MR HARWOOD AND ALETHEA IN SHERWOOD FOREST, AND JACK DEANE'S FIRST
ADVENTURE.
Romantic Sherwood! Its pristine glories since the days when bold Robin
Hood and his merrie men held sway within its borders, and levied taxes
from the passers-by, had sadly dwindled even in the year 1696, when our
history commences. The woodman's axe had been busy and the plough had
gone over the land, and mansions and homesteads had arisen where once
flourished the monarchs of the forest, and the huntsman's horn had been
wont to sound amid sequestered glades; still many a wide stretch of
woodland and moorland remained, over which the fallow deer roamed at
freedom, and rows of far-spreading trees overhung various by-paths green
and narrow winding in all directions, and shaded the king's highway
which ran north to York and south to the ancient and pleasant town of
Nottingham. And there were likewise majestic avenues leading to the
abodes of nobles and squires, and thick copses and scattered groves,
above which rose the hoary giants of ancient days; and by the borders of
the streams and rivulets which find their way into the Trent numberless
trees had been allowed to stand. Wide strips also of grass-land were to
be found running even with the road or between different estates,
extending sometimes in an unbroken line for several miles together, with
oaks and elms and beeches stretching out their umbrageous branches to
meet from either side, and preserving by their shade the soft velvet of
the turf even during the heats of summer.
Thus the old forest trees, if marshalled in close order, would have
formed a wood of no inconsiderable magnitude.
The noon-day sun of the warm summer was shining down on the branches of
the wide-spreading trees shading a long woodland glade, such as has been
described running from the north towards Nottingham, the walls of whose
siege-battered castle could be seen in the far distance, where on a
slight eminence the trees opening out afforded a momentary glance of the
country in front.
Just at that spot a gentleman of middle age, mounted on a strong, active
horse, accompanied by a young lady on a graceful palfrey, was riding at
a leisurely pace along the glade in the direction of the town. The gold
lace with which his long, loose riding-coat was trimmed, his embroidered
waistcoat, the gold ornament which secured the turned-up flaps of his
beaver, and more than all, the jewel-hilted sword by his side, bespoke a
person of position. He wore also leather breeches and buff-leather
boots, the usual horseman's dress of the period.
The fair girl by his side sat her horse with that perfect ease which
habit alone can give. Her blue riding-coat was turned up with white,
with broad flaps and pockets, the petticoat below being of the same
colour; her waistcoat was elegantly embroidered, and the small
three-cornered hat with a jewel in front which she wore on the top of
her light auburn hair, undisfigured by powder, completed her unassuming
yet most becoming costume. Her figure was tall and slight, and her fair
and brilliant complexion increased the beauty of her well-formed
features, expressive of wit and humour, at the same time indicating
thought and feeling.
Such at sixteen was Alethea Harwood, the only child of the Worshipful
Mr Rupert Harwood, of Harwood Grange, the gentleman on the tall horse
by whose side she rode.
"I have no great affection for yonder town," observed Squire Harwood,
pointing southward with his hand. "I cannot forget my father's account
of the times when Red-nosed Noll ruled the roost, and that arch-traitor
Hutchinson held the castle, and insulted all the Cavaliers in the town
and neighbourhood by his preaching, and his cant, and his strict rules
and regulations; and now, forsooth, every man and woman in the place
thinks fit to stand up for the usurper William, and not an expression of
sympathy do I hear for the cruel fate of our lawful Sovereign King
James."
"Poor king! it was treacherous in his ministers and officers to desert
him; but what could be expected of men brought up in the days of the
Commonwealth?" observed Alethea, with a slight tone of scorn in her
sweet voice. "However, perhaps, when they get tired of the Prince of
Orange, our king will have his own again."
"Pray Heaven he may!" ejaculated the Jacobite squire. "And now,
daughter, let me counsel you to deport yourself with becoming dignity
and reserve during our visit to the Deane family. Mr Deane is, I own,
a man of credit and honour, and would never desire to injure a human
being. I am, moreover, indebted to him for certain sums advanced on my
estate, and of dire necessity only accepted; so that I wish he should be
treated with all courtesy and respect. But he is an obstinate supporter
of this vile government, and with him and one or two other exceptions,
as I feel is my duty to my order and party, I hate them all, root and
branch; they are a money-making, mean-spirited, trading set. It
surprises me that any of the nobility and old families of the country
can adhere to them. What, however, can be expected from
stocking-weavers and such like? Well, well! I was speaking of that
worthy man Deane. There is his wife, a good dame and a careful mother,
and his two daughters. You know them better than I do--passable girls
though, they seem to me; not exactly such as I might have chosen as your
companions; but _tempora mutantur_, as we used to say at college!
I'faith, most of my Latin has slipped out of my memory. And then there
are those two sons. The eldest, Jasper, seems a quiet, proper-behaved
young man enough. College has polished him up a little, but of the
other I know but little; a broad-shouldered lad he seemed, not ill
fitted to fight his way through life, as far as outward figure goes.
And Master Jasper, what is to be his course in life? Will his father
bring him up as a gentleman?"
"His sister Polly told me that Master Jasper is to become a physician,
to follow in the footsteps of their esteemed cousin, Dr Nathaniel
Deane," answered Alethea. "I suppose that might be considered the
calling of a gentleman."
"Humph!" ejaculated the Squire, as if he had not quite made up his mind
on the subject. "That, according to my notions, depends on the original
position of a person. It is better than that of some others, my lord's
chaplain, or the reverend vicar's curate, as was the lot of some of my
college chums; however, I dare say, with so renowned a guide, Master
Jasper will prove an honour to the profession. But the breeze feels
cool beneath these trees; we will canter on, or you will not have time
to change your habit, and be in readiness for Mistress Deane's
entertainment."
At a touch of Alethea's whip, her palfrey broke into an easy canter, and
her father's steed moving on at a trot, they soon reached Parliament
Street on the confines of Nottingham, and passing Saint Anne's Well,
they entered through Bridlesmith's Gate the broad market-place. This
was, then as now, the widest open space in the town, and had many fine
mansions standing round it. On their left was that long thoroughfare
called the Pavement, with the grim old castle walls at the farther end,
and the sparkling Trent on the other side; while close to them were
butchers' and other shops, as well as those of the handicraftsmen, from
which the different entrances on that side of the once fortified town
took their names.
As Mr Harwood and his daughter emerged from the somewhat ill-paved and
narrow street into the broad market-place, their ears were assailed by
loud cries and shouts of men and boys, numbers of whom were issuing from
the narrow passages which led out of Parliament Street, while from doors
and windows appeared eager faces of spectators bending forward to
ascertain the cause of the disturbance. The shouts, mingled with the
barking of dogs, grew louder and louder, till they approached the Squire
and his daughter. Now the mob was seen to move in one direction, and
now in another.
"It is nothing, I believe, but some apprentice-lads baiting an ox,"
observed Mr Harwood as they moved forward.
Just at that moment the crowd, with a pack of barking dogs, came rushing
on helter-skelter in hot pursuit of a brindled cow--so it seemed--whose
heels its canine tormentors were ever and anon attacking, making it
start forward with the pain they inflicted. At the same time a youth
with his coat off and a stick in his hand was endeavouring to drive off
the dogs, and shouting to the mob of rough-looking apprentices who were
urging them on, to desist from the pursuit. His orders were, however,
treated with but little attention, for the mob of lads and boys
extending for some distance on either side continued their shouts and
cries, with peals of laughter at the frantic movements of the unhappy
animal. So completely was the road blocked up that Mr Harwood and his
daughter were compelled to turn back to avoid them. Just, however, as
they were about to do so, the maddened cow dashed forward, and before
Alethea could turn her horse, its horns had struck the animal's side,
and caught the skirt of her riding-dress. Dashing on, it would have
dragged her from her seat, had not the young man who had been attempting
to save the creature from its tormentors at that moment sprang forward
and disentangled her dress, preventing her from falling from her
palfrey.
"Stand back, you young ruffians!" shouted Mr Harwood to the mob.
"Understand that I am a justice of the peace, and that I will summon you
one and all before the magistrates of the town for this uproar."
The mob of apprentices, seeing the harm which their frolic might have
produced, hung back, many of them taking to their heels, while others
called off the dogs, which they had before been inciting to pursue the
cow, which continued its course through Bridlesmith's Gate, glad to
escape its pursuers.
"I have to thank you, young man, for the service you have rendered my
daughter and me, and should be glad to reward you to the best of my
ability," said Mr Harwood, turning to the youth who was holding
Alethea's bridle whilst she recovered her seat in the saddle. "I must
have these scapegraces brought up for punishment before the magistrates
to-morrow; such proceedings ought not to take place in a well-ordered
town."
The young man thus addressed drew himself up with a somewhat haughty
air, as he replied, "I am glad to have rendered the young lady a
service, sir, and require no reward for doing so; and as for punishing
those fellows, I would rather have the opportunity of drubbing a few of
them with my fists for worrying poor old Dame Pitt's lame cow, than see
them sent to prison for their freak. It may be all very well for them
to bait their cattle when they want tender meat, but they had no
business to treat that poor animal in the way they did; and I told them
so when they began, and promised them I would put a stop to it."
"You are a brave lad," said Mr Harwood, looking at the speaker
approvingly. "May I ask your name?"
"I am called Jack Deane, sir," answered the young man, "at your service.
I belong to Nottingham, and know every one of those apprentice-lads,
and do not wish to bring them into trouble; but I will give the
ringleaders as sound a thrashing as they ever had in their lives before
long, for their conduct this day."
"Well, well! I suppose we must leave you to settle the matter in your
own way," said Mr Harwood; "but if your name is Jack Deane, I conclude
that you are the younger son of my friend Mr Jasper Deane, to whose
house my daughter and I are now bending our way."
"Yes, sir, the house of my father, Mr Deane, is situated to the south
there, on the farther side of the market-place, and with your leave,
sir, I will accompany you and your daughter thither, after which I must
be allowed to go in search of Widow Pitt's cow, and carry the animal
back to her. I shall have time to do that and give a few of the
apprentices a drubbing before dinner-time."
Saying this, Jack Deane, putting his arms again into the sleeves of his
coat, adjusted his dress, which had been somewhat disordered by the
scuffle; then placing his hand on the reins of Miss Harwood's palfrey,
he walked by her side towards the house at which he had pointed.
"Well, well! I must leave you to keep order in the town, Master Deane,"
said Mr Harwood, laughing; "when there is so good a guardian of the
peace as you appear to be, it would be useless for me to interfere; and
I would not stop you from restoring the cow to the poor widow. At the
same time, I may suggest that it might be as well to let alone the
drubbing of the apprentices till a more convenient season, or you may
get somewhat overheated and fatigued before your appearance at the
dinner-table."
"Oh, that will be nothing, sir!" answered Jack, clutching his stout
cudgel; "though to be sure the chances are that they will keep out of my
way. When they get cool they will think better of it, before they will
wish to encounter me. I only hope Miss Harwood's palfrey has not
suffered, or her habit either; I am sure the poor animal did not wish to
do her harm."
"Oh, no! thanks to you, Mr Deane, both my horse and I have escaped
harm," said Alethea, looking at the young man with a kind smile.
On reaching the door of Mr Deane's house, Jack held the young lady's
bridle while she dismounted, and then insisted on taking her horse and
her father's round to the stables while they entered the house. Having
unsaddled the steeds, and given them some corn and hay, he hurried off
to fulfil his intention of restoring Dame Pitt's cow to her; but he was
less successful in executing his purpose of thrashing the apprentices,
in consequence, as he expected would be the case, of their judiciously
keeping out of his way; when, failing in his efforts to discover them,
he returned home, feeling that he might defer the execution of his
purpose to another opportunity, should he on further consideration deem
it necessary.