expedition, was now within or nearly within

his power.

Aware of the danger he incurred in his present position, the King now wished to urge on his horse to a renewal of that speed which he had hitherto so fruitlessly attempted to repress. He shook the rein, and sent the rowel into his flank-but it profited nothing: weary with over exertion, and faint from loss of blood flowing from his wounds, the steed seemed equally unable as unwilling to escape from those, who crowding round, attempted to seize the rein.

Several of these fell a sacrifice to their hardihood, but others instantly pressed forward to supply their places; till at length, weighed down by numbers and overpowered in strength rather than vanquished in spirit, the King found himself no longer able to raise his arm and sever his, who grasping the horse's rein commanded him to dismount.

This was Zannecq; who, seemingly desirous of showing himself off to a Cavalier in his best style of brutality, addressed his prisoner.

"Come! Sir Knight," said the Carle," off!— descend-bring thyself to a level with thy betters. Trudge it along with us on thy feet like a man-ay, as Adam and Eve used to do before the invention of gaily caparisoned grey steeds to pamper indolence! I say, Louis le Brasseur," he continued, grinning from ear to ear at the extreme happiness of the jest, as he addressed a brewer of his acquaintance who bore that name," I say, Louis! I've heard tell as how Adam had but one horse in his stable, and that he used in his dray to send beer about to his customers. Come-off, I say; down on thy marrow bones, fair Knight, and beg pardon for having sinned against the majesty of the people, and tried to make us slaves to the King's slaves, Louis of Flanders and his brother.-We'll ha' no more slavery, no more vassals nor vassallage, nor bending knees, nor folding hands, nor any such goings on; but all shall be free, and there shall be liberty for every man to do as he pleases; and we'll be all Kings, and Lords, and Seig

neurs, the people shall be King.-Come,

Sirrah,-off!"

66

Ill favoured Carle !" replied Philip, in a tone of angry resentment, which not even the danger of his situation enabled him to repress, -"knowst thou 'gainst whom thou now dost wag thy traitor tongue? I am the Sovereign of thy Lord; of that Lord who, not long hence, shall fix thy head on yonder ramparts, as a warning to all ribauds like thyself.-What!" he continued, raising the visor of his helmet and gazing around, "is there none here who knows his Monarch?"

Philip had no sooner by these words declared his rank, than surprise and consternation seemed to replace the ferocious audacity which had hitherto been apparent, both on the countenances and in the behaviour of those who surrounded him. A pause followed the announcement. They who-so dread is majesty!—but a moment before had seemed the most anxious for the capture, and the most desperately determined to effect it, now dropped their hands from off their Sovereign

and his steed; and falling back several paces, stood gazing at each other in confusion, as not knowing what course to follow, whether to fly, or to lay down their arms and sue for pardon.

Not so Zannecq, who with all the coarse and vulgar ribaldry of a demagogue, possessed a large share of natural shrewdness, and of that acute and ready insight into human nature, which is frequently the portion of the most ignorant as well as of the most worthless of mankind; and which, though it generally passes in the world as a proof of talent or genius in the possessor, has nothing in the world to do with either one or the other, being, in truth, most commonly but the result of a low selfish temper, ever intent on its own interest, and in search of means to gratify it.

· Perceiving this change of disposition in the minds of his followers, and well knowing that should the King be able to persuade them to return to their duty, their next step would be tear him to pieces, in

order to obtain pardon for their own offences. Zannecq was not tardy in addressing the deserters, and endeavouring to work a reaction in his favour.

What!" he cried aloud, "faultering, my lads! ar'nt I your countryman?-Ay, and your fellow townsman, moreover; ha'nt I watched over your safety, and told ye not to be made slaves on?-Ha' I not fought for ye-ar'nt my limbs black and blue with the knocks I ha' got all for your sakes? -ha'nt I been bespattered with all manner of abuse and been called a ribaud because I took your parts ?-ha' I not set you free from that proud tyrant Louis the Count, who would have ground down every mother's son of ye to powder, as fine as Barnaby Muller's the flourman? Ha' I not done all this, and dont 1 mean to do a great deal more, and to make Kings and Counts of ye all?-and dont I mean to let ye have bread, and beer, and beef all for nothing? And now, marry! in return for all this sarvice, you're going to leave me at the first tustle you have, -and instead of