The party, whose approach had interrupted the conversation of Matthew
Gournay and his young companion, were not long before they reached the
little open spot in the forest, from which they had scared the other
two; and, as it was at that point that their road first fell in with
the stream, they paused for a moment, to water their horses ere they
proceeded. Their appearance and demeanour corresponded well with the
peculiar sound of the horn which they had blown upon the hill; for
though the instrument which announced their approach was martial in
itself, yet the sounds which they produced from it were anything but
military; and though swords and lances, casques and breastplates, were
to be seen in profusion amongst them, there was scarcely one of the
party who had not a certain burgher rotundity of figure, or negligence
of gait, far more in harmony with furred gowns and caps _à la mortier_
than with war-steeds and glittering arms.
The first, who paused beside the stream, had nearly been thrown over
his horse's head, by the animal suddenly bending his neck to drink;
and it was long before the rider could sufficiently compose himself
again in the saddle, to proceed with some tale which he had been
telling to one of his companions, who urged him to make an end of his
story, with an eagerness which seemed to show that the matter was one
of great interest to him at least.
"Well-a-day, Master Nicholas, well-a-day!" cried the discomposed
horseman, "let me but settle myself on my stool--saddle, I mean. God
forgive me! but this cursed beast has pulled the bridle out of my
hands. So ho! Bernard, so ho!--there, there, surely thou couldst drink
without bending thy head so low."
While he thus spoke, by a slow and cautious movement--not unlike that
with which a child approaches a sparrow, to perform the difficult task
of throwing salt upon its tail--he regained a grasp of the bridle-rein
which the horse had twitched out of his hand, and then went on with
his story, interrupting it, however, every now and then, to address
sundry admonitions to his horse, somewhat in the following style:--
"Well, where was I, worthy Master Nicholas? I was saying--so ho!
beast! The devil's in thee, thou wilt have me into the river. I was
saying that, after the castle was taken, and every soul put to the
sword, even the poor boy, Hugh,--for which last, I hear, the duke is
very much grieved,--be quiet, Bernard, hold up thy head!--Count
Adolphus himself fled away by a postern-door, and is now a prisoner
in--"
"Nay, but, Master Martin, you said they were all put to death,"
interrupted one of his companions.
"Remember what the doctors say," replied the other; "namely, that
there is no general rule without its exception. They were all killed
but those that ran away, which were only Count Adolphus and his horse,
who got away together, the one upon the other. Fool that he was to
trust himself upon a horse's back! It was his ruin, alack! it was his
ruin."
"How so?" demanded Master Nicholas; "did the horse throw him and break
his pate? Methought you said, but now, that he was alive and a
prisoner."
"And I said truly, too," answered the other. "Nevertheless, his
mounting that horse was the cause of his ruin; for though he got off
quietly enough, yet, at the bridge below Namur--where, if he had had
no horse, he would have passed free--he was obliged to stop to pay
pontage[1] for his beast. A priest, who was talking with the toll-man,
knew him; and he was taken on the spot, and cast into prison."
"Methinks it was more the priest's fault than the horse's, then,"
replied Master Nicholas; "but whoever it was that betrayed him, bad
was the turn they did to the city of Ghent; for, what with his aid,
and that of the good folks of Gueldres, and the worthy burghers of
Utrecht, we might have held the proud duke at bay, and wrung our
rights from him drop by drop, like water from a sponge."
"God knows, God knows!" replied Martin Fruse, the burgher of Ghent, to
whom this was addressed; "God knows! it is a fine thing to have one's
rights, surely; but, somehow, I thought we were very comfortable and
happy in the good old city, before there was any quarrel about rights
at all. Well I know, we have never been happy since; and I have been
forced to ride on horseback by the week together; for which sin, my
flesh and skin do daily penance, as the chirurgeons of Namur could
vouch if they would. Nevertheless, one must be patriotic, and all
that, so I would not grumble, if this beast would but give over
drinking, which I think he will not do before he or I drop down dead.
Here, horse-boy, come and pluck his nose out of the pool; for I cannot
move him more than I could the town-house."
The worthy burgher was soon relieved from his embarrassments; and his
horse being once more put upon the road, he led the way onward,
followed by the rest of the party, with their servants and attendants.
The place of leader was evidently conceded to good Martin Fruse; but
this distinction was probably assigned to him, more on account of his
wealth and integrity, than from the possession of fine wit, great
sense, energetic activity, or any other requisite for a popular
leader. He was, in truth, a worthy, honest man, somewhat easily
persuaded, especially where his general vanity, and, more
particularly, his own opinion of his powers as a politician, were
brought into play: but his mind was neither very vigorous nor acute;
though sometimes an innate sense of rectitude, and a hatred of
injustice, would lend energy to his actions, and eloquence to his
words.
Amongst those who followed him, however, were two or three spirits of
a higher order; who, without his purity of motives, or kindly
disposition, possessed far greater talents, activity, and vigour.
Nevertheless, turbulent by disposition and by habit, few of the
burghers of Ghent, at that time, possessed any very grand and general
views, whether directed to the assertion of the liberties and rights
of their country, or to the gratification of personal ambition. They
contented themselves with occasional tumults, or with temporary
alliances with the other states and cities in the low countries, few
of which rested long without being in open rebellion against their
governors.
One of the party, however, which accompanied good Martin Fruse must
not pass unmentioned; for, at that time acting no prominent part, he
exerted considerable influence, in after days, on the fortunes of
his country. He was, at the period I speak of, a bold, brave,
high-spirited boy; by no means unlike the one we have seen sleeping by
the cascade, though perhaps two or three years older. He was strong
and well proportioned for his age, and rode a wild young jennet, which
though full of fire, he managed with perfect ease. There was
something, indeed, in the manner in which he excited the horse into
fury, gave it the rein, and let it dash free past all his companions,
as if it had become perfectly ungovernable; and then, without
difficulty, reined it up with a smile of triumph, which gave no bad
picture of a mind conscious of powers of command, ambitious of their
exercise, and fearless of the result. How this character of mind
became afterwards modified by circumstances, will be shown more fully
in the following pages.
In the meanwhile, we must proceed with the train of burghers as they
rode on through the wood; concerting various plans amongst themselves,
for concealing from the Duke of Burgundy the extent of their intrigues
with Adolphus of Gueldres and the revolted citizens of Utrecht, for
excusing themselves on those points which had reached his knowledge,
and for assuaging his anger by presents and submission. The first
thing to be done, before presenting themselves at his court, was, of
course, to strip themselves of the warlike habiliments in which they
had flaunted, while entertaining hopes of a successful revolt. For
this purpose, they proposed to avoid the high road either to Brussels
or Louvain; and as most of them were well acquainted with the country
through which they had to pass, they turned to the left, after having
proceeded about a mile farther on their way, and put spurs to their
horses, in order to get out of the forest before nightfall, which was
now fast approaching.
The way was difficult, however, and full of large ruts and stones, in
some places overgrown with briers, in some places interrupted by deep
ravines. Here, it would go down so steep a descent, that slowness of
progression was absolutely necessary to the safety of their necks;
there, it would climb so deep a hill, that whip and spur were applied
to increase the speed of their beasts in vain.
As they thus journeyed on, making but little way, the bright rosy hue
which tinged the clouds above their heads showed that the sun was
sinking beneath the horizon's edge: the red, after growing deeper and
deeper for some time, began to fade away into the grey; each moment
the light became fainter and more faint; and, at length, while they
had yet at least three miles of forest ground to traverse, night fell
completely over the earth.
The darkness, however, was not so deep as in any degree to prevent
them from finding their way onward, or from distinguishing the objects
round about them, although it lent a mysterious sort of grandeur to
the deep masses and long dim glades of the forest, made the rocks look
like towers and castles, and converted many a tree, to the eyes of the
more timid, into the form of an armed man.
After having gone on in this state for about half an hour--just a
sufficient time, indeed, to work up every sort of apprehension to the
utmost, yet not long enough to familiarize the travellers with the
darkness, and when every one was calling to mind all the thousand
stories--which were, in those days, alas! too true ones--of robbers,
and murderers, and free plunderers--the whole party plunged down into
a deep dell, the aspect of which was not at all calculated to assuage
their terrors, whether reasonable or foolish. Not, indeed, that it was
more gloomy than the road through which they had been lately
travelling; rather, on the contrary. Whatever degree of light yet
remained in the heavens found its way more readily into that valley,
where the trees were less high, and at greater intervals from each
other, than into the narrow road which had led them thither, the high
banks of which were lined all the way along with tall and overhanging
beeches. The sort of dingle, however, which they now entered, was
clothed with low but thick shrubs; and no means of egress whatever
appeared, except by climbing some of the steep ascents which
surrounded it on every side.
There was a small piece of level ground at the bottom, of about a
hundred yards in diameter; and the moment they had reached the flat,
the word "Halt!" pronounced in a loud and imperative voice, caused
every one suddenly to draw his bridle rein with somewhat timid
obedience, though no one distinguished who was the speaker.
The matter was not left long in doubt. A dark figure glided from the
brushwood across their path; half a dozen more followed; and the
glistening of the faint light upon various pieces of polished iron,
showed that there was no lack of arms to compel obedience to the
peremptory order they had received to halt.
As the persons who obstructed the way, however, seemed but few in
number, one of the more bellicose of the burghers called upon his
companions to resist. His magnanimity was suddenly diminished by a
long arm stretched from the bushes beside him, which applied the
stroke of a quarter-staff with full force to his shoulders; and though
a cuirass, by which his person was defended, protected him from any
serious injury, yet he was thrown forward upon his horse's neck, with
a sound very much resembling that produced by the falling of an empty
kettle from the hands of a slovenly cook. All were now of opinion,
that, whatever might have been the result of resistance to the more
open foes before them, it was useless to contend with such invisible
enemies also, especially as those that were visible were gradually
increasing in numbers; and worthy Martin Fruse led the way to a
valorous surrender, by begging the gentlemen of the forest "to spare
them for God's sake."
"Down from your horses, every one of you!" cried the rough voice which
had commanded them to halt, "and we shall soon see what stuff you are
made of."
The citizens hastened to obey; and, in the terror which now reigned
completely amongst them, strange were the attitudes which they
assumed, and strange was the tumbling off, on either side of their
beasts, as they hurried to show prompt submission to the imperious
command they had received. In the confusion and disarray thus
produced, only one person of all their party seemed to retain full
command of his senses; and he was no other than the boy we have before
described, who, now taking advantage of a vacancy he saw in the ranks
of their opponents, dashed forward for a gap in the wood, and had
nearly effected his escape. He was too late, however, by a single
moment: his bridle was caught by a strong arm, before he could force
his way through; and his light jennet, thrown suddenly upon its
haunches, slipped on the green turf, and rolled with her young master
on the ground.
"By my faith," said the man who had thus circumvented him, "thou art a
bold young springal; but thou must back with me, my boy;" and so
saying, he raised him, not unkindly, from the earth, and led him to
the place where his companions stood.
The burghers and their attendants--in all, about ten in number--were
now divested of their arms, offensive and defensive, by the nameless
kind of gentry into whose hands they had fallen. This unpleasant
ceremony, however, was performed without harshness; and, though, no
resistance of any kind was offered, their captors abstained, with very
miraculous forbearance, from examining the contents of their pouches,
and from searching for any other metal than cold iron. When all this
was completed, and the good citizens of Ghent, reduced to their hose
and jerkins, stood passive, in silent expectation of what was to come
next--not at all unlike a flock of sheep that a shepherd's dog has
driven into a corner of a field,--the same hoarse-voiced gentleman,
who had hitherto acted as the leader of their assailants, addressed
them in a bantering tone:--"Now, my masters, tell me truly," he cried,
"whether do ye covet to go with your hands and feet at liberty, or to
have your wrists tied with cords till the blood starts out from
underneath your nails, and your ankles garnished in the same fashion?"
The answer of the citizens may well be conceived; and the other went
on in the same jeering manner:--"Well, then, swear to me by all you
hold holy and dear--but stay! First tell me who and what you are, that
I may frame the oath discreetly; for each man in this world holds holy
and dear that which his neighbour holds foolish and cheap."
"We are poor unhappy burghers of Ghent," replied Martin Fruse, who,
though at first he had been terrified to a very undignified degree,
now began to recover a certain portion of composure,--"we are poor
unhappy burghers of Ghent, who have been induced by vain hopes of some
small profit to ourselves and our good city, to get upon horseback.
Alack! and a well-a-day! that ever honest, sober-minded men should be
persuaded to trust their legs across such galloping, uncertain,
treacherous beasts."
"Ha! ha! ha!" shouted the man who had addressed him; "as I live by
sword and dagger, it is good Martin Fruse coming from Namur. Well,
Martin, the oath I shall put to thee is this--that by all thy hopes of
golden florins, by all thy reverence for silks and furs and cloths of
extra fineness, by thy gratitude to the shuttle and the loom, and by
thy respect and love for a fine fleece of English wool, thou wilt not
attempt to escape from my hands, till I fix thy ransom and give thee
leave to go."
Martin Fruse very readily took the oath prescribed, grateful in his
heart for any mitigation of his fears, though trembling somewhat at
the name of ransom, which augured ill for the glittering heaps which
he had left at home. His comrades all followed his example, on an oath
of the same kind being exacted from each; but when it was addressed to
the youth who accompanied them, a different scene was acted. He
replied boldly, "Of cloths and furs I know nothing, but that they
cover me, and I will not take such a warehouse vow for the best man
that ever drew a sword."
"How now, how now, Sir Princox!" cried Martin Fruse; "art thou not my
nephew, Albert Maurice? Take the oath this gentleman offers thee,
sirrah, and be well content that he does not strike off thy young
foolish head."
"I will swear by my honour, uncle," replied the boy, "but I will never
swear by cloth and florins, for such a vow would bind me but little."
"Well, well, thy honour will do," said the leader of their captors;
"though, by my faith, I think we must keep thee with us, and make a
soldier of thee; for doubtless thou art unworthy of the high honour of
becoming a burgher of Ghent."
The sneering tone in which this was spoken expressed not ill the
general feeling of contempt with which the soldiers of that day looked
upon any of the milder occupations of life. Whatever kindness they
showed towards the citizen--which was at times considerable--proceeded
solely from sensations approaching compassion, or from considerations
of self-interest. They looked upon the burgher, indeed, as a sort of
inferior animal, whose helplessness gave it some claim upon their
generosity; and such was probably the feeling that prompted the mild
and indulgent manner in which the body of roving adventurers who had
captured the Gandois travellers, marshalled their prisoners in rank,
and led them away from the high road--where, though improbable, such a
thing as an interruption might accidentally have taken place--to the
deeper parts of the forest, in which silence and solitude seemed to
reign supreme.
This part of the arrangement, however, was not at all to the taste of
good Martin Fruse; and though he certainly did not venture any
opposition, yet, while led along, together with his companions, by
fifteen or sixteen armed and lawless men, it was with fear and
trembling that he rolled his eyes around upon the dark and dreary
masses of wood, down the long profound glades, in which nothing was to
be distinguished, and over the wild and broken rocks, which every now
and then burst through their covering of trees and shrubs, and
towering up into the sky, caught upon their brows the first rays of
the rising moon, invisible to those who wandered through the forest at
their foot.
The scene was altogether a great deal too sublime and picturesque for
his taste; and he could not help thinking, as he walked unwillingly
along, how admirably fitted was the place, into which he was led, for
committing murder, without fear of discovery. Then would he picture to
his own mind, his body left exposed beneath the greenwood trees, to be
preyed on by the ravens, and beaten by the wintry showers; and his
heart would melt with tender compassion for himself, when he thought,
how all his good gossips of Ghent would, in years to come, tell the
lamentable story of worthy Martin Fruse, and how he was murdered in
the forest of Hannut, to the wondering ears of a chance guest, over a
blazing fire, in the midst of the cold winter.
He had nearly wept at the pitiful images he had called up of his own
fate, in his own mind; but, before he reached that point, a distant
neighing met his ear. The horses on which he and his companions had
ridden, and which were led after them by their captors, caught the
sound also, and answered in the same sort; and in a few minutes more,
a bright light began to gleam through the wood, which proved, on their
farther advance, to proceed from a watch-fire, by the side of which a
bird of the same feather with those who had captured them, was lying
asleep. He started up, however, on their approach; and by the
congratulations which passed mutually between him and his comrades, it
became evident to Martin Fruse, that a party of citizens of Ghent was
a rich prize in the eyes of the freemen of the forest. It is true that
he would rather have had his worth appreciated in a different manner;
but the sight of the fire cheered his heart, and a sumpter horse,
which the good burghers had brought with them, being led forward and
relieved of its burden, the various stores of provision with which it
was loaded were spread out upon the grass, and called up more genial
ideas in the mind of the citizen than those which had hitherto
accompanied him on his way through the forest. The pleasures of this
new subject of contemplation, indeed, were for a few minutes
disturbed, by apprehension lest the captors should proceed to divide
the spoil of the panniers, without assigning any part to the original
proprietors. But this source of uneasiness was soon removed; and, on
being made to sit down by the fire, and invited frankly and freely to
partake of all the good things once his own, the heart of Martin Fruse
expanded with joy, the character of robber acquired a dignity and
elevation in his eyes which it had never before possessed; and
deriving from fat cold capon and excellent wine both present
satisfaction and anticipations of future good treatment, he gave
himself up to joy, and began to gaze round upon the faces of his new
comrades with every inclination to be pleased.