards or enclosures, extending over

a considerable space of ground, and which, though its size argued the

inhabitant to be a person of wealth, differed entirely from the tall,

turretted, and castellated buildings in which the Norman nobility

resided, and which had become the universal style of architecture

throughout England.

Rotherwood was not, however, without defences; no habitation, in

that disturbed period, could have been so, without the risk of being

plundered and burnt before the next morning. A deep fosse, or ditch,

was drawn round the whole building, and filled with water from a

neighbouring stream. A double stockade, or palisade, composed of pointed

beams, which the adjacent forest supplied, defended the outer and inner

bank of the trench. There was an entrance from the west through the

outer stockade, which communicated by a drawbridge, with a similar

opening in the interior defences. Some precautions had been taken to

place those entrances under the protection of projecting angles, by

which they might be flanked in case of need by archers or slingers.

Before this entrance the Templar wound his horn loudly; for the rain,

which had long threatened, began now to descend with great violence.

Then (sad relief!) from the bleak coast that hears

The German Ocean roar, deep-blooming, strong,

And yellow hair'd, the blue-eyed Saxon came.

Thomson's Liberty

In a hall, the height of which was greatly disproportioned to its

extreme length and width, a long oaken table, formed of planks

rough-hewn from the forest, and which had scarcely received any polish,

stood ready prepared for the evening meal of Cedric the Saxon. The roof,

composed of beams and rafters, had nothing to divide the apartment from

the sky excepting the planking and thatch; there was a huge fireplace at

either end of the hall, but as the chimneys were constructed in a very

clumsy manner, at least as much of the smoke found its way into the

apartment as escaped by the proper vent. The constant vapour which this

occasioned, had polished the rafters and beams of the low-browed hall,