opened it with a trembling hand, and soon had the steel casket safe within my bosom. I had again closed up that secret cabinet, and was once more passing quickly towards the hearth, when a strong and mournful blast of November's wind, swept in from the gallery the broken oriel-window, and, mightily shaking the chamber wherein I then was, suddenly shut the secret door with a clap of wondrous loudness; the spring thereof locking itself so firmly, that all in vain I essayed to open or even to discover it again.

Whilst I stood thus perplexed, and pondering how I might best escape from the jeopardy into which that mischance had thrown me, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching the chamber, whereupon I also came forward, either to leap from the window, if space were given me so to do, or to brave all hazards as I might; but in nowise to discover the passage whereby I had entered, nor even to be seen near the secret door, lest others should find the means to open it and so descend unto the cell. He who presently came in unto the apartment, was a tall and stout man of a martial air, as though he had sometime been wont to bear arms; and indeed he was now habited in the coarse and soiled dress, and dull iron of a common soldier. His face methough re a look of craft and reckless boldness, as if he nad been one of those wandering foreign lance-men, who follow any leader, and do any deed for gain, the which were of old oft-times brought into England to fill up the king's armies, though much to the molestation and disquiet of the realm; and of a truth he was no other than a stout and subtle lanz-knecht,

who could well keep him by spur and spear, wherever there was tumult, war, or spoil.

I did thus curiously look upon his features, for that they seemed unto me as if I had more than once seen them afore; of the which I was full soon convinced, when he accosted me in a mocking voice with "Ha! what my young master! art thou here too? methinks we meet full often of late; and which way might you get entrance, my forward stripling?"

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"Truly," answered I, with such boldness as I could best assume on the instant, “ truly, it asks but small warrant to enter a house where there is neither lord in the chamber nor lacquey in the hall; and so I even wandered hither, and was gazing awhile upon this old apartment; but for our often meeting in good sooth I wot but little." Ay, marry," responded the gibing soldier, "that I trow is because you are like most other great men who forget their friends; natheless, I know ye as well here as at Ely monastery or Leicester castle, or in West-Cheap when the city-watch is marching, or in the Red Rose hostel of Gideon Staples at Elveston ;-when some were in shrewd hazard of being hung for a traitor, had not I been at hand to cover their safe withdrawing."

Unto this I exclaimed in great amazement, "what sayest thou? wert thou the clerk then who told me of the overthrow at Stoke, and showed me where Israel of Castile was waiting for me?"

"Ay, by St. Nicholas ! was I, my young springald," responded the rude soldier, for that I was his debtor and had so covenanted with him; and I ever keep true touch to mine employers."

Scarcely so, methinks," answered I, "if, as I take it, you are one Bernard Schalken, a Brabanter, who served Sir Gilbert De Mountford, and knavishly left and betrayed him, with certain letters that were intrusted unto his charge."

"Content thee, content thee, stripling, it skills not what thou thinkest of that act," responded the lanceman, "though I be in sooth Bernard Schalken; howbeit, as I would anon fain have thee frank with me, I will first be so, with thee, therefore open thine ears and take this lesson from an old soldier and traveller, if thou shouldest have life given thee to use it. I was born to a hardy lanzknecht, on a march in Germany; though I speak you most tongues, having served in most countries. Now you may well wot that we Flemings and Almaines, who live by spur and spear, must be little dainty as to what lord we will serve, though we be true as blade to pomel when we have once engaged us, until our paction be out: so Sir Gilbert De Mountford was overseen, in that, when my time was up, he struck no new bargain with me. Thus might I leave him, yet with a clear faith, and take service with King Harry, who held me to spy and peer after such forward Yorkists as thyself; and I may now tell thee, that another day in London after thy brawl in West-Cheap, had seen thee in hold, young Sir, with your consorts, Sir Gilbert De Mountford, Master St. Leger, and others of the like sort."

Then did I full anxiously demand of Bernard touching the imprisonment of the good knight, whereupon he told me, how having been in great straits from suspicion of being in league with the

Yorkists, he was at length arrested and sent unto the Tower, with others of his party, and landed at the Traitors' Bridge. "Once secured there," added the soldier, "Sir Gilbert had but brief space given him either for sorrow or shriving; since a short hour for confession and prayer, was all that passed between the jailer's bolt, the priest's rosary, and the sharp axe of the executioner!"

I looked much aghast at these tidings, the truth whereof I did almost question, because they were uttered in a rude and gibing voice, yet too soon did I find that Bernard spake full sooth, and that my former friend, the stout and generous Sir Gilbert, had indeed perished untimely upon the scaffold. In his fall, I saw, with much fear and sadness, the hazard wherein I myself stood of dying like a traitor were I taken, and I resolved if I might now escape, at once to cross the seas and become a soldier; since to be slain in a brave, though bloody war, where I might sink into a valorous grave, seemed, unto my mind, but little pain in comparison thereof.

But whiles I thus pondered, the rude Bernard continued, "Ay, by the spear of St. Michael ! stripling, you may well look grave, for that I have told you is as true as the 'Vangils; and you had gone with the rest, had you not fled as you did, for you neither guerdoned my favour nor bought my silence."

"And how might I deem," answered I unto the wily adventurer, "how was I to think that such pay was looked for ?"

Gold makes the truest breastplate,” replied

Bernard thereunto, "but that debt you may yet wipe out. Howbeit, as I guessed that all Yorkists would ride the same road, my barb and I set out towards Stoke to meet you. When at Elveston I encountered the Hebrew you wot of, and although, to make better espial, I had clad me in a clerk's doublet, yet, to tell you truly, I had as lief seen the Henker, as the Jew; since I owed him certain moneys for drinkings and other disports, for King Harry gives good employ, though small pay and bare quarters. I was pondering how best to avoid him or give him some sort of quittance, for my sword is alway heavier than my pouch,-when he at once knew me, accosted me, and proffered to blot out my score, and give me a noble to boot, so I would truly look after thy safety, and seize from thee such letters as might bring thee into hazard; the which I agreed to, and well, I trow, did I keep my pledge.'

Hereupon I demanded of the rude soldier if he now knew aught of Israel, whereunto he answered, by telling me of certain matters which I perceived had chanced in mine absence, and of which I had not yet heard. He told me of the hazard into which the Jew had fallen, from being suspected of holding secret intercourse with the Lord Lovel, whom divers thought was yet living, though his retreat might not be found; and farther, that some week past Israel had been seized by certain spies lurking near the Viscount's dwelling. Mine heart sank within me as he recounted the Hebrew's after fate, how he had been fearfully menaced, to make him give full and true answer to all which might be demanded; but albeit VOL. II.-C