ing his hand upon the full shoulder that rose above the boy's tunic, he bent his head down and kissed the child's forehead. "The child is exceedingly like you!" remarked Richard. "There is a resemblance, my lord," said Oxford: "but it is not likenesses nor assertions that will satisfy me-I require proof!" "And proof you shall have," replied the monk. "Holgrave, declare how you obtained the child!" Isabella, who had recovered her consciousness, and who now, with almost convulsive estacsy, was embracing the child, cast an angry glance at her brother, as if she feared that some discrepancy in the proof might bring her right to claim him in question. De Boteler, however, did not appear displeased, but merely said, "Holgrave, you have not declared how you obtained the child." "If it please you, my lord, when I was a boy, I was one morning rubbing down one of the late lord's horses for the servitor, whose duty it was to do it, when, all on a sudden, as I was stooping down to wipe the horse's feet, I saw the wall at the back of one of the stalls open, and out came the old baron. He looked round, but fortunately, or it may be unfortunately for him who is now lord, he did not see me." "And you discovered where the secret opening led?" "Yes-with all the curiosity of a boy, I afterwards found that the secret door led by some long dark steps to the bed-chamber of the old lord !" "Did you mention your discovery to any one?" "To no one, until after I had stolen the child Father John." - and then I told all to "This story," remarked the Earl of Oxford, "requires proof as much as any thing else." You shall receive that of your own eyes," said Holgrave, "if it please you to accompany me;" and Richard, expressing a wish to witness every thing connected with the strange discovery, arose, and with De Boteler, Oxford, and Sir Robert Knowles, proceeded, as we have before described, to the bed-chamber. "From that bed, my lord," said Holgrave to De Boteler, "I took the child-it slept soundly I crept down these steps—it was a dark, night and I got home without being seen!" "This is not satisfactory proof," said Oxford. 66 'My lord, I have more to show you," resumed Holgrave. They then descended to the stabling, and, followed by many inquisitive eyes, went on to Holgrave's cottage. It was uninhabited, but the door was fastened, and Holgrave, forcing it open, led the way into the deserted abode. A chill came over him as he -- removed the chest; but taking up a shovel from a corner, where he himself had thrown it, he prepared to remove the clay. He hesitated for a moment, and then began his task; he had dug about a foot deep, when, raising up a slip of wood about one foot broad and two in length, the perfect form of an infant, lying beneath, caused those who were looking silently on to utter an exclamation. "Poor babe! it was a sad night I laid ye there," said Holgrave, bending over the grave, and looking earnestly at the little corpse; and then kneeling down, he attempted to raise one of the hands, but it dropped crumbling from his touch. Holgrave, although he had exerted himself much during the last hour, was extremely weak; and this little circumstance affected him so deeply that he started on his feet, and, to hide the weakness of tears, turned away his head from those who were gazing upon him. "I was a man, and I felt as a father," said Holgrave, turning again and looking at De Boteler, "and yet I stole your child, and dug that grave, and with my own hands laid in my little one; and why did I do it? Because I had determined that your child should wear the bondage you had given to me." "This seems strange language from a bondman," said Richard, aside, to Oxford. "The man has an obstinate spirit, your grace," returned the earl. "De Boteler," said Sir Robert Knowles, "this bondage should never have been." "Was I more than man, that I could tell the traitor Calverley deceived me?" impatiently returned the baron, as he felt, though not choosing to acknowledge it, that he had done wrong when he insisted on the bondage. During this brief colloquy, Holgrave had again bent over the grave, and had taken up the box in which were deposited the articles that had been on the young De Boteler. Sir Robert, mistaking his motive, observed, "You must not think of removing the babe, Holgrave. This hut is but of little worth you can throw it down, and bring a priest to say a prayer over the spot; and then the grave will be as good as if it were in a church-yard." Holgrave bent his head in acknowledgment to the knight; and, placing the box under his arm, observed, "I hid these, lest they should be witness against me; and now, if it please ye, noble sirs, to come back to the hall, I will restore them to my lady." When the yeoman had returned to the castle, and presented the box to Isabella, the evidences it contained, in the dress and crucifix, were so conclusive, that the Earl of Oxford gave a kiss of welcome to the little Ralph. "Baron of Sudley," said John Ball, "do you acknowledge that child as your son?" "I do, monk, and I will fulfil my vow. Stephen Holgrave, to you I give the charge of collecting all my bondmen; see that they are assembled here to-morrow morning. They shall be freed; and from henceforth, as I vowed, there shall be no more bondage in Sudley; and, by my faith! I believe I shall be better served by freemen than serfs." "And, my Lord de Boteler, we feel much inclined to follow your example," ," said Richard. "The shire of Hereford is our royal patrimonyhave ye a scribe here who can draw up a charter ?" Oakley was called upon, and desired to prepare an instrument, to the effect of freeing the bond men of Hereford. John Ball, who had looked on and listened with a deep interest, now approached the king, and knelt before him. "The work that I strove for has begun, and it will finish; but mine eyes will not live to see that day. From the hour that blood was shed I forsook the cause; but I hid myself from the snares that were laid for me; -for I said, Surely the light shall yet rise up in darkness! and it has risen; and it will grow brighter and brighter:- but John Ball's task is done, and he gives himself up to the death that awaits him." - De Boteler said something in a low tone to Richard, who turned to the monk. "Retire!" said he, "we shall consider of your punishment." As the monk withdrew, Oakley, who had retired, for the purpose of transcribing the charter, re-entered; and the instrument being presented to Richard, received the royal signature. While this was being done, Oakley, under the impression that the affording a proof of Calverley's guilt, more tangible in its nature than mere assertions, could not possibly injure himself, and might turn to his permanent advantage, approached De Boteler, and, producing the prohibitory writ, "Please you, my lord," said he, "while searching among fhomas Calverley's writings for parchment, I discovered this." "Discovered this among my steward's writings!" said the baron, as, biting his lip with vexation, he spread open the parchment on the table. Why, my Lord de Boteler," said Richard, taking up the writ, and glancing over the characters, "this is a prohibitory writ from the chancery! Where was this found?" "My liege, in a private box in the steward's room, which, it seems, he had forgotten to lock," replied Oakley, with that propriety which he knew how to assume. "The galleyman had stood in the hall, a silent but delighted spectator of all we have detailed. His heart yearned to grasp Holgrave's hand, and tell him how much he rejoiced in his freedom; but he dared not presume so far until the yeoman should have been dismissed. Besides, his thoughts were bent upon another object: as Richard raised the parchment for peru sal, the seals attracted his attention, and he instantly recognised it as one he had observed Calverley drop in Gloucester, at the time of Edith's trial; but as he saw the ungracious look of the baron cast on Black Jack, he thought he would not irritate him further by mentioning it: yet, stepping forward as Oakley ceased, he said - "Please your noble grace, that man lies. I found that parchment in a hostelry-yard at Gloucester, six years ago - I know it by the seals; and that John Oakley told me it was an old lease of no use, and so I gave it to him." "And who are you, varlet ?" said Richard, evidently more amused than offended, as he expected some fresh incident to grow out of this affair. "Please your grace," replied Wells, encouraged by the king's manner, "I am a vintner in the city of London, and I came down to Sudley with Stephen Holgrave's wife, to see what could be done for her husband." "By my faith! my Lord de Boteler, your hall seems a fitting place to act miracles in," said Richard, laughing. "There have, indeed, been strange things done here to-day, my liege,” replied De Boteler, smiling, but at heart annoyed at the thoughtless obser vation. Oxford," ‚” said Richard, "ask the knave if he have any more disclosures to make." "Please you, my lord," said Wells, "I have only to say again, that John Oakley did not find this writing in the castle, and that he is a traitorous liar, and that I here challenge him to mortal combat." "Retire, kerns!" said De Boteler, glancing with anger at Oakley and the gaileyman," and settle your vile feuds as ye may. Disturb not this noble presence longer." "Be not angry, my Lord of Sudley: we request you to ask yonder varlet why he calls his fellow such hard names?" "Please you, my lord," said Wells, nothing daunted, "did not John Oakley get Stephen Holgrave from the forest of Dean?" "He did," answered De Boteler, who now remembered Wells as he who had assisted Isabella. "Then, my lord, I call that man a liar, because he said he found the parchment in the steward's room; and I call him a traitor and a liar, because he got Stephen Holgrave out of the forest of Dean, by saying, that of his own good will he helped to lay his mother in a church-yard, when he was paid in good broad pieces for doing the work." Holgrave, weak as he was, and forgetful even of the royal presence, sprung upon Oakley. The sight of the writ that would have saved his mother, almost maddened him. He did not exactly comprehend what had been said about the writ; but it seemed, that Oakley was in some measure connected with this, and the sudden conviction, that he was, indeed, the betrayer, gave him such a frantic energy, that Black Jack's face grew still blacker beneath his grasp, and he would have dashed him to the ground, had not the baron risen and commanded Holgrave to loose his hold. "I think," said Sir Robert Knowles, who saw that it was only under the influence of strong feeling that Holgrave could at present be a match for Oakley-"I think it would be better that this retainer accept the vintner's challenge; and should he worst him, then he and Holgrave can settle their quarrel, when a few days shall have given him more strength. This, despite of Holgrave's assurances that his strength was undiminished, was decided upon, and the galleyman and Oakley were directed to hold themselves in readiness to try the strength of their weapons on the morrow. They were then ordered to withdraw Oakley and the galleyman to be lodged that night in the retainer's court, and Holgrave to tell over all he felt to the affectionate Margaret, who, for the present, at Isabella's request, was to occupy an apartment in the castle. The more Oakley thought of the challenge he had been compelled to accept, the less relish he felt to engage in it. Even should he conquer his strong-knit antagonist, he must have to fight over again with the vindictive Holgrave; and he cursed the folly which had induced him to produce the writ. However, he had found a golden treasure in Calverley's room: and as he lay tossing on his sleepless bed, he resolved to take an opportunity, during the bustle of the next morning, to leave the castle. And, indeed, during the bustle of the next morning, an individual of much more consequence than Black Jack might have escaped unheeded. The incidents of the previous day had caused a strong sensation, not only at Sudley and Winchcombe, but in all the immediate neighbourhood. The presence of a king; the recovery of an heir; and the unheard-of circumstance of giving freedom to the serfs of a whole county, were things well calculated to attract crowds to the castle: and then there were the feastings, and the rejoicings which were to gladden the hearts of all who chose to partake. The gentle class, and the most respectable portion of the tenantry, prognosticated only evil from this all-advised proceeding. As they looked on, and saw the bondman and nief, with animated countenances, pouring into the hall, and beheld De Boteler, in the presence of the king and the nobles, give freedom to all who approached him, and order that from henceforth they should hold what land they possessed by copy of court-roll, they wondered how far this unprecedented innovation would extend, and how people were to get their land cultivated, if the peasant was allowed to go where he liked, and work as he pleased. When the last bondman was freed, John Ball, who had stood looking on with devouring eyes, knelt down, and raising up a cheek suffused with the crimson of high-wrought feeling, and eyes glistening and radiant, ejaculated, in a scarcely audible voice, --- "Now will my soul depart in peace, since mine eyes have beheld this day! now will my spirit rejoice, since thou hast had compassion on them that were in fetters, and hast released the children of the bond!" Then rising, and extending his clasped hands towards De Boteler, he said, in a louder tone, "May the Lord add blessings upon thee and thy children! May length of days be thy portion, and mayest thou dwell for ever in the house of the Lord." Then approaching Holgrave, he continued - -"Farewell, Stephen! The clemency of the king has saved my life, and the voice of the anointed priest hath proved me cleansed of the leper spotbut I must now be a dweller in a strange land. Tell Margaret that we may not meet again; but surely, if the prayers of a brother can aught avail, mine shall be offered at the footstool of the Highest for her. I could not bid her adieu. Bless thee, Stephen, and bless her, and fare thee well!" He then pressed Holgrave's hand. "Nay, Father John," said Holgrave, with emotion, 80." we must not part It was to no purpose that the monk requested, and then commanded, that he should be permitted to pursue his journey alone. Stephen insisted upon accompanying him out of Gloucestershire, and Father John, to avoid contention, feigned to defer his departure; but when the tables were spread, and the domestics and vassals had sat down to the feast, Margaret, who had been seeking the monk about the castle, looked and looked again among them all, and at length had to weep over the certainty that she should never more behold her brother. Nor did she; for John Ball did not long survive his exile. On the second anniversary of the bondman's freedom, his own spirit was freed, and his body rested in the cemetery of the monastery of Cistercium, in Burgundy. But to return. When the ceremony of enfranchisement was fairly over, there arose the cry for the combat, and great was the general disappointment, when, upon the galleyman's standing forth prepared for the encounter, no Oakley could be found. "He has skulked off to the craven Calverley, I'll warrant," said one. "Aye, aye, as sure as the sun shines, they are sworn brothers," said another: "they think more of saving their heads than sparing their heels. "Did ye ever know one who could read and write, who did n't know how to take care of his carcass," said another, with a sagacious nod. But though these good folks were all very shrewd, they did not happen to fall upon the truth, which was simply this, that as Black Jack was watching an opportunity to escape, without observation, he happened to see the cloak and cowl the monk had thrown off when first appearing in the hall, lying in a corner of the court-yard, where it had been carelessly placed by one of those whose business it was to keep the hall in order. It instantly occurred to him that this might be of use, and contriving to remove the cloak, he put it on, and, thus disguised, succeeded in leaving Sudley; but though disguises had so often befriended him, it proved fatal in this instance, for, upon taking a northerly direction, as one where he was least likely to be known, he was recognised as a leader of the commons, and his monkish dress inducing a suspicion of his being John Ball (the monk's pardon not being known), Oakley, although swearing by every thing sacred that he was no monk, was hanged without form of trial, at St. Alban's, as one who had stirred up the bondmen to insurrection. Little more remains to be said. De Boteler, upon discovering that Byles held Holgrave's land by virtue of the mortgage transferred by the usurer to Calverley, pronounced, in the most summary way, the whole thing illegal. Byles was dispossessed, and the farm, now the largest in the manor, returned to Holgrave, who thus, like old Job, became the possessor of greater wealth after his misfortunes than he had enjoyed before. When Holgrave's strength was re-established, he waged battle with Byles to prove the yeoman's guilt and his mother's innocence. Byles was no craven, but he was vanquished and mortally wounded, and when death was upon him, confessed the whole transaction. Mary, with her children, fled on the instant; and, some few years after, she was seen by Merritt, who had again become a peaceful artizan, begging alms in London. Isabella, although, of course, never acknowledging her share in the writ, yel, as some atonement, gave a large benefaction to Hailes Abbey, on condition that a certain number of masses should be offered up for Edith. The little Ralph grew up with a strong predilection for the sea, contracted, it was often suspected, by the strange stories he had heard the galley |