Though ample testimony is borne to the simple and engaging manners of
the Lake residents, I must confess there is a little Vandalism among
them. They do not feel that generous love and veneration for the
glorious remains of other years which ought to warm the breast of every
Englishman. My uncle was indignant at the inattention paid to the
scattered ruins of Penrith Castle.
"The Turks," he observed, "could only have turned the ruined habitations
of the Christian nobles into cattle-sheds and pigstyes!"
We sat ourselves down at the edge of the moat, where the disgusting
inroads of modern improvements would least obtrude themselves on our
view, to contemplate the ruined strength and fallen grandeur of our
ancestors. We were scarcely seated when an elderly gentleman, on whose
countenance a cheerful good nature was visibly impressed, approached us.
My uncle invited him to take a seat on our green sofa, with which
invitation he smilingly complied.
My uncle, whose ideas were at least two centuries old, opened the
conversation by an allusion to those times when our old northern
castles shone in all their splendour; and their inhabitants possessed
their original power.
"How much of their outward dignity have the higher classes lost,"
observed my uncle, "since literature and commerce have shed their genial
influence on our favoured isle."
"Yes," replied the stranger; "and how much have the lower classes been
elevated since that period. The ranks of society are less distinct; and
the system of equality is perhaps as nearly realised as the well-being
of society could admit."
"In some respects it may be so," said my father; "but I think that we
might yet dispense with some of that pride which separates man from his
brother man."
"If one may believe report," said my sister, "there was more love in
former times than there is now. People were kinder then; men were more
faithful; and unions in general more happy than they are at present."
"I can tell you a story on that subject," replied the stranger, "which
will be interesting to the young people, and I hope no way disagreeable
to old ones. For I count the person who cannot sympathise in a love
story to be unfit for any social duty, and calculated for nothing but
the cloister or the cell."
"By all means," exclaimed my sister, "let us hear it. If there be
anything about the firm faith of a female heart, it will be pleasing."
"If there be anything," said my uncle, "about the manners of our
ancestors, it will be instructive."
"If there be anything," said my father, "about the villany of man in it,
it must be true."
"There will be something about all these," replied the stranger, and he
now related the story.
It was customary in the times to which I allude, said our garrulous
acquaintance, for the owners of these old halls and castles to retain
each a jester in his mansion, called by the common people a fool.
According to custom Sir Allan Pennington had a jester, whose name was
Thomas Skelton, but whose common appellation was Tom Fool of Muncaster.
But I shall have occasion to mention him in the course of my story; as
he performed a tragical part in it--rather too much so, to be enumerated
among the drolleries of a common jester. I will, however, give you the
tale as I have often heard the parson repeat it to an old maiden aunt of
mine, with whom I was brought up; and who never heard it without a
copious flow of tears.
The morning was most delightful (this was the parson's uniform way of
introducing the story), when the level beams of the sun first gleamed on
the smooth surface of Devoke Water, and informed the joyous villagers
that it was the First of May. The wooden clogs were stripped from the
feet of the blooming damsels, and the leathern shoes, which had been
carefully preserved from the preceding year, and many of which had
adorned the feet of their mothers and grandmothers, were taken out of
the paper which enveloped them. The oil with which they had been rubbed
twelve months before was polished by the warm hand to a fine gloss.
Every garden was robbed of its bloom to form garlands and chaplets in
order to beautify what could not be beautified; for what--the parson
would say, looking languishingly at my aunt--could add beauty to a
Cumberland maiden?
The Maypole was reared in a delightful meadow on the banks of Devoke
Water; and the maidens blooming in beauty, and the youths bounding in
health, repaired thither from the surrounding cottages. As the festive
dance commenced, the soul of innocent gaiety began to expand. The
festoons of flowers waving from the Maypole, and the garlands of the
damsels, all gently agitated by a slight breeze, gave a gracefulness to
the scene which no language can describe. It seemed as if the
exhilarating breath of spring gave elasticity to the youthful limb, and
a higher zest to the spirits, as the lively music gave emotion to the
nimble feet of the light-footed dancers.
At the first pause in the dance every eye was attracted towards a most
heavenly maiden, attired in the simple garb of a Cumberland shepherdess.
She came tripping along the meadow in the full glow of her beauty, and,
with a smile, joined the maiden circle. Every tongue was inquiring, "Wha
is she?"--and every eye was eager to obtain a glance of her charms.
Several of the most respectable shepherds offered to lead her to the
dance, but she modestly refused. Among the rest Wild Will of Whitbeck,
as he was generally called, urged her to favour him with her hand.
"I only came," said she, "to be a spectator of these innocent gaities;
and, should I share in them, I should wish to procure a more modest
partner."
"A modest partner!" exclaimed Will, "yan et darn't luik at ya: yan etle
stand eating his thooms, and just whisperen la doon, 'will ya dance?' A
poor feckless thing et darn't lait a sweetheart withoot its minny ga wi'
it."
"You will please to leave me, shepherd," replied the maid, "and carry
your raillery to other ears where it may be more agreeable."
"I'll hev a kiss furst," said Will, "for that canny feace and filed
tongue hez quite laid ma ith brears."
"Forbear your rudeness, for God's sake," cried the damsel; "or you may
repent it."
"By all the powers af love and beauty," exclaimed the carpenter's son,
stepping up at that moment, "unless he stands off he shall repent it.
Will you take a dance with me, fair maiden?"
She willingly complied. But the elder and more experienced part of the
company said they observed a glance pass between them, which said they
had met before. This renewed the inquiry who the damsel might be, but in
vain. Will retired in a gloomy rage, swearing that he would discover
who the girl was, and have revenge on the carpenter, if it cost him his
life.
The lovers heard not his threats, but repaired to the Maypole; and, as
they danced around it, sang the following roundelay:--
"What are monarchs' courts, my dear?
Can their splendour yield them bliss?
Can the thrones and crowns of kings
Yield a joy as sweet as this?
Dancing round the Maypole!
Here no care or pain, my dear,
Can into our bosom steal;
Heaven itself can scarce surpass
Pleasures such as these we feel,
Dancing round the Maypole!
Now, returning Spring, my dear,
Wakes the birds on every spray--
We, whose hearts are formed for love,
Sure may be as blithe as they.
Dancing round the Maypole!
Hark the song of love, my dear,
Every heart and tongue employ;
And shall we, less fond than they,
Mix not in the general joy,
Dancing round the Maypole!
Let our glowing hearts, my dear,
Revel in the burning bliss;--
Speak our feelings through our eyes,
And seal our union with a kiss,
Dancing round the Maypole!"
Various were the conjectures respecting the unknown shepherdess; though
all the country maids agreed that she was not what she seemed.
"Be wha she will," said Wild Will of Whitbeck, "I'll hunt it oot."
"She's niver worth it," observed a girl, who probably thought Will might
employ his time better. But Will was not to be driven from his purpose.
And some of those who had been refused by the fair unknown urged Will to
make his promise good. Therefore, when the evening drew on, and the
young people began to pair off towards home, Will, and two of his
companions who were not more agreeably occupied, followed Richard, the
carpenter's son, and his lovely partner, towards home. But little did
they expect to see her sheltered in Muncaster Hall. As the lovers stood
exchanging vows of eternal constancy at the garden gate, their pursuers
heard enough to inform them that the maid was Helwise, daughter of Sir
Allan Pennington; and to convince them that their faith was mutually
plighted.
"Noo," said Will, "I hev him o' the hip. For Sir Ferdinand Hoddleston,
of Millum Castle, wants et wed that leddy; an' if I yance let him kna et
this silly carpenter follows her, he'll meak an example on him."
When Will informed the neighbours next Sunday of his discovery, they
were struck with astonishment at the handsome young carpenter's
audacity, as they termed it. The young women hoped and trusted that Sir
Allan would never know; for it would be a pity that so nice a young man
should be hanged--as he was sure to be, if Sir Allan knew that he
courted his daughter. At the same time they thought he might have been
content with one of the shepherd girls; yet it was hard he should be
hanged for love. He deserved to be sent out of the country, the young
men observed. The maidens thought it would be a pity to send him away;
but they might put him in a nunnery, or something of that sort.
Wild Will of Whitbeck gave no opinion on the subject--his plans were
deeper. He knew Sir Ferdinand and his temper well. He had often attended
him in his sporting excursions; and, owing to his never-failing flow of
rustic wit, could any time find admittance at Millum Castle, where his
drolleries would beguile Sir Ferdinand of a melancholy hour. Will,
therefore, adopted this plan to make Sir Ferdinand the avenger of the
insult he had received from the carpenter, and the repulse he had met
with from the lovely Helwise.
"We had fine spooart o'th first o' May," said Will; "but I got cruel ill
vext."
"What happened to vex thee?" inquired Sir Ferdinand.
"Wya, ye see," said Will, "Sir Allan's daughter donned hersell like a
country hoody, an thought et naebody could a kent her, but I kent her
weel eneugh."
"And did that vex thee?" replied Sir Ferdinand.
"I sa her," replied Will, "an mear oor an' that, I followed em heam, an
sa em give yan another a kiss. When she put her arms roond his neck, I
war stark wood. What! war Dick better ner me?"
The train was now laid. Will had roused Sir Ferdinand's vengeance,
without giving the least hint that he suspected such a thing.
"Shall I!" exclaimed Sir Ferdinand, as soon as Will had retired, "Shall
I be made a fool of by a carpenter's son? Shall such a wretch as that
presume to be my rival in the affections of the loveliest maid in
Cumberland? Curse the idea! He shall be taught to know his duty better.
No, I scorn to apply to Sir Allan. I will be my own avenger. Were he
removed I should be at peace. That will do. He dies!"
Once resolved, Sir Ferdinand felt no rest till his scheme was
accomplished. The morning had scarcely dawned till he mounted and rode
for Muncaster Hall. Few of the family were stirring when Sir Ferdinand
arrived. Tom Fool, however, was up, and hastened to meet the knight, who
had often expressed himself pleased with Tom's rustic wit.
"Good morning, Tom," said Sir Ferdinand, "what makes you laugh so this
morning, Tom?"
"Lord Lucy's footman," replied Tom, "put a trick on me the last time he
was here; and I have been paying him back what I owed him, for I would
be in no man's debt."
"How hast thou managed thy revenge?" returned Sir Ferdinand.
"He asked me," said Tom, "if the river was passable; and I told him it
was, for nine of our family had just gone over. ('They were nine geese,'
whispered Tom, 'but I did not tell him that.') The fool set into the
river, and would have been drowned, I believe, if I had not helped him
out."
"If thou'lt revenge me of a scoundrel who lives here," said Sir
Ferdinand, "I'll make a man of thee."
"You'll do what Sir Allan could never do, then," replied Tom, with a
laugh. "But who is it, pray?"
"'Tis the carpenter," replied the knight.
"I owe him a grudge, too," said Tom; "for I put those three shillings
which you gave me into a hole, and I found them weezend every time I
went to look at them; and now they are only three silver pennies. I have
just found out that Dick has weezend them."
"Then kill him, Tom, with his own axe, when he is asleep sometime; and
I'll see that thou takes no harm for it," replied Sir Ferdinand.
"He deserves it, and I'll do it," said Tom.
"There's three crowns for thee," said Sir Ferdinand, "and he'll not
weezen them, if thou follow my advice."
Tom wanted no further inducement. His own injuries, and the hopes of
reward from Sir Ferdinand soon influenced him. And the next day, while
the unsuspecting carpenter was taking his after-dinner nap, and
dreaming probably of the incomparable beauties of his adorable Helwise,
Tom entered the shed, and, with one blow of the axe, severed the
carpenter's head from his body.
"There," said Tom to the servants, "I have hid Dick's head under a heap
of shavings; and he will not find that so easily, when he awakes, as he
did my shillings."
Sir Ferdinand was grievously disappointed in his scheme; for the lovely
Helwise had buried her heart in the same grave that held the remains of
her sleeping lover. It was in vain that Sir Ferdinand urged the
tenderness and sincerity of his passion. She was deaf to his entreaties.
Her heart was cold, and no human power could warm it. The noisy mirth of
the hall she could hear unmoved; the mazy intricacies of the festive
dance could not reanimate her; the glowing beauties of the summer
landscape were gloomy and dull as December. She resolved to seclude
herself from the giddy world, and brood over her own sorrows in a
nunnery. She therefore retired to the Benedictine Convent of Maiden
Castle--the ruins of which are still visible behind higher end of Soulby
Fell; where she passed her few remaining days in piety and silent
solitude.
The conscience of Sir Ferdinand left him no repose; and, to stifle
recollections which became continually more insupportable, he joined the
army, and soon after fell in the battle of Bosworth Field, fighting
against the Earl of Richmond. He left a very handsome estate in the
neighbourhood of Kirksancton to St. Mary's Abbey of Furness, to purchase
masses for the repose of his own soul, and the soul of the young
carpenter.