m Ki'f^s^imsmiii!}m&i^.fii'i^:t''^'m^<-^^^^^^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES Historical Tales The Romance of Reality BY CHARLES MORRIS AUTHOR OF "half-hours WITH THE BEST AMERICAN AUTHORS," "tales FROM THE DRAMATISTS," "KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND-TaBLE," ETC. ENGLISH PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1902 Copyright, 1893, BY |. B= LippiNcoTT Company. Printed bv J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. CONTENTS. PAea How England became Christian 7 The Wooing of Elfrtda 17 King Alfred and the Danes 80 Tub End of Saxon England 45 Hereward the Wake 6? Death of the Red King 72 How the White Ship Sailed 80 The Captivity of Richard Cceur de Lion .... 87 A Contest for a Crovtn 100 KoBiN Hood and the Knight of the Rueful Coun- tenance 113 Wallace, the Hero of Scotland 127 Bruce at Bannockburn 139 The Siege of Calais 161 The Black Prince at Poitiers 163 Wat Tyler and the Men of Kent 174 The White Rose of England 185 The Field of the Cloth of Gold 201 The Story of Arabella Stuart 215 Love's Knight-Errant 227 The Taking of Pontefract Castle 241 The Adventures of a Royal Fugitive 260 Cromwell and the Parliament 280 The Relief of Londondkrry 288 The Hunting of Braemar 297 The Flight of Prince Charles 306 Trafalgar and the Death of Nelson 320 The Massacre of an Army 329 3 203931 1 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ENGLISH. PAGK Canterbxtrt Cathedral {Frontispiece). Scene on the Kiver Avon 31 Ely Cathedral ' .... "-^ Statue of Richard Cceur de Lion 97 The Wallace Monument, Stirling 133 Stirling Castle Church of Notre Dame, Poitiers 167 Henry the Eighth 2^' The Eoyal Palace, Madrid 239 Oliver Cromwell 281 Edinburgh Castle 301 The Old Temerairb 321 I/OPV ENGLAND BECAME CHRISTIAN, One day, in the far-off sixth ceiitury, a youthfu) deacon of the Roman Church walked into the slave- market of Rome, situated at one extremity of the an- cient Forum. Gregory, his name ; his origin from an ancient noble family, whose gcnealogj^ could be traced back to the days of the early Csesars. A youth was this of imperial powers of mind, one who, had he lived when Rome was mistress of the physical world, might have become emperor ; but who, living when Rome had risen to lordship over the spiritual world, became pope, — the famous Gregory the Great. In the Forum the young deacon saw that which touched his sympathetic soul. Here cattle were being sold ; there, men. His eyes were specially attracted by a group of youthful slaves, of aspect such as he nad never seen before. They were bi'ight of com- plexion, their hair long and golden, their expression of touching innocence. Their fair faces were Btrangely unlike the embrowned complexions to which he had been accustomed, and he stood looking at them in admiration, while the slave-dealers ex- tolled their beauty of face and figure. 7 8 HISTORICAL TALES. " From what country do these young men come ?** asked Gregory. " They are English, Angles," answered the dealers. " Not Angles, but angels," said the deacon, with a feeling of poetic sentiment, " for they have angel- like faces. From what country come they?" ho repeated. "They come from Deira," said the merchants. "2>e ird" he rejoined, fervently; "ay, plucked from God's ire and called to Christ's mercy. And what is the name of their king ?" " Ella," was the answer. " Alleluia shall be sung there !" cried the enthusi- astic young monk, his imagination touched by the significance of these answers. He passed on, musing on the incident which had deeply stirred his sym- pathies, and considering how the light of Christianity could be shed upon the pagan lands whence these fair strangers came. It was a striking picture which surrounded that slave-market. From where the young deacon stood could be seen the capitol of ancient Rome and the grand proportions of its mighty Coliseum ; not far away the temple of Jupiter Stator displayed its magnificent columns, and other stately edifices of the imperial city came within the circle of vision. Home had ceased to be the mistress of the world, but it was not yet in ruins, and man}' of its noble edifices still stood almost in perfection. But paganism had vanished. The cross of Christ was the dominant symbol. The march of the warriors of the legions was replaced by long processions of cowled and HOW ENGLAND BECAME CHRISTIAN. 9 Bolemn monka. The temporal imperialism of Eome had ceased, the spiritual had begun; instead of armies to bring the world under the dominion of the Bword, that ancient city now sent out its legions of monks to bring it under the dominion of the cross. Gregory resolved to be one of the latter, A fair new field for missionary labor lay in that distant island, peopled by pagans whose aspect promised lo make them noble subjects of Christ's kingdom upon earth. The enthusiastic youth left Eome to seek Saxon England, moved thereto not by desire of earthly glory, but of heavenly reward. But this was not to be. His friends deemed that he was going to death, and begged the pope to order his return. Gregory was brought back and England remained pagan. Years went by. The humble deacon rose to be bishop of Eome and head of the Christian world. Gregory the Great, men named him, though he styled himself " Servant of the Lord's servants," and lived in like humility and simplicity of style as when he was a poor monk. The time at length came to which Gregory had looked forward. Ethelbert, king of Kentish Eng- land, married Bertha, daughter of the Fi'ench king Charibert, a fervent Christian woman. A few priests came with her to England, and the king gave them a ruined Christian edifice, the Chui'ch of St. Martin, outside the walls of Canterbury, for their worship. But it was overshadowed by a pagan temple, and the worship of Odin and Thoi still dominated Saxon England 10 HISTORICAL TALES. Gregory took quick advantage of this opportunity. The fair faces of the English slaves still appealed to his pitying soul, and he now sent Augustine, prior of St. Andrew's at Eome, with a band of forty monks as missionaries to England. It was the year of our Lord 597. The missionaries landed at the very spot where Hengist the Saxon conqueror had landed more than a century before. The one had brought the sword to England, the others brought the cross. King Ethelbert knew of their coming and had agreed to receive them ; but, by the advice of his priests, who feared conjuration and spells of magic, he gave them audience in the open air, where such spells have less power. The place was on the chalk-down above Minster, whence, miles away across the intervening marshes, one may to-day behold the distant tower of Canterbury cathedral. The scene, as pictured to us in the monkish chron- icles, was a picturesque and inspiring one. The hill selected for the meeting overlooked the ocean. King Ethelbert, with Queen Bertha by his side, awaited in state his visitors. Around were grouped the warriors of Kent and the priests of Odin. Silence reigned, and in the distance the monks could be seen advancing in solemn procession, singing as they came. He who came first bore a large silver crucifix. Another car- ried a banner with the painted image of Christ. The deep and solemn music, the venerable and peace- ful aspect of the strangers, the solemnity of the oc- casion, touched the heart of Ethelbert, already ftivor- ably inclined, as we may believe, to the faith of bis loved wife. HOW ENGLAND BECAME CHRISTIAN. 11 Augustine had brought interpreters from GauL Hy their aid he conveyed to the king the message ho had been sent to bring. Ethelbert listened in silence, the queen in rapt attention, the warriors and priests doubtless with varied sentiments. The appeal of Augustine at an end, Ethelbert spoke. " Your words are fair," he said, " but they are new, and of doubtful meaning. For myself, I propose to worship still the gods of my fathers. But you bring peace and good words; you are welcome to my kingdom ; while you stay here you shall have shelter and protection." His land was a land of plenty, he told them ; food, drink, and lodging should be theirs, and none should do them wi'ong ; England should be their home while they chose to stay. With these words the audience ended. Augustine and his monks fell again into procession, and, with singing of psalms and display of holy emblems, moved solemnly towards the city of Canterbury, where Bertha's church awaited them. As they en- tered the city they sang : " Turn from this city, O Lord, thine anger and wrath, and turn it from Thy holy house, for we have sinned." Then Gregory's joyful cry of " Alleluia ! Alleluia !" burst from their devout lips, as they moved into the first English church. The work of the " strangers from Rome" proceeded but slowly. Some converts were made, but Ethel bert held aloof Fortunately for Augustine, he had an advocate in the palace, one with near and dear speech in the king's eai. Wo cannot doubt that the 12 HISTORICAL TALES. gentle influence of Queen Bertha was a leading power in Etbelbert's conversion, A year passed. At its end the king gave way. On the day of Pentecost ho was baptized. Christ had succeeded Odin and Thor on the throne of the English heart, for the story of the king's conversion carried his kingdom with it. The men of Kent, hearing that their king had adopted the new faith, crowded the banks of the Swale, eager for baptism. The under-kings of Essex and East- Anglia became Christians. On the succeeding Christmas- day ten thousand of the people followed the example of their king. The new faith spread with wonder- ful rapidity throughout the kingdom of Kent. "When word of this great event reached Pope Gregory at Eome his heart was filled with joy. He exultinglj'" wrote to a friend that his missionaries had spread the religion of Christ " in the most re- mote parts of the world," and at once appointed Au- gustine archbishop of Canterbury and primate of all England, that he might complete the work he had 80 promisingly begun. Such is the story of the Christianizing of England as told in the ancient chronicle of the venerable Bede, the earliest of Eng- lish writers. As yet only Kent had been converted. North of it lay the kingdom of Northumbria, still a pagan realm. The story of its conversion, as told by Bede, is of no less interest than that just related. Edwin was its king, a man of great ability for that early day. His prowess is shown in a proverb : " A woman with her babe might walk scathless from eea to sea in Edwin's day." The highways, long HOW ENGLAND BECAME CHRISTIAN. 13 made dangerous by outlaw and ruthless warrior, were now safe avenues of travel ; the springs by the road- side were marked by stakes, while brass cups beside them awaited the traveller's hand. Edwin ruled over all northern England, as Ethelbert did over the south. Edinburgh was within his dominions, and from him it had its name^ — Edwin's burgh, the city of Edwin. Christianity came to this monarch's heart in some such manner as it had reached that of Ethelbert, through the appealing influence of his wife. A daughter of King Ethelbert had come to share his throne. She, like Bertha her mother, was a Chris- tian. With her came the monk Paulinus, from the church at Canterbury. He was a man of striking aspect, — of tall and stooping form, slender, aquiline nose, and thin, worn face, round which fell long black hair. The ardent missionary, aided doubtless by the secret appeals of the queen, soon produced an influ- ence upon the intelligent mind of Edwin. The mon- arch called a council of his wise men, to talk with them about the new doctrine which had been taught in his realm. Of what passed at that council we have but one short speech, but it is one that illumi- nates it as no other words could have done, a lesson in prose which is full of the finest spirit of poetry, perhaps the most picturesque image of human life that has ever been put into words. " So seems to me the life of man, O king," said an aged noble, "as a sparrow's flight through the hall when you are sitting at meat in winter-tide, with the warm fire lighted on the hearth, while out- 2 14 HISTORICAL TALES. Bide all is storm of rain and snow. The sparrow flies in at one door, and tarries for a moment in the light and heat of the fire within, and then, flying forth from the other, vanishes into the wintry dark- ness whence it came. So the life of man tarries for a moment in our sight ; but of what went before it, or what is to follow it, we know nothing. If this new teaching tells us something more certain of these things, let us follow it." Such an appeal could not but have a powerful efiect upon his hearers. Those were days when men were more easily moved by sentiment than by argu- ment. Edwin and his councillors heard with favoring ears. Not last among them was Coifi, chief priest of the idol-worship, whose ardent soul was stirred by the words of the old thane. "None of your people, King Edwin, have wor- shipped the gods more busily than I," he said, " yet there are many who have been more favored and are more fortunate. Were these gods good for anything they would help their worshippers." Grasping his spear, the irate priest leaped on hia horse, and riding at full speed towards the temple sacred to the heathen gods, he hurled the warlike weapon furiously into its precincts. The lookers-on, nobles and commons alike, beheld his act with awe, in doubt if the deities of their old worship would not avenge with death this insult to their fane. Yet all remained silent ; no thunders rent the skies ; the desecrating priest sat his horse unharmed. When, then, he bade them follow him to the neighboring stream, to be baptized in its now ENGLAND BECAME CHRISTIAN. 15 waters into the new faith, an eager multitude crowded upon his steps. The spot where Edwin and his followers were bap- tized is thus described by Camden, in his " Descrip tion of Great Britain," etc. : '' In the Eoman times, not far from its bank upon the little river Foulness (wliere Wighton, a small town, but well-stocked with husbandmen, now stands), there seems to have formerly stood Delgovitia; as it is probable both from the likeness and the signification of the name. For the British word Delgwe (or rather Ddehd) signifies the statues or images of the heathen gods ; and in a little village not far off there stood an idol-tcmple, which was in very great honor in the Saxon times, and, from the heathen gods in it, was then called Godmundingham, and now, in the same F€nse, Godmanhani." It was into this temple that Coifi flung his desecrating spear, and in this stream that Edwin the king received Christian baptism. But Christianity did not win England without a struggle. After the deatli of Ethelbert and Edwin, paganism revived and fought hard for the mastery. The Roman monks lost their enei'gy, and were con- fined to the vicinity of Canterbury. Conversion came again, but from the west instead of the east, from Ireland instead of Rome. Christianity had been received with enthusiasm in Erin's isle. Less than half a century after the death of St. Patrick, the first missionary, flourishing Chris- tian schools existed at Darrow and Armagh, lettera and the arts were cultivated, and missionaries were leaving the shores of Ireland to carry the faith clue- 16 HISTORICAL TALES wtere. From the famous monastery which they founded at lona, on the west coast of Scotland, came the new impulse which gave Christianity its fixed footing in England, and finally drove paganism from Britain's shores. Oswald, of North umbria, be- came the bulwark of the new faith ; Penda, of Mercia, the sword of heathendom ; and a long struggle for religion and dominion ensued between these warlike chiefs. Oswald was slain in battle; Penda led hia conquering host far into the Christian realm ; but a new king, Oswi by name, overthrew Penda and his army in a great defeat, and the worship of the older gods in England was at an end. But a half-century of struggle and bloodshed passed before the victory of Christ over Odin was fully won. THE WOOING OF ELFRIDA, Of all the many fair maidens of the Saxon realm none bore such fame for beauty as the charming Elfrida, daughter of the earl of Devonshire, and the rose of southern England. She had been edu- cated in the country and had never been seen in London, but the report of her charms of face and person spread so widely that all the land became filled with the tale. It soon reached the court and came to the ears of Edgar, the king, a youthful monarch who had an open ear for all tales of maidenly beauty. He was yet but little more than a boy, was unmarried, and a born lover. The praises of this country charmer, therefore, stiried his susceptible heart. She was nobly born, the heiress to an earldom, the very rose of English maidens, — what better consort for the thr<5ne could be found ? If report spoke true, this was the maiden he should choose for wife, this fair- est flower of the Saxon realm. But rumor grows apace, and common report is not to be trusted. Edgar thought it the part of discretion to make sure of the beauty of the much-lauded Elfrida before making a formal demand for her hand in marriage. Devonshire was far away, roads few and poor in II — h 1* 17 \8 HISTORICAL TALES. Si xon England, travel slow and wearisome, and tho kii. % had no taste for the journey to the castle of Olgur of Devon. Nor did he deem it wise to declare his intention till he made sure that the maiden was to his liking. He, therefore spoke of his purpose to Earl Athelwold, his favorite, whom he bade to pay a visit, on some pretence, to Earl Olgar of Devon- shire, to see his renowned daughter, and to bring to the court a certain account concerning her beauty. Athelwold went to Devonshire, saw the lady, and proved faithless to his trust. Love made him a traitor, as it has made many before and since his day. So marvellousl}'- beautiful he found Elfrida that his heart fell prisoner to the most vehement Jove, a passion so ardent that it drove all thoughts of honor and fidelity from his soul, and he deter- mined to have this charming lass of Devonshire for his own, despite king or commons. Athelwold's high station had secured him a warm welcome from his brother earl. He acquitted him- self of his pretended mission to Olgar, basked as long as prudence permitted in the sunlight of his lady's eyes, and, almost despite himself, made mani- fest to Elfrida the sudden passion that had filled his soul. The maiden took it not amiss, Athelwold was young, handsome, rich, and high in station, Elfrida susceptible and ambitious, and he returned to London not without hope that he had favorably impressed the lady's heart, and filled with the faith- less purpose of deceiving the king. " You have seen and noted her, Athelwold," said Edgar, on giving him audience; "what have you THE WOOING OP ELFRIDA. 19 to say ? Has report spoken truly ? Is she indeed the marvellous beauty that rumor tells, or has fame, the liar, played us one of his old tricks?" " Not altogether ; the woman is not bad-looking," Baid Athehvold, with studied lack of enthusiasm; " but I fear that high station and a pretty face have combined to bewitch the people. Certainly, if she had been of low birth, her channs would never have been heard of outside her native village." " I' faith, Athelwold, you are not warm in your praise of this queen of beauty," said Edgar, with some disappointment. " Eumor, then, has lied, and she is but an every-day woman, after all ?" "Beauty has a double origin," answered Athel- wold ; " it lies partly in the face seen, partly in the eyes seeing. vSome might go mad over this Elfrida, but to my taste Loudon affords fairer faces. I speak but for myself. Should you see her you might think differently." Athelwold had managed his story shrewdly ; the king's ardor grew cold. " If the matter stands thus, he that wants her may have her," said Edgar. "The diamond that fails to show its lustre in all candles is not the gem for my wearing. Confess, Athelwold, you are trying to overpaint this woman; you found only an ordi- nary face." "I saw nothing in it extraordinary," answered the faithless envoy. "Some might, perhaps. lean only speak for myself. As I take it, Elfr Ida's noble birth and her fathers wealth, which will come to her as sole heiress, have had their share in painting 20 HISTORICAL TALES. this rose. The woman may have beauty enough for a countess ; hardly enough for a queen." " Then you should have wooed and won her your- self," said Edgar, laughing " Such a faintly-praised charmer is not for me. I leave her for a lower-born iDver." Several days passed. Athelwold had succeeded in his purpose ; the king had evidently been cured of his fancy for Elfrida. The way was open for the next step in his deftly-laid scheme. He took it by turning the conversation, in a later interview, upon the Devon maiden. " I have been thinking over your remark, that I should woo and win Elfrida myself," he said. " It seems to me not a bad idea. I must confess that the birth and fortune of the lady added no beauty to her in my eyes, as it seems to have done in those of others; yet I cannot but think that the woman would make a suitable match for me. She is an earl's daughter, and she will inherit great wealth ; these are advantages which fairly compensate some lack of beauty. I have decided, therefore, sire, if I can gain your approbation, to ask Olgar for his daughter's hand. I fancy I can gain her consent if I have his." " I shall certainly not stand in your way," said the king, pleased with the opportunity to advance his favorite's fortunes. " By all means do as you propose. I will give you letters to the earl and his lady, re- commending the match. You must trust to yourself to make your way with the maiden." "I think she is not quite displeased with me," answered Athelwold. THE WOOING OF ELFRIBA. 21 What followed few words may tell. The passion of love in Athelwold's heart had driven out all con- siderations of honor and duty, of the good faith he owed the king, and of the danger of his false and treacherous course. Warm with hope, he returned with a lover's haste to Devonshire, where he gained the approval of the earl and countess, won the hand and seemingly the heart of their beautiful daughter, and was speedily united to the lady of his love, and became for the time being the happiest man in Eng- land. But before the honey-moon was well over, the faith- less friend and subject realized that he had a difficult and dangerous part to play. He did not dare let Edgar see his wife, for fear of the instant detection of his artifice, and he employed every pretence to keep her in the country. Ilis duties at the court brought him frequently to London, but with the skill at ex- cuses he had formerly shown he contrived to satisfy for the time the queries of the king and the impor- tunities of his wife, who had a natural desire to visit the capital and to shine at the king's court. Athelwold was sailing between Scyllaand Charj-b- dis. lie could scarcely escape being wrecked on the rocks of his own falsehood. The enemies who always surround a royal favorite were not long in sui-mising the truth, and lost no time in acquainting Edgar with their suspicions. Confirmation was not wanting. There were those in London who had seen Elfrida. The king's eyes were opened to the treacherous arti- fice of which he had been made the victim. Edgar was deeply incensed, but artfully concealed 22 HISTORICAL TALES. his anger. Eeflection, too, told him that these men were Athelwold's enemies, and that the man he had loved and trusted ought not to be condemned on the insinuations of his foes. He would satisfy himself if his favorite had played the traitor, and if so would visit him with the punishment he deserved. "Athelwold," said Edgar, in easy tones, "I am surprised you do not bring your wife to court. Surely the woman, if she is true woman, must crave to come." " Not she," answered Athelwold. " She loves the country well and is a pattern of the rural virtues. The woman is homely and home-loving, and I should be sorry to put new ideas in her rustic pate. More- over, I fear my little candle would shine too poorly among your courtly stars to offer her in contrast." " Fie on you, man ! the wife of Athelwold cannot be quite a milkmaid. If you will not bring her here, then I must pay you a visit in your castle ; I like you too well not to know and like your wife." This proposition of the king filled Athelwold with terror and dismay. He grew pale, and hesitatingly sought to dissuade Edgar from his project, but in vain. The king had made up his mind, and laugh- ingly told him that he could not rest till he had seen the homely housewife whom Athelwold was afraid to trust in court. " I feel the honor you would do me," at length remarked the dismayed favorite. " I only ask, sire, that you let me go before you a few hours, that my castle may be properly prepared for a visit from my kins." THE WOOING OF ELFRIDA. 23 "As you will, gossip," laughed the king. "Away with you, then ; I will soon follow." In all haste the traitor sought his castle, quaking with fear, and revolving in his mind schemes for avoiding the threatened disclosure. He could think of but one that promised success, and that depended on the love and compliance of Elfrida. He had de- ceived her. Ho must tell her the truth. With her aid his faithless action might still be concealed. Entering his castle, he sought Elfrida and revealed to her the whole measure of his deceit, how he had won her from the king, led by his overpowering love, how he had kept her from the king's eyes, and how Edgar now, filled, he feared, with suspicion, was on his way to the castle to see her for himself. In moving accents the wretched man appealed to her, if she had any regard for his honor and his life, to conceal from the king that fatal beauty which had lured him from his duty to his friend and mon- arch, and led him into endless falsehoods. He had but his love to offer as a warrant for his double faith- lessness, and implored Elfrida, as she returned his affection, to lend her aid to his exculpation. If she loved him as she seemed, she would put on her home- liest attire, employ the devices of the toilette to hide her fatal beauty, and assume an awkward and rustic tone and manner, that the king might be deceived. Elfrida heard him in silence, her face scarcely con- coaling the indignation which burned in her soul on learning the artifice by which she had been robbed of a crown. In the end, however, she seemed moved by his entreaties and softened by his love, and prom- 24 HISTORICAL TALES. ised to comply with his wishes and do her utmost to conceal her charms. Gratified with this compliance, and full of hope that all would yet be safe, Athelwold completed his preparations for the reception of the king, and met him on his appearance with every show of honor and respect. Edgar seemed pleased by his reception, entered the castle, but was not long there before he asked to see its lady, saying merrily that she had been the loadstone that had drawn him thither, and that he was eager to behold her charming ftice. " I fear I have little of boauty and grace to show you," answered Athelwold ; " but she is a good wife withal, and I love her for virtues which few would call courtly." He tm'ned to a servant and bade him ask his mis- tress to come to the castle hall, where the king expected her. Athelwold waited with hopeful eyes; the king with curious expectation. The husband knew how unattractive a toilet his wife could make if she would; Edgar was impatient to test for himself the various reports he had received concerning this wild rose of Devonshire. The lady entered. The hope died from Ath el- wold's eyes ; the pallor of death overspread his face. A sudden light flashed into the face of the king, a glow made up of passion and anger. For instead of the ill-dressed and awkward country housewife for whom Athelwold looked, there beamed upon all present a woman of regal beauty, clad in her richest attu'e, her charms of face and person set off with all THE WOOING OF ELFRIDA. 25 the adornment that jewels and laces could bcf