JACQUELINE 
 OF HOLLAND. 
 
 A HISTORICAL TALE. 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS COLLEY GRATTAN, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THE HEIRESS OF B EC GE S," &C. 
 
 Nought is there under Heaven's wide hollownesse 
 That moves more deare compassion of minde, 
 
 Than beautie brought t' unworthy wretchednesse, 
 
 Through envie's snares, or fortune's freakes unkinde. 
 
 I, whether lately through her brightnesse blynde, 
 Or through alleageance and faste fealtie, 
 
 Which I do owe unto all womankynde, 
 Keele my hart perst with so greate agonie 
 When such I see, that all for pitty I could dy. 
 
 faerie V'"f". 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, 
 
 NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1831.
 
 L4 7X% 
 V.I * 
 
 TO 
 
 SIR ARTHUR BROOKE FAULKNER. Knt. 
 Sec. $c. 4'c. 
 
 My Dear Friend, 
 Were not the reading; world so intolerant of 
 mere undisguised prefaces, I should not have 
 been induced to cheat it into attention and be- 
 speak its favour, by pressing your name into 
 such light service as this ; nor have carried into 
 public a correspondence which is so much the 
 pleasure of my private life. But there are 
 several reasons for my choosing you as a lite- 
 rary sponsor on the present occasion, indepen- 
 dent of the motives of regard and respect implied 
 in every Dedication. It is perhaps sufficient to 
 mention the sympathy which I know you to feel 
 in my subject. 
 
 a 
 
 ^•^ *— ■ «-■ *.> ^r «,J? 
 
 ENGLISH
 
 VI DEDICATION. 
 
 We have cut through the fogs of a Dutch 
 winter together. While I sought inspiration 
 in the chronicles of the olden time, and you 
 drew from the still deeper and purer wells of 
 practical philosophy, we were now and then en- 
 couraged by glimpses of fair forms, shewing 
 through the mist enough of grace and beauty 
 to add truth to fancy and embellishment to fact. 
 You have traced with me nearly every locality 
 of my Heroine's adventurous life. You can, 
 therefore, better than any one else, admit the 
 probability of my imaginings, and vouch for the 
 veracity of my descriptions. 
 
 Yet I have been, if not actually disheartened 
 at least much discouraged, in venturing on 
 ground so unexplored as the countries I have 
 chosen for the scene of this and my last novel. 
 By readers who will believe in my pages, the 
 redundant wealth of Netherland annals may be 
 guessed at. To understand it thoroughly, many 
 a folio must be waded through, teeming with 
 such lure.
 
 DEDICATION. Vll 
 
 If I can, even with moderate success, bring 
 some of those abounding subjects to light, I 
 shall be satisfied. To paint Holland, as it was 
 four centuries back — torn by factions and the 
 prey of a repacious usurper — may convince 
 some sceptic as to the influences of civilization, 
 who sees the same country to-day, in an aspect 
 of union and energy, which extracts our admi- 
 ration, in spite of the many revolting anomalies 
 in a people so selfish and unsocial : while, on 
 the other hand, we may marvel at, and draw a 
 moral from, the spectacle of a nation so chang- 
 ed by commerce, from its once generous and 
 chivalric character, as to hate in the abstract, 
 and grudge to others, the liberty so bravely won 
 and so amply enjoyed by itself. While univer- 
 sal Europe throbs with painful exultation at 
 each new detail of Polish heroism, and glories 
 in the well regulated triumph of popular right 
 in England, Holland is the exception which 
 proves the general rule. For there is to be found 
 a whole people imbued with those prejudices
 
 Vlll DEDICATION. 
 
 against European freedom, so nauseously natu- 
 ral in the sycophants who bow down, body and 
 mind, in the closets and anti-rooms of despotism. 
 
 Yet it is probably the egotistical narrowness 
 so remarkable in the Dutch character that creates 
 the present display of national power. When 
 each individual takes care of number one, the 
 total of the country's interests is in safe keeping. 
 But so much that is abstruse may be connected 
 with this topic, that I will merely throw it out 
 as a text, on which I do not profess the capa- 
 bility of preaching. 
 
 Quite independent, however, of any purpose 
 of utility is the pleasure derivable from the com- 
 position of such a book as this. History, pro- 
 perly so called, is but a profound science, by 
 which the mere student is more fatigued than 
 improved, but which is to the Novelist a buoyant 
 recreation. The writer of Romance, who brings 
 men and women to move on the well-known 
 scenes of history, walks on real grounds, with 
 forms instead of shadows, and lives in a fresh-
 
 DEDICATION. IX 
 
 springing circle of beings and events, that are of 
 interest and value, in proportion as they do not 
 violate the general truths of Nature, or those 
 which the world has agreed to consider as ad- 
 mitted, if not proved. 
 
 But this career of romance writing is as peril- 
 ous as it is seductive ; and might deter any one 
 who does not despise the reproach of imitation. 
 Are sculptors or painters to be frightened, 
 because great artists have used the chisel or 
 brush before them ? And must authors of my 
 own pursuits throw down the pen, because others 
 have done miracles in the delineation of that 
 nature which should be our common study? 
 Must I, for instance, let Jacqueline of Holland 
 rot in a niche of vulgar history, because Mary, 
 of Scotland, or English Elizabeth, has been 
 granted a new patent of immortality, from the 
 hands of the first Romance- writer of the age ? 
 No. I, at least, will persist in offering my mite 
 towards these illustrations, doing justice to 
 female worth, and exhibiting the baseness of
 
 X DEDICATION. 
 
 History's favourites — mispainted and miscalled, 
 like M the good dukes" who figure in these pages 
 — until the fiat of fair criticism commands me 
 to stop : and then, like the reclaimed robber 
 (in Gil Bias, is it not ?) who, unsuccessfully tried 
 a more regular walk of life, I can grasp my 
 stick in my hand, and take to the " Highways -1 "' 
 again. 
 
 On looking back on what I have been writing, 
 I feel called on to acknowledge having met a 
 few exceptions in Holland to the dearth of those 
 generous courtesies which give so superior a 
 charm to other countries. I need not specify 
 all names. But in referring to the several in- 
 dividuals who kindly furnished facilities for the 
 performance of my present task, I must mention 
 Baron Van Tuylld' Ysledom. This gentleman, 
 whose near neighbourhood to the ruins of Tey- 
 lingen, and whose connection with the existing 
 Castle of Zuylen (both of such interest in the His- 
 tory of my Heroine) made his ability to for- 
 ward my object equal to his wish, knew how to
 
 DEDICATION. XI 
 
 add value to his information by that cordial hos- 
 pitality which, joined to the external appear- 
 ance of his place, makes the sojourner fancy 
 himself on some transplanted spot, of what will 
 soon again, please Heaven ! be entitled to be 
 called " merrie" England. 
 
 And now, in conclusion, let me, my dear 
 Faulkner, entreat you to excuse my thus having 
 used your name for my own purposes — were it 
 only for my withholding epithets of eulogy, which 
 might offend your modesty, but which should 
 be exaggerated indeed to express more than I 
 feel of esteem and friendship. 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 T. C. G. 
 
 June, 1831.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 On the southern limits of the wild district, 
 called the Zevenvolden* close to the desert 
 plains of the ancient county of Drent, where 
 they were washed by the Zuyder Zee, a species 
 of hunting tent, but of much better materials 
 than those used by the rude sportsmen of the 
 forest, was suspended from the overhanging 
 branches of a knoll of oaks. It was surrounded 
 • Seven forests, 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 •2 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 by groups of prickers, with bugles slung across 
 their shoulders, and holding in leash greyhounds 
 of the large red Albanian breed, and Flemish 
 brachs, of coarse and spotted skins ; varlets, 
 tending horses, caparisoned with long cover- 
 ings ; soldiers, armed at all points and halberds 
 in hand : but the active movements of those 
 who prepare for the chace, the joyous songs, the 
 cries of dogs, the flourish of horns, did not 
 break the silence of the place. It had often 
 been the scene of similar assemblages; but at 
 no former period, nor even during the four cen- 
 turies which have elapsed since that day, had it 
 been sought by so distinguished a company, or 
 for so serious a purpose. 
 
 Under the pavilion were two persons: the one, 
 a man of more than middle age, sat Avith his 
 hands clasped together, his legs crossed, and his 
 elbows resting on the arms of a large chair, 
 which was garnished with the unusual luxury 
 of a flock cushion. Notwithstanding this atti- 
 tude of lazy indifference, he did not seem at his
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. o 
 
 ease. He appeared incommoded by his riding 
 dress of brown cloth of Bruges, although his 
 doublet was open on his breast, and his red 
 leather girdle Avas loosely buckled round his 
 portly waist. A few short, grisled hairs fringed 
 the circumference of his large head, which was 
 covered with a hat of grey felt. His rosy jowls 
 were whiskerless ; nor was there mustachio on 
 his upper lip, nor beard on his chin. Nothing 
 but the texture and pattern of his dress was 
 chai*acteristic of the man of quality or the 
 sportsman. 
 
 Standing near to him, and leaning on a bow 
 of Spanish yew. a female of elegant form, and a 
 face of melancholy beauty, listened, but with a 
 pre-occupied air, to his discourse. Her features 
 were more strongly marked than those of mere 
 girls in early youth ; y.et they joined a bloom 
 and freshness rarely found after the very 
 spring-time of life, to a decided dignity that 
 only belongs to womanhood ; and her face dis- 
 played that harmonious brilliancy which can 
 
 b 2
 
 4 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 receive the imprint of suffering without being 
 withered by it. She was dressed in the fashion 
 of the wealthier females of Holland, in a robe of 
 fine white kersey, over which war a light blue 
 pourpoint of the same stuff, close fitting her 
 bust and waist, but with loose flaps that reached 
 the knees. Her hair, worn in great profusion, 
 was fancifully garnished with side plates and 
 rings of gold, studded with precious stones ; 
 and beneath her high cap of green velvet hung 
 innumerable curls, of light brown, tinged with 
 occasional streaks of a shade that was all but 
 auburn. Her shoes of blue morocco were sharp 
 pointed, and turned up almost to the instep ; 
 and a narrow belt of blue silk was fastened in 
 front with a diamond aigrette, below which 
 hung two points of gold filagree work. 
 
 " You see the good effect of piety and prayer, 
 my lovely countess, my much honoured daugh- 
 ter ," said her companion, in the French lan- 
 guage, but with the harsh accent of the north. 
 " While you encountered such manifold perils,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 5 
 
 I unceasingly offered up masses for your suc- 
 cess; and here you are, safely arrived in har- 
 bour, or at least, your bark is launched under 
 fair auspices. 1 ' 
 
 " Yes, but on a stormy sea !" replied she 5 
 with a heavy sigh. 
 
 " What then ? You have a bold and skilful 
 pilot to conduct it, 11 replied the disguised 
 ecclesiastic, with a satisfied air. " The son, 
 brother, and uncle of kings, himself the regent 
 of an empire, is the man to throw defiance in 
 the teeth of your unnatural cousin. By the 
 shrine of St. Willebrod, this is what I call a 
 marriage ! Half the princesses in Europe will 
 envy you." 
 
 The beautiful huntress, for such she was. as 
 well in spirit as in seeming, threw her azure 
 eyes to Heaven, and a tear glistened on their 
 long lashes. 
 
 The churchman looked peevish and dissatis- 
 fied ; and in a tone, half angry and half cring- 
 ing, he continued,
 
 G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 a 
 
 Nay, Madam, recollect it is he alone that 
 can now save your heritage from utter spolia- 
 tion. Who but the royal Glocester can make 
 head against all-powerful Burgundy ? or shew 
 the world how bad is his title to his misplaced 
 name of * the Good V How but by his aid are 
 your faithful vassals to be saved, and your free 
 towns of Holland and Zealand to hold their 
 freedom ? And one daring friend, Zweder Van 
 Culemborg, with his see of Utrecht, what is to 
 become of him, should ambitious Philip sur- 
 prise us, without other help than our enmity ? 
 Let me tell you, my honoured princess, that in 
 this perilous game it is I who have the largest 
 stake, for the good Duke Philip would hunt me 
 down to the death, if he suspected but a tithe 
 of all I am doing for you." 
 
 " My reverend lord, let your anxieties rest 
 on their true base," replied the lady, with a 
 somewhat disdainful pride. " Things have 
 gone too far to allow of my holding back ; and 
 you need not to learn that Jacqueline of Hoi-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 7 
 
 land comes of a race which has ever feared dis- 
 honour more than misfortune." 
 
 " Ay, that is spoken like yourself, like the 
 descendant of your noble line," replied the re- 
 assured bishop, rubbing his hands with selfish 
 joy ; " and if you would make surety more 
 sure, if you would rivet one link, to join us all 
 in a chain of common safety rather than of com- 
 mon risk, is not this the time ? What can be 
 more lucky than my presence to tie the nuptial 
 knot ? and when could you better change the 
 title of affianced bride for that of wedded wife?" 
 
 As he raised his eyes to those of Jacqueline, 
 his discourse was at once cut short at seeing 
 them sparkle with indignation. And dropping 
 his looks again towards the ground, where they 
 were commonly fixed whenever he spoke, he lis- 
 tened without interruption as she replied : — 
 
 "Count, or prelate, for I give you your 
 choice of titles in this matter of secular or cleri- 
 cal concern, it is well at this outset of our enter- 
 prize that we understand each other. Your
 
 H JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 alliance is of high price to one in my forlorn 
 situation, and still more valuable is the aid of 
 England's regent. But for neither can I fore- 
 go the sense of my own dignity, nor incur the 
 blame of my own conscience. I am satisfied, if 
 Heaven wills it so, to be the most wretched of 
 women ; but I will die sooner than do aught I 
 may be ashamed of. How, then, can you counsel 
 me a secret marriage while another husband yet 
 lives, and ere my hated bonds are yet broken ?" 
 
 '• Nay, your interest and his highness of 
 Glocester's, leave little doubt of your unlawful 
 marriage being at this hour annulled, even if 
 John of Brabant yet live to receive the bull by 
 which his Holiness will sever your union. Both 
 divorce and widowhood may at this moment be 
 yours. Then hesitate not on weak scruples, 
 from which I am ready to absolve you." 
 
 "Alas, alas!" said Jacqueline, sinking on a 
 chair similar to the bishop's, " how often on 
 my sad and dreary path of life have I met those 
 ever ready to remove the scruples of my
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 9 
 
 concience, and point out the broad road to 
 crime !"" 
 
 " Crime, Madam Jacqueline I 11 
 
 " No less, reverend count. When my first 
 affianced lord, the Dauphin, fell a victim to per- 
 fidy and poison, and I lost at once a promised 
 husband and a crown, how many a tongue held 
 forth to check the tide of natural remorse, with 
 which I looked on the unholy union with my 
 hated cousin John ! And when I did yield me 
 to the counsel of my friends, and sacrificed my- 
 self to the mere phantom of a spouse, who could 
 scarcely bear the burden of his own infirmities, 
 much less uphold me and my rights — how was 
 I urged, ay, by this very pontiff, Martin V., to 
 overcome the terror which made me, as I declared 
 in full assembly to the states of Hainault, trem- 
 ble like an aspen leaf, whenever my boy-hus- 
 band threatened to approach me !" 
 
 " Ay, my much honoured daughter,"" rejoined 
 the prelate, with an unsanctified leer, " and no 
 wonder you should shrink from the approach of 
 
 b 3
 
 10 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 such a mere mockery of manhood. But how 
 different now your lot ! How different the 
 gallant Glocester, when he comes towards you 
 full of love—" 
 
 "Hold, my Lord Zweder! Another word 
 like this — another look, irreverent in you or in- 
 sulting to me, and that moment I break off this 
 conference, cut short our project for ever, and 
 return to my poor town of Amersfort, trusting 
 my fate to Heaven !" 
 
 " Ay, Madam, it is this I was taught to ex- 
 pect — and it is for treatment like this I have 
 risked my whole temporal good in your almost 
 desperate cause ! Thus your devoted vassals, 
 your faithful towns of Holland and Zealand, 
 your brave commons of Kennemer and West 
 Frise are all sacrificed to a woman's caprice !" 
 
 " Ill-fortune has made me used to bear hard 
 words," said Jacqueline, with a proudly deject- 
 ed air. 
 
 " Cannot good sense teach you to value kind 
 ones ? Can you not — "
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 11 
 
 " Hark ye, my lord bishop ! I came not 
 here to harm my cause any more than to list 
 your lectures. I would not do myself the ill to 
 quarrel with you — so hear me ! I am ready to 
 complete my contract with Humphrey of Gloces- 
 ter, when God in his mercy shall take him that 
 calls himself my husband, or the pontiff in his 
 wisdom shall break the bonds he himself forged 
 for me." 
 
 " Nay, this is well spoken ; and more than 
 this—" 
 
 " Ask me no more — my tongue will not play 
 the hypocrite to my heart. I cannot list to 
 words of love when Glocester is the theme. I 
 love him not, nor does he love me. Motives of 
 state, that join so many a prince and princess in 
 unsuiting bonds, lead both of us to this marriage 
 — nothing more. As Humphrey has valiantly 
 fought for my poor cause, so shall I faithfully 
 honour him. As he has gallantly sought my 
 hand, so shall I give it him in gratitude and 
 troth. But love ! Ah me, I never knew it,
 
 12 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 nor ever may I hope to know its charms ! The 
 lowliest wench that tends a peasant's swine 
 may sooner prove the sympathy of heart for 
 heart, than I, born to a state in which love 
 is no denizen. And vet methinks, that had 
 I— " 
 
 " Hark ! look out, Madam !" interrupted the 
 bishop, who had paid little attention to the faint- 
 ly uttered musings of his companion's reverie. 
 " Do you not hear the trumpet that was to sig- 
 nal their approach ? Yes, there they come, 
 two knights with their squires. It must be the 
 duke and Ludwick Van Monfoort. Cheer up, 
 cheer up, fair daughter, to meet your affianced 
 
 lord r 
 
 A brighter expression did for a moment lighten 
 Jacqueline's face ; but it was kindled at a 
 source far different from the bishop's imagining. 
 It was revived ambition that gleaned in her 
 proud mind, and animated her fine counte- 
 nance, at the prospect of meeting him, who 
 had already fought for her rights and was now,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 13 
 
 their chief hope. She rose from her seat, and, 
 with somewhat of a woman's weakness adjust- 
 ing her tresses and head dress, she advanced to 
 the opening of the tent. There she was met by 
 her own and the bishop's pages, with a young 
 woman some half dozen years her junior, the 
 most favoured and attached of the few maids of 
 honour who had faithfully followed her vicissi- 
 tudes, from the time of her unhappy marriage 
 with her cousin-german, John Duke of Brabant. 
 The pages were, like the soldiers and other at- 
 tendants, in plain suits, unmarked by any 
 badge or cognizance that could denote their 
 service. The young woman was dressed much 
 in the same fashion as the princess, except that 
 the colours she wore and the adjustment of her 
 hair were carefully suited to her still lighter 
 complexion and the less serious expression of 
 her face. A smile beamed on her lovely mouth, 
 blushes covered her cheeks, and her slight fi- 
 gure seemed elastic with joy. 
 
 " Well, Benina," said Jacqueline, with a
 
 14 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 composed air, " your duty of the watch is 
 finished. Duke Humphrey comes to the ren- 
 dezvous?" 
 
 " Yes, yes, Madam, look yonder through 
 the vista towards the beach, and see them com- 
 ing ! They took us quite by surprise, not- 
 withstanding all our vigilance. The little bark 
 sloped round the jutting point of the bay by 
 the north, while Hendrick and myself, with 
 the bishop's page, the two halberdiers and the 
 trumpeter, all strained our eyes towards the 
 south." 
 
 "'Tis rarely, my good Benina, that love 
 looks so wide of his mark ! Nay, blush not 
 more deeply, my poor maiden— thy cheeks were 
 already sufficiently dyed in the colour of confes- 
 sion. 1 ' 
 
 " Ah, Madam, spare me those words and 
 looks ! Be merciful to the weakness you have 
 not hitherto reproved !" 
 
 " Reprove ! Heaven forbid that I should ! 
 Were I thy rival, Benina, I should blame and
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 15 
 
 hate thee. But my envy of thy delight is that 
 of ignorance not anger. Would that I, too, 
 could feel my pulse throb and my brow flush 
 like thine ! Ah me ! but it must be sweet to 
 love and be beloved !" 
 
 " See, Madam, they approach — the duke 
 and-" 
 
 " Thou needest not to announce the brave 
 Fitz-walter, Benina — thine eyes have been the 
 heralds of his coming. I wish thee all joy and 
 happiness, my faithful friend !" 
 
 " And you too, my gracious mistress, will 
 you not be joyous and happy ? Oh ! let your 
 face be decked with smiles at last — you, who of 
 all the earth most merit happiness, and, more 
 than me, have right to hail it now. Yon gal- 
 lant lover, the royal Glocester, comes to claim 
 your plighted troth, while I, alas ! have only 
 hope and fancy to build on. Oh, cheer up, 
 Madam, and meet the prince with smiles of 
 welcome !" 
 
 Jacqueline made no reply to this warm-
 
 16 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 hearted effusion, but stood with complacent 
 gracefulness to receive the new-comers. The 
 bishop also quitted the tent and advanced 
 towards them ; while the soldiers and servants 
 formed in lines, to do them honourable saluta- 
 tion. As Glocester advanced he threw his large 
 cloak to an attendant varlet, and discovered his 
 manly figure, dressed in a plain close suit of 
 Lincoln green, over which hung no ornament 
 that might betray his rank ; and his low round 
 cap of velvet was simply adorned with a band of 
 the same, fastened by a gold buckle such as 
 any English gentleman might wear. A short 
 dagger in his girdle was his only weapon ; and 
 it was but his princely mien and fiery glance 
 that bore witness to the identity of the impe- 
 tuous protector of England. 
 
 The companion closest to his side, and who 
 bluntly did the office of chamberlain in pre- 
 senting to him the obsequious bishop, was a 
 man of middle age, middle stature, and mid- 
 dling manners, such as characterised the majo-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 17 
 
 rity of the rude and independent nobility of 
 Holland and Zealand in those days : — men, 
 who to feudal power joined little of chivalric 
 refinement ; and in their isolated castles main- 
 tained a fierce war with their factious neigh- 
 bours, or the towns which detested and strug- 
 gled against their authority. Ludwick Van 
 Monfoort was only distinguished from his class 
 by a never-changing fidelity to the cause of 
 Jacqueline, emulated by few of her titled vas- 
 sals, in her unlucky wars with her uncle, John 
 the Pitiless, secularized Bishop of Liege, whose 
 recent death had restored her to those rights of 
 heritage which his victorious iniquity had some 
 years before wrested from her. This blunt 
 warrior could not, on the present occasion, be 
 induced to lay aside completely his warlike ap- 
 parel. Beneath his russet doublet a slight 
 hauberk of iron wire was partly visible ; his 
 lono- double-handed sword was slung by a brass- 
 studded baldric at his back ; and his head was 
 covered by a close cap of red cloth, the dis-
 
 18 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 tinctivc mark of the Jloeks, the faction to 
 which he belonged, in opposition to the grey 
 bonnets of the Kabblejaws, who had been for 
 nearly a century their inveterate enemies. In 
 other respects the dress of this staunch adherent 
 did not belie the nominal purport of his visit 
 to the Zevenvoldcn ; and his whole appearance 
 formed a mixture of sporting, chivalry, and 
 brigandage. 
 
 Close to Gloccster, but not in a direct line 
 with him, nor yet so much behind as to denote 
 a servile station, walked a knightly looking man 
 of about thirty, which was exactly five years 
 below his own age, in a similar costume to his, 
 and with that peculiar air which has in all ages 
 been distinctive of an English noble. A few 
 paces behind was a younger man, whose 
 rougher aspect, coarser apparel, and measured 
 attendance on Van Monfoort's movements, 
 spoke him a squire suited to such a knight. 
 
 " Welcome, most gracious duke !." said 
 Jacqueline, as Glocester saluted her, with the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 19 
 
 ceremonious courtesy prescribed by the strict 
 rules of chivalry, but with none of the familiar 
 warmth which might have been expected from a 
 gallant prince to his affianced bride. " Let 
 your heart interpret my gratitude for this new 
 proof of zeal. I am a beggar even in words." 
 " Countess, I am here not less by inclination 
 than duty," replied Glocester. " I owe it to 
 my honour as well as to your misfortunes, to 
 succour and cherish you at all risks. I have 
 vowed my sword and my life to your service ; 
 and St. George be my warrant that I will keep 
 my vow !" 
 
 The tone of this reply sunk into Jacqueline's 
 heart. She had never felt towards Glocester as 
 at that moment. When he had first espoused 
 her cause and contracted a promise of marriage 
 with her, she was a mark that any prince of 
 Europe might have aimed at ; and in the sub- 
 sequent vain struggle against the united power 
 of John of Brabant and Philip of Burgundy, 
 her ambitious champion might have been sup-
 
 20 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 posed to fight for her possessions, rather than 
 her person. But now, when nearly all was 
 lost, Hainault irrecoverably, and even Holland 
 but partly held, and that by a most doubtful 
 tenure, the unflinching perseverance of Gloces- 
 ter seemed perfect heroism in her eyes, and 
 gave her, for the first time, the most delicious 
 conviction a woman can feel— that it was herself' 
 alone that formed her champion's inspiration. 
 She therefore answered in terms of still stronger 
 gratitude ; and then turned with graceful dig- 
 nity, to acknowledge Lord Fitz-walter's respect- 
 ful salutation, and the less courtly one of Lud- 
 wick Van Monfoort. 
 
 tw In sooth, my lord," said she, M it spreads 
 a gleam of joy across my mind to see his high- 
 ness accompanied by so distinguished a follower 
 as yourself. With such gallant support as you 
 and my brave lion of Urk here, there may yet 
 be hope of good." 
 
 Van Monfoort acknowledged his title, smiled 
 grimly through his grisly beard and thick mus-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 21 
 
 tachios, and shook his shoulders with a pecu- 
 liar twist, that brought his sword round and 
 enabled him to clap his hand on its huge 
 hilt. 
 
 " This be my pledge," said he, grasping the 
 weapon ; while Fitz-walter added a few words, 
 in a tone of deep feeling, expressive of his de- 
 votion to Jacqueline's service. 
 
 " Thanks, my good lord," said she, "are the 
 only guerdon which the poorest of princesses 
 can offer to the bravest of knights." 
 
 " Oh, Madam, they are more, far more than 
 I merit or expect/ 1 replied the Englishman, 
 with much emotion ; " but better days may be 
 in store, 1 ' added he, in a lighter tone, as if re- 
 covering from a too serious mood. 
 
 " Let us hope so !" exclaimed Jacqueline, 
 " though alas ! we may never see the like of 
 those gay and happy times when merry England 
 and his gracious highness here did more than 
 meet honour to my small deserts. It is a poor 
 return I now can make for all the courteous
 
 22 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 gallantry lavished upon mo then — a stolen re- 
 ception in these wild woods, a sorry tent, and 
 a mock hunting party, in lieu of a brilliant 
 court, a splendid palace, magnificent jousts, 
 and feats of chivalry.' 1 
 
 " Countess," said Glocester, with a spirited 
 air, " we are too much honoured in your ser- 
 vice to feel aught wanting to ennoble it. Fitz- 
 walter is ready again to put his lance in rest, 
 and run a tilt in your cause, in a more glorious 
 field than the narrow lists of Westminster or 
 Windsor. Think no more of these child's 
 sports — we must now turn our thoughts to man- 
 lier deeds. 1 " 1 
 
 " Ah, noble prince, my heart is full, and the 
 sight of that now faded favour, which I see his 
 lordship with constant gallantry still wears in 
 his cap, recalled those halcyon days with a too 
 acute remembrance. That favour, Lord Fitz- 
 walter, marks an ungracious contrast to your 
 fidelity— it changes its colour. 11 
 
 " Which I never shall, as heaven is my hope, 11
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 23 
 
 said Fitz-walter, placing his hand on his heart, 
 while Banina Beyling, who had stood timidly 
 blushino- behind her mistress, felt her brain 
 turn, as she almost sunk with excess of happi- 
 ness. 
 
 " Come forward, Benina," said Jacqueline, 
 " and take Lord Fitz-walter into your care. She 
 will, I warrant her my lord, give special heed to 
 your discourse, for England's sake and for your 
 own, though her gratitude may not be garrulous. 
 Van Monfoort, tend well this gallant lord, he 
 shall be in your charge to-day. My page, and 
 my lord bishop's here, will do the office of 
 chamberlains in this our Court of the Zeven- 
 volden. Now, gracious prince, come with his 
 reverence and ourselves into our sylvan closet 
 of council. Alas ! what bitter mockery does 
 fate make of princes and their pomp !" 
 
 These concluding words were uttered in a 
 tone of deep sadness, that suddenly broke down, 
 as it were, the forced gaiety of the sentence or 
 two which preceded them. The lovely speaker,
 
 24 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 whom misfortune had taught to moralize, en- 
 tered the pavilion followed by Glocester and 
 the bishop, while Fitz-walter and Van Monfoort, 
 under Benina's auspices, took possession of 
 another tent, hastily thrown up within a short 
 distance, but iust out of hearing of that confe- 
 rence on which the more elevated triumvirate 
 immediately entered.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 25 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 The bishop, a selfish person, quite uncon- 
 scious of his own insignificance and dulness, 
 began the discourse ; and feeling himself, as it 
 were, at home, did the duties of host, as such 
 men always do, by placing themselves and their 
 affairs in the post of honour. He seated himself 
 in his cushioned arm-chair, and in the elation 
 of the moment, forgetting decorum, and almost 
 servility, exclaimed, 
 
 u Ah, this is a proud day for Zweder Van 
 Culemborg ! — most royal protector, my delight 
 
 vol. i. c
 
 26 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 is infinite to meet you. How the rebellious citi- 
 zens of Utrecht must quail and accept the com- 
 mutation — ay, and doff their greasy caps, with 
 thanks to my lowest proctor. When does your 
 highness' s noble domination reckon on the arri- 
 val of your forces ? Ludwick Van Monfoort 
 tells me bluntly they are coming, but says not 
 •when. How many thousand heroes do you bring 
 to our aid, most princely protector ? — you make 
 your first advance on Utrecht, eh ? Ah, let 
 the base burghers quail ! — ungrateful slaves, who 
 would not add a ruby to their prelate's mitre, 
 nor a doight to their prince's revenue, nor a — " 
 " Before Heaven, Madam," said Glocester, 
 abruptly, " your reverend ally here, unlike the 
 Genoese bowmen at Agincourt, does not let 
 those he came to aid take the front of the bat- 
 tle ! — he leads the van more like a principal 
 than an auxiliary. May God and St. George 
 guard me well, but I thought I came here to 
 serve your cause against perfidious Burgundy, 
 not to fight for this holy suffragan against his
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 27 
 
 beggarly parishioners. How is this, fair count- 
 ess ? — or, mayhap, your reverence will set me 
 right?" 
 
 While Jacqueline answered Glocester's sar- 
 casms by a smile, and threw a glance of ineffa- 
 ble contempt at the churchman, the latter, re- 
 called to a sense of his indelicate egotism by 
 the duke's reproof, muttered a not very satis- 
 factory commentary on his former text. 
 
 " Your highness marvels," said he, " that I 
 should touch first on what seems my own inte- 
 rests in this conference. But wherefore, let me 
 ask, is it wondrous that I should be moved by 
 the impulse that regulates all men — ay, and 
 all women, by this fair lady's leave ? Suppose I 
 do think of myself, why not ? Do I not risk all 
 to serve our common cause ? — and why should 
 my good alone be overlooked ? Why should 
 the Bishop of Utrecht be forgotten — at least by 
 him who wears the mitre ? No man ever yet 
 hated his own flesh, but nourisheth it, and chc- 
 risheth it, says St. Paul." 
 
 c 2
 
 2V> JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Nay, countess, with your good leave," said 
 Glocester, intercepting the indignant reply 
 which had begun to speak in Jacqueline"^ looks. 
 tC I will briefly answer the worthy prelate's 
 questions, and speak to this matter as seems 
 meet. And first, be it known to your reverence, 
 I am no polemic, nor can I quote scripture, 
 though worse than either of us has done so 
 before now. Moreover, I tell you frankly that 
 I am no friend to alliances with churchmen ; 
 one bishop has been the bitter foe of the count- 
 ess here, pitiless John of Liege, whom neither 
 religion nor relationship could appease. Ano- 
 ther has been the bane of my life, as well you 
 may know, pernicious, wanton Winchester ! — 
 and, without undue offence, I see nothing good 
 to be gained in a league where selfishness holds 
 the first place." 
 
 " But listen, my lord duke, awhile — " 
 " Let me tell you, prelate, that Humphrey 
 of Glocester is used to be listened to, not 
 curbed, in speech or action. Nor shall any
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 29 
 
 priest dictate what even fro ward Beaufort 
 dared not !*" 
 
 " By St. Willebrod, the patron of my see, if 
 your highness takes so high a tone with 
 your friends, your enemies may well, I trow, 
 call you imperious and irreverend !" 
 
 " My friends ! — Hold there awhile, good 
 Bishop, nor speak too rashly. I am quick to 
 give enmity, but slow in lavishing regard, par- 
 ticularly to those of your cloth. I do not mean 
 that hunting suit, which, 'fore George, I honour 
 more than sacerdotal robes." 
 
 " 'Tis you who speak too rashly, lord pro- 
 tector. Nor is this fit discourse from layman 
 to a priest ; nor, let me add, of likelihood to 
 serve the cause you boast of being pledged to. 
 My crosier to a lame man's crutch ! Is it thus 
 I'm to be treated ? Madame Jacqueline, do I 
 deserve this from your friends ?" 
 
 "With these words the bishop rose from his 
 chair, and paced the tent in much perturbation ; 
 while Glocester sat quietly, enjoying the storm
 
 30 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 he had raised. Jacqueline, little less gratified at 
 his free treatment of the selfish being (who only 
 received back what he was himself too ready to 
 ready to deal out to others when he dared), yet 
 feared that a premature breach might follow the 
 too-marked expression of Glocester's fiery con- 
 tempt. She, therefore, in a soothing tone, en- 
 treated the bishop to remove his seat ; and by a 
 persuasive look shewed the duke her wish that 
 he should make some amends for his abruptness. 
 He quickly complied, and said — 
 
 " Come, my lord bishop, be not too quick 
 to take offence. Let this pass, and we will talk 
 more coolly. But, by the rood, it moved me to 
 hear you begin our council with what should 
 have come last in order."" 
 
 " Well, let it be not revived," said Jacqueline, 
 interrupting the prelate's reply, — " you are both 
 friends now, and must, for my sake, make allow- 
 ance for each other's way of thought and speech. 
 Be satisfied, reverend Sir, my good ally !" 
 
 " Blessed be the peace-makers !" exclaimed
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 31 
 
 the hypocritical retailer of the apostle's dicta, 
 resuming his seat, quite satisfied to brook the 
 sallies of so powerful a censor as England's pro- 
 tector, and thinking he had shewn sufficient 
 spirit at his rough usage. 
 
 " Now let us, my good lords, come calmly to 
 the matter of our meeting," said Jacqueline, 
 " and discuss, in serious mood and measured 
 phrase, the subjects we have so much at heart. 
 Remember we are about to cope with a mighty 
 antagonist; and, for the love of a righteous 
 cause, let us mutually add to each other's 
 strength, by bearing with each other's weakness. 
 For you, bishop, and me, we uphold each our 
 own interests in this quarrel ; for should the 
 tyrant, Philip, crush me in this struggle, you 
 too must become his victim. But let us bear in 
 mind that this noble prince espouses my just 
 but almost desperate cause, and therefore acts 
 in yours from motives alone of generous devo- 
 tion. Let our gratitude — " 
 
 " Noble and beauteous Jacqueline," inter-
 
 32 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 rupted Glocestcr, " let no more mention of that 
 word put shame upon my feeble efforts." 
 
 " Nor need we overstrain his highness^ pure 
 motives," chimed in the churchman, with a 
 sulky and envious sneer; "pledged by the 
 honour of knighthood in your cause, and bound 
 by the holy ties of affianced faith, methinks 
 the hoped-for enjoyment of your various 
 counties of Holland, Zealand, and Friesland, 
 to the north, with the contested claims for 
 Brabant and Hainault, to the south, besides 
 the succession to the Bavarian fiefs, which, on 
 the death of your noble mother, Madame Mar- 
 guerite, must be yours in virtue of direct in- 
 heritance — methinks all these, with the pos- 
 session of a bride so beautiful, as it needs no 
 flattery to pronounce you to be, are enough to 
 urge on this puissant prince, without seeking to 
 prove him influenced by super-human virtue." 
 
 The prelate's eyes being, as usual, fixed on 
 the ground, he did not see, as Jacqueline too 
 quickly did, the rapid flush that spread over
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 33 
 
 Glocester's brow during this speech, nor the 
 impetuous movement which impelled his open 
 hand against his forehead, nor the forcible com- 
 pression of his lips, all speaking an inward 
 struggle of no common kind. Her sensitive 
 mind, accustomed to disappointment and deceit, 
 read a volume of evil import in these omens. 
 The current of her words seemed checked ; nor 
 did the duke give utterance to a single phrase. 
 The bishop, who expected interruption at every 
 point of his verbose speech, looked up in sur- 
 prise, which become instantly triumph, when he 
 saw the evident confusion of Glocester's looks. 
 
 " Nay, nay, your highness,' 1 said he, with a 
 patronising tone, " take not my words too much 
 to heart— I meant not to mortify you, but to 
 shew our fair ally here that I can probe the re- 
 cesses of men's minds, and sift the secret motives 
 that impel the acts of all. Noble prince, be not 
 cast down." 
 
 " Tut, tut, good priest," said Glocester, im- 
 patiently repelling the hand which the bishop 
 
 c 3
 
 34 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 placed on his, " waste not your words, nor wear 
 the day in child's play like this. I tell you, 
 prelate, you know me not ; nor could the cun- 
 ning of all earth's hierarchs unravel the mys- 
 tery of my present thoughts. A baby's hand 
 may strike deep discoid from a ghittern's strings. 
 Even so have your foolish words jarred on the 
 feelings you could not play upon. Enough 
 then ! — Time presses, and each man's deeds 
 must now be the interpreter of his motives. 
 Fair countess, pardon me for being a moment 
 turned aside from your especial converse — I 
 play the gallant badly, and perhaps the states- 
 man worse ! Nature made me hasty, though 
 not heedless, as you shall find ere long." 
 
 " Princely Glocester, 11 replied Jacqueline, " I 
 may not read your secret thoughts, but I can 
 divine the causes that affect them. Lack of 
 happiness sharpens the mind's eye, as want of 
 sight quickens the blind man's touch. Then 
 hear me now at this outset, ere one irrepa- 
 rable step be taken in our most perilous enter-
 
 JACQUELINE OP HOLLAND. 35 
 
 prise. If, as I fear me, you repent our mutual 
 pledge, if a realm's good is risked by it, if 
 your great brother Bedford, trammelled by Bur- 
 gundy, looks on our union with an ill eye, as 
 marring mightier plans of state — this moment I 
 release you from your vow, and will dare alone 
 the manifold dangers of my quarrel. Speak to 
 me frankly, freely, without set phrase, or courtly 
 guile — I wait for your reply. 1 ' 
 
 " Madame Jacqueline !" exclaimed the bishop, 
 in cruel perturbation ; " Countess ! for the love 
 of the saints — in the name of the holy martyrs, 
 I conjure you to recal these ruinous words ! 
 Duke of Glocester, I must not let you answer ! 
 As a prelate of the holy church, as a pro- 
 tector of this princess's rights, I put a bar upon 
 your speech, if it would violate a sacred engage- 
 ment, on which my whole — that is to say, on 
 which all our safety depends ! Oh, woman, 
 woman ! what little wisdom did the fruit of 
 knowledge give you ! — when, indeed, will you 
 bruise the serpent's head ?"
 
 36 JACQUELINK OF HOLLAND. 
 
 While the reverend speaker once more started 
 from his chair, paced the tent, and rubbed, or 
 almost wrung his hands with agitation, Glo- 
 cester continued seated, and looked firmly on 
 Jacqueline, during both her and the bishop's 
 harangues. When the latter had subsided into 
 interjectional murmurings, the duke calmly 
 spoke. 
 
 " If," said he, " I had wanted proof of Jac- 
 queline of Holland's magnanimity, or sought a 
 contrast between woman's greatness and man's 
 littleness, St. George, have I not them before me ! 
 But I needed not this. From the day on which 
 you, too beautiful Jacqueline, sought the court 
 and the protection of my late brother, Henry, 
 whom the King of kings assoil ! to this present 
 eventful hour, I have known you for all that is 
 great in spirit and virtuous in heart. I have 
 sworn my life to your service, and no mortal 
 power shall make me swerve from that great 
 duty. It is true I am thwarted in my ardent 
 wishes. When Henry lay on his death-bed,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 37 
 
 almost his last request was that I should not 
 
 quit England more, nor embroil myself in the 
 
 quarrels of France. But I did not heed the 
 
 dying weakness of even a hero like him. I 
 
 judged for myself, invaded Hainault, fought 
 
 for, and lost your cause. Now, Bedford, great 
 
 and good as he is, reiterates the vow of our 
 
 royal brother, and urges me, by all the interests 
 
 of the realm, to abandon you and rest at home. 
 
 But the wishes of a living regent restrain me no 
 
 more than the prayer of a buried king, even 
 
 though Burgundy and Britanny, those intriguing 
 
 dukes, have gained all Bedford's confidence, 
 
 and make my conduct the pretext for loosening 
 
 the ties that bind them to the cause of England. 
 
 Again, old Winchester, that pieled prelate, that 
 
 manifest firebrand, whom our late King Henry 
 
 hated as I do, who never put foot in church but 
 
 to pray me mischief, he, with some factious 
 
 lords, dares implicate my motives, in making 
 
 your cause my own, and fulminates anathema 
 
 and ban against me on the head of it. But
 
 38 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 nought shall stay me while I wield the power of 
 England, till my young nephew, Henry VI., 
 may take the reins of state, or till death strikes 
 the sword of office from my hand. Three thou- 
 sand gallant soldiers, men at arms, bill-men, 
 and archers mixed in due proportion — are now 
 on the sea, and, ere three days, they must, if 
 God keeps the wind in its present course, be 
 landed safe in Holland." 
 
 " Praise to the Lord of Hosts, and may 
 the wind hold westwardly !" uttered the 
 bishop, at the same moment thrusting his 
 head out of the tent, and raising his palm 
 towards the favouring point of the compass. 
 " May St. Peter blow a strong breath into 
 the canvass, and the Virgin sit at the helm !" 
 continued he, turning again into the tent and 
 laughing outright with joy, on feeling the light 
 breeze which crept gently up from the Zuyder 
 Zee into the forest. " Oh, brave Glocester, 
 how I honour you ! Ha, ha, Burgundy ! you 
 are forestalled at last. What will the schisma-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 39 
 
 tic chapter of Utrecht say now, when they see 
 the heroes of Agincourt level their pikes, and 
 bend their bows, and point their culverins at my 
 side ! Ha, ha ! ha, ha ! Ah ! my fair countess, 
 did I not bid you be of good heart ? Let the 
 Zerem Volden ring with joy !" 
 
 " By St. Paul, I could almost laugh myself, 
 at the antics of this mitred mountebank V said 
 Glocester, in a half whisper to Jacqueline, as the 
 bishop walked up and down. " 'Tis pity he has 
 not a cockVcomb in his cap. No, no, he will 
 not suit our alliance, countess. His mummery 
 reminds me of Judas in the miracle play, which 
 they acted for us at Windsor. 11 
 
 " He may be most useful though not disin- 
 terested ," said Jacqueline, in the same tone. 
 
 " Use him, then, but trust him not," rejoined 
 the duke. " I am no astrologer nor cabalist, 
 nor know I the grand magistery ; but King 
 Alphonso's three- sided chrystal is not wanting, 
 to shew me that this priest will as surely betray 
 us as it may answer his ends to do so. 11
 
 40 JACQUELINE OP HOLLAND. 
 
 " Well, your highness," asked the bishop, 
 coming forward, " what say you to the coun- 
 tess ?" 
 
 " Something trite, and more true than your 
 last homily, I'll 'gage for it," answered Glo- 
 cester. 
 
 " Whatever your princely protectorship 
 pleases," said the obsequious priest. " I begin 
 to see your humour, and will let it pass. What 
 more does it now suit your highness to commu- 
 nicate to Madame Jacqueline and myself? M 
 
 " I tell you honestly, prelate, somewhat to 
 her I would not trust to you." 
 
 " And well that may be, from a lover to his 
 betrothed. Would you that I should walk 
 abroad awhile ?*" said the prelate, with a signi- 
 ficant leer. 
 
 Another gloomy blush and frown passed 
 over Glocester's brow. Jacqueline saw it, with 
 pain and pride. She felt her colour rise as her 
 heart swelled ; and she rapidly said, 
 
 " Duke, have we more to hear of your de-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 41 
 
 sign ? If so, his reverence may again be seated 
 — if not, let us seek the greenwood, and try the 
 fortune of the forest. 1 ' 
 
 " In sooth, fair countess, I have not more of 
 moment to communicate just now; but this, 
 which you may kindly construe as important — 
 I must return this night to England. 1 ' 
 
 " Return this night to England !" echoed the 
 bishop. 
 
 " To England ?" said Jacqueline. 
 
 " Ay, by my faith ! and sorely against my 
 will. Would I might dare to stay, and at once 
 peril my life in this contest !" 
 
 " What ! will you not fight, then, in this 
 cause — not lead your troops to quell my fac- 
 tious citizens ?"" asked the bishop, with panting 
 anxiety, while Jacqueline silently gazed on 
 Glocester. 
 
 " Reverend count, 1 ' said the latter, " I may 
 not lead the troops even in a better quarrel. 
 But I 'ic'dl fight, ay to the death, or God aban- 
 don me in her just cause! Know, Madam,
 
 42 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 that my duel with tyrant Burgundy is all de- 
 cided on. His last acceptance of my terms of 
 combat reached me four days gone, ere I quit- 
 ted Westminster. My brother Bedford is our 
 umpire ; the place of fight not yet arranged ; 
 the day not named. But in the interim, I am 
 bound by solemn pledge of knighthood to hold 
 myself unharmed, to take or give no 'gage of 
 combat with another, to keep my body whole 
 for my opponent's revenge, and to hold my arm 
 apart from any less noble quarrel. Thus, then, 
 it is. Lord Fitz-walter commands the coming 
 troops — he being, by a different pledge, bound 
 not to fight in person against Burgundy, but 
 free to battle with all the world beside. My 
 heart is in every blade, and my prayer for vic- 
 tory shall thrill in every bowman's string ! 
 That it may wait on these valiant legions, I 
 shall daily visit the shrine of St. Erkenwald, 
 our great city's patron, and ere long I shall 
 myself, with the blessing of St. George, for 
 England, and St. Michael for chivalry, do jus-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 43 
 
 tice on the body of false Burgundy, and free 
 you from your thrall. For the rest I arranged 
 the whole plan of conduct with Fitz-walter and 
 Van Monfoort, in the bold lion's den of Urk 
 last night, and on our passage from the island 
 to the main this morning. We will confer with 
 them anon, if so it please you, Madam ; and 
 then I must away once more for England, to fit 
 me for the issue of the coming combat with our 
 deadly enemy." 
 
 " But, your highness," said the bishop, im- 
 patiently seizing the first pause in Glocester's 
 speech, " you have not yet said one word of the 
 main point of all — the contract — the marriage 
 'twixt the countess and yourself — " 
 
 " Hark ! By St. Hubert's bugle, the hounds 
 have caught the scent ! Come, Madam, to 
 horse, to horse ! and one brave burst into the 
 forest V exclaimed Glocester, starting from his 
 seat and rushing out of the tent.
 
 44 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The cry of the dogs, which had afforded 
 Glocester so opportune an excuse for escaping 
 from Bishop Zweder's persecutions, was in- 
 deed caused by one of the stragglers having 
 caught the scent of a stag. When the duke 
 sallied from the tent he saw every thing without 
 in a state of anxious commotion ; the brachs 
 wildly strove to escape from the men who held 
 them in leash ; the greyhounds stretched their 
 long necks, convulsively moved their pointed 
 ears, and strained their sharp sight into the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 45 
 
 wood. The horses neighed and pawed the earth, 
 and the varlets and prickers looked anxiously 
 for some signal that might tell them to begin 
 the chace. 
 
 " Holloa ! Fitz-walter ! Van Monfoort !" cried 
 Glocester, " out, out into the forest, there is 
 a stag on foot — to horse, to horse !" 
 
 At the summons the two warriors appeared, 
 with Benina and the pages, and all the attend- 
 ants sprang forward to hasten every necessary 
 preparation. The bishop somewhat astonished 
 at Glocester's abruptness, came forward svith 
 a bewildered look as if he was more at fault 
 than any hound of the pack; and Jacqueline 
 never shewed so little alertness on hearing the 
 music of the chace, though the horns nourished 
 and the bugles blew in stirring discord, with 
 the deep voices of the dogs. She grasped her 
 bow, and slung her quiver at her back instinct- 
 ively ; but she thought only of the duke's 
 strange manner, and his looks of deep confusion 
 at every mention of the marriage-contract, still
 
 46 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 more unaccountable when coupled with his 
 solemn vows of devotion to her cause. While 
 she stood in the tent, deeply musing on this 
 manifest inconsistency, Benina entered, aston- 
 ished to find the countess the most backward 
 of all who were to join in the coming sport. 
 To her respectful and anxious expressions of 
 this feeling, Jacqueline replied, that she had 
 been taken by surprise, that she was not alto- 
 gether prepared, but she assumed as light a 
 demeanour as she could command, and quitted 
 the pavilion. 
 
 " St. Hubert, be my guide !" said the bishop, 
 in reply to some impatient remarks of Glocester, 
 " if I ever dreamt of taking horse to-day ; 
 otherwise, noble duke, a better stud should have 
 been at your command. But choose among the 
 half dozen — " 
 
 " 'Fore George, it is such a choice as Satan 
 had of the six sextons of Glastonbury — an un- 
 seemly set they are. What's here? — a roan 
 gelding for the pack-saddle ? — and this shambling
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 47 
 
 Flemish mare, fit for some fat dean of the 
 gilden in a slow-paced pageant ! — and this ? 
 Vertu Dieu ! I'll not raise the foot-cloth, lest 
 the carrion crows dart on their prey a week too 
 soon ! But never mind — let me mount this 
 Friesland hackney, I'll warrant it he has a 
 comely trot, quite equal to the speed of these 
 yelping curs. Ah, prelate ! I much fear me 
 the breed of bishops is, like their studs and 
 kennels, sorely degenerated since the day when 
 these forests of Drent were granted to your pre- 
 decessors, on the tenure of their hunting in 
 them daily six months in the year.'" 
 
 " Let me hold your stirrup, noble duke, as 
 your great-grand-uncle, the Black Prince, did 
 for John, King of France, when he mounted 
 his destere after the fight of Poictiers. Why, 
 yes," continued the prelate, while he settled 
 himself in his crimson-covered saddle, (Gloces- 
 ter having declined his assistance, and standing 
 waiting for Jacqueline's approach,) " yes, 
 those rude churchmen you speak of, more
 
 48 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 poachers than priests, readier to sound a horn 
 than raise a chalice, to bend a bow in the forest 
 than a knee at the altar, they are, thank Hea- 
 ven ! extinct ; and in their humble successor 
 somewhat of godliness may have taken place 
 of gracelessness. Yet, still we hunt at times, 
 my noble duke : and I, as Count of Drent, am 
 bound to send yearly to my liege lord, the 
 emperor, a certain tribute of sanglier's tusks, 
 wolf's tails and orox 1 horns."' 
 
 " What ! have you still the orox in these 
 forests ? Methought they were quite rooted 
 out, and nought more noble than a wild boar 
 left, to give spirit to the chace. 1 ' 
 
 " You are mistaken then, duke, for the great 
 orox, auraux or urus, the hugest of the cow- 
 kind, still exists ; in small numbers, it is true, 
 but enough to spread terror in the purlieus of 
 the forest, as brave Van Monfoort here can 
 vouch.'" 
 
 '* I killed one not six months past, with the 
 aid of four bold comrades," said Van Mon-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 49 
 
 foort, " and your highness quaffed your posset 
 cup at Urk last night, out of one of his horns." 
 
 " Indeed !" said Glocester. " That may be ; 
 but I heed not the goblet, gallant comrade, 
 when the mixtus is good and the welcome cor- 
 dial, as was the case at your hospitable home. 
 But, here comes the countess/' 1 
 
 He soon with due gallantry assisted Jacque- 
 line to mount her palfrey, while Lord Fitz- 
 waiter did the same service to Benina Beyling. 
 Glocester was greatly pleased to recognize their 
 horses for two he had himself given to Jacque- 
 line, and proud of the contrast they presented 
 to those of the bishop's ill-furnished stud. 
 
 " By Heavens, Fitz-walter," he exclaimed, 
 t( it is glorious to see these bright creatures in 
 the graceful attitudes of female horsemanship ! 
 How different from the unsightly display of 
 women in Guienne and Britanny, who cross 
 their saddles like coarse cavaliers !" 
 
 " Ay, or the ladies of Suffolk, whom the 
 
 VOL. I. d
 
 •50 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ' Bokc of Bury'' tells us were in a great vein 
 for wearing L>reeches, ,, answered Fitz-walter. 
 
 " What noble animals are those !" continued 
 the duke." 'Tis kind, is't not, Fitz-walter ? of 
 the countess to let my poor present meet me 
 here face to face ?" 
 
 "'Tis like herself, a type of good taste and 
 better feeling." 
 
 " Yet I, Fitz-walter, with such a prize within 
 my reach — ay, in my very grasp, — I, like 
 some base and burley clown, as if the blood 
 of Plantagenet had suddenly frozen in my 
 heart— " 
 
 " Hush, my gracious lord ! nor let this deep 
 emotion speak in your tone or looks — the coun- 
 tess waits." 
 
 " On, then ! Let misery wear the mask of 
 glee — and England's protector play the mum- 
 mer !" 
 
 With these words Glocester urged on his lit- 
 tie pony towards Jacqueline, and took his sta- 
 tion at one side of her richly caparisoned pal-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 51 
 
 frey ; the bishop occupying the other, on the 
 lean and long-tailed steed whose embroidered 
 housings concealed a carcass that was scarcely 
 libelled by the duke's ridicule. Resolved at 
 once to conceal his own unquiet state of mind, 
 and give no time for Jacqueline's observations 
 or the bishop's untoward remarks, Glocester 
 launched forth with assumed gaiety into all the 
 rhapsody of a sportsman's delight, while the 
 brachs were let loose into the forest, and began 
 to give tongue as they caught the quarry's 
 scent. He begged of Jacqueline to press for- 
 ward ; and she, nothing loth, soon entered into 
 the fullest spirit of the scene. But the bishop 
 found himself hard set to keep up with their 
 increasing pace, and was too happy when the 
 ill-trained pack very soon came to a check. 
 Glocester, disappointed and disgusted with the 
 unskilful display of both dogs and huntsmen, 
 pointed out his displeasure in no set terms. 
 
 "Call you this hunting, reverend count? - " 
 said he, turning to the bishop, who was how- 
 
 d 2
 
 52 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ever too far behind to bear him distinctly; " ah ! 
 well I wot me you had lost the spirit of the 
 good prelate Palatines of old ! Far other sport 
 from this — if sport it may be called — would old 
 Bishop Walter of Rochester, or Leicester's 
 mitred Abbot afford, were we in their chace 
 to-day. Did ever a man see such bungling 
 grooms as those ? What whooping and hal- 
 looing ! What rioting and railing! And St. 
 Hubert save us from such dogs — such babblers 
 and skirters ! Ah, Countess ! when we roused 
 the hart-royal from his lair in Sherwood brakes, 
 and you honoured me by mounting this palfrey 
 for the first time, we had different sport from 
 this." 
 
 " 'Tis true, my lord, that England takes 
 the palm in sylvan sports," said Jacqueline, 
 coldly, and somewhat piqued, both at the sorry 
 exhibition of the bishop's pack and the duke's 
 blunt censures, while he, heedless of their effect, 
 called out impatiently in his native tongue — 
 God's pity, Fitz-walter, but it maddens me 
 
 a
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 06 
 
 to see these bungling loons so mar our chance 
 of sport ! Ah, were the masters of my stag- 
 hounds, Dick Lazenby, or Gervaise Gwynne, to 
 the fore to-day, with Merkin, Grappler, Pil- 
 lager, and half a score couple more, what work 
 should we have ! Do, good Fitz-walter, your- 
 self lay on those hounds. Let them draw up 
 the wind — let them strain on a good vent, hold 
 high their heads, and like the horses of the sun 
 run all abreast !" 
 
 While Fitz-walter cheerfully obeyed, the duke 
 addressed Jacqueline. 
 
 " Now, Madam, you shall see if aught is to 
 be done with his reverence's mongrels, for if any 
 man can make them hunt, Fitz-walter can." 
 
 " Are English nobles wont to do the duties 
 of huntsmen ?" asked Jacqueline, somewhat 
 sharply. 
 
 " Yes, countess, and at times the deeds of 
 horses, 1 ' replied Glocester, rather sternly ; '* and 
 know ye, Madam, that he before you is Lord 
 Warden of Windsor Forest, Woodward of the
 
 54 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 vert and venison, with verderers, foresters, ran- 
 gers, Serjeants and yeomen prickers, all in his 
 command ? Right, good Fitz-walter ! — on, brave 
 warden !" added the duke, again in plain Eng- 
 lish, 
 
 " ' Like the bold hunt, which rathe and early rise, 
 His bottle filled with wine in any wise' — 
 
 How go the rhymes ? — what's next ? Ay, 
 ay- 
 
 ' The mellow horn to winde, 
 
 The stately harte in frith or fell to finde.' 
 
 Well hunted, gallant knight ! 
 
 ' Blow your home, hunter, 
 
 Blow your home on highe ; 
 In yonder wood there lies a doe 
 
 And she is loth to die — 
 So hunter blowe your home !' " 
 
 " And what thinks your highness of our dogs ? 
 Are not these spotted brachs rare animals ?" 
 asked the bishop, who had now come up. 
 
 " I fear me I have told my thoughts too 
 freely, 1 ' said Glocester, with a significant look
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 55 
 
 towards Jacqueline ; " but a grain of truth in 
 the greenwood is worth a pound of flattery in 
 the court, as our old proverb says. Countess, 
 you forgive my candour ?" 
 
 " Would that it spoke out more plainly V 
 said she, with a sigh ; but she instantly reco- 
 vered herself, and added, " yes, duke, I most 
 fully pardon your censure of our imperfect sport, 
 provided you do justice to our wish that it were 
 better." 
 
 "Better! — how—what — why? 1 ' said the bi- 
 shop. " Can better hounds be than these spot- 
 ted brachs ? Why, they are famous — does not 
 your highness think them choice ? What better 
 sort could be ?" 
 
 " My good bishop, I may tell you in an 
 English rhyme, which the countess will under- 
 stand, though you may not ; — 
 
 ' So manny menne, so manny mindei, 
 So manny houndes, so manny kindes' — 
 
 and many a one, to my mind, is better than
 
 56 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND, 
 
 your spotted brachs. We have for instance, 
 our southern hounds for strict training, our 
 northern for fleetness ; the white stag-hound, 
 good at stratagem from his abundant phlegm ; 
 the black, with great memories ; the brown for 
 courage ; the yellow for perseverance. There 
 areleymmersand hariers, gazehounds, and grey- 
 hounds.' 1 
 
 " Well, very well ! — set aside the rest, and 
 let's look to the greyhounds. Where can you 
 match me this grand Albanian breed ? — Are 
 they not the true model of a greyhound ? Are 
 they not the real sort so vaunted by Zenophon 
 in his treatise on hare-hunting, and by Arian in 
 his book on coursing ?" 
 
 " Bv our Lady, bishop, you puzzle me sorely 
 now ! I am no clerk, and know nought of those 
 Avorthy sportsmen whose writings you quote; but 
 if they will match their dogs, be they of what 
 breed they may, against some I am ready to 
 produce — " 
 
 " Nay, duke, one of those authors wrote
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 57 
 
 eighteen hundred years ago, and the other, 
 Anno Domini 150 !" 
 
 " Even so, even so ; I answer them and you 
 with some couplets from as prime a scribe as 
 either, and this is the true picture of a good 
 greyhound : 
 
 ' Head like a snake, 
 Neck'd like a drake, 
 Back'd like a beam, 
 Sided like a bream, 
 Tailed like a rat, 
 Footed like a cat,' — 
 
 and such meant the princess in ' SirEglamour, -1 
 when she promised a present to her knight. 
 
 ' Syr, if you be on huntynge fonde, 
 I shall you give a good greyhounde, 
 
 That is dunn as a doo ; 
 For as I am true gentylwoman, 
 There was never deer that he at ran 
 
 That might escape him fro.' " 
 
 " Hark ! hark !" hallooed Fitz- waiter. 
 " Away i there goes a stag, by St. George !" 
 " Nay, he is not worth following, countess — 
 
 d 3
 
 58 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 not he, Fitz-waiter," cried the duke ; " he is but 
 a knobler, or at best a brocket." 
 
 " Did I not know the keenness of your high- 
 ness's eye, I should say a staggart, 11 said the 
 lord warden. 
 
 " A butt of malmsey to a cross-bow, 'tis at 
 the best a brocket !"" 
 
 " I yield to your highness.'" 
 
 " Yet I might not be able to decide the wager, 
 Fitz-walter, for there goes the quarry full speed 
 down the wind ; and with these running curs we 
 may never hope to chace him again in view." 
 
 While the duke and his noble followers thus 
 argued the identity of the young stag, in his 
 different stages of growth from one year up to 
 four, Jacqueline, less technical, but more alert, 
 quickly drew a shaft from her quiver, placed it 
 steadily in her bow, threw the light rein, gar- 
 nished with silver bells, loosely over her arm, 
 and taking prompt aim, as the frightened ani- 
 mal bounded through the forest, a few roods 
 in front, she sent the arrow unerringly to its
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 59 
 
 mark. It entered the neck, close to the shoul- 
 der-blade, a sure and deadly wound, as was made 
 evident by the immediate limping paces which 
 succeeded the former graceful boundings of 
 the now " stricken deer. 1 ' Exclamations of ap- 
 plause burst from Glocester, Fitz-walter, Van 
 Monfoort, and the bishop, while Benina uttered 
 a laugh of triumph at this new proof of her 
 noble mistress's wonted skill ; and the hunts- 
 men instantly laid on several of the hounds, 
 which were sure ere long to overtake the prey, 
 had they only tracked by the blood that trickled 
 from its wound. 
 
 " My lord, I honour your prudence and 
 policy," said the bishop, approaching to Fitz- 
 walter, while Glocester complimented the count- 
 ess ; — " a true courtier is never wiser than his 
 master, or he is a fool for his pains. 1 ' 
 
 " And how, my lord bishop, have you found 
 out that rare quality in me ?" asked Fitz-walter. 
 
 " Tut, tut, my good lord ; what man of sense 
 would forfeit his patron's favour for proving
 
 GO JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 that a stag bore an antler more or less on its 
 horns ?"' 
 
 Fitz-vvalter smiled contemptuously ; but Van 
 Monfoort, who stood close by, holding his 
 horse's rein, exclaimed, ** I'll tell you a thing, 
 Bishop Zweder; you know as little of the bold 
 candour of chivalry as this English earl does of 
 the guile of priestcraft ; and I prophesy that 
 your cunning ways will lose you more than they 
 ever gained. Beware lest the Canon of Diepen- 
 holt slips in between you and the chapter, while 
 you think you manage them so well."
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 61 
 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Before any reply could be made to De 
 Monfoort's blunt speech, the whole company 
 were filled with some astonishment, by the ap- 
 pearance of two men, who suddenly came from 
 the thicket, in the direction which the wounded 
 deer had taken, surrounded by the huntsmen 
 and hounds, who had just before gone off in 
 pursuit. One of the strangers was a young man 
 dressed in die fashion of the Prisons. A small 
 and low-crowned hat of brown cloth allowed a 
 profusion of thickly-curled chestnut hair to escape
 
 62 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 and fall about his shoulders. His green vest 
 was fitted with short, wide sleeves, puckered 
 into several plaits, under which appeared others 
 of leather, tight to his arms, and reaching to the 
 wrist, where they closely fitted, without band or 
 buckle. His ample bracea, or hauts-de-chaus- 
 sees, of the same stuff as his vest, came down 
 nearly to his knees, above which they were con- 
 fined by a running string, and below them were 
 tight pantaloons, like his under-sleeves, which 
 shewed the form of the legs down to the ancle, 
 where they terminated. A chanasure, half shoe, 
 half sandal, covered his feet, tied with leather 
 cords. In his whole dress there was not a single 
 button, the use of which (in more modern cos- 
 tumes) was supplied by various strings and small 
 brass buckles. Besides the bow which he carried 
 in his hand, and the quiver slung at his back, a 
 short straight sword was suspended from his 
 crirdle. Although not more than twenty-two, 
 or twenty-three years old, he joined to features 
 of fine expression an air of manly intrepidity ;
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 63 
 
 and would have appeared tall and robust beside 
 any other figure but that of his companion. 
 
 That other, a perfect giant, stood a full head 
 taller than him. His dress was nearly of the 
 same form, but of much coarser texture; the 
 juppon, or close vest, being of dogVskin, the 
 laces of his thick sandals reaching in transversal 
 bands up to his knees, and his head, in lieu of 
 hat, or bonnet, being solely garnished by a 
 clotted mass of thick red hair, rolled up tightly 
 on the crown, and fastened with a catgut tie. 
 Stuck in his belt was a long-bladed knife, with 
 a stags-horn handle. He carried in his hand a 
 weapon called in these times a torquoise, a sim- 
 ple club, converted into a formidable mace, by 
 the addition of eight or ten iron spikes project- 
 ing all round its thickest end. The face of this 
 man expressed a brute energy almost ferocious, 
 and its deep lines proclaimed him half a cen- 
 tury old. His small grey eye sparkled beneath 
 a pair of bushy red eyebrows, by which they 
 were half hidden, and more than one scar added
 
 64 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 new fierceness to his ungainly aspect. His left 
 hand held the forelegs of the wounded and stil 
 struggling deer, which he had slung across his 
 shoulders, and whose blood trickled down his 
 arm from the wound in which Jacqueline's ar- 
 row was still fixed. A dog of immense size and 
 savage mien, whose grey hair, tinged at the roots 
 with red (the effect of the extravasated blood 
 forced out by violent exercise), announced him 
 to be of the real Pomeranian breed, trod close 
 in his master's track. Unheld by leash or collar, 
 he never attempted to run abroad ; yet his snarl- 
 ing look and bristling back shewed the fierce 
 passion which urged him to make war upon his 
 less ferocious fellow-brutes. 
 
 " In God's truth, countess," said Glocester, 
 as he surveyed the strangers, " yon giant with 
 your brocket on his back, is not a bad copy of 
 the Faunus and his kid in the statue gallery of 
 the Louvre.' 1 
 
 <; Yes, and methinks his companion might 
 have stood as a copy of the Acteon, which fills
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 65 
 
 the opposite niche, 1 ' replied Jacqueline, gazing 
 on the young man. 
 
 " 'Fore George, he is a comely youth. But 
 how is it, my Lord of Utrecht, that you let armed 
 archers and macemen traverse your domains ? 
 The forest laws of Drent are indeed lax, if 
 pillers and poachers may roam into the very 
 pathway of their Count. Til question them. 
 Holloa, good fellows !" continued Glocester, 
 riding forward, " by what right do you pace 
 these forests, bow in hand, and seize the deer of 
 the Count Bishop, your liege lord? 11 
 
 " As for the deer," replied the younger of 
 the strangers, in better French and with a purer 
 accent than the duke himself, " we picked it 
 up wounded just now, and brought it in 
 courtesy towards the sound of the hunting- 
 horns. For the rest, we are now, as well as 
 you, on the territory of Friesland, and you 
 may know that it is the right of all free 
 Frisons to carry arms when and where they 
 please. 11
 
 G(> JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " For the love of our Lady," whispered the 
 bishop, in considerable trepidation, " have no- 
 thing more to do with them ! they are a race 
 of men, or demons rather, who have killed 
 more Counts of Holland, and have taken 
 more Bishops of Utrecht than I have hairs on 
 my head !" 
 
 " We shall see if they will not, treat me 
 better,' 1 said the haughty prince pressing for- 
 ward. But the bishop caught his arm, and 
 with an almost stifled voice, continued — 
 
 " For my sake, most potential protector, if 
 not for the Virgin's, let them pass on ! Oh, 
 if I should be known to them, ruin may follow 
 your imprudence. Duke ! Duke ! stand fast ! 
 It was on these very grounds that Florent the 
 Second was murdered by Gambala, the free 
 Frison !" 
 
 " Let me on towards the menacing hinds!" 
 cried Glocester. (i Down your arms, outlaws I 11 
 and with the words he placed his hand on the 
 dagger, his only weapon, and urged on his
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. G7 
 
 horse. The giant, for so he might truly be 
 distinguished, immediately placed himself be- 
 fore his young companion, flung his dying 
 burthen from his shoulders on the earth, and 
 his rapid and piercing glance seemed to fly 
 from the end of his mace to the duke's head, 
 as if he measured the exact distance which the 
 death -stroke would require. 
 
 ei You are a dead man, if you advance, and 
 our cause utterly lost I' 1 exclaimed the bishop, 
 seizing the reins of Glocester's horse and 
 turning round his head. Then addressing the 
 giant, he anxiously said, in the low German 
 jargon, — " My worthy, my gentle friend, do I 
 not know you ? Have we not met before ?" 
 
 " That may be, for I have been in many a 
 fight, as you may read in my face,'" gruffly 
 answered the man. 
 
 " And your name, kind comrade ?" 
 
 " Oost, the dyke-digger. 11 
 
 " And mine ? — you remember mine, don't 
 you, my brave Oost ?"
 
 68 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " I know nothing of you, and care less." 
 
 Cl Praise to St. Willebrod ! — the wretch !'-' 
 muttered the re-assured bishop, turning round 
 towards Gloeester, who had been held in check 
 by the persuasions of Jacqueline. 
 
 " And you, young gentleman, " said the pre- 
 late again, but in French, " methinks your 
 face is familiar to me. You are of Amersfoot, 
 Gauda, or Whecht, eh ? — You have seen me 
 ere now, have you not ?" 
 
 " Nor you, nor any of your company — 
 neither am I of the town you mention." 11 
 
 " And where do you come from — where are 
 you going ? ' 
 
 " We follow our sport in the forest, nor hold 
 ourselves bound to answer inquiries as to whence 
 we come or where we go."" 
 
 " The Holy Virgin be your speed wherever 
 you go, so it be not on our path ! On, on, my 
 good youth — pursue your sport, and take your 
 own way. Come along, Madame, come along 
 your — highness !" continued the bishop, the last 
 word in a whisper the very nadir to the title.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 69 
 
 Glocester, however, gave little heed to these 
 dissuasions. His choler, fiercely excited, seemed 
 only to be appeased by the punishment of the 
 daring outlaws, as he conceived the strangers 
 to be. 
 
 " By God's grace !" cried he, " I cannot 
 suffer this indignity. To be bearded by un- 
 mannered loons ! Bring up yon lubberly hal- 
 berdiers and seize these fellows ! Have you no 
 summary Court of Swainmote here to try and 
 hang them on the nearest tree? Secure them, 
 bishop, at least, and bear them off, before they 
 escape into the thicket again !" 
 
 " For the love of Christ do not call me 
 bishop ! — speak lower, or let me be burgher, 
 or master, or any meaner title,^ whispered the 
 prelate, while Jacqueline said aloud — 
 
 " Nay, you have not much cause to think 
 those men imagine flight. They stand with the 
 sturdy air of honest independence, and it were 
 shame to harm them. They may, too, be 
 friends of my cause.""
 
 70 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Oh ! were we sure of that, 1 ' said the bi- 
 shop, " there would be no objection at all to 
 carrying them off', and punishing them for his 
 highness's pleasure. But it is ten to one that 
 every Frison is your foe — and most sure they 
 are all mine. Therefore we must treat them 
 civilly and discreetly — so prithee, noble duke, 
 let them pass on their way, nor risk a riot. 
 They may be backed by others, as I much 
 suspect from their bold bearing." 
 
 " Whither go you, young Sir?"" asked Jac- 
 queline, in a gentle tone. 
 
 " That question I have already declined an- 
 swering," replied the stranger, taking off his 
 hat for the first time during the parley, and 
 shewing his fine forehead and countenance to 
 the greatest advantage. 
 
 " Your course seems bent towards Zealand. 
 Party feuds run high in these divided coun- 
 tries, and I would fain know to which side you 
 belong — you wear no badge."" 
 
 " I would not have one seen ;" rejoined the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 'Jl 
 
 youth, " yet I might be proud, fair lady, to 
 bear that which should distinguish your friends 
 and followers.' 1 
 
 " Courteously spoken, by St. Paul ! and 
 with all the air and tone of gentle blood, 11 said 
 Glocester, who had been completely cooled 
 by the bishop^ amusing logic, at which he, 
 Fitz-walter and Van Monfoort had heartily 
 laughed, while Jacqueline had addressed the 
 young man. 
 
 " I prithee speak him fair, 11 said she again 
 to Glocester. " Benina, is he not a noble look- 
 ing youth ? fl she continued, while the duke 
 approached him 
 
 " Princely !" said the maid of honour. " St. 
 Mary grant that he may be a Hoek I 11 
 
 " I never before felt the harshness of this 
 bye-word of our cause — it suits well with the 
 Lion of Hoek, or many another partizan, but 
 sounds odious to designate a being like him, 11 
 said Jacqueline. 
 
 " Would you he were then a Kabblejan ?"
 
 7*2 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Ah, dear Benina, name it not even in 
 jest ! — Hush ! he answers the duke. 1 '' 
 
 " Why should I not, Sir, if concealment 
 serve my purpose? You and your company are 
 all, like myself, in plain unliveried suits — yet 
 I draw no inference to your disfavour,"" replied 
 the young man, to Glocestcr's reproach that he 
 seemed to court secrecy. 
 
 " Ah ! Fuz-walter," said the latter apart, " is 
 it not too bad to be thus twitted, and with 
 truth, at this game of hide and seek ? Is it 
 meet that I dare not muster my blue-coated 
 servitors even as when I drove old Winchester 
 and his tawny backed varlets into the Tower ? 
 You speak with prompt and pertinent remark, 1, 
 resumed he to the young man ; " let us at least 
 know whom we have conversed with — what is 
 your name ?" 
 
 "Sir, I have yet no name — although I bear 
 my father's. But of my own I have yet to 
 earn the title ; and when a fit day comes I will 
 not shrink from proclaiming it, to any who 
 dares to question me."
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. f3 
 
 " 'Sdeath, Fitz-walter, is it not hard that I 
 may not throw my gage to this bold boy ?" 
 
 " Your highness needs not such dishonour ; 
 he shall have mine. There, my young Sir, I 
 fling you my defiance ; and tell you that if 
 occasion ever offers I will pluck your secret 
 from your very heart, if your lips refuse to 
 reveal it." 
 
 The young man calmly took up the glove 
 which Fitz- waiter had dashed on the ground ; 
 and drawing off one of his own, he threw it 
 with less violence close by the feet of the chal- 
 lenger's horse. 
 
 " So far, Sir, we are on equal terms," said 
 he. " I cannot ask a name while I am not free 
 to give my own. But know you, you have 
 not to deal with an ignoble man, nor one that 
 may not make you eat your boasting words, as, 
 by the Virgin and my Lord St. Andrew, I here 
 pledge myself to do, and to dye that faded favour 
 in your best blood, if ever we meet in open 
 lists or fair-fought field !" 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 7-i JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Enough said ! It is a wager of battle — I 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 witness the pledge, and offer myself for umpire 
 said Glocester. 
 
 " Would that the day were come, to be 
 honoured by such a judge !" exclaimed Fitz- 
 walter. 
 
 " Day and judge are to me alike indifferent," 
 haughtily observed the stranger. 
 
 " What an insolent rapscallion !" muttered 
 the bishop. 
 
 " I like him not the worse — they were my 
 own words in reply to Philip of Burgundy's 
 challenge," said Glocester. 
 
 " Well, well, my fine fellows," cried the 
 bishop, e( ye may now follow your course ; 
 and may God have you in his keeping, young 
 man, to prepare you for the lance and battle- 
 axe of this right worthy gentleman !" 
 
 The stranger proudly moved on, followed by 
 his stern companion ; and as he passed by Jac- 
 queline, he again doffed his bonnet, and made 
 a low obeisance to her and Benina.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. *]5 
 
 " I cannot let him depart in this ungracious 
 way, 11 said the countess; " Sir, let me thank 
 your courtesy in having restored the quarry, 
 which but for you were lost to us. Should we 
 meet again, remember I am your debtor ; and 
 may St. Michael be your shield, when you re- 
 deem your pledge with yon redoubted knight !" 
 
 " An angel could not guard me better than 
 such a prayer, hovering 'twixt me and Hea- 
 
 ven."" 
 
 " On, on to the forest depths ! The day is 
 going fast, and these hounds may mend their 
 manners as the game is stirred," cried Gloces- 
 ter, urging away Jacqueline, who prepared to 
 follow his summons, and gracefully bowing, 
 turned her horse from the young man's side. 
 But he, respectfully stepping before the pal- 
 frey's head, begged her to pardon his freedom 
 in warning her of danger on the course they 
 seemed bent on following. 
 
 " What, is there then indeed loose company 
 in the forest ? St. Willebrod protect us ! I 
 
 e 2
 
 " f l 
 
 /{) JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 thought so— I thought so — let's retire to the 
 boats and sail away," cried the bishop. 
 
 " Is that the threatened danger?" asked Jac- 
 queline calmly. 
 
 " No, Madam— at least not to my knowing, 1 ' 
 replied the stranger with a tone of offended 
 pride. " But these gentlemen are little cog- 
 nosced of the forest, if they know not, that 
 in this month of September, the straggling 
 remnants of the Orox and Bonassus herds, 
 come down in this very track to the sea-side, 
 raging and furious." 
 
 " Holy martyrs ! it is too true. This must 
 be the very district called the wild-bull-chace — 
 Is it so? 1 ' exclaimed the prelate, perturbedly. 
 
 " It is," said the young man, " and hark ! 
 may St. Andrew be my hold, if I hear not the 
 snorting of the monster even now ! Oost, heard 
 you that ?" 
 
 To this latter question in the dialect of Fries- 
 land the giant only answered by grasping the 
 young man's waist, and forcibly lifting him
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 77 
 
 behind a thick clump of twisted oak roots, 
 which presented the appearance of a natural 
 redoubt. He then loosened his knife in his 
 belt, but without drawing it, and grasping his 
 mace in both hands he stood prepared, with 
 that pale but stern anxiety which marks the 
 face of the intrepid man, who knows his peril 
 but fears it not. At the same instant, the 
 horses and dogs, every one, startled and trem- 
 bled, in the instinct of brute alarm. The very 
 deer that lay on the ground in the last gasp 
 of death, made a struggling effort to rise, and 
 expired with a shudder of fear. In the next mo- 
 ment a roar of terrible depth resounded through 
 the forest, and the monster which sent it forth 
 appeared close to the group, crashing through 
 branch and briar, with an air of savage majesty at 
 once appalling and sublime. His height and 
 bulk were enormous, double that of an or- 
 dinary sized bull ; he was jet black, with the 
 exception of a broad stripe of white running 
 along his back, as was visible while he stooped
 
 78 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 his huge head to the earth, butting against it, 
 and tearing it up furiously with his short thick 
 horns ; while his eyes gleamed like fire-balls 
 under the tuft of hair, curling garland-like on 
 his front ; and he lashed his long tail and shook 
 his mane, that hung full six feet from his neck 
 and swept the ground. 
 
 " Fly, fly !" cried the young stranger, as he 
 drew his sword, and stood in the shelter of the 
 trees ; but his warning was not wanting to most 
 of the party, and came too late to the rest. 
 The huntsmen, acquainted with the terrible voice 
 of the orox, ran in every direction, or climbed the 
 nearest trees, even before he appeared ; the 
 dogs dispersed, yelping from fright, with the 
 exception of that belonging to the dyke-digger, 
 which stood close to its master, with trembling- 
 joints, but bristling hair, displaying, nearly as 
 he did, a mixture of terror, subdued by resolu- 
 tion. The horses, one and all, reared up, 
 bounded, wheeled, and attempted to gallop off; 
 several of them succeeded in the attempt. That
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 79 
 
 which was mounted by Benina, received ample 
 aid from its terrified rider, who gave a loose 
 rein and urged it to its utmost speed. Glo- 
 cester's pony and Fitz-walter's, stout, sturdy, 
 and hard-mouthed beasts, completely mastered 
 their riders, and carried them in different 
 directions into the thicket. The hardy Van 
 Monfoort, who was on foot, at the first alarm 
 abandoned his horse, stepped up beside Jacque- 
 line, and aided her in holding in her restive 
 palfrey, but not with sufficient steadiness to 
 enable her to dismount. The bishop, at the first 
 curvet of his agitated garron, was flung sprawl- 
 ing into a tuft of blackberries, and his face and 
 hands soon streamed with the mingled juice of 
 the crushed fruit and his own blood, which the 
 thorns profusely shed as he rolled himself 
 deeper and deeper in the covering of the briars. 
 The first victim to the fury of the orox was 
 an unlucky pricker, who slipping from the 
 branch which he grasped, in an effort to mount 
 an oak, fell to the earth, and was in a moment
 
 80 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 lifted on the fierce animal's horns, and tossed 
 bleeding and breathless to a distance of several 
 yards ; the prostrate ecclesiastic was the next 
 object of attack. The monster bounded towards 
 him with roars of increasing fury, mingled with 
 which were the shouts of the observers, who 
 thus hoped to distract his attention from the 
 shrieking priest. As he sprang forward, a tree 
 of full fifty years' growth met his career ; he 
 struck it with his broad front, and shivered it 
 like a splintered lance ; it fell right over the 
 bishop's otherwise imperfect shelter, and by its 
 shadowing branches saved him from destruction. 
 Jacqueline was now on the ground, and 
 while Van Monfoort held the curb of the al- 
 most frantic horse with both hands, as a final 
 means of turning the wild bull's rage, she placed 
 an arrow in her bow, and (with a courage, 
 which on many as great a trial proved her one 
 of the bravest of women) she scorned, or per- 
 haps saw the hopelessness of flight, and dis- 
 charged the weapon with a steady hand ; it
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 81 
 
 struck the animal close to one eye, and broke 
 against the bone. Irritated by the obstacles 
 which kept him from the bishop, and inflamed by 
 the smart of the wound, his long beard was now 
 white with foam, and he darted with a tiger- 
 spring full against the spot where the countess 
 and Van Monfoort stood. The horse, which 
 the latter still held, now burst from his grasp, 
 and in a desperate plunge for escape, fell on 
 his knees over the branches of the broken tree. 
 The orox almost instantly transfixed him to the 
 earth, and then gored him in a shocking man- 
 ner, as he lay groaning and snorting with agony 
 and fright. At this moment the young stranger, 
 who, during the brief space occupied by the 
 appalling scene had been held in his giant 
 companion's grasp, succeeded in breaking from 
 it, and sprang to Jacqueline's side. Spurning 
 all false delicacy or forced reserve, he caught 
 her in one arm, and made an attempt to bear 
 her away towards the clump whence Oost had 
 followed him, while Van Monfoort, with more 
 
 e3
 
 82 JACQUELINE OV HOLLAND. 
 
 respect, but equal valour, covered their retreat, 
 and stepped backwards after them, his huge 
 two-handled sword pointed towards the pursuing 
 orox. The young stranger, whose keen eye 
 looked around at every step, saw now there 
 was more danger in an attempted retreat than 
 a desperate defence. He, therefore, turned 
 again, and placed himself beside Van Monfoort, 
 calling out to him to stand firm. The intrepid 
 Ludwick stopped short, and answered by a 
 cheering word. Oost stepped up a little, in- 
 clining in front of his companion, the dog flank- 
 ing both. Jacqueline might have now fled with 
 a fair chance of safety from behind this living 
 rampart ; but, from what occult sentiment or 
 sympathy, we pretend not to decide, she stood 
 still, encircled by the young stranger's arm, and 
 seemed satisfied to share the peril which he had 
 rushed into for her sake. 
 
 As the orox plunged towards them, with 
 horns and visage streaming in the gore of the 
 torn horse, Van Monfoort and the stranger op-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 83 
 
 posed their swords' points to his broad front, 
 and in the same instant Oost dealt him a ter- 
 rific blow on the head with his mace. He might 
 as well have struck against a rock ; the iron 
 points pierced, and perhaps splintered the bone, 
 but the monster never swerved. He, however, 
 raised his neck and head for one instant to its 
 utmost height, either from the effects of the 
 stroke, or to gain a better aim for the fatal 
 plunge which immediately followed directly at 
 the stranger and Jacqueline, for they formed 
 but one mark. Oost stepped another step for- 
 ward, and threw himself before them ; there 
 was but one blow between him and death. 
 Stooping almost to the earth, against which the 
 heavy head of his mace rested, he raised 
 the weapon up with a fierce jerk in both 
 hands, to the elevation of his own head, as he 
 sprung erect to his full height. The descend- 
 ing muzzle of the brute, as it came down 
 with an equal speed and tenfold force, caught 
 the uprising blow. It was the vulnerable part,
 
 8i JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 the spot held by Mother Nature, as she plunged 
 this monster and its kind in the exempting 
 mould of its terrible strength. It reared up 
 and tottered back ; in an instant the swords of 
 Van Monfoort and the young stranger were in 
 its breast, and the more effective knife of the 
 dyke -digger was deeply plunged into its throat ; 
 his dog at the same time sprang at its lip, and, 
 with the sagacious tenacity of its breed, held 
 down the animal to the earth, on which it sunk 
 in a flood of gore. A shout of triumph burst 
 from the victors, echoed by a scream from the 
 bishop, who had just forced himself from his 
 place of safety, and began to fly, why or where 
 he knew not. But at this new sound, which 
 he could not imagine aught but the monster's 
 roar, he flung himself prostrate again, and would 
 willingly, like the ostrich, have plunged his head 
 into the -earth. 
 
 The busy group of combatants saw that the 
 business was over. Jacqueline, too, knew that 
 the danger was escaped. Compassion was her 
 first feeling.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 85 
 
 " Fly, fly, Van Monfoort, and succour the 
 huntsman, if he yet live I 11 said she. 
 
 Her next impulse was gratitude. She hastily 
 untied the girdle from her waist, and turning 
 to the young stranger, who left the completion 
 of the butcher's work to his companion, she 
 said, with brimming eyes and a trembling voice, 
 " Take this, wear it for the sake of her whom 
 you have saved. Ask not who I am, but if the 
 dav ever comes when you discover it, remember 
 that I shall value this as one of the brightest 
 in a whole life of misfortune !" 
 
 if Beautiful and generous woman," cried the 
 stranger, "I do not merit this; nor dare I 
 accept a gift, lavished on one who may not 
 venture to declare even his name. 1 ' 
 
 " Keep it, keep it — my heart vouches for 
 your nobility — quick, put it up ! they come !" 
 
 The young man hastily tore open his vest 
 and thrust into his bosom the girdle, much 
 more precious from the manner of the donor, 
 than from the intrinsic value of the embroidered
 
 86 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 silk and the diamond aigrette by which it was 
 adorned. But Jacqueline, whose eyes followed 
 the movement, felt a thrill of disappointment 
 and regret, at discovering on the breast of the 
 stranger's inner doublet, the broad red cross of 
 St. Andrew — the badge of the followers of 
 Burgundy ! She would have given worlds to 
 have recalled her gift. It was too late. Van 
 Monfoort and the bishop, with the wounded 
 huntsman, were close by, and Glocester and 
 Fitz-walter near in sight, the one having mas- 
 tered and the other abandoned his horse. 
 
 The scattered elements of the late confusion 
 now soon gathered round ; and last of all came 
 Benina Beyling, having recovered from the 
 alarm which led to the abandonment of her 
 noble mistress; and conducted by Gyles Postel, 
 Van Monfoort's squire, who had joined her 
 from the tent where he had been left, to pre- 
 pare refreshments for the rest of the party. 
 When she reached the spot of action she found 
 Jacqueline standing with the Duke and Lord
 
 JACQUELTNE OF HOLLAND. 87 
 
 Fitz-walter, the two latter busied in excuses for 
 their involuntary evasion of the peril, and in la- 
 mentations for her slaughtered palfrey ; to none 
 of which she seemed to pay much attention, being 
 more engaged in inquiring after the hurts of 
 the wounded man. Van Monfoort was em- 
 ployed in examining the reeking carcase of the 
 slain orox, while the bishop, after having 
 wiped his face into a most sanguine exhibition, 
 was in close conversation with Oost, who was 
 occupied in cutting off one of the horns, the 
 other being already stuck in his belt. The 
 young stranger was removing the blood from 
 his sword, with an apparent intensity worthy of 
 a blade-polisher of Dinant or Liege ; but Be- 
 nina, who had a sharp eye in matters of feeling, 
 thought she discovered a depth of expression 
 in his face beyond the purpose to which he 
 seemed so devoted. 
 
 To the bishop's urgent entreaties that the 
 dyke-digger would give him or sell him the 
 orox horns, he received a brief and positive
 
 88 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 refusal. But when lie at last appealed to the 
 young stranger to persuade his follower to com- 
 pliance, the request was compromised by Oost 
 ceding one of his trophies. The other he 
 handed over to his companion, with some solemn 
 form of words, not comprehended by the rest 
 of the party, but which the latter explained to 
 the inquisitive prelate to be a rude invocation 
 on presenting a drinking horn, as old as the 
 early Barbarians, who had peopled these wild 
 districts. The bishop, though but half satis- 
 fied, pulled from his girdle the leathern purse, 
 which he had not lost in his late mishap, and 
 offered some pieces of money to the dyke-dig- 
 ger, which the latter refused with an expression 
 of savage scorn in his looks, and turned away 
 as if he escaped from an insult. 
 
 A very few minutes more sufficed to finish 
 the scene. The strangers took their leave and 
 departed ; Ludwick Van Monfoort having ex- 
 changed a cordial grasp of the hand with each 
 of his late comrades in the common danger.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 89 
 
 The Englishmen gave cold and haughty saluta- 
 tions. Benina smiled kindly on the young 
 man ; who was however astonished, hurt, and 
 for a moment grieved, to see an expression of 
 reserve, and almost he thought of resentment, 
 on the beautiful countenance of her who had a 
 few minutes before rewarded and thanked him 
 as the preserver of her life. He felt, however, 
 that he had then no possible means of exploring 
 the mystery that surrounded her and her feel- 
 ings ; and he took his way towards the southern 
 border of the forest, close followed by his husfe 
 attendant, and the dog, who threw many a 
 longing look backward at the dead monster, as 
 though he had not quite glutted his enmity. 
 
 The rest of the party did not remain long 
 behind. A proposal of adjournment to the tent 
 w r as quickly acted on ; and a repast was soon 
 laid out of materials brought the previous night, 
 in the boats which had conveyed Jacquelina, 
 the bishop, and their little suite. 
 
 The wounded huntsman was now placed on
 
 90 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 board, together with the dead deer, which was 
 proved to be a three year old, or brocket, esta- 
 blishing at once the quickness of Glocester's 
 eye, and disproving the bishop's surmise, of 
 Fitz-walter's sneaking subserviency. The skin 
 of the orox and other records of the exploit, 
 were also carried away ; and the bishop boasted 
 of the whole, and displayed the tribute horn 
 which he destined for the emperor, with as 
 much exultation as if he had really believed 
 himself the chief hero of the day. 
 
 After a short discussion, Glocester set sail 
 with Van Monfoort, in the skiff belonging to 
 the latter, for his castle in the little Island of 
 Urk ; while the bishop, Jacqueline, and their 
 followers, embarked on their return to Amers- 
 fort, accompanied by Fitz-walter, who was des- 
 tined to take the command of the English 
 troops, expected to land almost immediately in 
 one of the islands of Zealand.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 91 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 To the general reader, not familiar with the 
 epoch of our story, a brief sketch of its history 
 may be acceptable, in as far as it concerns the 
 personages already introduced, or about to be 
 offered to notice. 
 
 At that time, the first half of the 15th cen- 
 tury, the power of the house of Burgundy was 
 in rapid rise to the dominion which under Phi- 
 lip, surnamed " The Good," it acquired, and 
 for a period of fifty years maintained. This 
 greatest of the dukes of his race or title was,
 
 92 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 at the date of the scenes recorded in the pre- 
 ceding chapters, in the prime of life and the 
 full exercise of his vigorous ambition. He was 
 a powerful and accomplished prince, a brave 
 warrior, and a liberal patron of literature. 
 Good fortune following, as it generally does, 
 the march of cautious enterprise, seemed to take 
 unusual pleasure in heaping its favours on him ; 
 but he, as is too often the case, abused his good 
 luck by several acts of injustice and tyranny. 
 The chief of these — by no means marked by 
 historians with its merited reprobation — was the 
 ungenerous perseverance with which he pursued 
 Jacqueline of Bavaria, Countess of Holland 
 and Hainault, his cousin-german in a double 
 degree ; his mother being sister to Jacqueline's 
 father, Count William, and Jacqueline's mo- 
 ther, Marguerite, being sister to Philip's father, 
 John Sanspeur, who was murdered in the year 
 1419, in the presence and by the authority of 
 the dauphin of France, who succeeded to the 
 title on the death of his elder brother, Jacque-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 93 
 
 line's first affianced husband, and became subse- 
 quently Charles VII. A just principle of filial 
 vengeance, which he however afterwards sup- 
 pressed for the indulgence of more politic pas- 
 sions, kept Philip for several years in fierce 
 hostility with the new dauphin, and made him 
 at once the most powerful ally of England, and 
 the deadliest enemy of France. In the wars of 
 Henry V., his fidelity to that monarch was un- 
 flinching ; nor had he yet swerved from that 
 which he owed his infant son and successor, who 
 was represented in France by his eldest uncle, 
 the great Duke of Bedford, the Regent, at that 
 time in the zenith of his fame for wisdom and 
 valour, and unstained by the disgrace of having 
 consented to, if he did not originate, the sacri- 
 fice of Joan of Arc, one of the truest heroines 
 of history. 
 
 Philip was now the sovereign of Burgundy, 
 Flanders, Artois, and several minor possessions ; 
 but his thirst for aggrandisement made him 
 resolute on obtaining not only the neighbouring
 
 94 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 duchies of Brabant and Hainault, but of ex- 
 tending his territories by the conquest of Hol- 
 land, Zealand, and all the tributary provinces 
 which stretched up to the Northern Sea. The 
 marriage of Jacqueline, their hereditary coun- 
 tess, with John of Brabant an imbecile boy, was 
 highly favourable to his projects, as it was an 
 assurance that no heirs were likely to arise be- 
 tween him and the heritage to which he was 
 next in succession. He therefore supported 
 with his whole power the nominal husband 
 against the ill-treated wife ; and when, indignant 
 at repeated outrages, she fled to England for 
 protection, and became affianced to Humphry of 
 Glocester, (also known in his country's annals 
 as the " good Duke,") Philip supported John 
 with a force too overwhelming to be resisted by 
 the English prince, who, with his affianced 
 bride, was driven out of Hainault, she taking 
 refuge in Holland, and he returning to the du- 
 ties of his Protectorate at home. 
 
 John the Pitiless, the secularized bishop of
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 9-5 
 
 Liege, uncle to both Philip and Jacqueline, 
 one of the worst men of days too fertile in vice, 
 had previously commenced a war against her, 
 founded on a shallow pretext, and had, as before 
 stated, defeated all her efforts for the defence 
 of her rights, chiefly through the aid of the 
 feudal despots with whom Holland abounded, 
 and whose admiration of Jacqueline's fine qua- 
 lities was overcome by hatred to her race, which 
 had for several generations shewn a rare and 
 generous sympathy with the people of the towns 
 against the ennobled tyrants by whom they 
 were oppressed. Jacqueline was forced to cede 
 her rights to her atrocious uncle for the period 
 of his life ; but its termination, shortly previous 
 to the opening of our story, reinstated her in 
 the still imperfect possession of her inheritance. 
 No doubt existed of the Bishop of Liege having 
 died by poison ; and opinion loudly pronounced 
 the niece he had so injured to be the insti- 
 gator of the deed. A gentleman of Holland, 
 named Van Vlyett, a partizan of Jacqueline,
 
 [)G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 and one of the Hoeks, was tried in the sum- 
 mary fashion of the times, and executed for the 
 imputed crime. Philip, who had succeeded by 
 his uncle's will to the territories of Liege and 
 other states, was not accused of the deed, which 
 benefited him as well as her on whom the sus- 
 picion fell. The secret of this was the pros- 
 perity of the one and the misfortunes of the 
 other ; a rule which regulates through all the 
 gradations of life and fortune, the praise or the 
 obloquy of the world. Philip, however, soon 
 obtained from John of Brabant, his impotent 
 creature and cousin (for all the actors in this 
 political drama were near relations), a commis- 
 sion empowering him to occupy, as governor in 
 his name, his wife's possessions ; and it was in 
 virtue of this delegated authority that he now 
 prepared to carry fire and sword into the last 
 refuge which was left to our hapless but still 
 undaunted heroine. To give a final sanction to 
 his conduct, Philip had employed his utmost 
 influence with Martin V., the recognised pope,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 97 
 
 to refuse the divorce she solicited so urgently, and 
 to annul the contract by which she had become 
 affianced to Glocester. And to detach that in- 
 trepid but imprudent champion from her sup- 
 port, he had, with the assistance of the Duke of 
 Britanny, gained considerable influence with the 
 regent, who soon saw that Philip would sacrifice 
 every feeling of friendship or fealty, in furthe- 
 rance of his designs for still more general domi- 
 nion. Hence the efforts on the part of Bedford 
 to conciliate Philip, whose sister he had mar- 
 ried, and to temper his brother's ardour, alluded 
 to by Glocester in his conference with Jacque- 
 line. 
 
 Another means resorted to by Philip to para- 
 lyze Glocester's exertions, more it is likely from 
 cunning than courage (of which, however, he 
 had a large share), was a challenge to single 
 combat, on the grounds of some dubious phrases 
 reflecting on his veracity, in letters from the 
 latter. The whole correspondence is preserved 
 by the chroniclers, and it bears evidence to the 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 talent of " the good" dukes, in maintaining 
 their respective causes by the pen, and their 
 readiness to defend them with the sword. Until 
 the terms of the combat were finally arranged 
 by a sort of general council, which, under 
 Bedford's auspices, sat at Paris on the whole 
 merits of the case, Glocester was, as he has 
 told, prohibited from any personal efforts against 
 his antagonist's cause or in Jacqueline's quarrel. 
 He was supposed to be in England while he 
 made his stolen visit, to explain his conduct and 
 reassure the almost disconsolate countess ; and 
 while Philip, on his part, was in reality making 
 the most vigorous preparation for the invasion 
 of her possessions, he kept up, in his castle of 
 Hesdin in Picardy, a shew of complete devotion 
 to exercises fitting his coming duel, and to 
 brilliant jousts and other sports, belonging more 
 to chivalry than to actual war. 
 
 The affairs of France on the one hand, and 
 the disputes in England between Glocester and 
 the Bishop of Winchester on the other, gave
 
 JACQUELINE OF HCLLAXD. 99 
 
 Bedford enough of concern and employment to 
 prevent his interfering in the approaching con- 
 test between Jacqueline and Philip. To main- 
 tain the latter staunch to the English interests 
 was the regent's chief object ; and whatever 
 his private sympathy might have been, his poli- 
 tical regard was little likely to be excited for 
 one whose unfortunate quarrel was shaking the 
 very foundations of Philip's alliance, and involv- 
 ing all England in the peril she was about to 
 incur. 
 
 Jacqueline was therefore, with Glocester's 
 sole exception, unsupported by any foreign ally. 
 Her most influential domestic one was the 
 Bishop of Utrecht. He was forced into her 
 quarrel by Philip's inveterate hostility to him, 
 in consequence of his formerly opposing, from 
 feelings of personal pique, John the Pitiless, 
 who had used his best efforts, but fruitlessly, 
 to prevent Zweder's election to the see, when 
 he was but Dean of Osnaburg in Westphalia. 
 Philip vowed that he would dispossess Bishop 
 
 v 2
 
 100 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 Zwcder, though the mitre should be placed on 
 the poorest curate of Friesland, and had spurn- 
 ed some cringing efforts towards submission 
 already offered by the prelate, who became also 
 deeply compromised in a closer dispute with 
 the insubordinate Chapter of Utrecht, which 
 had gone so far as to threaten him with expul- 
 sion, on learning his overtures so scornfully 
 rejected by the duke. It was then that he im- 
 mediately turned round to Jacqueline"^ cause ; 
 and, as has been seen, made it his own — as long 
 as was convenient. 
 
 Several of the other towns had with great 
 spirit espoused the quarrel of their persecuted 
 countess, and embarked their very existence 
 in the same venture. Amersfort was chosen 
 by her as her residence and the seat of her 
 little court ; where, aided by her mother, a 
 woman of masculine mind and determined 
 character, she endeavoured to organize the 
 efforts of her friends into some serious display 
 of preparation for the struggle* One of her
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 101 
 
 most active and most remarkable partizans was 
 Rudolf Van Diepenholt, a man of good family, 
 but merely an obscure canon, until he was 
 fixed on by the people of Utrecht as a fit can- 
 didate for the bishopric, of which they were 
 resolved to deprive the present possessor. 
 Others of Jacqueline's supporters will appear 
 incidentally during the progress of our story. 
 
 The ancient antipathies of the Hoeks and 
 Kabblejaws had for the moment been agreed to 
 be laid aside, at least as far as actual hostilities 
 were a proof of hatred. A truce was esta- 
 blished between them, and for a few short weeks 
 no blood had been shed — a rare circumstance 
 in the annals of a century — and the annual 
 meeting for the exercise of archery, called Joy- 
 sJtooting, (from the appearance of the object 
 aimed at,) was about to take place at Tergoes, 
 in the island of South Beveland, at which it 
 was agreed to collect the sense, (so to call it,) 
 of the conflicting factions, on the great question 
 of sovereignty which now agitated the country.
 
 102 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 These two factions, so often alluded to, had 
 acquired their respective titles in a way highly 
 characteristic of the rude times in which they 
 flourished, and of the piscatory pursuits and 
 habits of thought of the amphibious race to 
 which they belonged. 
 
 During the contests for power, about the 
 year 1350, between Marguerite of Bavaria, 
 Countess of Holland, and her son William, 
 grand-uncle to Jacqueline, some of their respec- 
 tive partizans, the most powerful men in the 
 country, held a repast, at which a frivolous 
 argument took place on the question, whether 
 the Hoek (fishing-hook) might be said to take 
 the Kabblejaw (cod-fish), or vice versa. A 
 serious quarrel was the consequence of the dis- 
 pute ; the different parties affixed on each other 
 the words which formed the matter of argument ; 
 distinctive badges were assumed ; and the whole 
 population, for full a century following, was 
 divided into two desperate political sects. 
 
 It was thus that with all the barbarous hos-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 103 
 
 tility of old times, a vein of rude humour 
 almost invariably mixed. Political nick-names 
 owed their application to chance, or some asso- 
 ciation connected with ridicule. Gueux, Round- 
 head, Tory, Whig, have no distinct signifi- 
 cation as titles of powerful parties, and only 
 give us notions of ignoble and vulgar factions. 
 Leaguer, Conventicler, and a few others, vaguely 
 mark the purpose of their partizans, but carry 
 no moral meaning with them. It was sufficient 
 for our forefathers thus to designate antagonist 
 sects, and at most to fasten on them some title 
 of burlesque. The more impressive epithets 
 by which men now distinguish their opponents 
 (such as radicals, corruptionists, ultras), are 
 among the proofs of a more regulated energy 
 in the human mind, or at least a more serious 
 spirit in their hatred. 
 
 The chief leader of the Hoeks (who had all 
 declared for Jacqueline, and who may be called 
 the liberal party) • was Ludwick Van Monfoort, 
 whom our readers already know, a rough war-
 
 104 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 rior and a bachelor, who, in his aversion to 
 restraint, would not submit to even the silken 
 chains of matrimony. The principal person on 
 the opposite side was Floris Van Borselen, a 
 married man, and the father of a family, who, 
 like the rest of his party, was at once a slavish 
 partizan of absolute right and tyrannical wrong, 
 and in his domestic relations as thorough a des- 
 pot as the master to whom he bent his knee. It 
 is to the castle of this chieftain, in the southern 
 point of the island of South Beveland, that we 
 must now conduct our readers, and introduce 
 them to both it and its lord, on the third day 
 following the occurrences in the Zevenvolden, 
 which occupied our opening chapters. 
 
 The castle of Eversdyke was a fair specimen 
 of the structures which at that period abounded 
 in the feudal territories of Holland, Zealand, 
 and the neighbouring provinces. It rose on the 
 edge of the Hondt, or West Scheldt, opposite 
 to the coast of Eastern Flanders. The beach 
 did not in that part present the, at times, pictu-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 105 
 
 resque object of white and sun-gilt sand-hills. It 
 was, like the greater part of the coast of the 
 island, composed of a bank of brown, orange, or 
 red coloured earth, which protected the naked 
 surface of the polders,* and formed the only 
 rampart between the sea and the rich pastures, 
 and the flax plantations, the staple produce of 
 the island. Beyond this dyke, which was of 
 moderate elevation, extended a rude pier formed 
 of huge black stakes, intermixed with pieces of 
 rock, against which the angry waves broke and 
 foamed unceasingly. Protected by this pier 
 were generally seen lying at anchor a few heavy 
 and flat-bottomed vessels, suited to the navio-a- 
 tion of the shallow seas of Zealand. A larse 
 lock or basin completed this little harbour, and 
 appeared intended for the occasional discharge 
 of the waters from the plains beyond. 
 
 Close to this basin, so as to command the 
 harbour, rose the square tower which composed 
 
 • The technical name of* the low grounds immediately 
 adjoining the dykes. 
 
 F 3
 
 106 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 the principal feature of the castle. It gradu- 
 ally decreased in breadth from the foundation to 
 the roof, and this mode of architecture, adopted 
 for the purpose of strength, gave an air of 
 greater height than the construction actually 
 possessed. A narrow river bathed the base of 
 this tower, which was only to be approached by 
 means of a wooden draw-bridge, so rapidly in- 
 clined that the part next the edifice was full 
 twenty feet higher than the opposite end, a pre- 
 caution common to those castles which were so 
 frequently exposed to sudden attacks from the 
 pirates who infested the coast. The lower parts 
 of the tower contained no windows, but were 
 furnished with several narrow casemates, which 
 proved, that in case of siege it was destined for 
 the reception of the cattle and provisions of the 
 garrison, who kept their quarters higher up. 
 The upper parts were irregularly furnished with 
 windows, great and small, and the building was 
 crowned by a roof so pointed that the snows of 
 winter never found it a resting-place.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND, 107 
 
 The detached house, built of wood and clay* 
 at times inhabited by the chieftain, with the out- 
 buildings close under the protection of the tower, 
 shewed nothing peculiar ; nor did even the vil- 
 lage of Eversdyke, a few hundred yards dis- 
 tant, on a somewhat sloping ground, a place 
 of refuge, in case of inundation. The only 
 striking objects around were the high signal 
 masts called bdkenen^ on which the chieftains 
 hung out their banner, when they took arms 
 for the public cause, or in a private quarrel. 
 But this old custom was now beginning to fall 
 into decay, being superseded by the establish- 
 ment of clocks, which called the vassals to arms, 
 and one of which thrust out its grotesquely or- 
 namented dial just under the roof of the tower ; 
 some huge nests of storks hanging at the other 
 side, annually enlarged in their dimensions, and 
 constantly occupied from generation to gene- 
 ration. 
 
 In one of the chosen chambers of this castle, 
 Floris Van Borselen, its haughty master, and
 
 108 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 his lady-wife, who was by birth, education, and 
 feeling, a Frison, of noble, but we can scarcely 
 say of gentle blood, occupied two unwieldy 
 chairs of grotesque and comfortless accommo- 
 dation, which were placed close to one of the 
 high and narrow casements that opened to the 
 westward ; and they looked out over the rude 
 outworks of the place, and on the ocean, which 
 spread away to the not distant isle of Walche- 
 ren. But it was not on that ocean that their 
 thoughts were fixed, nor did the little skiff' 
 which came dancing upon its waves from the 
 main land which lay opposite, form the subject 
 of their conversation. That turned on the pro- 
 bable fortunes of their eldest son, Vrank, who 
 had been some years before launched on the 
 wide sea of life, with prospects no doubt flat- 
 tering, but on a voyage which experience told 
 them was at the best exposed to difficulty and 
 danger. 
 
 " My good husband and gracious master/' 
 said the dame, " I do yet think, with all be-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 109 
 
 coming deference to your wisdom, that no 
 cause of misgiving actually exists on that par- 
 ticular head. His letters, though few, are 
 written in clear broad characters, and contain 
 dutiful words for you and me, and due phrases 
 of affection for his sisters and brothers : and he 
 seems to manage well the honorable recompense 
 of his calling, and to understand the honour 
 which it confers, and he always invokes his 
 patron's patron, my Lord St. Andrew, whom 
 he has chosen, and whose badge he wears.'" 
 " My good wife, ,! said Van Borselen, with 
 an expression which was meant for a smile, but 
 was much more of a sneer, .*< what has all that 
 to do with the subject of our anxiety ? Can 
 the broidered badge of St. Andrew protect 
 while it covers a young man's heart ? Or will 
 his duty to father or mother save him from the 
 perils of a lascivious court, from the corrup- 
 tion that besets a traveller in strange countries, 
 and the chance that he learns to forget, or what 
 is worse, to despise his own ?"
 
 110 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Nay, but our dear son Vrank — " 
 
 " Is only a youth, and subject to youth's 
 failings ! That is my ready-made answer to 
 your reasoning, wife. Seven years may have 
 improved, but they have not been like to change 
 him." 
 
 " Oh, I hope not!" said the partial mo- 
 ther. 
 
 " Well — I hope not, too,' 1 rejoined the hus- 
 band, who was in a mood of unwonted mild- 
 ness, " for when he left us he was a promising 
 — a glorious boy, the pride of my heart, and 
 Heaven grant he may yet prove the honour 
 of our ancient race !" 
 
 " He will, he will ! If ever youth came to 
 grace and goodness, Vrank Van Borselen will 
 — my dear, dear boy V exclaimed the fond 
 mother, wiping away tears of pride and joy, 
 from cheeks that had furrows just deep enough 
 to mark her on the middle road of life. 
 
 " Still, my good Bona, my worthy help- 
 mate, 1 '' said the father, with a voice less and
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. Ill 
 
 less harsh at every word, " there was in his 
 disposition a fearful leaning to tenderness of 
 heart, that unmanly weakness which leads some 
 degenerate boys to love, ay even to marry, 
 women other than those their parents prescribe 
 for their wives." 
 
 " Oh, fear nothing — ' , 
 
 " I am not used to fear, good my wife; but 
 if ever a child of mine — if ever even Vrank 
 should so forget his due obedience to me, I 
 swear, as I am a gentleman and a Kabblejaw — " 
 " Oh, my good master! do not swear, for 
 I know your inflexible nature — Oh ! do not 
 suppose aught unworthy of our favourite 
 child." 
 
 " Well, well, I will not swear — yet; nor 
 imagine that worst of all evil. But I wish, oh, 
 how keenly ! that this boy of ours was once 
 again back among the rude virtues of his native 
 land, and free from the blandishments of those 
 southern climes, where our hardy plants are 
 withered, and the fruit becomes rotten before
 
 112 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 it is well ripe. — What skiff can that be bearing 
 this way up against the breeze ? It has no 
 pennant that I can sec — yet it ought to be my 
 brother Jameses too — Is it not ? it stands over 
 from Biervlict, and may bring news from 
 Flanders. Would that it might tell me that 
 young John Uterken is coming !" 
 
 " Heaven forbid !" exclaimed the wife, " for 
 then the war would be sure to begin again. 
 Let us at least enjoy this little interval of quiet, 
 and be content." 
 
 " Content ! not I, by our Lady, till our foes 
 are down, and that adultress, that poisoner, 
 that female firebrand, cast out from the coun- 
 try ! — Content ! while the white flag flies on 
 my limits, while my banner is not hoisted on 
 the bakaner, while Zegher of Hemsted rides 
 on the same path with me, and I may not draw 
 my sword, but must doff my bonnet to him 
 and the like ! — Content ! But our meeting at 
 Tergoes to-morrow will end this inglorious state 
 of things. Uterken and his brave Flemings
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 113 
 
 may arrive ere long, and the Kabblejaws once 
 more throw up their grey caps for joy !" 
 
 As the chieftain harshly uttered these words 
 he stalked along the narrow chamber, as if 
 every stride were to carry him closer to his 
 foes, or farther from the galling durance of 
 inaction. Some further conversation, if so it 
 might be called, when more than nine-tenths 
 of the talk was on one side, brought the 
 unequal colloquists not much nearer to an ac- 
 cordance of opinion. But the time it occupied 
 allowed the skiff to approach very close to the 
 beach which stretched under the castle ram- 
 parts. When Van Borselen had in some mea- 
 sure vented his stern humour, by bursts of 
 declamation like those we have recorded, and 
 which his wife attempted to soothe but could 
 by no means control, he turned his attention 
 again to the little vessel, now evidently steering 
 for the rude pier, which afforded ample depth 
 for small craft to run close under the mouths of 
 the few culvcrins which garnished the rampart 
 at its seaward face.
 
 114 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " It is, it is my brother's boat,"" cried Van 
 Borsclen. " There flies his green pennon, with 
 the three silver stars of the Borselens, at the 
 mast-head — and, eh ? What ! By St. Peter 
 and St. Paul, the red cross of Burgundy on a 
 white flag hangs out at the stern. This is 
 good, this is good, this is good! The duke 
 will not long tarry while his banner is in the 
 wind. The skiff is moored — John Uterken in 
 his boat-cloak steps ashore. — Let us receive the 
 brave youth becomingly. So, so !" 
 
 With these words he reseated himself in his 
 chair of state, and assumed a position as stiff 
 and formal as it. With back erect, feet firmly 
 fixed, and arms in a line with those of the 
 piece of furniture on which he evidently mo- 
 delled his attitude, he looked as calm and stern 
 as Dutch gravity and feudal pride prescribed, 
 and immoveably awaited the entrance of the 
 young man, who now stepped quickly on 
 through the various approaches to the main 
 body of the building. The movements of 
 Vrowe Bona Van Borselen were always more
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 115 
 
 rapid and detailed than those of her much older 
 lord, even when going the same round of con- 
 duct, bearing to them about the proportion that 
 the speed of the minute-hand did to that of 
 the hour-hand on the dial of the castle clock. 
 She therefore resumed possession of her oaken 
 seat, with much quicker and more evident 
 efforts at preparation for a suitable carriage 
 during the coming interview. She smoothed 
 her kirtle of thick brown samyte down over her 
 knees, leaving only just enough of her legs dis- 
 played to shew the blue hose on her ancles and 
 insteps, high upon which were the brass clasps 
 of her untanned shoes. She next gave an ad- 
 ditional pull to her girdle and fastened it into 
 the buckle, advanced on her cheeks her plaited 
 wimple of the fine and snow-white lawn called 
 sendell, which was spun by her own maidens ; 
 then settling on her shoulders her tippet, hand- 
 somely embroidered in Ypres needlework, she 
 hemmed and coughed and made some swan-like 
 movements with her long neck, and finally ad-
 
 116 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 justed herself in harmony with her husband's 
 attitude, to which hers formed a suitable paral- 
 lel. They sat there statue-like for some minutes, 
 without deranging by the interchange of a word 
 or look the rigid dignity of feature and muscle ; 
 though the quick-sounding steps, which echoed 
 on the stone stairs and through the narrow cor- 
 ridor, proclaimed an unusual want of form in 
 the visitor's approach. 
 
 And in a few moments more the door of the 
 chamber was flung back on its clumsy hinges ; 
 and instead of displaying the formal figure of 
 the armed pursuivant, or fat old chamberlain, 
 who regularly announced all comers, and ushered 
 them in between a file of serving men, the youth 
 who had made such short way from the skiff to 
 the audience- room, now stepped, or rather 
 bounded forward, and advanced towards the 
 stately couple, threw aside his cloak, took off 
 his bonnet, and dropped on one knee. The 
 quick sight of maternal love could not for a mo- 
 ment be dimmed by doubt. Vrowe Bona, for-
 
 Jacqueline of Holland. 117 
 
 getting every thing but the hearty-yearning 
 which for seven long years had been drawing 
 her insensibly to this happy moment, started 
 from her seat, as though an effigy had sprung 
 from its pedestal, and indifferent to tippet, wim- 
 ple, or kirtle, she threw herself into the open 
 arms of her son, and kissed him, huff<red him, 
 and cried over him, in all the grace of natural 
 ill-breeding. 
 
 Whether it is that a father's memory is not 
 so prompt to recognize his child, or that the 
 pride of a Zealand gentleman and a Kabblejaw 
 triumphed over the parent's feelings ; Floris 
 Van Borselen did not follow his wife's example, 
 but sat still in his arm chair, while she blub- 
 bered forth her welcomings, and stifled the re- 
 plies that the affectionate youth in vain essayed 
 to utter. During this struggle it was, however, 
 evident that the chieftain knew his son, and N 
 that decorum held a terrible tussle with de- 
 light. His body moved not, but his knees 
 shook, his hands convulsively grasped the arms
 
 118 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 of the chair, his mouth was drawn down, his 
 lips quivered, his eyes winked, and his whole 
 countenance displayed that ineffably ludicrous 
 expression which one sometimes sees in the 
 weeping cherubs of a monument. Young Vrank 
 saw his father's constrained emotion, and suc- 
 ceeded in approaching close enough to take the 
 outstretched hand, which, for all its nervous 
 straining, trembled as the youth respectfully 
 pressed it to his lips. But the mother never 
 quitted her son, but clung to him at the other 
 side, and made him in fact, what a dutiful child 
 morally is, the true link that joins its parents in 
 a chain of love. 
 
 At this moment a perfect tumult was raised in 
 the ante-chamber, and even at the very door of 
 the sanctum, where no sounds but the measured 
 accents of etiquette were ever before known to 
 enter. A group of four or five children, boys 
 and girls from the age of fifteen down to ten, 
 had gathered in the corridor on hearing the ar- 
 rival of their long-wished for brother Vrank.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 119 
 
 The servitors too, old followers of the family, 
 and more recent reinforcements to the house- 
 hold, who had all known or heard of their 
 young lord's fine qualities, unable to resist the 
 children's example, crowded after them and 
 pressed forward ; while the old governess, in her 
 sendell coif and black hood, and the older 
 chamberlain with grey head and wide breeches, 
 threw their bodies as a rampart between their 
 lord's privacy and the boisterous intruders, and 
 spread their arms across the door-way to block 
 up the passage. 
 
 " Let them all in, let them all in !" cried 
 Floris Van Borselen, springing up on his feet 
 and throwing his arms round his son's neck. 
 " Let there be holiday and jubilee to all within 
 sight of the weather-cock on the tower ! — Oh !" 
 continued he, as the children and servants 
 rushed in, jumping, shouting, laughing, and 
 weeping for joy, " Oh, that I, too, could dance 
 and cry !" 
 
 With the lightning's speed the joyous feeling
 
 120 JACQUKLINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ran through the castle. The rough watchman 
 on the rampart, the guards at the gate, and the 
 grooms in the court-yard, all caught the im- 
 pulsion. The artillery sent out successive peals 
 across the strait to the main-land beyond ; 
 and the very ban-dogs in the fosse seemed to 
 howl in a unison of fierce but thrilling welcome, 
 such as the grey walls of Eversdyke had not 
 rung with for years.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 121 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The scene just described will be evidence of 
 the good reason which Vrank Van Borselen had 
 to love and reverence his parents, who, let their 
 peculiar dispositions be what they might, united 
 much of that tenderness which was common to 
 the unpolished but kindly people of Zealand. 
 Vrank still remembered, in their fullest force, 
 and was in a great degree ready to act on, the 
 early notions of obedience which his father's 
 very name inspired ; nor had all the acquired 
 polish of manner, which between six and seven 
 
 VOL. I. a
 
 122 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 years' service under the Duke of Burgundy had 
 grafted on his natural refinement of thought, 
 weakened the influence of the associations which 
 attached him to the land of his early youth. 
 Yet he could not sympathize with the rude 
 prejudices of the country he now visited after 
 so long an interval, even though his father 
 was most deeply imbued with them. He con- 
 sidered the social state of the people as little 
 removed from barbarism, and he looked on 
 their savage and ignoble feuds as a perfect sole- 
 cism, in an age when chivalry flourished else- 
 where, in all the seducing brilliancy of fierce, 
 yet elegant warfare. He was revolted by the 
 recollections which rushed upon him, as he ap- 
 proached his home, of that passive submission 
 to the will of his parents relative to affairs 
 which, according to his creed, ought to be of 
 the heart ; and he felt that nothing could ever 
 induce him to submit to the right of disposal 
 over his very person, which the worthy fathers 
 of Zealand claimed from their children of either
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 123 
 
 sex, as undisturbedly as they enjoyed their 
 hereditary fiefs. In short, Vrank Van Borselen 
 was, in the halls of his ancient race, as much 
 superior to the rude but honest beings around 
 him, as he was in the courts of Burgundy, 
 France, or Rome, to the libertine and unprin- 
 cipled swarms which the strong heats of civiliza- 
 tion are too sure to engender. He was a young 
 man in advance of the times he lived in ; in 
 whom reason took the mastery of passion, while 
 good taste at once subdued and strengthened 
 the force of warm feeling. Even in those days 
 of enterprise, and amidst men of the boldest 
 daring, he held a high place, and was generally 
 considered destined to do great things, not so 
 much from his fine talents, evident as they 
 were, as from a rare display of solid judgment 
 capable of directing them in the right road. 
 Philip of Burgundy, his lord by adoption, but 
 to whom he was bound by no allegiance, beyond 
 reciprocal services, held him in high esteem ; 
 and had recently employed him in two missions, 
 
 g 2
 
 124 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 (on one, as a subordinate auxiliary, on the 
 other, as an independent agent,) either of which 
 many an older follower would have felt ho- 
 noured by, and might have managed less ably. 
 To render a succinct account of these missions, 
 the latter of which had finished with his deli- 
 very of a sealed missive to his father, was the 
 duty which Vrank proceeded to perform, as 
 soon as the first burst of welcome had subsided 
 into a less turbulent delight, and ere the even- 
 ing repast was served up in the eating-hall to 
 which they soon adjourned. Vrank took but 
 little heed of the repast itself, beyond the mere 
 indulgence of an excellent appetite. He saw 
 that it was served without those strict forms of 
 etiquette, to which he had been for some years 
 accustomed, and also that the various dishes of 
 which it was composed, seemed but so many 
 modified preparations of the two grand staples 
 of Zealand cookery, fish and wild fowl. But 
 he had for the last few weeks been daily recalled 
 to the recollection of old tastes and customs,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 125 
 
 by displays nearly similar and always analogous 
 to that which was now spread before him. 
 
 " My precious boy,"" said the mother, fol- 
 lowing with anxious eyes every morsel that he 
 lifted to his mouth, in the large pewter spoon, 
 or on the sharp point of his clumsy knife, " it 
 does me good to see thee eat. Look, my noble 
 master and gracious husband, how our dear son 
 relishes that mixture of chopped salmon and 
 skelfish, and no wonder, for the juniper sauce 
 might give vigour to the palled palate of a 
 Middleburgh burgher. Change your young 
 master's platter with a helping of yon wild 
 duck, coddled in kelp, 1 ' continued she, to the 
 serving-wench who aided the cook and kitchen 
 varlets, in their duty of not only dressing the 
 meal but in serving it, as its various parts suc- 
 ceeded on the board. 
 
 Floris Van Borselen, to allow his son free 
 scope for eating, had turned his eyes again on 
 the despatch which Vrank had before read to 
 him, his own ignorance of the French language
 
 126' JACQUKLINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 making that an insurmountable task to himself; 
 and deaf to his dame's observations, he pon- 
 dered over the words which he could not deci- 
 pher, and examined the ducal seal of Burgundy, 
 with a proud satisfaction at this proof of his 
 being in actual and direct correspondence with 
 one of the most potent sovereigns of Europe. 
 
 " Now, my dear child," resumed Vrowe Bona, 
 " put aside thy platter. I see the duck is too 
 fishy for thy taste, and in truth till the frost 
 sets in these birds have a sea-weed flavour ; but 
 this larded curlieu stuffed with Picardy chest- 
 nuts, will please thee better — it has been four 
 days steeped in vinegar, and is as tender as & 
 Breda capon." 
 
 " In very truth, my good mother," said 
 Vrank, with a smile, " I can eat no more — all 
 the dishes are excellent, but I must now give 
 over — you see my father has ended his repast, 
 and I must continue the account of my travels."" 
 
 " Eat no more ! Why child, what is come 
 over thee? Thou canst not have lost thv native
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 127 
 
 taste, nor expect French juncates or condiments 
 on our truly national board ! Neither thy father 
 nor myself, Vrank, ever allow such pernicious 
 adjuncts to our homely fare. 11 
 
 " You do me wrong, dear mother, if you 
 suspect me not to relish the good cheer you 
 give me — but where have been your eyes ? 
 There must be bounds to mortal ability ; I have 
 made a most hearty meal.' 1 
 
 " Alas ! Vrank, is this thy notion of a hearty 
 meal ? Ah ! much I fear me indeed that foreign 
 customs have over-refined thy wholesome appe- 
 tite. Why, the old curate of Ovenesse, who 
 crossed from the main-land yesterday, and made 
 his morning meal with us, ate to his own share 
 a young turbot, two pickled plovers and mashed 
 parsnips, with the full half of a broiled bittern, 
 a wing of which would make more than thy 
 whole supper, and a slice of the red-rinded 
 cheese of Edam — and good Father Sibrant is 
 no great feeder neither. 1 ' 
 
 Vrank had nothing more to reply ; but his
 
 128 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 father now took up his cause, and gave a new 
 turn to the conversation. 
 
 " In verity and fair argument, my good 
 wife," said he, " it doth seem to me that Vrank 
 has done due honour to the viands, and enough 
 to prove himself a true and hearty Zcalander. 
 Press the boy no more — let him quaff another 
 horn of hydromel, and reserve his remaining 
 powers for the crowning dish of our feast, the 
 emblem of our cause, the type of our hopes. 
 Ay ! for as sure as that royal Kabblejaw 
 smokes on its platter, so sure shall we triumph 
 over those rebellious Hoeks, whom to-morrow 
 shall see put down for ever. Honour to thee, 
 my Lord Kabblejaw, and great praise and pros- 
 perity to thy cause !" 
 
 This last apostrophe, in a voice most seriously 
 ludicrous, was addressed to a huge cod-fish, 
 which the head cook carried up in procession 
 and placed on the table, while the attendant 
 varlets and wenches solemnly followed, some 
 with sauces, and others merely doing mute
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 129 
 
 honour to the occasion. The fish had a wreath 
 of flowers stuck with skewers upon his head, 
 and his tail was crisped and twisted up by a 
 string, fastened to the side fins, adding an air 
 of pert stupidity to the straining eyes and wide 
 spread mouth of the dead idol, to which many 
 a living one might form a parallel. 
 
 Vrank could not resist a smile, though mixed 
 with pain, at the gravity with which his really 
 high-minded sire thus paid tribute to the de- 
 grading tyranny of party spirit. Luckily for 
 him his father did not observe the doubtful 
 expression of his face ; and he did not dare to 
 refuse partaking of the venerated dish, nor fail 
 to clear off a goblet in its honour, which cere- 
 monies he well remembered were the tests of 
 those political principles, of which Floris Van 
 Borselen was now the leading champion. 
 
 " Let the board be cleared, and the second 
 table furnished," said the chieftain, in his usual 
 tone of command ; and his recovered air of 
 rude dignity seemed now no longer to be broken 
 
 G 3
 
 130 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 by any intrusive weakness. He had partaken 
 of the mystic emblem of his political faith ; and 
 his whole mind was suddenly turned into the 
 broad but troubled channel of public affairs. 
 His orders were immediately obeyed, by the 
 removal of the several dishes, and the supply of 
 others of more solid substance, to the long stone 
 table which stood at the farther end of the hall ; 
 the upper, or place of honour, being by feudal 
 usage elevated by several steps, and on occasions 
 divided from the lower by a folding screen. 
 At present, this inferior compartment was filled 
 by even more than the ordinary occupants of 
 its table, many of the household being allowed 
 by peculiar courtesy the great honour of feasting 
 almost in the company, but certainly in the 
 sight, of their lord. He and the members of 
 his family, who had all, down to the youngest 
 boy, been admitted to his table on this happy 
 occasion, now soon retired. As they moved 
 away, the respectful ardour of their servitors 
 could no longer be restrained, but it burst forth
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 131 
 
 in a loud shout, whose three-fold repetition made 
 the bare walls ring, and shook many a cobweb 
 on the smoke-dried beams which supported the 
 unceiled roof of the hall. Amonsj the loud 
 voices which pitched their highest notes in this 
 chorus, that of Oost the Dyke-digger sounded 
 pre-eminent, and many of his fellow choristers 
 were forced to cease their cries and stop their 
 ears, which seemed literally split by his hoarse 
 yet piercing tones. It will be judged that due 
 deference was paid to this infrequent but 
 by no means unknown visitor at Eversdyke 
 Castle, when it is told that he was foster-father 
 to young Vrank, who had been born and nursed 
 in the hardy climate of Friesland, his mother's 
 country. Oost had been more than once em- 
 ployed as the agent of communications between 
 his lord's possessions in that country and in 
 Zealand, and had now accompanied Vrank, as 
 guide on the wild route where we first intro- 
 duced them to our readers, and which it was 
 intended he should soon retrace on a commis-
 
 132 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 sion still more important. Leaving the was- 
 sailers to their coarse enjoyments, and taking 
 leave for the night of the two blooming girls 
 and three boys who formed the junior members 
 of the Borselen family, the father and mother, 
 attended bv Vrank, were soon again seated in 
 the private saloon, or withdrawing-room. 
 
 " So, my son, you have indeed commenced a 
 brilliant career I 11 said Floris Van Borselen, 
 exultingly, as he resumed his chair, Vrank 
 standing respectfully beside him, and the mother 
 discreetly retiring, though not quite out of ear- 
 shot of a conversation too important for her to 
 bear direct part in. 
 
 " This truly is honor in a double degree ! 
 Be proud of it, my boy, and know your place — 
 and now answer me on one or two points still. 
 When the good duke's ambassadors, to whom you 
 acted as secretary, laboured so well with your 
 aid to decide his Holiness to annul the mock 
 contract with Glocester, did no one on his part 
 back Jacqueline's prayer that it should be con- 
 firmed ? "
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 133 
 
 t( 
 
 My noble father, make me not vain or 
 imperious of the distinction done to me by my 
 princely patron. St. Andrew be my witness, I 
 bear no arrogant notion of my own merit, but 
 hold myself in all humility, as honoured far 
 beyond my deserts. On the part of the Duke 
 of Glocester — " 
 
 " Vrank, this will never do you good ! The 
 man who knows not his own merit can never 
 make it felt by others. The higher you hold 
 your head, the more will the vulgar crouch be- 
 neath your feet. Stoop to their level, and they 
 will try to trample on you straight." 
 
 " I covet no triumph over the mean herd of 
 men, my father ; and perhaps did I toss my 
 head too high in life, I might miss my footing 
 in its slippery paths, and stumble from my very 
 attempts to soar. 11 
 
 "Well, well, go on just now in your own 
 track. We'll discuss this point anon. Con- 
 tinue your speech. The Duke of Glocester — " 
 
 " Was represented by a single emissary at
 
 134 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 the papal court, a dark, mysterious man, who 
 held no pomp nor apparel, but came, and staid, 
 and went, in gloomy singleness. Yet it was 
 said he had mighty influence over his holiness, 
 and he at all times commanded his private ear. 
 Nevertheless, my gracious lords, our noble 
 duke's ambassadors received from the pontiffs 
 own hands — I can aver it well, for I read, 
 attested, and copied the document — a letter to 
 the duke, assuring him that ere long a bull 
 should issue, annulling Madam Jacqueline's 
 contract with Glocester, and prohibiting her 
 marriage with him, even should her lawful hus- 
 band, John of Brabant, die before her.' 1 
 
 " As he most surely must — for a life of de- 
 bauchery, and a feeble frame like his, cannot 
 last much longer. But who was this secret 
 emissary that vainly strove to thwart thine and 
 the lords ambassadors' good labours ? Some 
 noble, or some proud knight, chosen by haughty 
 Glocester for this mission ?" 
 
 " Not so, my father. He was a simple priest,
 
 JACQUELIXE OF HOLLAND. 135 
 
 untitled and unbeneficed even. Strange ru- 
 raours were afloat as to his character and conduct. 
 Report even said that the fierce lustre of his 
 eye was lighted at unholy fires — that his cheeks 
 caught their livid tinge from the poisonous va- 
 pours of forbidden works, from furnace and 
 crucible — " 
 
 " The Virgin and St. Philagon be my speed, 
 Vrank, but thou makest my blood curdle and 
 my flesh creep ! Hark ye this, good wife ? 
 And have I not right to dread the contact of 
 foreign fellowship for this our boy ? Heretics 
 and sorcerers admitted even to the pontiff's pri- 
 vacy ! Preserve us, Heaven, from the like ! 
 Let our cold clime keep the plague of southern 
 corruption from us !" 
 
 Vrowe Bona was content to remain silent, sa- 
 tisfied in her own mind that neither demon nor 
 devil could have power over the virtue of her 
 beloved son Vrank, but not caring to contest the 
 point with her husband. Vrank, however, felt 
 disposed to lessen his father's horror at his com-
 
 136* JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 munication, and remarked that the close confi- 
 dence to which this English priest was admitted 
 by the Pope was argument against the reports 
 to his disfavour. 
 
 " And even supposing them true," continued 
 he, " it was still plainly proved that he had 
 gained no power by magic or black arts over 
 the pontiffs mind. For as he passed from the 
 secret closet on the last morning of the mission, 
 I marked him, while I and my lords the am- 
 bassadors waited in the ante-room, smile such 
 a smile as a fiend might have worn. We all 
 thought our labour lost, and that Jacqueline's 
 cause had triumphed. But, to our great mar- 
 vel, the next minute admitted us into the sacred 
 presence, and the important letter was delivered 
 by his holiness himself into the ambassador's 
 hands." 
 
 " Well, my boy, 1 ' replied Floris, " that only 
 proves what scripture says, as I am well as- 
 sured by the Curate of Overnesse, that the 
 pope is stronger than the devil ; and moreover
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 137 
 
 that he outwitted the English conjurer, if such 
 he was. And what became of him after ? v> 
 
 " That I know not. We all of the embassy 
 instantly departed, to convey the sacred missive 
 to the duke at Hesdin, along with a duplicate 
 for the Duke of Brabant at Brussels. And 
 you may judge the joy with which the good 
 Philip learned this issue to our important mis- 
 sion ; for the Pope's decision relieves him from 
 all fear of Jacqueline's being able to maintain 
 her cause, and will force her to break her law- 
 less intercourse with Glocester." 
 
 " And proud I am, as the duke is happy, 
 my dear Vrank, that you have contributed so 
 greatly to ruin the cause of that adulteress — to 
 carry the point that will drive her to submission 
 and penance. The poisoner of her uncle ! The 
 bane of our country ! Prosperity or peace can 
 never smile on us till this new Jezebel is cast to 
 the dogs." 
 
 " Pardon me, my father, if I am bold in 
 saying you take up this matter too warmly. I 
 did my duty in labouring to do my good lord's
 
 13ii JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 bidding, but I have no virulent hatred to the 
 Countess Jacqueline, for in the first place she is 
 a woman — '' 
 
 " I am not so sure of that, Vrank. She may 
 be a fiend, an incarnate devil in woman's shape." 
 
 " My dear father !" 
 
 " Is she not an adulteress ?" 
 
 " That at least proves her to be a woman." 
 
 (i Why, perhaps it does." 
 
 " Then she is unfortunate, father." 
 
 " What better luck could befal her ? Did she 
 not poison her uncle, the count and bishop ?" 
 
 " I never knew that it was proved." 
 
 "Was not Van Vloet hanged for it? and 
 was he not a Hoek ? And is she not joined in a 
 common interest with that hated faction ? Is 
 not that proof of all and more than is laid to 
 her charge? Does it not make your blood boil 
 as it does mine, Vrank, the very mention of the 
 foes of our race ? Are you not in heart and 
 soul, for life and death, a Kabblejaw ?" 
 
 " Father," said Vrank Borselen, in a tone of
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 139 
 
 dignity that calmed for a time even the fierce 
 heat of party spirit, " I am in heart and head, 
 by feeling as well as duty, your son. Your 
 cause is mine, and my life belongs to my coun- 
 try I will uphold to my death the quarrel of 
 my gracious lord of Burgundy against this 
 usurping countess, because I believe it just ; as 
 I laboured against her intended marriage, 
 because I thought it sinful. But I was not in 
 the spirit of persecution. Her sex and her 
 misfortunes claim my pity ; and as to those 
 who have espoused her cause, I shall combat 
 them as enemies, but I cannot hate them as 
 men." 
 
 " Not hate the Hoeks ! Have pity for Jac- 
 queline !" exclaimed the father, all his powers 
 of endurance overcome by this climax of his 
 son's degeneracy, " Saint Philagon, give me pa- 
 tience ! Is this a child of mine ? Is this Vrank 
 Borselen ? O shame, shame ! Wife, Bona, 
 Vrowe, come hither ! Come forward and look on 
 this boy, and vouch to me that he is mine. By
 
 140 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 the blood of the Borselens I doubt it now ! 
 Not hate the Hoeks? Monstrous, monstrous! 
 Hark ye, young Sir, you must hate them, you 
 shall, or by St. Peter and St. Paul I cast you 
 off for ever !" 
 
 " Oh, Vrank, Vrank, if your father swears, it 
 must be so. Do, my dear boy, for the love of 
 the Virgin, and of St. Andrew, your patron's 
 patron, whose badge you wear, hate them cor- 
 dially every one, man, woman, and child ; hate 
 them like a good Kabblejaw and a pious Chris- 
 tian !" 
 
 " Christian or Turk, he shall hate them, 
 abhor them, loathe them as I do, as my father, 
 and my father's father did ! Have we not for 
 three generations followed them with fire and 
 sword ? Have we ever served them in peace, or 
 spared them in war ? Have we not done them 
 every wrong in the power of men to do ? And 
 shall we not hate them? Vrank Borselen, heark- 
 en to me, and bethink thee that your grand- 
 sire, and his sire, are listening to my words.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 141 
 
 Be reasonable, do not embitter this happy day 
 by an obstinate prejudice; remember the wis- 
 dom of your ancestors, and hate the Hoeks !" 
 
 " And, dear Vrank, have no pity upon that 
 wanton, who fled from her poor young husband, 
 who was but a child in her hands, to the arms 
 of a foreign paramour," added Vrowe Bona, 
 with a supplicating tone. 
 
 During these harangues the young man felt 
 himself blush deeply for his prejudiced and ig- 
 norant parents. But he loved them not the less, 
 and he was really sorry that an intemperate 
 avowal of his tolerant feelings had caused them 
 such evident pain, or disturbed the harmony of 
 their previous sensations ; he therefore resolved 
 to temporize with what he could not hope to 
 conquer, and said — ■ 
 
 " My most honoured father, and you, good 
 mother, be not offended at my speech, nor 
 doubt my zeal because I did not well weigh the 
 words that vouched for it. Be not too hasty 
 with your son ; recollect I am but as a stranger
 
 142 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 in the land, and have forgotten much of its 
 perhaps wholesome feelings. Give me but a 
 little time — let me but know the recent causes of 
 enmity, and revive the recollection of old hatred 
 to the foes of our house, and I warrant ye I 
 shall not disgrace my name." 
 
 " Bravely spoken, Vrank !" said the father, 
 grasping his son's hand, " I knew thy blood 
 would rise, and I condemned thee hastily. 
 Thou dost promise, then, to hate ,, — 
 
 " I will do my best, father, to obey you in 
 all things." 
 
 " Oh ! that is enough, my gracious husband ; 
 do not agitate him too much to-night, his pre- 
 cious brain requires rest!" exclaimed the mo- 
 ther. 
 
 "Ay; and to-morrow, as we go along to 
 Tergoes, he shall hear enough to rouse his fury 
 to the fitting pilch, in which every true Kab- 
 blejaw should meet his deadly enemy." 
 
 " But are we not now in truce with the 
 Hoeks? Is not to-morrow's meeting one for
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 143 
 
 the friendly exercise of the Arbalette, and fair 
 and peaceable discussion?" asked the son. 
 
 " Beshrew me, Vrank, if thou be not still a 
 child ! St. Feter and St. Paul forbid that we 
 should any of us meet a Hoek in friendship. 
 It is a time of truce, no doubt; but such a 
 truce as the lion and the tiger grant each other 
 while they take breath to renew the tug for life 
 or death. To-morrow shall tell thee, boy, how 
 the gentlemen of South Beveland bide together 
 in peace; and, perhaps, the next day may let 
 you into the secret of their ways of warfare. 
 Ho, there !" and, as the chieftain struck his 
 hand on the plain oak-table, an attendant en- 
 tered. 
 
 " Tell Fritz Stoop Van Stitchel, the vesture- 
 maker, to prepare instantly a Kabblejaw cap on 
 the pattern of mine, and the fit of Mynheer 
 Vrank's brown bonnet yonder, to be ready to- 
 night for wear at dawn to-morrow. 1 ' 
 
 " May it please your nobleness, old Fritz is 
 already drunk, with the mixture of beer and
 
 144 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 French stimulants served out to the household 
 by your worship's orders.' 1 
 
 " Let him get sober then directly, for by St. 
 Paul, the cap must be made to-night," exclaimed 
 Van Borselen. 
 
 " Nay, father,' 1 said Vrank, "it may not be 
 possible for the poor tailor to become sober at 
 your command, though it was easy to get drunk 
 by your permission." 
 
 " Not possible ! What shall dare to be im- 
 possible, when I command it to be done in my 
 own castle ? By our lady, Vrank, you forget 
 yourself in more ways than one ! Let Stoop 
 Van Stitchel make the cap, drunk or sober, or 
 the point of his needle shall be blunt in com- 
 parison with my wrath. Away !" 
 
 When the attendant withdrew, Vrank re- 
 monstrated against the necessity of his appear- 
 ing at the meeting next morning with any badge 
 except that of Burgundy, in whose service he 
 was ; and, moreover, specially employed in it 
 even then ; but the father had nearly relapsed
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 145 
 
 into his intemperate mood at this apparent de- 
 mur, and insisted so angrily that his son should 
 be equipped in the distinctive cognizance of his 
 hereditary sect, that he submitted with the best 
 grace he could to what he considered a disgrace 
 of no common order. 
 
 This point agreed to, he resumed the account 
 of his journey into Friesland, whither he had 
 been sent by Philip, immediately after he re- 
 turned from Rome, to prepare such of the 
 nobles there as were averse to the cause of Jac- 
 queline, for the duke's intended invasion of her 
 states.* Vrank next recounted his homeward 
 expedition through the Zevenvolden, under the 
 guardianship of Oost; their exploit against the 
 Orox ; their subsequent passage through the 
 plains of Drent and Overyssel ; the picturesque 
 
 * Friesland, at this epoch, had its factions as well 
 as Holland and Zealand. The Schieringers had taken 
 part with John the Pitiless, and the Vetkoopers with Jac- 
 queline. 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 14G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 route of guilders ; their voyage down the 
 Mcuse, and final visit to James Borselen, the 
 brother of Floris, on the mainland of East Flan- 
 ders, from whose castle, near Biervliet, they had 
 just come over with the news that the levies 
 under John Uterken were on the point of em- 
 barking for Zealand, the precursors of Philip's 
 own intended armament. 
 
 But in all these communications Vrank said 
 not one word of his encounter with the strange 
 hunting-party, nor his gage of combat with an 
 unknown knight — and he half trembled, from 
 old associations of boyish dread, at the possibi- 
 lity of betraying to his father, by word or look, 
 a hint of his adventure with the beautiful hun- 
 tress, whose gift he had from the moment he 
 received it worn round his neck, and close over 
 his heart. 
 
 After many careful assiduities on the part of 
 the good vrowe who herself prepared his night 
 mixtus or posset-drink of mulled Gascoigny, he
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 147 
 
 took a dutiful farewell of both parents, received 
 their double blessing, and retired to the cham- 
 ber of honour, which had been hastily prepared 
 for his accommodation. 
 
 h2
 
 148 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 CHArTER VII. 
 
 The next morning the loud screaming of 
 horns, and the roll of an ill-braced drum awoke 
 Vrank from a sound sleep, and told him that 
 preparations were making for departure for 
 the meeting at Tergoes. He was soon equipped, 
 in a suit more consistent with his rank in life 
 than the one he wore on his journey through 
 the Zevenvolden ; for he had sent forward a 
 supply of clothes from the duke's palace in Pi- 
 cardy, which had safely travelled through Flan- 
 ders, with a caravan of merchandize consigned
 
 JACQUELINE OK HOLLAND. 149 
 
 to his uncled care at Biervliet, and Vrank, with 
 his usual accuracy, had managed to a day the 
 time of his own and his wardrobe's simultane- 
 ous arrival. Nor must this be wondered at ; for 
 not only was the post at that period established 
 in those parts of Europe, but the passage to and 
 fro of carriers and baggage-waggons through- 
 out the rich and commercial states of Flanders, 
 was performed with a despatch and regularity 
 scarcely exceeded at the present day. Vrank 
 now abandoned the costume of Friesland, the 
 adoption of which had been necessary during his 
 mission to that country, and he donned a far 
 more elegant dress, but one probably little more 
 becoming to a face and figure so independent 
 of ornament, and which had shewn off to such 
 advantage the garments he now threw aside. 
 On the present occasion he wore the gallant 
 equipment suited to a nobleman of Burgundy, 
 France, or Brabant, for at this period the dis- 
 tinctive marks of provincial costume were all 
 merged in one style common to those countries.
 
 150 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 Vrank did not, however, display such a suit of 
 splendid materials as he would have worn in 
 the palaces of Dijon, Paris, Brussels, or Hesdin. 
 He had no wish to shock his father's plainer 
 taste, nor to excite the envy of those with whom 
 he was about to associate. His only anxiety 
 was to wear what was at once becoming to his 
 own person, and consistent with the princely 
 service in which he was engaged. His mantle 
 of dark -blue cloth was modestly lined with grey 
 taffeta, and purfled with gris, a costly but not 
 shewy trimming ; his surcoat was bound with a 
 plain silver-wrought edging ; his hose was not 
 party-coloured, but of unpresuming white. In 
 short, he bore none of those gaudy or garish 
 links to which, however, on fit occasion he had 
 not been averse. The broad red badge of 
 Burgundy shewed plain on his doublet, which 
 his open surcoat now no longer concealed, and 
 his gilt spurs on his brown-tanned boots bore 
 evidence that he had gained the proudest distinc- 
 tion of chivalry. He soon girt his sword by
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 151 
 
 his side, with a broad waist-belt of highly polish- 
 ed black leather, studded with silver points, 
 to match the edging of his surcoat and the but- 
 tons of his doublet. And then, to put the 
 finish to his equipment, and in his opinion to 
 ruin the effect of the whole — he clapped on his 
 head the important grey cap— clumsy, ill- 
 fashioned, and worse fitting, with many a wry 
 stitch, in the placing of which the drunken 
 tailor had consumed several hours, and as many 
 ounces of what learned clerks call " midnight 
 oil. 11 Below this obnoxious head-gear a profuse 
 clustering of carefully combed and perfumed 
 curls hung down, as was their wont, on the 
 wearer's shoulders. But still as he looked on 
 himself in the little polished steel reflector, stuck 
 with its rude oak frame-work in the wall, he 
 was utterly dissatisfied with his appearance, and 
 quite disgusted with the intolerable cap, a just 
 emblem, he thought, of the low, coarse, and 
 senseless cause it typified. Had he lived be- 
 tween three and four centuries later, he might
 
 152 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 have seen the most civilized people in Europe, 
 in imitation of ancient Rome, adopt a similar 
 emblem — for a cause too holy to be degraded 
 by any badge, or ruined, however it was retard- 
 ed, by its frantic disciples. 
 
 " Ah !" thought Vrank Borselen, " if I 
 miffht dare to wear round the rim of this vile 
 bonnet the bright blue girdle that now encircles 
 my neck, and let the brilliant aigrette that is 
 on my bosom dangle on one side of my head, 
 what a different air should I have to-day ! how 
 much more honourable would I hold my Kab- 
 blejaw cap than the most proud-plumed helm 
 in Christendom !— But hold ! am I not letting 
 o-allantry outrun calm sense and rational reflec- 
 tion ? Is it meet that I rush headlong, like 
 the impetuous herd of men, into a tangled forest 
 of sentiment and passion, in which I may be 
 wildered, and it may be, lost ? Is this becoming 
 a prudent knight, one honoured with a sove- 
 reign's confidence, and jealous of his own esteem ? 
 — Well reasoned, admirably argued, steady
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 153 
 
 Vrank Borselen, as I am dubbed here at home, 
 or Sir Francon the Wise, as they call me else- 
 where ! But what has reason or argument to 
 do in this case ? Can they stop the throbbing 
 of my heart against this girdle, that holds me 
 as in a spell ? And what is this influence that 
 has so fixed itself in my mind ? A woman, but 
 once seen, and even then unknown ! Springs 
 this deep sentiment from any fathomable source? 
 Is it her beauty ? I have seen as beautiful. Her 
 air of dignity, her tone of melancholy pride ? 
 Have I not known the noblest dames and dam- 
 sels of Europe, and mixed with all varieties 
 of the happy and the wretched ? No — it is that 
 I did her service and that she was grateful, 
 that I admired her and that she rejected not 
 my homage. There is the spell that raises the 
 spirit of love — Ha ! hold again, Sir Francon ; 
 Love ! aha, beware thee of that elfin sprite, 
 which hitherto thou hast held at nought ! take 
 heed of passions pit-falls ! Am I not caught 
 already ?" 
 
 h 3
 
 154 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 While the youth thus soliloquised, he had 
 inadvertently placed himself on a great iron- 
 clasped chest, one of those double-purposed 
 articles of furniture, which held the wardrobe 
 and afforded seats for the tenants of the sleep- 
 ing rooms of a Zealand castle, and those of 
 other countries, to much later days. Totally 
 forgetful of all external matters, and absorbed 
 in reflection, he was deaf to the sounds of horn 
 and drum, and the clamour and clatter which 
 they had awakened. He had mechanically 
 opened his doublet, and drawn forth the spark- 
 ling ends of the precious gift from the unknown 
 lady of his incipient passion ; and as he gazed 
 on it he continued his monologue. 
 
 " Of what rare virtue is the simplest token 
 
 from one we are inclined to love ! How 
 
 it recalls each movement, look, and word ; and 
 keeps alive the pure flame of sentiment which 
 she has lighted ! But how far more should I 
 prize one phrase traced by the fair hand that 
 placed this gift in mine— one document of
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 155 
 
 thought, one record of the mind ! No, not all 
 the ringlets tha ever were shrined in brooch 
 or woven in bracelet are worth one written 
 
 word from those we love — ay, out with 
 
 it, though there be magic in the sound ! And 
 who may this enchantress be ? who the mixed 
 company that tended her so closely ! that fat 
 old flatterer ? — her father, no doubt. And the 
 proud foreigners, for such they were? The 
 haughty bully who so questioned me ?— per- 
 haps her husband ! Yes, yes, too surely such, 
 for his whole tone was that of legalized com- 
 mand. And my challenger ? And that sturdy 
 brigand-looking warrior with his red cap ? A 
 Hollander he must be, and a Hoek — of course 
 an enemy ! Oh ! let me soon escape from these 
 rude regions, where men are savages still — 
 where I must meet perhaps to-day in bloody 
 hatred, him by whose side I whilom braved a 
 common danger, and whose hand I never 
 grasped but once, and that in friendship. 
 But she — whose waist has been bound by this
 
 156 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 silken band — is this arm ever to clasp it more ? 
 — when may I meet her, and know for whose 
 sake I wear this pledge ? I tremble to seek her, 
 for an enemy she must be. — An enemy ! how foul 
 a word for one so fair ! Yes, the whole party must 
 have been licensed in their sport by the Count 
 Bishop of Drent and Utrecht. When they 
 spoke together, I caught a mention of his name, 
 and they seemed to stand upon his rights when 
 they first challenged Oost and me. And as we 
 coasted the Zuyder Zee, on our way south- 
 ward, their boats stood for the main, right 
 between Urk and Schokland. Some rich mer- 
 chant, haply, from Amsterdam, with his daugh- 
 ters, an island chieftain, and two English 
 visitors, to whom he gave a cast in the prelate's 
 chace of the Zevenvolden. But could that 
 face of dignity have sprung from servile trade ? 
 — That pensive grace be caught from vulgar 
 commerce ? Heaven and St. Andrew guide me 
 — I know not what to think, nor if I had not 
 better forget it all — "
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 157 
 
 " Why, Vrank, boy !" exclaimed Floris Van 
 Borselen, giving a rude slap of his broad palm 
 to his son's shoulder, which made him bound 
 up as though his body were moved by a spring. 
 " Why, what art thou doing ? Dangling that 
 gew-gaw like a fool of the town Gildcn playing 
 with his bauble and bells ! Five good minutes 
 have I stood here watching at thy elbow, and 
 thou heedest me no more than yonder signal- 
 mast that stands out on the rampart. 11 
 
 " Your pardon, father — my mind was — w 
 
 " At the end of that tassel, was it not? Ah, 
 Vrank ! Vrank ! this will never do ! at least in 
 Zealand, however it may suit the lazy ways of 
 Burgundy and France. And, God's grace, what 
 finery you have donned ; — how your hair stinks 
 of rose-water and ambergris ! — And, eh ? what 
 trimmings, what silks ! why it would puzzle a 
 star-gazer from the topmost spire of Rotterdam 
 to count the buttons of your doublet !" 
 
 Vrank was relieved, by this coarse bantering 
 and the grim smile that struggled through his
 
 158 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 father's beard, from the first alarm that his 
 thoughts had been divined or that he had 
 given unconscious utterance to them. He saw 
 that old Floris was not after all displeased at 
 the bravery he exclaimed against ; and his mo- 
 desty half guessed the fact that his father saw 
 himself, as it were, not unflatteringly reflected 
 in the person of the son. 
 
 i{ My dear father," said he, returning the 
 smile, and carefully thrusting the aigrette 
 and ribbon-ends into his doublet, " I could not 
 dress more plainly, in honour to his highness 
 of Burgundy ; and I hope, in spite of your 
 sarcasms, you do not think me a popinjay ?" 
 
 " Why, that badge does look well upon thy 
 breast, and I love to see that rapier by thy side, 
 and those brave spurs upon thy heels — but 
 most of all, it cheers my heart to look at thy 
 cap, Vrank ! Now, indeed, doth thy features 
 wear the semblance of thy grandsire's ,M 
 
 '* I hope, Sir, to emulate his virtues." 
 
 " There is no fear for thee, my boy, if thou
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 159 
 
 as cordially as he did, abhor the Hoeks. And 
 so, at length I see thee in thy full honours — Sir 
 Francon de Borsele, as the French chronicler 
 calls thee, in this year's Titles of Chivalry, 
 which hangs up in gilt and painted parchment 
 under the Borselen banner in the Armoury. 
 And thy spurs were gained at that terrible 
 battle of Crevant ! Many a noble head was laid 
 low that day, Vrank F" 
 
 " Yes, father, French, Scotch, and Lom- 
 bards, fell thick before our lances." 
 
 " Poor fellows ! all strangers to those who 
 killed them ! Ah, Vrank, war is a sad thing 
 when it forces us to fight against men whose 
 very names we know not — to gash with rapier 
 or battle-axe faces quite new to us ! But it is 
 glorious work to slaughter our own countrymen 
 — real enemies — miscreants, whose features are 
 as familiar to us as our sword-blade. Ah, how 
 we thrust home when we pierce the heart that 
 hates us and that we hate !" 
 
 This eulogy on civil war. and the reasoning
 
 160 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 which supported it, so contrary to the generous 
 notions of chivalry, made Vrank Borselen shud- 
 der. His father did not suspect that emotion, 
 for he could not comprehend its source. 
 
 " My honoured sire," said the youth, "you 
 must believe how truly I wish to square my 
 opinion and my conduct by your's. But such 
 sentiments as these are, I confess it, somewhat 
 foreign to those I have been brought up with. 
 Our princely Duke Philip, the great Bedford, 
 and all the other models of our chivalry, hold 
 civil war to be a barbarous evil, and ever hold 
 back the armed hand instead of urging it on 
 against the breasts of fellow countrymen, who, 
 though differing from us in some shade of 
 thought, or on some point of local interest, have 
 the same land to love, speak the same tongue, 
 and most commonly descend from the same 
 stock in which our own blood has its source." 
 
 " Vrank," cried the impatient chieftain, " I 
 have listened to thee till my blood tingles at my 
 fingers' ends and throbs in my temples — I can
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 161 
 
 bear no more ! Thou art almost a ruined man — 
 but I must snatch thee from thy perilous career 
 of false opinion, and bring thee once more back 
 to our right ways of thinking. Now is unfitting 
 time to shew thee thy folly — we must to horse 
 — but bear this in mind, as the words of thy 
 sire speaking the maxims of a glorious race of 
 ancestors : There is but one line of conduct 
 right — at least for this country, and I know or 
 care for no other — and that is to stick firm to 
 the Kabblejaw cause, and pursue with unflinch- 
 ing hatred the vile Hoeks — to shew neither pity 
 nor mercy to them, sex, age, or condition ; and 
 if by possible chance, in a moment of frenzy, or 
 instigated by the devil, thine own father should 
 join their ranks, to plunge thy rapier up to the 
 very hilt in his heart, to spurn him to the earth, 
 and trample him under thy feet — " 
 
 " What, Sir ! my own father — thee ! my 
 noble, my honoured, my beloved parent !" ex- 
 claimed Vrank, hoping to recall the rage-im- 
 pelled chieftain to reason.
 
 162 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Ay, boy, me, me ! Floris Van Borselen, 
 who is — at least I honestly believe it — thy own 
 sire. In such a case it is thy bounden duty to 
 kill thy father, as in like case, so Heaven be my 
 speed, I could have done by mine !" 
 
 « But— " 
 
 " Not a word more, Vrank — not a word ! on 
 thy duty I command thee to be silent ! Ah, 
 my boy, much, much I fear me thy principles 
 are loosened almost too much for remedy — but 
 it shall not be my fault — I will do my duty ; — 
 so, come away now, my boy," added he, with 
 recovered serenity, but still with a tone of solemn 
 anxiety springing from sorrow at his son's dege- 
 neracy, " our horses wait, and we shall be 
 barely in time for the meeting. But hark 
 awhile ! What is that effeminate trinket that 
 you have put up so carefully, but which you 
 gazed on just now, like your lady-mother count- 
 ing the beads of her rosary ?" 
 
 " Oh, nothing, Sir — a trifle, a token, a mere 
 trinket, as you call it."
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 163 
 
 "'Tis woman's gear, Vrank — I know it; and 
 your confusion confesses it."" 
 
 " Father, there is nought to be confused at, 
 and little to confess. It is a keepsake from a 
 friend: 1 
 
 "'Tis well, boy, you made that pause, for 
 had you said a mistress, by St. Peter and St. 
 Paul ! I had— " 
 
 " Nay, father, don't give yourself the trou- 
 ble to swear — I did not say a mistress, nor 
 could I with truth, for I have none. 1 ' 
 
 " Vrank — thou art my child, every inch ! 
 I never had a mistress but the good vrowe thy 
 mother. I never ran joust nor tilt, nor carried 
 the favour of woman on helm or shield. But 
 in my youth, and in our native land here, men 
 exchanged pledges of regard more worth than 
 those. My good friend Oliver Peterkins, of 
 Zuric Zee, once gave me a steel gorget, and I 
 gave him in turn my ten-inch, two-edged dag- 
 ger ; and Simon Van Swigel, when I saved him 
 at the fight of Zwoll, threw his iron chain-belt
 
 164 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 round my neck as a pledge of brotherhood. 
 But your southern gallants and galliards are 
 not cast in such a mould, and silken band and 
 filigree- work are now, mayhap, the fashion !" 
 
 " Not among men, my father. But if a 
 female be your friend — " 
 
 " St. Philagen forefend! Oh, Vrank, if 
 friendship takes that guise, 'tis like the devil in 
 the skin of a snake !" 
 
 " Yet methinks that friendship, to be truly 
 worthy of the name, requires the softness of 
 the one sex blended with the warmth of the 
 other." 
 
 "And a right slothful cloak 'twould make to 
 wrap up manliness in. No, Vrank, no ! Wo- 
 men were meant for other uses than to make 
 friends of them. But I have only now time to 
 tell you to beware of them. And much it needs 
 you to steel yourself, when you return to the 
 allurements of the court. They creep into a 
 young man's bosom, Vrank, as cunningly as a 
 Lombard's poniard into the crevices of his ene-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 165 
 
 my's armour. There is poison and treachery in 
 all they say or do ; in their nods and leers, their 
 courtesies and caperings, their counter-smiles 
 and dumb shew! Beware of them, my boy ! 
 their bracelets and girdles, their spangles, their 
 embroidery, tiffanies, tinsels, ruffs and rib- 
 bands — their crisped hair and painted faces ! — 
 When they weep with one eye they can wink 
 with another — ah, the crocodiles ! they should 
 be whipped and pilloried, or their daubed cheeks 
 be stigmatized with the searing-iron ! Much, 
 much it grieves me to know that even in our 
 good duke, you have a bad example on the 
 score of these false syrens. There is scarce a 
 bush from Dinant to Dijon out of which you 
 might not beat a bastard of Burgundy's ; and 
 they say sad things, Vrank, of his doings with 
 that English countess. Ah, my boy, take heed 
 of them, but most of all beware the married 
 ones ! You blush, my poor boy — 'tis a sign of 
 grace and virtue, Vrank, I like it at thy age. 
 But enough of this — now let's away — we are 
 too late already !"
 
 166 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 When Vrank and his father had affectionately 
 embraced the vrowe, and the young branches 
 of the family tree, and partaken of a hasty 
 breakfast, they turned fairly out into the court- 
 yard, mounted the horses which stood prepared, 
 crossed the bridge already mentioned, and set 
 forward on their way, in due form of state. 
 
 Four trumpeters on horseback opened the 
 march. Next came six gentlemen whose lands 
 depended on the fief of Eversdyke, fully 
 armed, lances in rest, and each followed by 
 their squires, a bowman and two varlets. To 
 this advanced-guard succeeded the squire who 
 bore the furred mantle of honour of the chief. 
 Another carried the war-sword, five feet long, 
 with a twisted blade, such as is represented in 
 pictures as wielded by the archangel that 
 guarded Paradise. Finally came the third 
 squire, holding the plumed and jewelled hat of 
 his noble master. After these three squires ad- 
 vanced Heer JBorselen (an appellation belong- 
 ing to the higher class of Zealand and Dutch
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 167 
 
 nobility) on his best horse. Vrank followed 
 close, but at some paces respectful distance, and 
 almost mixed with the officers of the household, 
 dressed in their blue mantles, and all well 
 mounted. A bold but motley-looking band of 
 followers on foot, irregularly armed, and clothed 
 in defiance of all uniform, closed the procession. 
 Each man carried a cross-bow, or arbalette, or 
 long-bow, or sword, or dagger, or axe ; and 
 Oost, the dyke-digger, was no undistinguished 
 object in the crowd, bearing his huge turquoise, 
 still marked with the monster's blood. Rude 
 music, bad instruments, and worse players, 
 sounded the notes of advance ; and the whole 
 party had soon passed the moat and taken to 
 the unpaved route, which was tracked by the 
 deep marks of waggon-wheels, and afforded 
 bad travelling in the humid soil. 
 
 In most other parts of Europe it was broad 
 day-light when Vrank and his father set out for 
 Tergoes ; but in the heavy atmosphere of Zea- 
 land the sun had not yet appeared ; a thick,
 
 168 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 cold fog hung in the air, and shrouded the 
 whole face of Nature. At times, a gust of wind 
 coming from the westward served to shake this 
 vapoury curtain, but not with force enough to 
 sweep it from the earth to which it clung. The 
 sound of the tide beating against the dyke 
 which guarded the beach, many feet more ele- 
 vated than the travellers 1 heads, was like the 
 melancholy murmur of nature over the sad 
 scene it had made. The breeze sighed in the 
 long flaggers and rushes that grew in the stag- 
 nant ditches, at either side the way, by courtesy 
 called a road, and the loud flapping of wings 
 and harsh screaming of the water-fowl, rising 
 at every step, proved that animal and elemental 
 nature were in concert. Vrank could just dimly 
 see his horse's head in the mist ; he felt the cold 
 fog in his very bones ; he hugged his cloak close 
 round him ; he thought of the gay vintage of 
 Burgundy, at that very time in full activity ; 
 of the blue skies of Italy; of the bright at- 
 mosphere of Artois ; all bringing sad com pa-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 169 
 
 risons, and he could not resist one reflection of 
 mingled regret and remorse. 
 
 " Can I love this land ? Yet I might still 
 have been a patriot had I never left home !" 
 
 He gazed on his father, who seemed absorbed 
 in thought, with open mouth, inhaling the dank 
 air, as naturally as an infant imbibes the mo- 
 ther's milk. Vrank could not help at once 
 wondering at and admiring the striking figure 
 on which he gazed. Floris Van Borselen was, 
 like his son, well-grown and strong; the upper 
 part of his face was marked and good ; but the 
 lower was enshrouded in a grisly beard. His 
 dress consisted of a mixture of peace and war, 
 marking, in the same spirit with his rival, Van 
 Monfoort, on the hunting-party in the Zeven- 
 volden, the suspicion with which every indi- 
 vidual of either faction ventured abroad, even 
 in truce or sport. Van Borselen wore next his 
 body, a coat of light mail, formed of scales of 
 iron, in imitation of fish skin, and descending 
 vol. I. I
 
 1 70 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 half way down his thighs, which with his legs 
 were clad in close-fitting garments, also of 
 leather, thickly overlaid with broad straps coming 
 up to his knees, in the same fashion as those 
 worn by Oost, the dyke-digger. His arms were 
 shielded by shoulder-plates of well-wrought 
 steel, and the gorget which covered his breast 
 guarded that vital part; his head, instead of 
 skellet, or bacinet, or mortier, or any other 
 usual covering of proof, displayed, as our read- 
 ers may guess, the beloved cap to which the 
 Kabblejaws and Hoeks (with the sole difference 
 of colour) entrusted the protection of skulls, 
 on whose natural power of resistance they ra- 
 tionally but modestly seemed to calculate ; for 
 even in fight the several factions took pride in 
 thus risking their sconces to the search of blade 
 and battle-axe, which often no doubt cleft a 
 skull as scantily furnished within as without. 
 And trailing from behind Van Borselen's head, 
 hung, on a level with his horse's tail, that pre- 
 posterous sort of pennon of scarlet cloth called
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 1^1 
 
 a lambcrquin. One hand carried a bow of pro- 
 digious strength, and at his side his rapier, (fully 
 his own length as he sat in his saddle,) was 
 tucked snugly to his belt by a hook, large 
 enough to have hauled along the largest Kab- 
 blejaw, either fish or flesh, that he ever bowed 
 down to or stood up for. 
 
 " Dost thou know my thoughts, my good 
 Vrank P 11 said the chieftain, suddenly turning 
 round towards his son. 
 
 " No, father, 11 replied the almost startled 
 youth. 
 
 " Then I'll tell thee. I was just thinking 
 what would be the best and easiest method of 
 picking a quarrel, and breaking all terms with 
 these pernicious Hoeks at this truce-meeting by 
 and by. 11 
 
 Vrank blushed crimson at this new outburst 
 of the insensate spirit of faction. 
 
 " Brave boy !" exclaimed the father, " I see 
 thy best blood is up at the very mention of the 
 miscreants !" 
 
 i 2
 
 172 JACQUELINE OV HOLLAND. 
 
 \ rank found that his father could not under- 
 stand his blushes, any way, and he rejoiced in 
 the conviction. 
 
 
 iq &
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. ^"JS 
 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Afteb a march of between two and three 
 leagues, which appeared to Vrank double their 
 real extent, the party arrived near its destina- 
 tion. The place of meeting announced its own 
 vicinity long before the fog allowed it to become 
 evident, by shouts and music of that varied and 
 irregular kind, which indicated a mixed assem- 
 bly, indulging in what is proverbially called with 
 us " a Dutch concert." The trumpets of Meere 
 Borselen blew a proud flourish in honour of his 
 approach, and the sound was answered by an
 
 174 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ample burst of salutation. The mists were gra- 
 dually growing thinner as the sun-beams pierced 
 through and dissolved them ; and the sight 
 which soon opened on Vrank had much of the 
 charm of those fairy decorations which the per- 
 fection of scenic art occasionally displays in our 
 theatres. The gauze-like veil of vapour sof- 
 tened down the coarseness of many of the objects 
 which shone through it, and threw over all an 
 air of vague illusion which there are few sub- 
 jects in nature that may not be improved by. 
 
 Several tents, in patches of distinct and 
 regular encampment, first struck the view. 
 These were composed of cloth of various manu- 
 factures and colours, intermixed with stripes of 
 gaudy silk, the general effect of which was ex- 
 tremely brilliant. Each of these pavilions was 
 surmounted either by a pennon, banner, or 
 larger flag, all differing from each other. The 
 banners indicated the noblest families of Zealand. 
 The large flags belonged to the several corpora- 
 tions of the neighbouring towns, or to the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 175 
 
 peasants, who had the right to participate in 
 the annual exercise of the arbabette ; and each 
 of those standards shewed a flaring image of 
 St. Sebastian, the great patron of archery, or 
 some other rude emblem of the sport. 
 
 The different fraternities, or companies, had 
 mostly all arrived, and stood in groups before 
 their several encampments ; the nobles, like Van 
 Borselen, in suits nearly warlike, the gilden in 
 uniforms of different coloured cloth, with vari- 
 ous distinctions of trimming, scarf, or body belt. 
 And many females were intermixed, of all ranks 
 and classes; some smiling openly in natural 
 beauty on the scene, others in black velvet 
 masks (the common custom of the times) shrink- 
 ing from exposure to the crowd. And still 
 some straggling chieftains were seen from time 
 to time approaching, their names shouted by 
 their heralds or trumpeters ; and a few of the 
 gilden^ who came from the neighbouring islands 
 of North Beveland, Duveland, or Schowen, 
 made their more tardy appearance, banners fly-
 
 176 
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ing, music sounding, and each body preceded 
 by its fool, whose jack-pudding tricks formed 
 the most laughter-moving episodes of the day. 
 In the wide space, round which the tents 
 formed an irregular circle, four posts, about the 
 ordinary height of a man, were erected at equal 
 distances from the shooting stations ; and on 
 each of these posts was a wooden figure repre- 
 senting a bird, the genus of which it would have 
 puzzled a naturalist to define. One of those 
 effigies seemed of considerable honour, for it 
 was completely clothed in feathers of as many 
 sorts and colours as formed the borrowed 
 plumage of the jay in the fable. Standing- 
 places for the archers were erected at various 
 distances from those objects which were pre- 
 sently to exercise their skill; and on a lofty 
 mast in the very centre of the grouhd a white 
 flag was hung out, in signal of the truce which 
 was in full force — as long as the violence of the 
 opposing factions chose to maintain it. 
 
 When Floris Van Borselen was recognised
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 177 
 
 at the limits of the encampment, a simultaneous 
 rush was made towards him and his party by 
 numbers of the people on foot, while several of 
 the mounted gentlemen spurred on their steeds 
 to pay their respects to their acknowledged 
 chief. Vrank observed that every one of those 
 had grey caps, such as his father and himself 
 wore; and upon looking toward the encamp- 
 ments he was sorry to see that a considerable 
 number of the assembly remained on their 
 ground, and that all those who refused his 
 father the courtesy of a greeting, wore the red 
 head-gear that distinguished the opposite faction. 
 In his opinion this argued ill for the probable 
 tranquillity of the meeting ; for if sullen reserve 
 (and he thought he distinguished such) was to 
 usher in the day, what was to be looked for 
 when passions were excited, words ran high, 
 and weapons were at hand ? Vrank will not be 
 suspected of timidity — at least he never was by 
 those who knew him — but he could not help 
 wishing himself away from the scene, which was 
 
 i 3
 
 I'Jii JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND, 
 
 so likely to become full as turbulent and coarse 
 as it was at present novel and picturesque. He 
 vaguely remembered having been brought when 
 quite a boy to some of those yearly meetings by 
 his father. The face of one of the fools brought 
 back a rush of recollections of those days. But 
 having been placed early at the celebrated 
 College of St. Omer, under the care of a ma- 
 ternal uncle who was governor of the town in 
 the service of France, he was now for the first 
 time, if not actually to witness the scene, at 
 least to comprehend it. 
 
 Vrank was introduced by his father in due 
 form to the whole shoal of Kabblejaws, in the 
 midst of whom they were. His appearance 
 excited some admiration, great respect, and 
 infinite envy. But every other feeling was ab- 
 sorbed in delight at the recognised badge of 
 Burgundy, and in the triumph it inspired 
 in the duke's adherents over their already hated 
 and now despised opponents. The tumult of 
 congratulations that ran through the Kabblojaw
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 179 
 
 groups told the adverse party their secret, which 
 Vrank's appearance confirmed ; and, much sooner 
 even than he expected, symptoms of quarrel burst 
 forth, of which he was forced to admit himself 
 to be the unintentional cause. 
 
 As Floris Van Borselen, having descended 
 from his horse, proceeded with his son and their 
 suite, towards the pavilion set apart for the 
 judges of the sports, of whom the chieftain was 
 the very first on the list, a number of the noble 
 Hoeks, followed by many of their inferior par- 
 tizans, advanced towards him, with anything 
 but that air of conciliation in which people 
 generally meet half way. One of them, a de- 
 termined looking man in the prime of life, who 
 was evidently the leader in the absence of Lud- 
 wick Van Monfoort, (excluded from the bene- 
 fits of the truce by a sentence of banishment 
 pronounced against him by John the Pitiless, 
 and not yet legally removed,) strode forward to 
 Floris, and exclaimed, 
 
 " Heer Borselen, what does this mean ? I
 
 180 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND 
 
 protest in the name of every Iloek here present 
 against the violation of the truce. What ! are 
 we to be braved and bullied by the badge of 
 Burgundy? Do you dare to force into our 
 privileged place of sport, a minion of false 
 Philip, who durst not come himself?" 
 
 This sudden attack took the Kabblejaws 
 quite by surprise. They had not, in their own 
 elation, reckoned on the effect to be produced 
 on their adversaries. Even Van Borselen had 
 overlooked it ; and as for Vrank, he thought 
 that a truce was a sacred safeguard for all 
 opinions and principles. But he was the first 
 of the party with whom he was now identified, 
 to recover from the surprise of the attack di- 
 rected so personally against him. He stepped 
 up close to the speaker, and was about to an- 
 swer him in no measured phrase, when his fa- 
 ther caught his arm, and cried out, 
 
 " Stand back, boy, and let me speak to this 
 outrage. Heer Hemsted, your bold and ill- 
 mannered speech merits another reply than
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND, 181 
 
 words ; but I suppress my anger in consideration 
 of my contempt." 
 
 " Contempt !" cried the fierce leader of the 
 Hoeks ; and the word was repeated by the 
 mass of adherents who closed round him, in 
 every variation of angry emphasis. 
 
 e< Ay, by my saint, contempt !" said Van 
 Borselen, " for I and the Kabblejaws present 
 hold ourselves and our cause so sure, and yours 
 so desperate, that I despise your railing and 
 scorn your reproach ." 
 
 " Enough said !" cried Zegher Van Hemsted, 
 " friends, partizans, Hoeks, ye all hear this ? 
 Back to your stations, all ! and to arms !■' 
 
 "Quicker than I hoped, by Heavens, but not 
 quicker than I wished !" exclaimed Van Borse- 
 len, " Kabblejaws, on your guard ! out, weapons, 
 and be ready!" 
 
 " Away, women ! Strike the white flag ! 
 String your bows ! To your ranks ! Firm and 
 fast H and various other technical ph.ases com- 
 mon to the riots of the times, were vociferated
 
 182 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 by both parties, with a rapidity and a noise 
 quite stunning to Vrank, who saw in one mo- 
 ment the whole scene converted as if by magic 
 into a field for mortal combat. As for him, he 
 felt that he had nothing to do but to fight. 
 His blood was as high up as that of any Kabble- 
 jaw or Hoek around him. There was no time 
 for reflection. So he drew his sword like the 
 rest, and kept close to his father, convinced that 
 there was nothing like regularity to be looked 
 for, nor any particular post for him to occupy 
 in the onslaught for which all made ready. 
 The women and boys fled in every direction. 
 The fools gave up their merriment, and sought 
 safety as best they could. Everything an- 
 nounced a fierce contest ; when a man of remark- 
 ably acute and energetic mien, evidently of the 
 priesthood, but dressed in the semi-secular frock 
 at times allowed to churchmen, advanced into 
 the central space, and without doffing his bon- 
 net, which was neither red nor grey, but of neu- 
 tral black, he spoke as follows :
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 183 
 
 " Nobles, burghers, peasants ! I speak to 
 ye all alike, for all have their equal rights to- 
 day in this yearly meeting for the national sport. 
 Are ye all mad ? Has a sudden breeze swept 
 over this plain, casting phrenzy on ye, as the 
 destroying angel's sword scattered pestilence 
 over Israel ? You, Floris Van Borselen, and 
 Zegher Van Hemsted, you ! what frantic spirit 
 drives ye to this excess, which so many ready- 
 made maniacs seem anxious to imitate ? High- 
 blooded nobles of Zealand ! Steady burghers ! 
 Hard-working peasants ! do none of ye hold 
 your best privilege as aught ? Shall it be record- 
 ed that the exercise of the arbalette was for one 
 whole year given up ? for if it do not take place 
 to-day, your charter of privilege allows it not 
 to-morrow ? And how many a tenure and frank 
 pledge hang upon its regular observance ? How 
 many a contract is formed from Jay -shooting to 
 Jay-shooting ? And what confusion will result 
 through the whole island if you persist in this 
 violation of your own laws ? Pestilent dog,
 
 184 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 desist !" continued the speaker, to a man who 
 had nearly climbed the mast, for the purpose of 
 taking down the white flag ; " lay not your 
 daring hands on that emblem of peace ! While 
 that floats, all who hear me have time to think, 
 and I may bring all to the level of common 
 sense. Will any one give me a reason for this 
 folly, this madness ?" 
 
 The authoritative voice and manner of the 
 orator produced a considerable effect on those 
 in his hearing ; and the whole throng became 
 silent in successive degrees beyond him, as a 
 pool recovers its calmness, from the centre of 
 the circles into which a stone had ruffled its 
 surface. 
 
 " You use harsh words, canon, but I will 
 answer them," said Van Borselen. " It is the 
 insolence of the Hoeks that forces us to arms.'" 
 
 " It is the outrage of the Kabblejaws that 
 causes this," cried Zegher Van Hemsted ; and 
 many at either side echoed their leader's words, 
 in a confusion that mingled them all together.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 185 
 
 " Hoeks and Kabblejaws ! Kabblejaws and 
 Hoeks ! Listen to me !" cried the ecclesiastic, 
 in a voice of thunder. — " What would you 
 have r 
 
 "Blood! Revenge! 11 and many such pithy 
 words were the replies to this question. 
 
 " Ye shall have it —plenty — more than you 
 wish for — your foes 1 destruction and your own I 11 
 continued the priest, with a tone and attitude 
 that might have suited a prophet. His words 
 caused an immediate calm among 1 the crowd. 
 "Ay, ye shall be glutted with blood and ven- 
 geance, I promise ye — *but would not ye like a 
 little pastime, too ? Be wise, men of Zealand ! 
 If you cut each other's throats before ye contest 
 the palm of skill to-day, it will be said that ye 
 mutually feared the trial, and that ye rushed on 
 death from the mere dread of defeat. 11 
 
 '* He says well ! He is right ! Rudolf Van 
 Diepenholt for ever V were among the loudly- 
 shouted tributes of applause which followed this 
 speech. Lt was evident that this candidate for
 
 18G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 a bishopric knew the people he had to deal 
 with, and by his united appeal to their interests 
 and their pride, he produced completely the 
 effect he wished. Both parties were evidently 
 brought a little nearer towards reason. The 
 next point was to conciliate each without de- 
 grading the self-consequence of either ; and 
 that seemed beyond the skill of even Rudolf 
 Van Diepenholt. 
 
 "But suppose that we consented to give up 
 our revenge till the sports were finished and the 
 prizes adjudged, we must first receive a conces- 
 sion for Van Hemsted's insult," said Floris Van 
 Borselen. 
 
 " We must, we must P vociferated the Kab- 
 blejaws. 
 
 " Ere our swords are sheathed, the outrage 
 offered to us in the appearance of this young 
 man must be atoned for !" cried Van Hemsted 
 and the Hoeks. 
 
 " By what right dared you insult my son ?"" 
 exclaimed Van Borselen.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 187 
 
 " How durst he come among us with the 
 badge of Burgundy on his breast ?" retorted 
 the Hoeks. 
 
 " Ye should bow down to it, as the type of 
 your sovereign and liege lord !" uttered one 
 party. 
 
 " Rather tear it off and trample it under our 
 feet, if he do not remove or hide it V cried the 
 other. 
 
 And so matters were as likely as ever to ter- 
 minate in battle and bloodshed ; when Vrank 
 Van Borselen actively stepped out in front of 
 his party, before his father or the others could 
 restrain the movement ; and his fine figure and 
 ingenuous air, commanding at once admiration 
 and attention, he spoke. 
 
 " I claim to be heard in this dispute, first as 
 a stranger even to those who are my friends — 
 secondly, as a native Zealander and in my right 
 as a free citizen — thirdly, as the representative of 
 Duke Philip of Burgundy, whose authority is
 
 188 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 owned by at least one half of those present, and 
 has yet to be disproved by the rest/ 1 
 
 " Hear him ! Let him speak ! Go on, go 
 on IV sounded from all sides, and by degrees 
 the throng began to press, gently inwards, as if 
 Vrank formed the centre of general attraction. 
 The women returned to their original places in 
 the crowd ; and even the fools stole out from 
 their hiding holes, like snails after a shower. 
 
 " I came not here, 11 continued Vrank, " either 
 to offer insult or to bear it. I wear the badge 
 of the sovereign I serve, because I am here on 
 his special service. But I cannot condescend 
 to take offence in my own person at an outburst 
 of hate against my sovereign's crest, neither will 
 I consent to take off or conceal what is my 
 proudest mark of honour, next to these spurs 
 on my heels and this sword in my hand !" 
 
 Exclamations of applause followed these 
 words, in which even Van Hemsted himself 
 could not resist joining, for there was a modest
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 189 
 
 intrepidity in the young knight's bearing that 
 was irresistible to the brave. 
 
 "Now," 1 resumed Vrank, when he could 
 again command a hearing, " it only remains for 
 me to say what I will do, to preserve the peace 
 in this honourable assemblage of the national 
 estates. I will, with my father's permission, 
 and I hope with general approval, withdraw 
 from the meeting, in which I have no personal 
 interest — no object to gain by my presence, and 
 no principle of duty to infringe by my ab- 
 sence/' 
 
 Loud bursts of applause at this dignified ar- 
 rangement of the difficulty overwhelmed Vrank 
 from all sides, each party vying with the other, 
 the one to evince their pride, the other to dis- 
 play their generosity. Several of the leading 
 men of either party attempted to be heard, but 
 every individual voice was drowned in the com- 
 mon chorus ; while Vrank, having received a 
 word of consent from his father (who saw the 
 prudence, and in fact the necessity of the thing),
 
 190 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 gracefully retired from the throng, and before 
 the debate could take any new turn to disturb 
 the unanimity he had produced, he gained his 
 horse, vaulted into the saddle, and quitted the 
 limits of the encampment. But he could not do 
 this as privately as he wished, for several of his 
 father's friends, most of them youths, inspired 
 with a strong feeling of respect at the yong- 
 lieer's* moderation, resolved to shew it by es- 
 corting him beyond the bounds, Having per- 
 formed his part, he did not court any distinction 
 from the crowd of all ranks and both sexes 
 which pressed towards him on his retreat ; so, 
 clasping his cloak over his breast, he was not to 
 be distinguished from the grey capped Kabble- 
 jaws with whom he rode. As they cleared the 
 lines of the encampment, a procession of bur- 
 ghers came in ; and among other stragglers 
 were two females, masked and on horseback, 
 
 * A title corresponding to " young Sir" in our language, 
 and corrupted into the less respectful appellative, 
 youngster.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 191 
 
 attended by a single servitor who rode close 
 behind them, his large cloak and hood, or ca- 
 puchin (worn indiscriminately by both sexes) 
 not allowing any one to penetrate the incognito 
 of the party, either by means of mistresses or 
 man. As the group of young Kabblejaws 
 made way for these new comers, they passed 
 many jocose and not over-refined remarks on 
 the fair maskers and their follower. A quick- 
 ened movement of the horses only proved that 
 the riders did not relish the pleasantries and 
 were anxious to escape from them. 
 
 In a few minutes more, Vrank exchanged 
 brief leave-taking with his new made friends — 
 he with polished reserve, they with boisterous 
 cordiality. They lavished on him a profusion 
 of invitations to their own and their fathers' 
 castles, and promised him immediate visits at 
 Eversdyke ; and finally greeted him with a 
 parting shout, which he escaped from by clap- 
 ping spurs to his horse, and pressing quickly 
 back on the road bv which he had come. He
 
 192 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 stopped for a few minutes as the shout died 
 away and the shouters returned to their sports, 
 and he looked back towards the scene he had 
 quitted, more from passing curiosity or list- 
 lessness, than from any wish of impressing its 
 features on his memory. He saw the tents 
 standing gaily, and the banners floating brightly, 
 the white flag above all, as the mist rolled off' 
 to the sea, or rose up towards the sun, which now 
 lighted the whole scene, and shewed the waves 
 of the full tide, rippling on the shore in wreathes 
 of snow and silver. On the right the spires of 
 the town of Tergoes rose up in the haze, seem- 
 ing to shake the vapours from their drowsy 
 heads, like a newly awakened dreamer breaking 
 from the fumes of sleep. 
 
 Vrank acknowledged to himself that the 
 scene was beautiful and peculiar. But long 
 habit, even stronger than novelty, made him 
 sigh for the accustomed charms of southern 
 landscape, in all the variety of hill and dale 
 and foliage; and this marine view, though
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 193 
 
 lovely in its kind, wanted the strong link of 
 pleasing associations to enable him thoroughly 
 to enjoy it. He again turned his horse's head, 
 and dropping into a mood of pensive thought, 
 which so often succeeds the tumult of sudden 
 excitement, he let the animal take his own slow 
 pace ; and the turbulent scene he had just 
 escaped from was only kept present to his 
 mind by the distant strains of music, mixed 
 with faint shouts, which told him that the jar of 
 discord was quite appeased, and that the sports 
 had begun. 
 
 We cannot follow Vrank Van Borselen in all 
 the successive topics of the reverie which occu- 
 pied him for the two hours consumed in his 
 return to Eversdyke. The quick shifting re- 
 flections that rose upon him were as rapid as 
 the undulations of the waves which he saw at 
 his side, as he rode along on the summit of the 
 dyke that separated them from the teeming 
 plains to his left ; and his thoughts were moved 
 like those waves by a bright and mysterious 
 
 VOL. I. k
 
 194; JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 influence that caused their ebb and flow. Yet 
 Vrank was not in actual cogitation on the doc- 
 trine of the tides, although he had that ana- 
 lagous feeling to guide him towards the dis- 
 covery of their secret, which was only made 
 much later than his time. He ran over in a 
 thousand variations the chief subjects that 
 occupied his mind ; and let these manifold 
 changes take what turn they might, still the 
 words and looks of the unknown huntress 
 seemed the combined principle which gave the 
 tone to all, and round which all revolved.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 195 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 No sooner had Vrank withdrawn from the 
 encampment, than every one of the assemblage, 
 who a few minutes before were ripe for war, 
 were now actively engaged in preparations for 
 the sport they had so readily abandoned. The 
 archers took their stations in platoons, each 
 under the orders of a leader chosen from among 
 the most expert of the several fraternities. 
 Nobles, burghers, and peasants, strung their 
 bows, and placed their arrows with a frank 
 equality which merged, for one day in the year, 
 
 k 2
 
 196 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 pride, avarice and servility, (the natural badge 
 of the several tribes,) in a feeling of fair and 
 generous rivalry. The fools of the various 
 companies, the only privileged cowards present, 
 who gave way without shame when others were, 
 if but for shame's sake, obliged to stand firm, 
 now gave- free expression to the delight that 
 many others suppressed, for fear of being 
 thought too happy at the general escape from 
 danger. But the truly brave, and they were 
 a large majority, loudly joined in shouts and 
 gusts of joy, for they who are readiest for fight 
 on due cause of quarrel, are ever the first to 
 acknowledge the pleasure of escaping its neces- 
 sity. The little pylrapers, or arrow-gatherers, 
 boys lightly clad, with osier hats, and each a 
 lone- narrow basket on his arm in which to de- 
 posit the picked-up weapons, took their posts, 
 and the fools began their gambols, which formed 
 a leading feature in the doings of the day. A 
 given prize and some peculiar privileges for the 
 year to come, were the reward of him who dis-
 
 JACaUELINE OF HOLLAND. 197 
 
 tinguished himself, by some feat of a superior 
 mixture of absurdity with the coarse wit which 
 the rough-spun manufacture of native drollery 
 allowed. Many efforts were therefore made by 
 the fellows who " wore motly in their heads," 
 to distort poor humanity into the most grotesque 
 and humiliating forms ; they all appeared in 
 the masquerade best suiting their tastes, some 
 as mis-shapen monsters, or strained representa- 
 tions of beasts or birds. But one threw an air 
 of satire into his metamorphosis, by appearing 
 covered with scales, like a huge fish, an artificial 
 tail tied up in the Kabblejaw fashion ; and ap- 
 pended to the monstrous effigy of a cod's head, 
 which covered his real one, was a huge hook ; 
 while a bonnet of the prevailing cut and pattern 
 of both factions surmounted the head, one side 
 made of grey and the other of red cloth. This 
 fellow rolled about through the different groups 
 with the true impartiality of a place-hunter, 
 sometimes attaching himself to one party, some- 
 times to the other, taking money from each
 
 198 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 and cajoling with all, with a burlesque veracity 
 of timc-servingness, that had more effect in put- 
 ting both parties in good-humour than any 
 thing short of a well-fought battle could have 
 produced. 
 
 In a little while every thing was arranged, 
 and the arrows and stones from long-bow or 
 cross-bow, whizzed and whistled through the 
 air, singly or in vollies, according to the order 
 of the day. The three plain figures of birds, 
 in all the nakedness of wood and paint, were 
 successively shot at, missed, or hit by the three 
 estates of the meeting, which had each its own 
 mark for separate practice ; the feathered non- 
 descript before mentioned was reserved for the 
 general trial of skill, at which all the estates 
 were entitled to discharge their shafts. This 
 was so constructed that when struck in any of 
 the extremities it turned, spinning round on the 
 iron pivot which fixed it to the stake; but when 
 hit directly in the centre of the body, in the 
 part which was considered to represent vitality,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 199 
 
 a spring was started, causing an instant uprising 
 of a laurel-crown or wreath of flowers, which 
 was immediately placed on the head of the suc- 
 cessful marksman or markswoman — for females 
 were not excluded from the right of archery on 
 these occasions. 
 
 And now, a certain number of trials having 
 taken place at the three unfledged effigies, lots 
 were drawn for the order of succession in the 
 honour of aiming at the other. Some of the 
 managing umpires, one of whom was Zegher 
 Van Hemsted, were observed to make a rather 
 shuffling distribution of the lots as they were 
 drawn by the different candidates ; and it was 
 found that the first two fell to the share of two 
 of his own party, and the third to one of the 
 masked ladies who had entered the shooting- 
 ground at so late a period of the meeting ; and 
 the lower members indiscriminately to Hoeks or 
 Kabul ejaws, male or female. 
 
 The first of the archers, a practised marks- 
 man, covered with medals, the tokens of pre-
 
 200 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 vious success, shot away the three arrows without 
 effect, having only once struck a feather off the 
 plumed effigy's tail. The second aspirant, also 
 a tried man, equally decorated as the former, 
 was scarcely more successful, having missed 
 with his first two arrows, and only hitting an 
 outspread wing with the third, which sent the 
 bird spinning round for a few seconds, but did 
 not entitle him to the prize. 
 
 The masked lady next took up her bow, and 
 drawing her arrow to the head with careful 
 aim, it darted straight off, struck the mark in 
 the right place, shook from it a shower of plum- 
 age, and sent the laurel-crown springing up in 
 triumphant elevation. 
 
 A shout, which sounded as if it had been 
 ready rehearsed, if not quite ready made, burst 
 from the Hoeks, who gathered round the fair 
 bow-woman, for fair she was presumed to be. 
 The adverse party joined in equal demonstra- 
 tions of applause, to her who had no semblance 
 of party ; the laurel-crown was lowered from
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 201 
 
 its spike, brought forward, and given into the 
 hands of Floris Van Borselen, the senior of the 
 judges, indiscriminately chosen among the 
 nobles. He took the emblem of honour, and 
 advancing close to the lady, who leant grace- 
 fully on her bow, he placed the wreath on her 
 head, and uttered some set form of compliments, 
 and cried aloud — 
 
 " Long live our sovereign lady"''' 
 
 " Of the arbolette !" he would have added, 
 according to the phrase in these sportive coro- 
 nations ; but the sentence was cut short by Van 
 Hemsted and his friends, who vociferated a re- 
 petition of Van Borselen's words. 
 
 " Long live our sovereign lady !" rang along 
 the beach, sunk into the sands, and died on the 
 surface of the sea, which had no echoes to re- 
 turn the sounds ; and when with respectful 
 violence the mask was (according to custom,) 
 removed from the lady's face, the gazing throng 
 beheld the beautiful and beaming countenance 
 of Jacqueline of Holland 
 
 K 3
 
 202 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 Promptitude and stratagem seemed on this 
 day the chief tactics of the Iloeks ; surprise and 
 consternation the lot of their opponents. The 
 Kabblejaws stood with open mouths and staring 
 eyes, true emblems of their fishy prototype. 
 A serried phalanx of adherents now took their 
 station behind and at each side of Jacqueline, 
 who stood out in front, with all her accustomed 
 air of intrepidity, whenever danger was to be 
 grappled with or difficulty overcome. The 
 leaders of the party were close by, to support 
 with applause every word she uttered, or obey 
 with ardour any act she might command. 
 
 " Brave Zealanders! my subjects and my 
 friends l" said she, in a firm tone, "I am come 
 among ye to save ye the necessity of the de- 
 bate which was meant to follow these sports ; I 
 am here to claim my hereditary rights as your 
 sovereign. Who is there to combat them ? 
 Does not Heaven itself seem to sanction my 
 title, which no one dare gainsay ? Has not a 
 miracle enabled this weak arm to gain the prize
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 203 
 
 in your sports, at the very first attempt ? Your 
 own hands, even without your will, have placed 
 this emblem of dominion on my brow — your 
 own voices, speaking the involuntary fiat of 
 justice, have proclaimed my authority !" 
 
 Van Borselen and his faction began to recover 
 from their astonishment, and various murmurs 
 arose among them. 
 
 " It was a trick — our words were stopped 
 short — we never meant to hail you more than 
 queen of the sports — we reject your claims to 
 our allegiance — we deny you for our sovereign." 
 
 Such were the replies made by the Kabble- 
 jaws. The Hoeks shouted to the skies. 
 
 " Long live our sovereign lady ! Long live 
 Jacqueline, Countess of Holland, Zealand and 
 Hainault !" 
 
 And as the shout died away, the strain was 
 taken up by one single and shrilly voice, that of 
 the double-liveried fool, who screamed out 
 harshly — 
 
 " Long live Jacqueline l' 1 and quickly placed 
 himself in front of her party.
 
 204 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Hearken to me, mistaken men !" exclaimed 
 the countess, Waving her hand for silence to- 
 wards Van Borselen and his party. " Is there 
 one among you who can reason on your asser- 
 tions, and disprove my title by argument ? I 
 am ready to list to him ; and will, by the mouth 
 of my faithful adherents here present, answer 
 and refute every objection that can be made. 1 ' 
 
 " I accept the challenge, countess,' 1 said Van 
 TJorselen, " for such we acknowledge you, 
 though no more our sovereign, your birth-right 
 being vested by marriage in your husband our 
 legal lord, and by him deputed to the potent 
 and magnificent prince, Philip the Good, Duke 
 of Burgundy, Governor and Rewart of Hol- 
 land and Zealand, to whom life and health !" 
 
 " Long live Duke Philip, our governor and 
 rewart !" resounded from the Kabblejaw 
 columns. 
 
 " Philip for ever I 1 ' cried the fool, wriggling 
 across to the side of the last shouters, jingling 
 the bells that hung from his fins, and chuckling
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 205 
 
 with laughter, it might be thought, at both 
 parties. 
 
 "Speak then, Meere Borselen !" cried Van 
 Hemsted, " argue the point of your treason, 
 and cease those senseless shouts, which even 
 von fools laugh to scorn." 
 
 " 'Tis you who are a traitor, Heer Hemsted. 
 I fling back your foul reproach. Is not Duke 
 John your liege lord, as he is mine ? Is not 
 Philip his legal deputy?" 
 
 " No — neither one nor the other. Our sove- 
 reign is this princess, here, the descendant and 
 successor of twenty-six counts, and in her own 
 right our lady liege. An illegal and nominal 
 marriage with her cousin-german, the shadow of 
 manhood or princedom, brings no attaint to her 
 right, which I and my friends are ready to 
 uphold."" 
 
 " Her marriage was legal, by holy dispensa- 
 tion," exclaimed Roland Uterken, father to the 
 young man whose reinforcements from Flanders 
 were hourly looked for by the Kabblejaws.
 
 200 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " 'Tis now dissolved, by sacred rescript," 
 replied Arien Van Hemsted, the brother of 
 Zeghcr. 
 
 "'Tis false!" cried Van Borselen ; "though 
 well we know such rescript was sought for by 
 Glocester, her para — *" 
 
 " Hold there, friend Floris !" cried the fool, 
 putting his hand before Van Borselen's mouth 
 '■* Had you finished that filthy word, the argu- 
 ment would have ended with swords not 
 tongues." 
 
 " Away with this impudent idiot !" exclaimed 
 Van Borselen, pushing aside the fool. 
 
 " Privilege, privilege !" shouted the latter ; 
 " fools, all take part with your fellow, and who 
 then will be left to oppose me ?" 
 
 " Will no one stop that mummer's mouth ?* J 
 cried Van Borselen. 
 
 " And let old Floris talk all the nonsense ! 
 Privilege for Meere Borselen ! Privilege, pri- 
 vilege !" exclaimed the fool again, slipping 
 through the hands of those who made no vio-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 207 
 
 lent efforts to retain him, and dancing across to 
 the opposite party, who hailed his return with 
 shouts of laughter. 
 
 " Again I say 'tis false that the marriage is 
 broken or the contract with Glocester confirmed 
 by the pontiff," resumed Van Borselen, with 
 impetuous gravity, and drawing forth a parch- 
 ment — " here is the attested copy of his holi- 
 ness's letter to the Dukes of Burgundy and 
 Brabant, to falsify the assertion." 
 
 "And here is the pontiff's bill of divorce 
 and separation !" cried the man who had accom- 
 panied Jacqueline and Benina Beyling, (and 
 who until now had stood close to the former,) 
 holding up a scroll, flinging off his capuchin 
 as he spoke, and displaying the sturdy figure of 
 Ludwick Van Monfoort, in the full costume of 
 his party. 
 
 A yell of acclamation burst from the Hoeks 
 on recognising their intrepid leader, whom some 
 had expected and others knew to be among 
 them. The bravest of the Kabblejaws shrunk
 
 208 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 for a moment at beholding their fiercest oppo- 
 nent, whom they one and all thought to be in 
 the exile of his lovely Island of Urk. 
 
 '• Bravo, bravo !" cried the fool. " Long live 
 old Ludwick ! Long live Jacqueline ! Long 
 live the Hoeks ! — that is as long as they have 
 the upper hand." 
 
 " This is meet — this fits well in all its parts," 
 said Van Borselen, recovering his self-command, 
 but still in the imperfect utterance of passion. 
 " Jugglery, forgery, and treason all combined 
 — and a banished felon at the head of all !" 
 
 " Floris Van Borselen, thou hast said, and I 
 swear by the blood of the martyrs, those words 
 shall stick in thy throat again, in the death- 
 gasp which this hand shall give thee !" 
 
 Van Monfoort spoke his threat in a tone and 
 with a look of such calm yet terrible ferocity, 
 that it thrilled through both friends and foes. 
 He caught his gorget in one hand, and flung 
 aside the collar of his cloak with the other, as 
 though they choked him. He was the first to 
 break the silence.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 209 
 
 " So much," said he, " for our personal 
 affair — now for the more important matter of this 
 meeting. Men of Zealand, I solemnly demand 
 your sworn allegiance to Jacqueline, our rightful 
 sovereign. Here is the Bull which annuls her 
 marriage with the deboshed, stigmatic John of 
 Brabant, and confirms her rights to your fealty 
 and faith." 
 
 " Fellow countrymen and friends ! be not 
 cajoled or frightened by flattery or threats!" 
 exclaimed Van Borselen. " Though Holland 
 set the example of revolt, let our islands be 
 firm and loyal. Listen not to this Dutchman, 
 nor the degenerate Zealanders who back him. 
 His statement is false — your scroll must be 
 forged. Here is the pontiff's letter, signed by 
 his sacred hand, and sealed with the holy seal of 
 St. Peter." 
 
 " Read ! read the rescript !" cried a hundred 
 voices. 
 
 "Ah, my friends ! you ask more than I can 
 perform," replied Floris — " the sacred docu- 
 ment is in Latin."
 
 210 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ''Read your Bull, then, Van Monfoort l" ex- 
 claimed the crowd. 
 
 " By the mass f 1 cried he, with a grim smile, 
 " ye have done a miracle — ye have brought 
 Van Borselen and me to a level. This scroll 
 also is in Latin — at least I believe so — but I 
 can safely swear it is not in Dutch, and beyond 
 that I pretend to no skill." 
 
 " Nor have you much in that," said the fool, 
 while a hollow murmur of laughter ran through 
 either party. On this the fool, who seemed 
 ready to take every opportunity of restoring 
 good humour, danced out in the middle of the 
 throng and said — 
 
 " I told you all as much as that if ye wanted 
 a sage, ye might send for him to Bethleem. 
 But as wisdom may come out of a fool's mouth, 
 what do ye think of making Rudolf Van Die- 
 penholt read both the scrolls ?" 
 
 A shout of acclamation was the answer, and 
 the curate of the fishing-boats was immediately 
 put forward. He seemed ready enough for the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 211 
 
 task ; and taking the documents from the hos- 
 tile chiefs, he examined them closely, while a 
 solemn and anxious silence was preserved by the 
 throng, which little by little narrowed the space 
 that had erevvhile separated the parties. 
 
 " Stand back, ye rabble route ! Back, 
 Hoeks ! Back, Kabblejaws !" cried the fool, 
 running down the lines at either side, shaking 
 the bells of his bauble in the faces of the fore- 
 most, and thus keeping the crowd in proper 
 limits. " Stand back all ! Would ye stifle 
 this honest priest, and so destroy the eighth 
 wonder of the world ? and smother me, the 
 only fool among ye who has the sense to act 
 wisely, and the wisdom to talk nonsense ? I'll 
 warrant ye his reverence here requires air — for 
 if he has not a couple of pontiffs sticking in his 
 maw, I pledge myself to swallow my bauble, 
 bells and all !" 
 
 " In good faith, the fool has hit on the 
 truth," said Rudolf; "and neither of these 
 proud nobles has disgraced himself by a lie.
 
 212 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 These scrolls came from the rival popes — Van 
 Borselen's is signed by Martin V., and Van 
 Monfoort's by Benedict XIII." 
 
 " What ! by Peter de Luna ! By that Span- 
 ish impostor ! old Olla Podrida !" scoffingly 
 cried Roland Uterken. 
 
 " And is he not as good as his Italian rival, 
 that obstinate anti-christ ?" retorted Zegher Van 
 Hemsted. 
 
 " Anti-christ in your teeth !" said Van 
 Borselen. 
 
 " Ah, what tough picking you give my poor 
 friend Zegher !" said the fool, in a tone of 
 plaintive mockery. 
 
 " Come, come, brave lords, an end to these 
 cabals !" exclaimed Rudolf Van Diepenholt ; 
 " they but waste the day and wear out the pa- 
 tience of every reasonable man. Can the con- 
 flicting decrees of two opposing priests suffice to 
 set a nation by the ears ? What are these rival 
 popes ? If one advances, the other retreats — 
 one like some animal fearful of the land, the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 213 
 
 other like a creature apprehensive of the 
 water." 
 
 "This is irreverent on thy part, Rudolf!''' 
 said Van Borselen. " Remember thou art a 
 priest, though well I know thee for a tainted 
 one. Lollardy and Wickliffe-learning are thy 
 tenets — thou art little better than a heretic — at 
 the very best a reformer, who would turn the 
 head of church and state. 11 
 
 " Oh, that he could practise on your addle 
 pate V said the fool, running out of reach of 
 the indignant Kabblejaws. 
 
 " Prithee, Van Borselen, meddle not with 
 me," said Rudolf, unruffled by the serious 
 charge against him. "■ Let us stick to the ques- 
 tion of these popes. Why should Countess 
 Jacqueline pay respect to Martin P 11 
 
 " He legalized her marriage, '} said one of the 
 Kabblejaws. 
 
 " The best reason for its being invalid, for 
 he is himself but an usurper, 11 cried a voice 
 from among the Hoeks
 
 214 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " In my mind,"" resumed Rudolf, " the acts 
 of neither of these self-styled popes is worth 
 a straw; and both being nullities, the countess 
 is and ought to be considered free to act on 
 the dictates of nature and reason. What ! shall 
 these aged and decrepid priests for the short 
 remnant of their lives endanger private peace 
 and the salvation of the christian world ! what 
 is the mock sceptre which these spiritual sove- 
 reigns wield ?"" 
 
 '* Something like this, 1 ' said the fool, holding 
 up his bauble. 
 
 " What is the tiara, on such inefficient 
 heads?"" exclaimed the canon, not heeding the 
 interruption or the laugh it excited. 
 
 " A fool's cap, without bells," answered the 
 fool. 
 
 " A truce, a truce, my young friend," said 
 Rudolf smiling, " there is a time for all things, 
 and even assumed folly may be out of season." 
 
 " Not till real wisdom come into fashion, so 
 I have still a Jong day for my sport," replied 
 the fool.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 215 
 
 " Give me back the pontiffs letter," cried 
 Van Borselen sternly. e< It is in vain to argue 
 against impiety and rebellion. This meeting 
 may now best dissolve. Whoever holds true 
 and stands staunch to his legal lord may follow 
 me. And for ye, obstinate men, who hold the 
 cause of that false countess, whose crimes I 
 forbear to name, know that a force is this in- 
 stant perhaps coming to our aid that will crush 
 your rebellion, even before great Philip him- 
 self appears."" 
 
 At this instant a flash was seen to lighten 
 through the distant fog, which, far out at sea, 
 had settled into one thick but sun-lit cloud, and 
 hovered over the waters, like some huge bird 
 that could not rise into an upward flight. 
 
 " Mark ye that flash ?" cried Rudolf Van 
 Diepenholt, « hear ye that peal?" as a low 
 rumbling sound rolled along the water, and 
 died faintly as it reached the shore. " Again 
 — another ! they are not chance bursts of 
 thunder, men of Zealand — they are the signals
 
 21G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 of mortal aid, sent by Heaven to the cause 
 of virtue and right. Hark, how the artil- 
 lery peals ! and list ye the music sounding on 
 the waters ? They are the heralds of England's 
 power, of great Glocester's friendship — to re- 
 joice all true hearts, and make the false ones 
 quail. Now, my brave fool, you may caper and 
 jump for joy." 
 
 " There then goes my cap, faction's silly 
 emblem — there my bauble, the plaything type 
 of power — wisdom to-day might play the fool, 
 and shall not folly learn to be wise ?"" exclaimed 
 the grotesque representative of motley faction, 
 assumed to suit his purpose ; while with every 
 word he flung away the trappings of his mum- 
 mery, and soon shewed to view the person of 
 one of the wittiest, bravest, and most generous 
 youths of his time — Lewis, bastard of Hainault, 
 the natural brother of Jacqueline, who loved 
 him with an affection that the heart's best feel- 
 ings had legitimatized. Having held out to the 
 very last chance of serving her cause, in his
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND 217 
 
 castle of Scaudeuvre in Hainauk, he at length 
 gave up a hopeless contest, and taking his 
 course to Avignon, where Pope Benedict XIII. 
 held his court, he obtained the divorce which 
 Martin V. had refused ; and had arrived with 
 the important document the very day previous 
 to the meeting, at which we have seen he acted 
 so conspicuous a part, as accordant to his gav 
 humour, as it was serviceable to the cause he 
 considered his own. 
 
 At this new apparition of so distinguished a 
 friend of Jacqueline^, breaking into identity 
 from his masquerade, the downcast Kabblejaws 
 ventured not one word, but turned with the 
 straining looks of despair on the developement 
 of the force that seemed destined to overwhelm 
 them with ruin. 
 
 A few more discharges from the artillery to- 
 tally dispersed the cloud that had so long ob- 
 scured the English fleet, which now came break- 
 ing through the floating fragments of mist and 
 smoke, in all the majesty and beauty peculiar to 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 such a spectacle. The ships of those days, 
 though, individually, far less graceful and ele- 
 gant than those of our own, formed, when seen 
 in a mass, as on the present occasion, a pageant 
 much more shewy. Their construction had 
 been greatly changed within half a century. 
 They were now of much larger size. Halfway 
 up the masts were castellated platforms, from 
 which stones and airows might be discharged in 
 fight ; and decks were about this period added, 
 with a most cumbrous but imposing wooden 
 building at either end, ingeniously embarrassing 
 to the movements and management of the vessel, 
 but giving to the squadron the appearance of a 
 floating town. The ships were decked with 
 gilding and painting ; armorial bearings and 
 badges were embroidered on various parts ; 
 banners of costly workmanship and brilliant 
 colours were hung out, and the sails were of 
 purple, azure, and other hues, shining with 
 work of gold. . Add to these appearances the 
 glittering mass of armour, presented by the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 219 
 
 peopled decks ; the gleaming of weapons in 
 the sun, the shouts of the crew, and the crash 
 of martial music bursting over the waters, and 
 a notion may be imagined of the effect produced 
 by the English fleet, which now came along in 
 all its pomp and pride. 
 
 As the ships drew nearer and nearer to the 
 shore, and coasted along the narrow channel, 
 saluting as they passed, the enthusiasm of Jac- 
 queline's friends grew beyond all restraint. Fol- 
 lowing the example of young Lewis, of Van 
 Monfoort, the Hemsteds, and other leaders, 
 they flung themselves on their knees before her, 
 swore allegiance to her sway, and vowed their 
 lives to her service. Many of those who had 
 so sternly opposed her, now gave way to that 
 impulse that leads men to go with the stream, 
 and makes them offer up incense to success. 
 But Floris Van Borselen, Roland Uterkin, and 
 several other sturdy Kabblejaws withdrew in 
 sullen enmity, with muttered vows of unceasing 
 hatred. And whether it was the effect of this 
 
 l 2
 
 220 JACQUELINE OE HOLLAND. 
 
 unbending hostility, or that some thoughts of 
 Glocester's dubious conduct flashed across her 
 mind, or that some other secret pang had fixed 
 its cold stings in her heart, certain it was that 
 Jacqueline in this proud moment wore not the 
 air of triumph, but looked more like the victim 
 of a sacrifice than the idol of a nation.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 221 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 When the discomfited Kabblejaws retired 
 from the scene just described, they held a hurri- 
 ed council on the best measures to be taken in 
 this unlooked-for crisis. The spirit of faction, 
 often more active than the purest essence of 
 patriotism, excited the confederates into energy 
 and union. Couriers were despatched all over 
 the islands of Zealand, and into Holland, ad- 
 vising their partizans of the danger ; and Floris 
 Van Borselen took upon himself to send off his 
 son Vrank, in the utmost speed, to warn his
 
 222 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 brother James to hurry the reinforcements of 
 young Uterken, and then to hasten to the 
 castle of Hesdin in Picardy, where Duke Philip 
 held his court, and was, with his wonted mag- 
 nificence, entertaining the Dukes of Bedford 
 and Britanny, with a numerous train of nobles, 
 in a series of feasts and shews of unusual splen- 
 dour. 
 
 On Van Borselen's return to Eversdyke, full 
 of the important affairs of his country, he hur- 
 ried to the family sitting-room, in search of his 
 son, whom he found, to his amaze and indig- 
 nation, tumbling on the rush-covered floor, with 
 a group of his brothers and sisters, enacting the 
 part of some terrible animal — 
 
 " The Indian griffin with the glistening eyes, 
 The fiery dragon," 
 
 or some other insatiate monster, with the un- 
 bounded applause of his young companions, 
 who never before, and probably never after- 
 wards, spent a couple of such hours of boiste-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND 223 
 
 rous delight as had rapidly flown over in this 
 exquisite sport. 
 
 " Holy Martyrs ! St. Peter, and St. Paul ! 
 Virgin Mother ! was ever the like of this be- 
 held ?" exclaimed the astounded chieftain, stand- 
 ing in the door way, with his eyes fixed, and his 
 hands upraised. 
 
 "Why, Vrank ! Heer Van Borselen ! Sir 
 Francon ! Son — jongheer — Knight ! do I live 
 to see this ? Do you know who you are ? Do you 
 remember the scene of this morning ?" 
 
 " I was striving to forget it, father," said 
 Vrank, rising up, and composing the ruffled 
 state of his attire. 
 
 " Striving to forget it !" echoed the chief. 
 " Do you hear this, Vrowe ? You who sit there 
 as satisfied as if you were gazing at the Dance 
 of Death, the Descent into Hell, or some other 
 frolicsome pageant, such as the French mum- 
 mers gave out at Middleburg. — Is that fit work 
 for our son? — Are you not ashamed of such 
 doings ?"
 
 224} JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " My good master, blame me not — I did 
 rebuke the dear boy for so rumpling his lovely 
 suit of kersey and taffeta — and see ! — may 
 Saint Hedgwiga, the patroness of Housewifery, 
 grant me grace, if here isn't a rent in his sleeve 
 that would take old Stoop Van Stichel an hour 
 to fine-draw I 11 
 
 " A rent in his sleeve ! — rumpling his taffeta ! 
 Oh, is it come to this? Is the solemn pride of 
 the Van Borselens sunk so low that their de- 
 generate sons turn tumblers and heel-kickers, 
 while mothers look on and laugh, insensible to 
 their own disgrace !" 
 
 " Oh, my gracious lord, speak not those cruel 
 words, nor look those severer looks ! In sooth 
 I meant no harm, nor did Vrank, I'll warrant 
 him. Alas, it is rare that we see a scene of 
 frolic or joy ; and it made my heart glad to look 
 on this ! But it shall end here — the children 
 shall retire, and we shall get the sleeve of Vrank^ 
 doublet soon stitched up." 
 
 " Speak not to me of doublets or stitching,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 225 
 
 good wife, while the fate of our country hangs 
 on a thread ! Vrank, you must within an hour 
 set out for Flanders, and thence with the utmost 
 speed for Duke Philip's court at Hesdin." 
 
 A burst of sorrow from mother and children 
 answered this sentence of death to the brief joys 
 of Eversdyke. 
 
 " Within an hour !" exclaimed the Vrowe, 
 " what, ere the evening repast can be got 
 ready ! recal your words, good my lord — let 
 our dear boy at least tarry till he eat one hearty 
 meal— till the young crane just now caught and 
 plucked has time to be roasted, and the porpoise 
 stews tender in its own fat — and the march-pane 
 can be frizzled with comfits " 
 
 "Peace, peace, good wife ! If Vrank have 
 thoughts of hunger let him eat whatever comes 
 to hand — but I trust he has still enough of the 
 spirit of his race not to think of feasting while 
 his country claims all his care. Follow me, 
 son, and receive my instructions !" 
 
 Within the limited hour Vrank was once 
 
 l 3
 
 226 JACQUELIXE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 more upon the waves, with ample advices for 
 his journey, and in the lubberly-looking skiff 
 which, to the disgrace of Dutch ship-building, 
 seems still the model of their vessels. The dark 
 blue pennon of Eversdyke was at the mast head, 
 and the flag of Burgundy at the stern. Oost, 
 the dyke-digger, furnished with messages and 
 such tokens of credence as in those days ans- 
 wered the stead of letters, for the Frison chiefs 
 in the interest of Burgundy, took his place at 
 the prow ; and as he leant over, with his huge 
 turquoise in his hand, he looked a rough- 
 modelled figure of Hercules, or some other club- 
 man of antiquity. Vrank sat at the stern ; 
 and as the breeze bore him away from the rude 
 home, his visit to which seemed like the flitting 
 shadow of a dream, a feeling of melancholy 
 came across him, which is only to be excited by 
 a separation from what we love. And did 
 Vrank, then, really love this stern abode, this 
 unsocial monument of his family's harsh pride 
 and ungracious power ? It was even so. The
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 227 
 
 deep-fixed instinct which leads men back, in 
 despite of reason, to rest a portion of their own 
 pride on the mere antiquity of their race, was 
 at that moment working powerfully in the 
 young man's bosom. He had felt none of it 
 in approaching Eversdyke. Long habits of 
 the world had overcome the early feeling, and 
 he rather despised than venerated those tokens 
 of an obscure aristocracy, which he had learned 
 to look on as a very dubious honour. But this 
 short contract with the old customs of his fore- 
 fathers, this new breathing of his native atmo- 
 sphere of feudality, revived the latent principle 
 which he believed extinct; and as he gazed back 
 on the gray walls of the castle he could not sup- 
 press the thought, that he should like to live and 
 die there after all ! 
 
 Another feeling, of a kind quite new to him, 
 contributed to strengthen this awakened, rather 
 than created, attachment to his home. It was 
 the pleasure he had felt in even two hours' ac- 
 quaintanceship with those young relations, bound
 
 228 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 to him by a tie of which he scarcely before un- 
 derstood the nature, but which, as experience 
 has told many a man, is too strong to be severed 
 by absence or time, or almost by ingratitude 
 and wrong. Vrank only knew this new senti- 
 ment of brotherly love in its most endearing 
 aspect. He thought it delicious then ; and in 
 after life he never forgot the two hours' 1 romping 
 with the young playfellows, who had so natu- 
 rally established, without claiming, an equality 
 with him, and to whose level he had at once 
 descended, without the pain of an effort or the 
 consciousness of degradation. 
 
 To those young objects, who had in so short 
 a space gained such a hold upon his sympathy, 
 his sudden departure was a real misfortune, in 
 proportion to the delightful surprise of his 
 coming, and the wonderment he excited while 
 he staid, by his handsome looks, his fine dress, 
 and above all by his active gambols on all-fours, 
 and the magnificent growl with which he played 
 the monster. Brother Vrank, as they imagined
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 229 
 
 him, had ever been their beau-ideal of all that 
 was sublime and beautiful ; that he had sur- 
 passed their notions was probably less a proof 
 of his merits than of the imperfect growth of 
 their imagination. But certain it is that the 
 force of that impression never wore away, and 
 those delighted brothers and sisters ever after- 
 wards considered Vrank Van Borselen as one 
 of the finest specimens of mankind — as well 
 they might, on even better grounds than those 
 of early impressions. 
 
 Good Vrowe Bona was thoroughly grieved at 
 
 the bereavement of her dear boy's society. She 
 
 felt as though she could have gazed on him for 
 
 ever, and as he left the castle she was strongly 
 
 impressed with the belief that she should never 
 
 see him more. For many hours she knew not 
 
 how to escape from this painful feeling ; her 
 
 husband's announcement of new hostilities 
 
 seemed to overwhelm her with unusual terror. 
 
 She knew that Vrank was to come back with 
 
 Duke Philip's forces ; and a heavy presentiment,
 
 ■2'.}0 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 which, with the weaknesses of superstition, she 
 encouraged rather than repressed, told her that 
 the coming contest would be fraught with dire 
 calamity to the house of Uorselen. Glad of 
 any escape from such sad bodings, she hurried 
 off to her homely occupations, like a regal func- 
 tionary of a more recent date, 
 
 " Nothing loth 
 To marinate her fish, and season broth." 
 
 During the progress of these home-feelings 
 and domestic considerations on the part of the 
 family of Eversdyke, the elated party of the 
 Hoeks indulged, as was fairly allowable, in 
 some extravagance. For the first time for a 
 long course of years they saw themselves with 
 the upper hand, and if it opened cordially to 
 the grasp of good fortune, it is not astonishing 
 that it should become sternly clenched in the 
 very face of the foe. The Hoeks, in fact, as- 
 sumed an attitude of vigorous decision ; they 
 soon shewed themselves at all points in great
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND, 
 
 231 
 
 force. The English troops, under the guidance 
 of Lord Fitz-walter, landed without opposition 
 on the coasts of Holland and the Island of 
 Schowen, and spread themselves in the various 
 towns, which now unhesitatingly acknowledged 
 Jacqueline, in virtue of the right which never 
 fails to be awarded to might. Young Lewis of 
 Hainault, Van Monfoort, the Hemsteds, and 
 other leaders, put themselves at the head of their 
 respective contingents. Rudolph Van Diepen- 
 holt set forth on a round of exhortation to the 
 sea-faring interests of the state ; and Jacqueline, 
 overcoming all personal emotions, took at once 
 that attitude of active influence to which her 
 station was so well entitled, and her character 
 so well adapted. 
 
 And very soon was the whole exertion of her 
 own and her friends' energies called forth. The 
 limited theatre of action hurried on events and 
 crowded the doers into a narrow space. Ere 
 Vrank Van Borselen reached the shore of East 
 Flanders, John Uterken, with his expedition of
 
 232 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 considerable force, had left it ; and, promptly 
 navigating those inland seas, he within two 
 clays made his landing good, near Haarlem, to 
 which place his father had retired, and with 
 equal despatch and skill he advanced upon the 
 town. But ere he could reach it, or take up a 
 position of defence, he was vigorously attacked 
 by Jacqueline's forces, under Fitz-walter and 
 the other leaders ; while she herself, her bow 
 in hand, and mounted on a gallant steed, a 
 gift from the English lord to replace the one 
 she had lost, rode along the ranks, harangued 
 the troops, and was present throughout the 
 action. The Flemings were, after a bold resist- 
 ance, totally defeated and dispersed, young 
 Uterken escaping from the field with great diffi- 
 culty, and taking refuge with his father in 
 Haarlem. 
 
 During the fight, the English, the Hollanders, 
 and Zealanders, vied with each other in acts 
 of courage ; but when it was over the rivalry 
 ceased. Then faction took up the task which
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 233 
 
 valour had but half finished, and the butcher- 
 work of warfare began. Every Hoek who held 
 a prisoner instantly commenced putting him to 
 death, without regard to the pleadings of hu- 
 manity or justice; these unfortunate men being 
 Flemings, and therefore meriting on no pretext 
 to be put out of the pale of generous hostility. 
 Jacqueline was reposing after the fatigue and 
 excitement of the action, in a tent not far from 
 the scene, attended by her faithful Benina, who, 
 though unable to overcome the timidity which 
 kept her distant fioin the conflict, was ready at 
 the princess's side to congratulate her on its 
 result. Lord Fitz-walter, too, was with her, as 
 he had been all through the fight, forcing her 
 to keep aloof from its more imminent perils, 
 and when her courage urged her on, opposing 
 his armour-covered body between her and the 
 arrows, which flew thick, but from which neither 
 of them received any harm. 
 
 While they now exchanged hurried observa- 
 tions on the event, and mutual expressions of
 
 234 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 compliment and courtesy, an English officer 
 came forward and announced to his general that 
 their Dutch allies were, without mercy, des- 
 patching the prisoners in the most summary 
 manner. 
 
 " What then, is there some new attack ? 
 Are we surprised ? Is the victory to be gained 
 again ?" cried Fitz-walter, springing forward 
 and seizing his sword, in the prompt movement 
 of courage that never imagines defeat. 
 
 " No, my lord," replied the officer, " there 
 is not a foe to be seen, but those poor wretches 
 whom the Hoeks are doing to death. " l1 
 
 " This must not be, Madam ?" said Fitz- 
 walter inquiringly ; but Jacqueline had antici- 
 pated the question, by quitting her seat and 
 rushing towards the opening of the tent. Be- 
 nina and the Englishmen, with some guards 
 and attendants, followed the countess. Im- 
 pelled by humanity, she ran forward to the 
 nearest group of soldiers, whom she saw indeed 
 employed in their ferocious work, killing with
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 235 
 
 knife, sword or battle-axe the defenceless Flem- 
 ings, who with scarce an exception stood the 
 butchery in the sturdy fierceness of despair, 
 scorning to ask the boon of life which they 
 knew would be refused them. But one wretch 
 seeing a sudden gleam of hope in the approach 
 of Jacqueline, sprang from the man who al- 
 ready raised his battle-axe to give him the death- 
 blow, and with loud cries for mercy ran towards 
 her, whose looks beamed with the angel attri- 
 butes of power and pity. The disappointed 
 murderer flew after his victim ; and ere the lat- 
 ter could reach the safeguard he reckoned on, 
 a blow desperately meant but imperfectly aimed, 
 fell on his shoulder instead of his head, and he 
 sunk weltering in blood at his pursuer's feet. 
 The latter immediately flung down his battle- 
 axe, and drawing the dagger from his girdle 
 he prepared to plunge it in the wounded 
 man's throat. But at this moment Fitz-walter 
 who had outrun the rest, seized his arm, and 
 Jacqueline, close to him, commanded him to re- 
 lease the Fleming.
 
 236 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 "Release him!' 1 cried the astonished Giles 
 Postel, Van Monfoort's squire, for it was he 
 who enacted this ferocious part. " Do you not 
 see, Madam, that he is one of those rascal 
 Flemings ?" and he accompanied the words by 
 a sudden jerk, which freed his arm from Fitz- 
 walter's grasp, and brought the dagger close to 
 his prostrate prisoner's throat. 
 
 " Wretch !" cried Jacqueline, throwing her- 
 self on her knees, and placing her hands before 
 the dagger's point, while Fitz-walter and the 
 other officers seized Giles Postel, and violently 
 separated him from his gasping victim. 
 
 " Villain !" exclaimed Fitz-walter, " how can 
 you do this cruel deed ?" 
 
 "Villain, you call me?" said Postel, in rude 
 and broken French, and with a brutal tone, 
 " and for killing my lawful prisoner ? How 
 many did you and your English king put to 
 death after the fight of Agincourt ?" 
 
 " Fellow !" exclaimed the Englishman. 
 
 " Oh, answer him not, Lord Fitz-walter I""
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 237 
 
 cried Jacqueline. " Fly, fly and stop the mas- 
 sacre ! Look at yon cruel chiefs, whom I 
 blush to call my countrymen, how they stand 
 coolly by and see these monstrous deeds !" 
 
 Then turning to Giles Postel, she continued — 
 
 "Base-minded slave, how durst thou parley 
 with yon noble lord, or bandy words when thou 
 shouldst obey ? For this bloody act, and for 
 thy insolence, I command thee never to meet 
 my sight again. Ludwick Van Monfoort even 
 shall not claim thy pardon.'" 
 
 "Your mother, countess, would not ti'eat 
 me thus — she is less squeamish," replied the 
 squire with a sullen scowl, which at once made 
 the blood mount to Jacqueline's brow and thrill 
 in her veins. 
 
 "Audacious wretch! Wouldst thou dare 
 asperse my noble mother ?- w 
 
 "Asperse !" muttered the fellow, with a ma- 
 lignant and contemptuous curl of his lip. 
 
 " Holy Virgin, grant me patience !" ex- 
 claimed Jacqueline. " Away, miscreant, lest I
 
 238 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 send thee prematurely to thy doom ! Go, 
 skulk among the butchers of the camp — live in 
 the shambles, and never dare appear again in 
 honourable arms I" 
 
 Giles Postel met this sentence with a look of 
 ruffian rage ; but he did not move. 
 
 " Oh, God !" continued Jacqueline, raising 
 the head of the wounded man, " why am I 
 forced into scenes like these, which I must work 
 out with such vile instruments ! May not the 
 blood of this poor wretch which stains my robe 
 discolour my reputation ? For how will history 
 tell this murderous tale? May not its heavy 
 hand, that never falls light on princes, load me 
 with the odium of the deed I execrate, and its 
 false pages echo the pestilent breath that even 
 now taints my fame I 11 
 
 " It shall not be my fault else!" muttered 
 Postel, with a diabolical expression of coun- 
 tenance, as he picked up his battle-axe, 
 wiped the blood from its blade, and slowly re- 
 tired. Jacqueline, with Benina and her attend-
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 239 
 
 ants, quickly followed up this first instance of 
 her humanity, and in as far as it was possible 
 she put a stop to the massacre. Many lives were 
 saved by her means and the assistance of the 
 English troops, who, having no particular cause 
 of hatred, were on this occasion as ready to be 
 the saviours, as they would have been in their 
 own personal quarrels, to become the destroyers 
 of the beaten foe. For such was the spirit of 
 the age, in which an idolatry for what was called 
 honour, and a disregard for every feeling of 
 humanity, seemed the ruling principles of man. 
 As to Jacqueline's conduct on this occasion', 
 while we pronounce it generous in one aspect, 
 we can hardly call it just in another. Giles 
 Postel acted quite in unison with his fellows, 
 and with those who should have known better 
 and felt less fiercely. It is natural to abhor the 
 tiger-principle of cold-blooded cruelty, wise to 
 prevent it, but not fair to hate the beast, formed 
 by instinct, or the being made of habit. At 
 any rate it is unwise to turn either the brute or
 
 2i0 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 the human monster on ourselves. But a bold 
 and proud mind overlooks consequences and 
 scorns them ; it flies to the rescue, nor regards 
 results. So did Jacqueline ; and she soon had 
 cause to rue, although perhaps she did not re- 
 pent her conduct. 
 
 The effects of this first battle in Jacqueline's 
 favour, were, as is usual in such cases, pro- 
 digious. The wavering became decided, the 
 timid bold, and the brave prudent. Cowards 
 are ruined by success, for they invariably be- 
 come rash. But the courageous man who is 
 calm and unruffled in the contest, is sure to 
 plant reflection on the vantage ground of 
 victory. Another action soon took place be- 
 tween the adverse parties, near Gouda. But 
 in that affair neither English nor Flemings had 
 to do. It was one of those exquisite bits of 
 social slaughter, so cherished by Floris Van 
 Borselen — and not by him alone — and Hoeks 
 and Kabblejaws there met hand to hand, with- 
 out any intrusive foreigners to snatch their
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 241 
 
 pleasures or share them. The latter faction 
 was again defeated ; and the triumph of the 
 victory soon reached the walls of Utrecht, and 
 half rejoiced, half terrified, our old acquaintance, 
 Zweder Van Culemburg, the very reverend 
 count bishop of that important place. 
 
 For the worthy prelate, during all the rapid 
 circumstances of Jacqueline's success, had been 
 tossed in a conflicting tumult of doubt. It was 
 not from any lack of the craven impulse above 
 alluded to that he did not become as rashly 
 impetuous as any coward in the country. Had 
 he mixed in the tide of victory, he would no 
 doubt have partaken the gale of triumph. But 
 he was quite aloof from all the bustling excite- 
 ment of action. He had certainly on frequent 
 occasions harangued from the altar and held 
 forth in the pulpit, in a very martial tone. He 
 recommended his people to put on their armour 
 and to gird their loins, and made sundry allu- 
 sions to Gabriel's fiery sword and the urim and 
 thummim of Aaron's breast-plate. But while all 
 
 vol. I. m
 
 242 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 these scriptural exhortations seemed to mark 
 him on the high flood of valour, there was a 
 sort of back-water of what is generally known 
 as its better part, that regularly brought back 
 Bishop Zweder at night to the very place he 
 had started from in the morning, and preserved 
 him in a state of most agitating uncertainty. 
 The results of this will be seen in the sequel. 
 But in the mean time the chapter and people of 
 Utrecht went on vigorously in the good cause 
 which their prelate left in abeyance. Their 
 ships were promptly fitted out and manned. 
 Jacqueline's light blue ensign floated on them ; 
 and William of Brederode, her gallant admiral, 
 soon cleft the Zuyder Zee with fifty prows, of 
 vessels impelled by favouring winds and the 
 oars of her staunch adherents.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 243 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Yet while all went thus apparently well with 
 Jacqueline, she alone formed a contrast to the 
 elation of her party. She neglected nothing 
 that could serve the common cause ; her activity 
 was untiring ; she sped from place to place ; 
 received and replied to deputations from the 
 towns ; and presided over every movement, civil 
 or military. Yet all was performed with the 
 air of an automaton, that has the faculty with- 
 out the feeling of action. Common observers 
 did not perceive this ; for there was at all times a 
 
 m 2
 
 244 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 high, not to say haughty bearing in our heroine, 
 that was rarely changed in her intercourse with 
 ordinary people, and through which they could 
 not penetrate, to discover if she was affected by 
 weal or woe. But to those in her intimacy the 
 depression of her mind was evident, even though 
 they could not fathom its inmost depth. Her 
 brother, Lewis of Hainault, and Lord Fitz- 
 waiter saw and marvelled at it. Benina Bey ling 
 alone was in her confidence, and alone knew the 
 truth. 
 
 It was now four days after the victory of 
 Gouda, in which Jacqueline had borne no share, 
 and she was within an hour of entering her 
 town of Amersfort at the head of a large portion 
 of her native troops. The English allies were 
 all concentrated and cantoned in the island of 
 Schowen, their head quarters being the town of 
 Zuric Zee. It was not thought politic to excite 
 any feeling of rivalry in the good patriots of 
 Holland, against the foreigners whose superior 
 discipline and equipments might give rise to
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 245 
 
 humiliating comparisons. Lord Fitz- waiter, 
 therefore, attended Jacqueline - ^ movements 
 without any apparent command, and more as 
 the representative of Glocester, her affianced 
 lord, than as the commander of the English 
 army. He rode close to her on the present 
 occasion, accompanied by Lewis of Hainault ; 
 and the lively sallies of the one, with the serious 
 efforts of the other, were exerted to the utmost 
 to cheer the object of their equal anxiety, and 
 make her wear the best air in entering the town, 
 which was her chosen residence, the seat of her 
 government, and where her mother awaited her 
 arrival with all the energy of a proud spirit 
 anxious to display its triumph. But all the 
 efforts of the gay brother or the grave lord (and 
 in the gravity of the Englishman there was an 
 emotion deeper than mere diplomacy,) were in- 
 effectual to subdue the profound air of melan- 
 choly which oppressed the victorious Jacque- 
 line. 
 
 In all her movements from place to place, Jac-
 
 216 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 queline rejected the use of those horse-litters, 
 the common conveyance of women of rank ; and 
 being most expert and graceful in the manage- 
 ment of her palfrey, her delight in the exercise 
 was probably mixed with pride in displaying 
 herself to the people in the most becoming as- 
 pect. She now rode along, accompanied by a 
 suite befitting her state. Several attendant 
 ladies formed the most attractive part of her 
 train ; and among them Benina held, as usual, 
 the place closest to her mistress. At about a 
 league's distance from Amersfort a halt was 
 made, to finally arrange the order of the pro- 
 cession in which the town was to be entered, 
 and the Countess Dowager of Hainault, with 
 the deputation of citizens, be met on an occasion 
 so important. While the chiefs busied them- 
 selves in their various stations, Jacqueline beck- 
 oned Benina towards her, and riding a little 
 apart from the rest, she spoke — 
 
 " Come close to me, Benina — keep near me 
 in this meeting with my mother — in this double
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 247 
 
 trial of her shame and my own. Even though 
 1 may not seek the solace of thy words, thy very 
 looks of sympathy will support me." 
 
 " My duty ever keeps me where my gracious 
 mistress wills — and would that I had power to 
 remove the feeling I am so little able to relieve ! 
 — to shew the injustice of her harsh judgment 
 on herself." 
 
 " Benina, you speak against your convic- 
 tion." 
 
 " So may the Virgin help me, Madam, as 
 I speak truth ! I think you have no cause for 
 self-reproach, yet I see you suffer, as though 
 you were as criminal as you are guiltless." 
 
 " Benina, thou art thyself of noble blood — 
 thou knowest the pure pride of womanhood — 
 and yet thou boldest that I, a princess, am not 
 disgraced by what would have brought shame 
 to the simplest gentlewoman of my train !" 
 
 " Heaven witness for me, my kind mistress, 
 as I see with other eyes, and as I believe most 
 truly, the two matters on which you have
 
 248 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 given me your gracious confidence . As to his 
 highness of Glocester's conduct, it cannot bring 
 reproach to you." 
 
 " No, Benina — that I could bear, for I could 
 prove it false — but it brings self-contempt home 
 to my heart's core ! I feel the scorn of his re- 
 jection rankling deep I 11 
 
 " TTse not that word, good Madam, it does 
 not suit the case. The duke wooed you in all 
 the fervour of a lover, and won your consent to 
 his suit — " 
 
 " And now abandons me, for scenes of low 
 intrigue and libertine adventure ! Has Jac- 
 queline of Holland survived that truth !" 
 
 " ir Tis not so, Madam ; in good sooth you do 
 yourself dishonour, and may do his highness 
 wrong — " 
 
 " Tut, tut, Benina ! I saw his perfidy in his 
 glance, the first moment of our meeting in that 
 fatal forest — doubly fatal to my dignity ! His 
 every look confirmed it in our conference with 
 Bishop Zweder, whose coarseness at least
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 249 
 
 brought out the truth from this false duke, 
 and Van Monfoort's recital of the scene at Urk 
 proves the worst.'' 
 
 " Deal lighter by his highness, Madam — con- 
 sider the toils in which he is beset — the influence 
 of the other dukes, the interests of England." 
 
 " No influence, no interests, Benina, should 
 stand between an honourable man and the wo- 
 man to whom he is pledged." 
 
 " But, Madam, you take for granted, per- 
 haps prematurely, a sentence which the duke 
 has not yet pronounced on himself." 
 
 " Yes, yes, he has, Benina. — He whose 
 words or looks throw even a doubt upon his 
 troth is condemned beyond redemption — but 
 let this pass ! It is a subject more political than 
 personal — it wounds my vanity, my pride, my 
 honour, but it does not touch my heart. I have 
 in this case exposed no weakness as a woman, 
 betrayed no duty as a sovereign. But in that 
 other, Benina ! Oh, what an age of shame have 
 I brought on myself by the folly of a moment !" 
 
 m 3
 
 250 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Forget the unworthy topic, Madam ; let 
 your mind turn back into its proper channel. 
 Think upon royal Glocester in a fitting light. 
 I feel assured he will soon return to you freed 
 from those state-obstacles that trammel him, to 
 make you his own — " 
 
 " Never, Benina, never ! I swear to you that 
 Glocester shall never possess this hand ! No 
 forced allegiance shall bind him nor any other 
 to me — nor could I noza bestow this heart, such 
 as a chosen husband should possess it." 
 
 A deep sigh accompanied these words, and 
 Jacqueline pressed her hand against her bosom 
 to keep down the rising weakness. 
 
 " Alas, alas, Benina, dost thou not pity thy 
 poor mistress ? Thy pity I will take — nay ask, 
 while that of others would drive my proud 
 spirit mad. But thou hast been all to me in 
 many a trial — my friend in defeat and sorrow, 
 and now not less so in victory and shame." 
 
 tC Dearest Madam — " 
 
 " Nay, speak not, my kind Benina, it is
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 251 
 
 vain to oppose this utter anguish. Have I not 
 disgraced my birth, my station ? Has not that 
 luscious poison that I longed to taste entered 
 my very heart ? Have I not plucked the fatal 
 fruit of knowledge and discovered my shame — 
 or culled that other as treacherous, which tra- 
 vellers tell us is bloom without, but ashes 
 within ? Even so was that one deep draught 
 of love's bitter waters — for it was love ! Yes, 
 Benina, I felt the bright unburning flame dart 
 through my soul — my head reeled and my 
 breast heaved in the intoxicating influence, and 
 I, at last, for the first time in life — in my six 
 and twentieth year, Benina, really felt the 
 passion whose power they would limit to the 
 first spring of youth ! and for whom ? A stran- 
 ger — a mere youth compared to me — a creature 
 of Burgundy — nay more, nay worse than all, 
 one of that base and odious faction, my coun- 
 try's bane, my own worst enemies, my rebel 
 subjects ! Oh, 'tis too bad ! Remorse has no 
 sting poignant enough to punish me !"
 
 252 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 11 I must, I will speak to you, my mistress, 
 and you will pardon me, I know. Indeed, 
 madam, you do yourself wrong ; you could 
 not have loved this youth, so briefly seen, so 
 soon to be forgotten. He did you a service, 
 he bravely threw himself 'twixt you and dan- 
 ger, you felt a natural gratitude, that's all. 
 This is not love, my noble mistress, you mistake 
 the passion quite." 
 
 " List to me, Benina ! Thou art wise, good 
 gir), but in thine own conceit, when thou 
 wouldst take a tone of deep experience over 
 thy poor mistress. Alas ! my friend, it needs 
 no years of study, no learned lore to read Love's 
 lessons. The voice of Nature, speaking in the 
 gentle air, and breathing in the wild-flower's 
 odour, is not more easily understood than Love's 
 whisperings in the breast. Its light is like the 
 Sun's. The heart is as ready for its first beam, 
 as is all earth to catch the opening glance of 
 day. Sensation is but a clasped volume till it 
 touches the spring. Oh, it is not to be mistaken.
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 253 
 
 All else may be assumed — friendship, valour, 
 piety — but love admits no counterfeit. Yes, it 
 xvas love that urged me towards him, that threw 
 him in my way, that laid the snare to which I 
 rushed so rashly — but it was fate, Benina ; I 
 was doomed, and might not escape my lot !" 
 
 " Impossible, my beloved mistress. It could 
 not be that you could love such a man as that, 
 without one single badge of nobility, to say 
 nothing of royalty, to which you are entitled in 
 a lover — one noteless, quite unable even to give 
 a name in answer to Lord Fitz-walter's chal- 
 lenge, or the Duke's command. Would not the 
 Countess of Holland have felt the proud blood 
 tingle in her veins ?" 
 
 " She did feel it tingle, alas ! alas I 11 
 
 " A mere adventurer, my mistress ! Perhaps 
 an outlaw, at best some low-born hunter." 
 
 " Nay, nay, Benina, thou art too rapid in thy 
 conclusions. The youth had nobility stamped 
 on his mien, wisdom was in his words, valour 
 and chivalry in his whole bearing. Never did
 
 254 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 love tempt a woman in fairer guise, and had 
 not that badge been on his bosom, branding 
 him as the hot iron sears a felon, and marking 
 him my foe, — but what do I say ? Even had he 
 not displayed that damning proof of enmity, 
 have I not seen him since with vile associates, 
 carrying that cap which marks each insolent 
 head as that of a rebel subject ? And to such a 
 one as this have I given my girdle — a mark of 
 honour such as princes have fought for, ay and 
 not often gained. Shame, shame, Jacqueline ! 
 Hurried away by impulse — by passion even — 
 to scandalize thy race. But did he not risk his 
 life to save mine ? And if in a double sense my 
 enemy, was not his conduct the more generous ?'' 
 
 " Madam, he knew not that — " 
 
 " Peace, prithee, good girl, nor labour so 
 hard to rob me of my only consolation." 
 
 " Indeed, Madam, I am sure the young 
 man knew you not, but would have done as 
 much for any female in like peril." 
 
 " The more a hero he ; for others gave the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 255 
 
 reins to their coursers in that perilous hour, and 
 returned just in time to reap the glory he had 
 gained. - ' 1 
 
 Jacqueline had no sooner uttered this, than 
 she felt its injustice. It did not require the 
 deep blush on Benina's cheeks (half from re- 
 morse at her own timid desertion, and half from 
 resentment at the aspersion on Lord Fitz- waiter) 
 to bring the Countess to a true sense of her 
 words. She, with her usual frankness with her 
 favourite and confident, acknowledged that she 
 had spoken hastily, but she did not confess, 
 perhaps did not quite understand, the feeling 
 that had moved her. 
 
 " Indeed you do but justice to the noble Fitz- 
 walter, ri replied Benina to her mistress's apo- 
 logy ; " he has often and often told me he would 
 peril his life a thousand times in your service. 11 
 
 " He has done so, Benina, 11 answered Jacque- 
 line ; ' ; never may I forget his conduct in the 
 late fight, nor the risks he braved to keep me 
 from them.""
 
 256 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 Benina glowed still deeper at this tribute to 
 the Englishman's praise, yet shuddered in re- 
 vived horror at the dangers he had encoun- 
 tered. 
 
 " Ay, my mistress" said she, " and he 
 would again give like proof of his attachment. 
 Would that you would charge him to seek out 
 that presumptuous youth, and drag your favour 
 from his bosom !" 
 
 " Forbid it, Heaven ! Benina, art thou mad, 
 to breathe a thought which might cause the 
 youth's destruction — that is, let me say, which 
 might betray my disgrace ?"" 
 
 " Ah, Madatn, is the secret then safe in the 
 keeping of yon Kabblejaw ?" 
 
 " Yes, I will vouch for his honour. Come, 
 Benina, I must end this subject here. Let's 
 talk of it no more — at least not of him! Let 
 me but remember my own weakness, and bit- 
 terly repent it. Let me gain strength to atone 
 for one disgraceful moment ! Let me rise up 
 against the oppresssion of my shame, as I did at
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 257 
 
 the meeting of the archers, when my heart 
 swelled, and my arm was new nerved at the 
 very sight of this unlucky man, in his new 
 aspect of rebel as well as foe !" 
 
 " And how he skulked from meeting your 
 presence, Madam ! Neither I nor Ludwick Van 
 Monfoort could fix our eyes on him in the whole 
 crowd of traitors." 
 
 (i Albeit that his might have been fixed on 
 me r thought Jacqueline. 
 
 " Well, well, Benina P said she, " here let 
 this matter drop, and be discreet, my friend, in 
 proportion as the secret is of import. Now let 
 us on with this sad march of triumph, to meet 
 my mother. And there again, Benina, what a 
 sting assails me ! My mother, of blood so pure, 
 of mind so proud, to be at the mercy of a das- 
 tard murderer's tongue ! Oh, God ! can it be 
 true what this base Giles Postel bruits abroad 
 and boasts of ? Can Marguerite of Bavaria have 
 leagued with such as he, and urged so foul a 
 deed? And did Van Vlyett die a just death? I
 
 258 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 cannot, will not entertain the question — my 
 blood boils, yet it freezes again with dread to 
 sift the ealumny. Let me meet my mother 
 with the best countenance I may !" 
 
 The order of the procession was soon re- 
 sumed; and Jacqueline, recovering her general 
 aspect of proud yet melancholy beauty, rode at 
 the head of her victorious troops, supported by 
 her gallant brother, and the other chiefs who had 
 so well fought her battle. The ensigns of the 
 beaten Flemings were borne before the main 
 body of the troops, and some hundreds of pri- 
 soners saved from death graced the triumphant 
 march, their chains clanking in sad harmony 
 with the insulting crash of music, and the 
 shouts of the rejoicing people. 
 
 The deputation of magistrates, attending on 
 the dowager countess, met Jacqueline at the city 
 gates. The ceremonies usual on these occasions 
 were gone through, and the keys resigned by 
 the haughty mother to the humble daughter, 
 who at all times, even in her highest state, paid
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 259 
 
 a deferential regard to the parent who had ruled 
 her in early life, and who even now held a 
 powerful influence over her. And justly so; 
 for though she was the mover of her wretched 
 marriage with John of Brabant, she had repair- 
 ed that error of judgment, by a constant adher- 
 ence to Jacqueline's cause when an open rupture 
 became unavoidable. And also in the whole of 
 the contest in Hainault against Philip of Bur- 
 gundy, Countess Marguerite had been unceas- 
 ing in her endeavours with this her nephew to 
 gain terms for Jacqueline, humiliating herself in 
 vain entreaties, laying in a deep fund of hatred 
 against the relentless victor, affording shelter 
 in her castle at Valenciennes to her oppress- 
 ed child, and finally flying with her to Holland, 
 and joining her fate with her's in the contest 
 which was now on foot. 
 
 The greetings over, the ceremonies past, and 
 the day closed in, Jacqueline was delighted to 
 find a late repose from the excitement and fa- 
 tigue she had gone through.
 
 260 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Enough may have been gathered from Jac- 
 queline's own words to give a general notion of 
 her state of mind. But very much beyond our 
 skill would be required to paint, in all its con- 
 flicting details, the agitation of her various feel- 
 ings. Pride struggling with sensibility, and 
 passion battling with reason, she strove, how 
 vainly ! to hate the object that had caused this 
 tumult in her heart and head. Then she would 
 have turned the whole tide of regret upon her- 
 self, in angry reproaches. But this was an
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 261 
 
 equally vain attempt. Human nature cannot 
 be long at war with its own weakness. A thou- 
 sand spontaneous excuses rise up with the most 
 rigid self-accusings; and even with the very 
 sentence passed by our judgment an appeal goes 
 to the heart, which never refuses mercy. There- 
 fore, when Jacqueline was self-condemned, she 
 was self-pardoned too. It has been seen with 
 what warmth she repelled Benina's undervalu- 
 ing hints relative to the young stranger. The 
 very pride which reproached her weakness was 
 interested in upholding its object. So while 
 the strongest of her self-accusing passions was 
 thus neutralising its attack, no wonder that 
 those which rose in her defence gained a com- 
 plete though unacknowledged victory. Had in 
 fact the youth who had so gallantly defended, 
 perhaps saved, her life — who was so brave, so 
 elegant, so handsome, been also a partizan of her 
 cause, she would unhesitatingly have indulged 
 the feeling he had so strongly inspired. For 
 Jacqueline, panting from early youth for that
 
 ■2Cr2 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 passion which she felt herself so capable of en- 
 joying, was instinct with the conviction that it 
 would and ought to level slight shades of dis- 
 tinction between age and rank. She had for 
 years looked out with an intense, but to no other 
 eye visible, anxiety for some one to whom she . 
 could give her affections. But she felt that 
 esteem, admiration, and perhaps gratitude, 
 should first be due ; and she had never met 
 an object that united such claims, with that 
 not-to-be-described attraction which consists 
 neither in person, manner, or character, but 
 which throws a hue over each, that makes a 
 woman satisfied that all is better than perfect — 
 that it suits and sympathises with herself. It 
 is this that accounts for so many attachments, 
 which to common observers appear incongruous. 
 But similarity is not necessary to produce sym- 
 pathy. Colours the most opposite blend toge- 
 ther, and form a whole of beauty. Sounds the 
 most different produce harmony. Dispositions 
 the most varied go well in fellowship ; perhaps
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 263 
 
 because we at once submit to and value what is 
 so distinct from our own habitual tone of thought 
 and feeling, too common to ourselves to be prized 
 in another. 
 
 Humphrey of Glocester had come nearer to 
 the moral standard which Jacqueline fancied 
 she required, than any of the princes who had 
 sought her hand, or any of the nobles she had 
 an opportunity of knowing. Had circumstances 
 permitted, and had he followed up the mo- 
 mentary feeling excited in the tent of the Zeven- 
 volden, it is more than probable her regard for 
 him might have grown fast, through those 
 gradations which form the respectable but 
 artificial attachment generally called love. But 
 Glocester's subsequent manner during that 
 interview quickly checked the incipient senti- 
 ment, and perhaps prepared Jacqueline the 
 better for the reception of that which was so 
 soon afterwards excited. And how forcibly 
 did that explain to her at once its own nature, 
 and that of those she had previously expe-
 
 2G4 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ricnced ! We do not pretend to say that our 
 heroine fell all at once into those ecstacies of 
 passion, which the spells of fairy-land are sup- 
 posed to inspire. But it is most certain that 
 she did grow redolent of that magic balm of 
 feeling, which soothes and purifies the mind 
 on first meeting with the being whom nature 
 intends that it shall love. That pleasure in 
 what we see of them, that wish to know more, 
 that indefinable conviction of their worth, on 
 grounds that we care not to examine ; and that 
 something, which supplies the absence of the 
 very qualities we had ever before thought es- 
 sential to the inspiration we then acknowledge. 
 
 These are among the symptoms of that pas- 
 sion which many for themselves may doubt — 
 which some will perhaps confess to — but which 
 all must believe to be that which influenced the 
 whole future fate of our heroine. Had she 
 felt it for the first time ten years earlier, she 
 might have escaped from its effects. But at 
 her age it was never to be effaced. The bud
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 265 
 
 which opens to an April sun may close again 
 and ripen for some later ray ; but the full- 
 grown flower, catching the Summer's beam 
 that bursts its prison, must either bloom or 
 wither in the glow. So was the fate of Jac- 
 queline's heart at stake. To combat the im- 
 pression she had admitted in her own despite, 
 formed the great business of her life. But as 
 all feelings of high enthusiasm are strengthened 
 by opposition, whether from oneself or others, 
 she thus in endeavouring to stifle those sen- 
 sations, unconsciously preserved and nourished 
 them into a passion. But many auxiliary 
 feelings lent their aid to harass her too sen- 
 sitive mind. That arising from Glocester's 
 conduct may be well imagined. Those con- 
 nected with Giles Postel's wide-spread insinua- 
 tions concerning her mother were now the 
 uppermost of her anxieties. 
 
 Marguerite of Burgundy, Duchess Dowager 
 of Hainault and Holland, was one of those 
 second-rate characters of history and inferior 
 
 VOL. T. N
 
 266 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 beings in creation, which may be all described 
 by one sentence. Haughty, harsh, cruel ; 
 with little talent to redeem the want of virtue ; 
 upholding her child from pride rather than 
 affection ; and only sent down to posterity by 
 the fortuitous circumstance of her birth, and 
 her admitted confederacy in attempted crimes, 
 too common to the age in which she lived to 
 gain even the revolting tribute of our wonder. 
 Every rank of society was in those days im- 
 bued with an indifference to human life that 
 seems repugnant to man in a civilized state. 
 Reckless of their own, they lose much of their 
 claims to admiration for deeds of apparent 
 heroism. Unsparing of that of others, they 
 inspire disgust rather than horror — for murder 
 was a common-place, every-day occurrence. 
 Kings, princes and nobles walked abroad reek- 
 ing with their victims' blood, as butchers of 
 to-day parade their shambles. We loath their 
 deeds but scarcely shudder at them, as we do 
 in imagining the high-wrought atrocities that
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 267 
 
 leads to modern guilt. The frequent poisonings 
 and poniardings of the times we treat of id 
 the assassinations by pistol-shot for full two 
 centuries later, deprive those events of much 
 of the romance which attaches to daring- and 
 unusual deeds, particularly to deeds of blood. 
 There is really something more singular, and 
 therefore more striking, in the picture of an 
 individual shrinking from such acts, and in the 
 efforts of persuasion necessary to excite to their 
 commission. Such a scene we shall presently 
 have to describe. 
 
 It was now night. The external rejoicings 
 had ceased ; and the strong castle of Amers- 
 fort was undisturbed and silent. The house- 
 hold had all retired. Benina Beyling had left 
 Jacqueline's apartment. Her women were dis- 
 missed ; and no one remained with her but her 
 mother, the Countess Marguerite, who sat by 
 the side of the little platform on which stood 
 the copper brazier with burning charcoal, the 
 means then used to warm all rooms but dining 
 
 n 2
 
 268 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 halls ; and even in these the fire was generally 
 made against a reredosse, the " multitude of 
 chimneys," so marvelled at by a later English 
 chronicler, not having become common in Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 The conversation of the countess, prolonged 
 far beyond the usual hour of retiring, turned 
 upon the recent events. The dowager took the 
 lead in the discourse, asking many questions of 
 her daughter as to the progress of her arms, 
 the particulars of the battles, and the state of 
 matters with Glocester, to all which inquiries 
 Jacqueline gave respectful answers, but in some 
 instances with reserve, and in most with a 
 lassitude bordering on apathy. Her mother 
 went on nevertheless, and with an air almost 
 as absorbed as her own, but shewing a mixture 
 of restlessness with thought, as though some 
 unformed purpose struggled in her mind. She 
 ran on at times with a fluent string of questions, 
 without waiting for the answers to those first 
 put; and she sometimes started, muttered a
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 269 
 
 few imperfect words, or fixed her eyes and 
 compressed her lips, in a manner that seemed 
 to Jacqueline quite awful, when coupled with 
 the memory of Giles Postel's dark accusation. 
 She shuddered often as she caught the stern 
 expression of her mother's face, half in shade 
 and half lighted by the pale red blaze that 
 rose from the brazier and tinged its outlines. 
 Chime after chime had been told by the castle 
 clock since the attendants had retired, but 
 Countess Marguerite took no note of the in- 
 creasing hours, and Jacqueline, certain that 
 it was long past midnight, was yet unwilling 
 to urge her mother's departure ; for she herself 
 felt spell-bound, wishing, yet daring not, to 
 broach the subject she would have given worlds 
 to speak on. She hoped her mother would 
 give some opening which she might lead to it ; 
 and while anxiously watching for such, she 
 started with surprise, and a dread she was 
 quite unused to, as the old countess suddenly 
 exclaimed —
 
 270 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 " Van Vlyett did not then die for nought !" 
 
 " Oil, was he then indeed guilty ?" cried 
 Jacqueline involuntarily. 
 
 " Guilty !" repeated her mother. " Per- 
 haps he gave the draught, which was drugged 
 by another hand— perhaps thy perfidious un- 
 cle was sent prematurely to his doom — all that 
 may be; and by the law the agent of justice 
 is called guilty in such a case. So far poor 
 Van Vlyett paid the forfeit of this deed, which 
 restores thee to thy rights, my child ; and as 
 they now seem secured by these late victories, 
 I say he did not die for nought." 
 
 Jacqueline saw she had quite misunderstood 
 her mother's exclamation. She shuddered while 
 Van Vlyett's crime was thus almost admitted 
 and openly defended ; and the acknowledgment 
 that he had an accomplice terrified her quite. 
 But it will be believed it was not for the 
 reputation of Giles Postel she was alarmed. 
 She would have uttered that name at once and 
 have plainly mentioned the insinuations he
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 271 
 
 spread abroad, but she was restrained by dread 
 of a bold avowal on her mother's part. She 
 now scarcely doubted her guilt, and she dared 
 not risk destroying its only negative disproof, 
 by forcing a confession, perhaps a vaunt of 
 complicity. 
 
 " Good my mother," said she with averted 
 eyes, " let us not rake the ashes of the dead 
 — if Van Vlyett did the deed for which he 
 suffered, God assoil him, and grant that it 
 may not lead to war and mischief instead of 
 the good you see !" 
 
 " How now, Jacqueline ! desponding in the 
 very hour of triumph !" 
 
 " Not so, my mother — but still uncertain of 
 results, and doubtful if a cause resting upon 
 crime deserve success." 
 
 Jacqueline felt that she had said too much — 
 that she had almost upbraided her mother. She 
 would have qualified her words or claimed par- 
 don for them— but she felt as though that 
 would be adding; insult to accusation. The
 
 272 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 reply to her observations relieved her from that 
 anxiety only by entailing a greater. 
 
 " My daughter !" said Countess Marguerite, 
 " when wilt thou learn by experience strength 
 of mind, as thou hast by nature boldness of 
 heart ? How mayest thou contend with cares 
 of state and thy many foes, if thou canst not see 
 that expediency and justice mean the same? 
 Can villany be softened by fair words, or the 
 wolf subdued by the bleatings of the lamb? 
 Must not a trap be laid for the monsters of the 
 forest, and an ambush set for pitiless men ? Is 
 it crime to rid ourselves of tyranny ? Thy 
 cause is good, my child — Heaven prospers it ! 
 But not till usurping Burgundy and imbecile 
 Brabant lie as quiet in their tombs as does old 
 John of Liege, art thou indeed secure. Thou 
 must become a widow, Jacqueline. Death, who 
 has no rival for his sceptre, must sign thy di- 
 vorce, since they cavil at Pope Benedict. Then 
 Glocester shall have no impediment between 
 him and thy arms. And when my one weak
 
 JACQUELTNF. OF HOLLAND. 273 
 
 nephew sleeps the long sleep, who knows but 
 Philip, the strong one, the insatiate robber of 
 thy rights, may find his hour at hand, and 
 leave thee wholly free ! Heaven is good, my 
 daughter, to raise up instruments for the help- 
 less ; witness Van Vlyett, if he did the deed — 
 Glocester, whose bravery is thy right arm ! 
 And others may spring up in thy hour of need 
 — or act in thy behalf, my child, without ex- 
 posing themselves or thee to danger. So now 
 to bed, to bed, and dream of happy days ! 
 Think that thy mother watches and prays for 
 thee. — Hark ! Two o'clock .' How the hours 
 fly ! I am late — to-bed, my Jacqueline — rest 
 thee well !". 
 
 A kiss accompanied these words ; and though 
 her mother's lips had never pressed hers a 
 softly as she thought a mother's should, Jac- 
 queline fancied that they were never so harsh as 
 now. The kiss thrilled through her frame. 
 She could not return it ; and she made no at- 
 tempt to speak in reply to the final blessing, 
 
 n 3
 
 274 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 which was murmured over her. The dowager 
 took her ready-lighted lamp, and hastened from 
 the room, by a door opening into her daughter's 
 private closet, and thence communicating with 
 a passage joining her own, of which passage the 
 two countesses alone kept the keys. 
 
 Jacqueline gazed at her mother's figure as it 
 passed away, as lightly as though innocence and 
 youth impelled it. She would not trust herself 
 to follow up in thought the contrast which the 
 truth presented. She was thoroughly unhappy ; 
 and a sense of fear oppressed her, as though she 
 had been in contact with something unholy ; 
 for, added to the dread of her mother's compli- 
 city in the deed that was done, was the fear that 
 she contemplated others as atrocious. She en- 
 deavoured to sleep, but in vain — or if for a few 
 brief minutes she sunk in slumber, scenes that 
 would have taken hours in real action crowded 
 upon her in frightful succession. The black- 
 ened face and writhing form of her poisoned 
 uncle — Van Vlyett, on his gibbet — Giles Postel
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 275 
 
 mixing the fatal draught, or reeking with the 
 
 blood of the slaughtered prisoners, were the 
 
 principal objects ; and the figure of her mother 
 
 gliding through every scene added a tenfold 
 
 horror to each. She started at length from her 
 
 unquiet bed. Her lamp was expiring. She felt 
 
 as though she had been asleep for hours ; and 
 
 unable to support the torture of her doubts and 
 
 fears, she suddenly resolved to rise to seek her 
 
 mother, and at once put an end to her suspense, 
 
 let conviction bring what pain it might. She 
 
 wrapped her night-cloak round her, took from a 
 
 table the key of the private passage, and passed 
 
 into her closet without a moment's pause. She 
 
 applied her key to the lock with no hesitating 
 
 hand, for she rather wished to give notice of 
 
 her approach. She entered the passage, and as 
 
 she gained the opposite door that opened to her 
 
 mother's closet, she stopped an instant and 
 
 heard the clock strike three. She doubted for 
 
 a moment if she were not the sport of magic, — 
 
 again she thought that she still slept— for how
 
 2.7(J JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 could such an age of torture have been com- 
 pressed into one little hour ? Recovering this 
 check she pursued her way, unlocked the door, 
 entered the closet, and soon hurried through it 
 into the adjoining bed-room. The lamp which 
 the Countess Marguerite had carried away still 
 faintly glimmered on the table. Jacqueline ap- 
 proached the bed with a half desperate deter- 
 mination to waken the sleeper, and resolve the 
 question of her innocence or guilt. As she 
 raised the curtain, her hand trembled, her heart 
 sunk, and she again felt overpowered with the 
 dread of having her fears confirmed. But then 
 in a movement of convulsive haste she raised 
 the velvet drapery ; and to her mixed relief and 
 terror she saw that the bed was untenanted. 
 
 Starting back in alarm, a pang of personal 
 fear was her next sensation — whv or wherefore 
 she knew not. But might not her mother, in 
 her turn, have fallen a victim to the fate she so 
 remorselessly invoked for others? and might 
 not some treacherous hand be near to deal the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 277 
 
 blow to her ? As she stood transfixed with fear, 
 a murmuring sound broke on her ear, proceed- 
 ing from the little chapel, which was only sepa- 
 rated by a small ante-room from the bed-cham- 
 ber. It was her mother's voice ! It sounded 
 like accents from Heaven. 
 
 " Thank God, thank God !" cried Jacque- 
 line, dropping on her knees and clasping her 
 hands, " she is safe — she is at prayer ! while I 
 suspected, and was almost ready to accuse her 
 of crime !"
 
 27 {{ JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Springing on her feet again, she felt irre- 
 sistibly impelled to steal towards the chapel, to 
 witness and join in the orisons which affected 
 her so deeply. She moved quietly across the 
 floor and into the ante-room. The door com- 
 municating directly with the chapel was open ; 
 and this temple for private worship— or perhaps 
 for secret sin — was hung at each side with 
 tapestry, so placed as to admit of one person 
 gliding between it and the wall, without touch- 
 ing either. The deep and earnest tones of
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 270 
 
 Countess Marguerite's voice came from the 
 upper end, near the altar; and Jacqueline stole 
 along for some yards, to where she knew some 
 cunning oy let-holes were left in the broidered 
 web, to allow of an observer looking through 
 without much chance of detection. Anxious 
 not to disturb her mother's solemn devotions, 
 she scarcely ventured to breathe ; and placing 
 her eye to one of the interstices, she looked on 
 with pious anxiety. 
 
 She saw her mother indeed — but how accom- 
 panied ? She sat at a table close below the 
 altar-steps ; beside her were two men leaning 
 and listening to her hollow-sounding voice ; on 
 the table were two tall brass candlesticks, from 
 the tapers of which a lurid gleam fell down 
 upon the group, shewing several open rolls of 
 parchment, two daggers, and an iron collar, 
 an old instrument of torture ; while Jacqueline, 
 gasping from suppressed agitation, recognised 
 beyond doubt in one of the men, the odious 
 countenance of the murderer, Giles Postel. His
 
 280 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 look was as usual, dogged and determined. It 
 was impossible to read in it any reflection of 
 Countess Marguerite's discourse. Whatever 
 that might be, his mind seemed quite made up. 
 Not so with the other man. He was also young, 
 but his face gleamed with an expression of un- 
 certain fanaticism, as if his whole soul was in 
 the affair debated, but its purpose not decided 
 on. He leaned forward, holding the edge of 
 the table firmly with each hand, and staring 
 into the dowager's face as she lectured or read. 
 Her back was to Jaqueline, who only saw by 
 her gestures that she was in argument rather 
 than mere conversation, and with evident refe- 
 rence to the parchment before her, which she 
 held open with one hand, and occasionally 
 pointed to or struck with the other. Jacqueline 
 was for some minutes unable to comprehend 
 a word of what was uttered. Confused, shocked, 
 and alarmed, all buzzed in her ears. The 
 chambers of her brain seemed at once to echo the 
 sounds and render them indistinct. The first
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 281 
 
 words she understood were positively from scrip- 
 ture ! Was then her mother indeed at prayer ? 
 Was she reading from the sacred scroll passages 
 of comforting import to the ruffian who had 
 slandered her, and to his unknown but ingenu- 
 ous-looking companion ? The thought was one 
 of those meteor gleams which hope casts across a 
 generous mind, wishing to think well of another, 
 and striving to shut out the less dazzling light 
 of truth, when that other is a relative and ought 
 to be a friend. But in the present instance 
 reality soon dissipated the illusion. Taking 
 advantage of a moment's pause in the Countess 
 Marguerite's discourse, the stranger said, with 
 a constrained energy of manner — 
 
 " But even supposing, most gracious Ma- 
 dam, that I, a liege subject of our much- 
 honoured and greviouslv injured lady, Countess 
 Jacqueline, have a right to slay her oppressor — 
 and the weighty reasons you have adduced almost 
 convince me that I have — am I authorised as well 
 to slay this duke without hearing what he has to
 
 282 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 say in his own defence ? Let me be better assured 
 on that head, I pray you. I have considered and 
 studied it well — but St. Austin, in his Civitas 
 Dei, is strong on the point — ' Whoever slays 
 even a criminal,' says he, ' without lawful autho- 
 rity, shall be judged guilty of murder — velut 
 komicidia judicabitur !' — What says the plead- 
 ings on that head ?" 
 
 " Thy scruples, young man, do thee credit, 
 and thy learning proves thee studious as well as 
 virtuous. Great honour do I hold it to engage 
 such a youth in our holy cause. Hearken, then ! 
 Thus saith the pleadings — ' It is lawful for any 
 subject without any particular orders from any 
 one, but from divine, moral, and natural law, 
 to slay a tyrant ; as may be proved by twelve 
 reasons, in honour of the twelve apostles. The 
 first three reasons are drawn from the authorities 
 of three moral philosophers — three others from 
 St. Augustine's dogmas of sacred theology — 
 three from writers on the civil law — and three 
 from examples drawn from holy scripture."
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 283 
 
 " Read, read those high authorities," said 
 the young man, with strained looks. 
 
 " To cite the whole pleading at length, my 
 young friend, would consume the night, but 
 hear the names — St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Peter, 
 Sabelliars, Aristotle, Cicero, Boccacio — and 
 hearken to the summing up — ' A subject who 
 puts a tyrant to death does a work deserving 
 praise; being lawful to put him to death, it is 
 allowable to cheat him by flattering speeches ; 
 it is fair and just to cut him off suddenly by 
 ambush, when it is to save the life and property 
 of one's sovereign from the spoiler,' — and is 
 not Philip a spoiler ? — Is not John a tyrant ?" 
 
 " That, noble dame, I not only admit, but 
 will die for — the authorities are good, but St. 
 Austin's words are as strong — therefore — " 
 
 " And what says St. Paul, good youth ? ' To 
 follow the literal sense of the scriptures even, is 
 death to the soul !' And what rule of law or 
 morals has not its exception?" 
 
 " I begin to see the light of these reasonings,
 
 284 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 my honoured Madam. Pardon me if I seem 
 bold in pressing the argument — but the cases 
 from scripture? — are they noted in the scroll ?" 
 
 " They are, and argued on at length. The 
 first is that of Moses, who, without any autho- 
 rity, slew the Egyptian that tyrannised over the 
 Israelites. The second is that of the high 
 priest, who had the wicked Athalia waylaid 
 and murdered. The third, that of St. Michael, 
 the arch -angel, who, without any orders from 
 God, killed Lucifer, the most perfect creation 
 that God had ever made. And did not Joab 
 slay Absalom the conspirator, even contrary to 
 the commands of David, his father and king ? — 
 but who afterwards thanked Joab, as a good 
 and loyal knight, as God rewarded St. Michael 
 with riches and power, and as thou shalt be 
 thanked and rewarded and honoured, my good 
 youth, when thou hast released thy lawful 
 Sovereign, Countess Jacqueline, from one or 
 other of those cruel tyrants who oppress us all." 
 
 " The reasoning is unanswerable !" said the
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 285 
 
 young man, with a firmer expression of counte- 
 nance, as if he were by degrees convinced. 
 
 " And what," continued the dowager, " is 
 the conclusion, drawn from all those inspired 
 arguments of this great doctor of theology, this 
 learned expounder of law, this eloquent advocate 
 of right ? Why this — list to his words — ' Such 
 is the proper death for tyrants. They should 
 be slain by ambush and way-laying, or other 
 the readiest means, improper to be used towards 
 good men.' And for this reason, we are bound 
 to preserve our faith even to our own deadliest 
 enemy, but never to a tyrant !" 
 
 " And what faith do we owe to Duke Philip 
 or Duke John ? Are they our masters ?" said 
 Giles Postel, turning his leaden look on the 
 Neophyte ; " is there a clerk in your college, 
 John Chevalier, who can prove that ?" 
 
 " And think awhile of her who is your law- 
 ful mistress," resumed the old Countess. " Let 
 your thoughts turn to her and her sufferings, 
 from these her odious relations, my own ne-
 
 28G JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 phews, whom I cast off and doom to their well- 
 merited fate. For as sure as we see the flame 
 of these consecrated tapers, which I took from 
 yon altar to light our conference, so sure shall 
 Philip of Burgundy and John of Brabant die 
 the death of tyrants ere a week be passed, and 
 then burn for ever in — " 
 
 A thrill of horror ran through Jacqueline. 
 She leaned back against the wall, and did not 
 hear the remainder of the impious sentence. 
 But her feelings were too much wound up, and 
 her curiosity too intense to allow of more than 
 a moment's interruption. She resumed her 
 station close to the tapestry, and looked through 
 the narrow opening. She saw the young stu- 
 dent, for such his dress, now plainly seen, 
 proclaimed him to be, standing up, one of the 
 daggers in his hand, and his countenance lighted 
 to actual fury, as he exclaimed — 
 
 " Yes, I swear it again and again, one of 
 them shall die by this hand, immolated at the 
 shrine of vengeance, in honour of thy beautiful
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 287 
 
 daughter, the Countess Jacqueline, to whose 
 cause I devote myself body and soul !" and 
 with these words he kissed the dagger's hilt. 
 
 "Noble youth!" said the dowager, "thus 
 wilt thou gain great glory here, and eternal joy 
 hereafter. But calm thy transport. The holy 
 vow taken, we must now regulate the means 
 and method of the deeds to be done. How, my 
 brave friends, will ye decide on your separate 
 victims ?" 
 
 " It is to me indifferent ;" said Postel, "but 
 I think I had better take Philip in my care. 
 I know the ways of his people better than my 
 young friend, John Chevalier. I hand over to 
 him his namesake, the mock husband of her 
 who so inflames his idolatry. And sooth to 
 say, I am not such an enthusiast for her sake. 
 I will kill Duke Philip for you, my honoured 
 lady, for the goodly sum in golden crowns 
 which fills this purse, and the honourable place 
 that is to be the meed of success. The elo- 
 quence of Doctor John Petit and his long
 
 288 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 pleading was not wanting to convince me of the 
 justice of whatever I am well paid for." 
 
 A half chuckle accompanied this speech, as 
 Postel chinked a leathern bag in his hand, and 
 then secured it in the girdle of his doublet. 
 
 " Take then this dagger!" said the dowager; 
 " it is of Milan steel, three sided, and its point 
 should be kept from moisture, mind thee ; let it 
 not quit the sheath — " 
 
 " Until it finds a fleshy one in Duke Philip's 
 body. I understand you, Countess, and shall 
 not wipe off the anointment, trust me !" 
 
 During this diabolical arrangement, the 
 young student, just initiated into the scheme 
 of death, had seized with avidity the scroll 
 from which Countess Marguerite had drawn 
 her arguments, and he pored over its contents 
 as if they were the very manna of righteous- 
 ness, instead of the essence of sophistry, iniquity, 
 and nonsense.* 
 
 * This pleading of Master Jean Petit in defence of the 
 Duke of Burgundy's having obtained the murder of his
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 289 
 
 " Take it with you, noble youth," said the 
 dowager ; and the young man immediately 
 folded it up and put it under his cloak, while 
 she proceeded — " Take it with you, read it 
 word by word, imbibe the inspiration that dic- 
 tated it. And can Philip, my ingrate nephew, 
 dare to throw a doubt, even when the dagger is 
 against his breast, on the high authorities which 
 justified his own father, my beloved brother, 
 whom God pardon, for ridding the world of a 
 tyrant, not half so pernicious as he is himself? 
 
 cousin-german, the Duke of Orleans, is given at full length 
 by Monstrelet : it consists of about eighty octavo pages, 
 and is one of the most curious documents of the times. 
 The confusion of argument and authorities is quite 
 preposterous. The Psalmist and the Prophet' — David 
 and Daniel — the Saints and the Apostles — authors, 
 sacred and profane, are mixed up together with a perver- 
 sion of sense, truth, and justice, in the most monstrous 
 manner. It was recited before the Dauphin, afterwards 
 Charles VII., King of Sicily, and a crowd of cardinals, 
 princes, and other nobles. The orator recommending him- 
 self and his cause to the protection and support of "God 
 his Creator and Redeemer, his glorious Mother, and m v 
 Lord St. John the Evangelist, the Prince of Theologians." 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 -90 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 No, lie, nor his poor minion, John of Brabant, 
 nor their creatures and tools, may controvert one 
 argument, much less avert the blows that are 
 about to be dealt them. Will you then, John 
 Chevalier, since you are so called — Chevalier 
 that will be ere long, by title as well as by 
 name — " 
 
 "And chamberlain to the beauteous Countess 
 Jacqueline ! Such is your sacred promise, Ma- 
 dam ; repeat it, that I may be assured of the 
 only reward I seek, the felicity of daily behold- 
 ing the most lovely being that ever wore human 
 form !" 
 
 " Such is my positive pledge to thee, on the 
 honour of my ncble race !" said the dowager, 
 while the trembling Jacqueline grew cold and 
 pale, at finding her fatal beauty the inspiration 
 of this young fanatic. 
 
 " I am now then ready for your bidding," 
 said John Chevalier, with a solemn tone. 
 
 " Lay down the dagger, then," replied the 
 dowager. " Thou sbalt do a deed of safe and
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 291 
 
 lawful death — but I leave to this gallant squire 
 the task of a bloody sacrifice and a desperate risk. 
 Look at this collar ! " and with the words she 
 took up the rusted engine of suffering which 
 lay on the table. " This instrument is made to 
 fit all necks — a clasp more or less straitens or 
 sets it loose — the throat it circles, in the grasp 
 of a bold hand, may be made soon to rattle in 
 death, or if the culprit merit delay he can be 
 left to linger as long as justice deems his meed. 
 Methinks, good champion of a righteous cause, 
 the narrowest span will best suit Duke John of 
 Brabant ! so take it with thee ; seek his privacy 
 on some forged commission. Even if detected, 
 and this trinket found upon thee, what does it 
 prove ? ? Tis out of use, and none may suspect 
 it for its purpose — it is a good dissembler, and 
 may teach thee a lesson. It was picked up by 
 chance — a curious relic, bought for a trifle, dig- 
 ged from a ruin, or what not ? A scholar as thou 
 art, bold Chevalier, needs not the hints of a sim- 
 ple matron such as me. But read the precepts
 
 292 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 and reasonings of the divine doctor whose noble 
 writings are in thy bosom ; do as I have done, 
 and learn the whole by heart — to thee, learned 
 youth, an easy task — to me a work of labour and 
 hard study. But thirst for knowledge can be 
 only quenched at the deep fount of truth — and 
 there I have found it." 
 
 " I take this collar and this sacred scroll, as 
 the symbols of truth and justice, on the mission 
 of which I now enter," exclaimed Chevalier, 
 enveloping both objects in his cloak. " No 
 danger shall hold me back, no torture terrify 
 me, no power absolve me from my vow. What 
 is once consecrated can never be desecrated — 
 such is one mighty precept of theology — and I 
 stand here its living type !" 
 
 " And what wilt thou do, in this good cause ?" 
 said the dowager, turning to Giles Postel. 
 
 " Plunge this blade into Philip's heart !" was 
 the brief and calmly-uttered reply. 
 
 " Enough — enough!" exclaimed the presid- 
 ing priestess of these diabolical orgies. ki Now
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 293 
 
 Jet us all break up ; and with the dawn be ye 
 both on your several routes. Replace these holy 
 candlesticks on the altar — recommend your- 
 selves to your saints, and speed you on your 
 work ! Good night, brave friends, I thank you 
 for my daughter as for myself." 
 
 " I need not her thanks," muttered Postel. 
 " I will work out my claim to call myself her 
 devoted servitor!" said Chevalier aloud. Jac- 
 queline shrunk back, half imagining that the 
 glance of his protruding eyes was fixed on 
 hers. 
 
 In a minute or two after the dowager had retired, 
 Giles Postel took up the candlesticks, and with 
 irreverent carelessness scrambled upon the altar 
 and placed them in their wonted stations. While 
 this went on, Jacqueline, bent on one purpose, let 
 the cost be what it might, slipped quietly round 
 behind the altar, and gaining the opposite side 
 of the chapel, stationed herself close to the door 
 of entrance from the great corridor, still screen- 
 ed behind the tapestry. When Postel had 
 
 o 2
 
 294 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 finished his task, she heard him say to his 
 companion, 
 
 " Well then, wait here awhile — I will de- 
 scend and see that all is safe below, and quickly 
 return to conduct thee through the private 
 passage. Meanwhile thou canst say a few 
 paters and aves, or a short prayer for the souls 
 we shall soon send to purgatory." 
 
 As the wretch passed by Jacqueline's station 
 he moved the tapestry with his shoulder, which 
 shook, while he laughed at his own impiety. She 
 shrunk back, as though the very canvas had 
 been a conductor of contamination, and look- 
 ing towards the dimly-lighted altar, she saw 
 Chevalier standing still before it. A new 
 notion immediately flashed across her. She 
 threw off her cloak where she stood, and jjli- 
 ding back, she soon gained the rear of the 
 altar. Convinced that religious feeling worked 
 deep in such a mind as Chevalier's, and know- 
 ing that one mysterious sentence had more 
 power on such a mind than volumes of evidence,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 295 
 
 she resolved in the impulse of the moment to 
 address some warning to him, to which the 
 state of his feelings, and the scene around him 
 might give a solemnity she could not hope to 
 belong to her. But her own frame of mind at 
 that instant was as near to inspiration as mortal 
 feeling may be ; and there are few men even in 
 a less superstitious age who might not have been 
 profoundly struck by what followed. Raising 
 her arm, with no premeditated movement, but 
 thus giving to her figure an air such as we 
 attribute to supernatural visitants, her night- 
 robes of pure white hanging in loose drapery, 
 and her features concealed by the altar's shade, 
 Jacqueline glided out, and exclaimed, in a voice 
 that trembled as though it came from the recess 
 of the sacred tabernacle, 
 
 " It is written—' Thou shalt do no murder !'" 
 
 Terrified, as well at the sound of her own 
 
 voice in such a situation, as by the almost phren- 
 
 zied start of the young man and his instant 
 
 falling on his face on the altar-steps, as though
 
 296 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 her words had violated the divine precept they 
 uttered, Jacqueline felt for a moment ar if sus- 
 pended between life and death. But the youth 
 as quickly raised himself on his knees, and with 
 uplifted hands burst into an exclamation of 
 prayer. Seeing this she instantly disappeared 
 behind the canvas, regained her former position 
 near the door, gathered up her cloak and wrap- 
 ped it round her ; and then hearing the stealthy 
 foot of Giles Postel returning up the stairs, 
 she hurried into the corridor, resolved to put 
 her first design into immediate execution. Jac- 
 queline had no personal fears in confronting 
 this man ; yet she shuddered as she saw his 
 figure ascending the stair, in the rays of the 
 lamp that burned all night in the corridor. She 
 stood on the upper step ; and as he placed his 
 foot on it he threw up his eyes and recognised 
 her. He started back, and gazed at her with- 
 out uttering a word. 
 
 " Follow me !" said Jacqueline, pointing to 
 a door on the opposite side of the corridor
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 297 
 
 towards which she moved. Postel involuntarily 
 obeyed her, for he was as much affected by her 
 sudden appearance and manner as was possible 
 to a being so little susceptible of abrupt sen- 
 sations. She entered the room, taking the lamp 
 from its marble pedestal on the corridor and 
 placing it on a table. She then shut the door. 
 As she did so, the ruffian placed his hand on 
 his dagger, in actual fear of a defenceless and 
 innocent woman. 
 
 " Attempt not to menace me," said Jacque- 
 line, observing and mistaking the action. 
 
 " I do not menace you, Countess," said he ; 
 « but " 
 
 *' But what, then? — Why that hand on your 
 poniard's hilt ?" 
 
 " Why do you close the door ? This looks 
 like treachery — even, Madam, when I am about 
 to do you important service," and he looked 
 searchingly round the chamber. 
 
 " That the treacherous fear even their own 
 weapons, is an old saying," exclaimed Jacque-
 
 298 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 line ; " you may well doubt yours, Giles Postel, 
 for it is vowed to a bad cause." 
 
 " 'Tis to yours." 
 
 " No, I disown, I scorn the service of assas- 
 sins. I trust my cause to Heaven, and will 
 have no other ally. Give me up that infernal 
 weapon — I command you, on your allegiance — 
 and instantly abandon your base design against 
 Duke Philip." 
 
 " Countess Jacqueline," said the ruffian, re- 
 covering his self-possession on seeing our he- 
 roine's agitation and his own security, — " Coun- 
 tess, you have taken Giles Postel for the first 
 time in his life at fault — and that is another 
 score in the debt I owe you. It was you then 
 that moved the tapestry, ere while, which I 
 thought the wind, and which my companions 
 did not mark ?" 
 
 " Your companions, fellow ?"" 
 
 " Come, countess, no insult now ! you have 
 not your English braggarts at your back ; and 
 by Heavens this poniard would as soon find a
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 299 
 
 sheath in yours as in Duke Philip's breast ! 
 Sooner, mayhap, for you have dishonoured me 
 — think you I forget the field of Haerlem ? 
 Beware then, and let me name your mother as 
 I list — is she not my companion in this venture ? 
 I know you overheard us just now, and can 
 judge of my former hints concerning her." 
 
 Jacqueline was overwhelmed with terror at 
 his words, and the look which accompanied his 
 deliberate tone. His eyes seemed thirsting for 
 her blood. She turned towards the door, in- 
 tending to fly to the protection of the young 
 enthusiast in the chapel ; but Postel stepped 
 between her and it, and said — 
 
 " No, no ! — you shall not escape, to rouse 
 the household and betray your best friends — 
 perhaps to retrace your steps to the protection 
 of the English lord." 
 
 " Wretch !" exclaimed Jacqueline, indigna- 
 tion rising above her fears. 
 
 " One more abusive word, and the dagger is 
 in your heart !" calmly cried Postel, seizing
 
 300 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 her by the arm and laying his hand on the 
 weapon's hilt. "You have put yourself in my 
 power," continued he, '* and you must take the 
 consequences. What a fool you supposed me, 
 and have proved yourself to be ! Did you then 
 think to bully Giles Postel by big words and 
 looks ? Your mother knows me better, and you 
 shall know me too. What brought you here? Why 
 did you beckon me in? What would you with 
 me ? Have you turned fickle to Fitz-walter for 
 my sake, as you did to Glocester for his, and 
 to Duke John for Glocester's ? Would you — " 
 
 " Audacious villain !" cried Jacqueline, 
 shaking off the ruffian's hold, with a tone and 
 look of impassioned dignity, which for a mo- 
 ment paralysed his ferocity. " I see that I am 
 indeed in your power— that I have madly be- 
 lieved myself strong in my hour of utmost 
 weakness, — but still I defy as sternly as I des- 
 pise you. I scorn your threats, and disown your 
 service. Take my life, if you will — but if 
 you have one spark of manly feeling, do not
 
 JACdUELIXE OF HOLLAND. 301 
 
 outrage my honour and my innocence, by such 
 atrocious words as these !" 
 
 u Why did you outrage my honour, and turn 
 me over to all the infamy your authority could 
 command ? Do you repent the injury you did 
 me ? Will you repay it — largely ?" 
 
 " I will make no terms with you," replied 
 Jacqueline proudly ; " release me now and I 
 promise to pardon you and keep silent on this 
 outrage, which I have perhaps rashly provoked, 
 on condition that you attempt not Duke Philip's 
 life." 
 
 " Conditions ! you are truly in good trim to 
 make them, Countess, are you not?" said the 
 fellow, his natural brutality struggling through 
 the awe inspired by Jacqueline's bearing, and 
 the irresolution caused by his conviction, that he 
 had suffered that brutality to carry him too far. 
 
 " What would you of me ?" asked the princess. 
 
 " That on the very first occasion you dub 
 me knight with your own hand, as you did at 
 Haerlem to others less meriting knighthood 
 
 VOL. I. P
 
 302 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 than I do. Thus you will wipe out the stain 
 you so cruelly threw on my honour. Next that 
 you pledge yourself to give me ample sums 
 of gold, to equip me as a champion of your 
 chivalry should be equipped. This solemnly 
 sworn to, you may retire, and learn not to 
 meddle with men like me, nor mar the projects 
 intended to aid your cause. Refuse these 
 terms, and by this hand I swear the door shall 
 open instantly, and a witness from the chapel 
 — you have seen or heard him — shall enter and 
 find you clasped in my arms !" 
 
 " I promise it all !" cried Jacqueline, shud- 
 dering with disgust and dread, uncertain if the 
 dogged villain might not act up to his threat, 
 and only thinking of escape without weigh- 
 ing the doctrine of moral obligation. " Stand 
 by and let me pass, I will do all you require." 
 
 " Softly, softly Countess — there are two 
 points to be considered first ; and you will see 
 I hold your reputation dearer than yourself. 
 Were you to go out in this dishevelled dress,
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 303 
 
 and meet on the corridor or stair your other 
 champion, or some straggling domestic, what 
 might slander say ? I will first retire with my 
 friend, young Chevalier, and leave you a clear 
 passage. The next security for your honour 
 in another view is this, that you give me some 
 token in pledge of your promise; you might 
 else forget it — for princes have short memories, 
 you know !" 
 
 " Y~ou cannot doubt my word. Did one of 
 my race ever break faith ?" 
 
 M Good, Countess, I have no learning, and am 
 bad at logic. Give me, therefore, at once that 
 ruby ring from your finger, or the door flies 
 open, and who lists may enter it.*" 
 
 With these words he made a gesture as if to 
 clasp Jacqueline's waist, and laid one hand upon 
 the bolt. 
 
 " Ask not this ring — it was my fathers gift 
 — the only relic left me of his love." 
 
 " What else have you to give ? 1 see no- 
 thing but those tresses that may be recognised
 
 304 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 as truly your's. Shall I cut one off with my 
 dagger, and wear it like a favour in my cap P" 
 
 " Here, take the ring — profane not my per- 
 son by touching even one curl of hair. Take 
 the ring, and Heaven absolve me if it is crime 
 to part with it !" 
 
 She took the gem from her finger and handed 
 it to him. " Lie there, a credible witness of 
 our compact !" muttered he, placing it within 
 his doublet. 
 
 " Now set me free !" said Jacqueline. 
 " Away from my presence, and God turn thy 
 hardened heart from its terrible intent!" 
 
 "Farewell, Countess!" said Giles Postel, with 
 a triumphant and insolent smile. " Farewell, 
 and remember this lesson — be discreet and si- 
 lent. Recollect you have not only my character 
 in your keeping, but that your mother's and 
 your own are at stake. Let your conscience be 
 satisfied — you have acted your part well. Leave 
 the good duke and your honoured husband to 
 the care of Heaven — and of us. And let me
 
 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 305 
 
 warn you once for all — beware of uttering a 
 hint, or breathing a thought of this !" 
 
 He clapped his hand on his dagger with these 
 concluding words, gently opened the door, and 
 left the room. Jacqueline sunk on a seat, and 
 almost fainted from the revolution of her high- 
 wrought feelings. She was roused to sensation 
 by hearing the steps of the conspirators as they 
 descended the marble stair, and the distant closing 
 of a door told her they were beyond the castle 
 walls. She then sought her mother's room, 
 determined to reveal every word that had just 
 passed ; and by an appeal to every feeling of 
 maternal love, womanly softness, or Christian 
 charity, to avert the dreadful deeds, towards 
 the execution of which the associates were even 
 then on their way. She soon passed the chapel 
 and the ante-room, and reached her mother's 
 chamber. The loud breathing from the bed 
 told her she already slept ; more shocked by 
 this proof of remorseless cruelty than if she had 
 seen her mother in agonies of repentant suffer-
 
 306 JACQUELINE OF HOLLAND. 
 
 ing, she could not brave the risk of rousing 
 her, and incurring a scene of probable reproach 
 and outrage. She passed through the room 
 and the adjoining closet, fastened the door 
 carefully, gained her own chamber, dressed 
 hastily, awoke a faithful attendant, and before 
 the dawn had fullv broken, she summoned 
 Ludwick Van Monfoort to a secret interview in 
 her private cabinet. 
 
 END of VOL. I. 
 
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