The thunder-clouds close o"er it, which, when rent, The earth is covered thick with other clay,Which her own clay shall cover-heaped and pent, Rider and horse, friend, foe, in one red burial blent.
Lord Byron.
Author.-Byron (see "The Storm ").
General Notes.-Mark how swiftly the action moves through the various scenes-the happy ballroom, the alarm, the make-ready, the march to the battlefield, the conflict itself, the scene of desolation afterwards. The ball was given by the Duchess of Richmond at Brussels on the 15th of June, three days before the battle. Find the site of Waterloo on the map of Belgium. Read an account of the battle in a history text-book. The next day after the ball, battles were fought between the French and British at Quatre Bras (katr-brah) and between the French and Prussians at Ligny(leen-ye). The Cameron"s gathering was the pibroch or war-note of the Cameron Highlanders. Lochiel being the chief of the clan. "Evan"s, Donald"s " are references to Sir Evan Cameron, who fought at Killecrankie, and Donald Cameron, who fought for Prince Charlie and was wounded at Culloden (1746). Mark the confused movement in stanza 3 and the swift movement in stanza 4.
LESSON 53
ARCHERy IN THE OlDEN TImE
part I.
The sound of the trumpets soon recalled those spectators who had already begun to leave the field; and proclamation was made that Prince John, suddenly called by high and peremptory public duties, held himself obliged to discontinue the entertainments of to-morrow"s festival; nevertheless that, unwilling so many good yeomen should depart without a trial of skill, he was pleased to appoint them, before leaving the ground, presently to execute the competition of archery intended for the morrow. To the best archer a prize was to be awarded, being a bugle-horn mounted with silver, and a silken baldric richly ornamented with a medallion of Saint Hubert, the patron of sylvan sport.
More than thirty yeomen at first presented themselves as competitors, several of whom were rangers and underkeepers in the royal forests of Needwood and Charnwood. When, however, the archers understood with whom they were to be matched, upwards of twenty withdrew themselves from the contest, unwilling to encounter the dishonour of almostcertain defeat. For in those days the skill of each celebrated marksman was well known for many miles around.
The diminished list of competitors for sylvan fame still amounted to eight. Prince John stepped from his royal seat to view more closely the persons of these chosen yeomen, several of whom wore the royal livery. Having satisfied his curiosity by this investigation, he looked for the object of his resentment, whom he observed standing on the same spot, and with the same composed countenance which he had exhibited upon the preceding day.
"Fellow, " said Prince John, "I guessed by thy insolent babble thou wert no true lover of the long-bow, and I see thou darest not adventure thy skill among such merry men as stand yonder. "" Under favour, sir, " replied the yeoman, "I have another reason for refraining to shoot, besides fearing discomfiture and disgrace. ""And what is thy other reason ? " said Prince John, who, for some cause which perhaps he could not himself have explained, felt a painful curiosity respecting this individual.
"Because, " replied the woodsman, "I know not if these yeomen and I are used to shoot at the same marks; and because, moreover, I know not how your Grace might relish the winning of a third prize by one who has unwittingly fallen under your displeasure. "Prince John coloured as he put the question, " What is thyname, yeoman? "
"Locksley, " answered the yeoman.
"Then, Locksley, "said Prince John, "thou shalt shoot in thy turn, when these yeomen have displayed their skill. If thou carriest the prize, I will add to it twenty nobles; but if thou losest it, thou shalt be stripped of thy Lincoln green, and scourged out of the lists with bow-strings, for a wordy and insolent braggart. ""And how if I refuse to shoot on such a wager? " said the yeoman. "Your Grace"s power, supported as it is by so many men-at-arms, may indeed easily strip and scourge me, but cannot compel me to bend or to draw my bow. ""If thou refusest my fair proffer, " said the prince, "the provost of the lists shall cut thy bow-string, break thy bow and arrows, and expel thee from the presence as a faint- hearted craven. ""This is no fair chance you put on me, proud prince, " said the yeoman, " to compel me to peril myself against the best archers of Leicester and Staffordshire, under the penalty of infamy if they should overshoot me. Nevertheless, I will obey your pleasure. "A target was placed at the upper end of the southern avenue which led to the lists. The contending archers took their station in turn at the bottom of the southern access; the distance between that station and the mark allowing full scope for what was called a shot at rovers. The archers, havingpreviously determined by lot their order of precedence, were to shoot each three shafts in succession.
Drawn by John Rowell
"Locksley stepped to the appointed place. "
part II.
One by one the archers, stepping forward, delivered their shafts yeoman-like and bravely. Of twenty-four arrows, shot in succession, ten were fixed in the target; and the others ranged so near it, that, considering the distance of the mark, it was accounted good archery. Of the ten shafts which hit the target, two within the inner ring were shot by Hubert, a forester in the service of Malvoisin; who was accordingly pronounced victorious.