^ 
 

 
 ^ I E> RAR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 U N IVLRSITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 AnSSf 
 
 v.l
 
 REGINALD TREVOR.
 
 J. Darling, Printer, Leadenhall-Street, London.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 WELSH LOYALISTS. 
 
 A TALE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWARD TREVOR ANWYL. 
 
 Those were troublous times. The Antiquary. 
 
 Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst ye, as suits with 
 gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. I beseech ye all, be 
 better known to this gentleman, whom I commend to you as a noble friend of 
 mine. How worthy he is, I will leave to appear hereafter. 
 
 Cymbeline, Act I. Scene 5. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR A. K. NEWMAN AND QO. 
 
 1829.
 
 
 TO 
 
 SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN, 
 
 (of WYNNSTAY, in the county of DENBIGH), 
 
 BART. M.P. 
 
 LORD LIEUTENANT OF THE COUNTIES OF DENBIGH 
 AND MERIONETH, 
 
 IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 
 
 BY HIS OBEDIENT SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 TO 
 
 PHILIP SYDNEY ARUNDEL, Esq. 
 
 OF gray's inn, LONDON. 
 
 MY DEAR ARUNDEL, 
 
 Contrary to your friendly 
 adv^ice, and in direct opposition to your 
 excellent admonitions, I have dared to 
 publish the work to which this letter is 
 prefixed ; and I feel that I am bound to 
 give you some good and efficient rea- 
 son for departing from the usual tenor 
 of my way, you being perfectly aware, 
 that in all important matters hitherto, I 
 have been most willingly influenced, 
 by your taste, judgment, and experi- 
 ence. I may, perchance, also, enact 
 mine own fadladeen ; in which case, if 
 my candour will not extenuate my dis- 
 obedience, truly I cannot help it. 
 B 2
 
 IV 
 
 You know, that one of my reasons for 
 publishing this work, is a desire — and 
 why should I conceal it ? — of becoming 
 an author ; but the principal is, as you 
 well know, an eager wish to rescue from 
 oblivion the manners and traditions of 
 my native land, a portion of the king- 
 dom most assuredly not a little fertile in 
 interesting occurrences, as connected 
 with bygone times; and affording, as 
 I have elsewhere observed, no scanty 
 stock of materials for the foundation of 
 fictitious narrative. That this purpose 
 is a laudable one, nobody can dispute ; 
 but that its execution, in the present in- 
 stance, is commensurate, either with its 
 worthiness or capability, I am among 
 the first to deny. I feel that I have 
 not done justice to my subject; but I 
 feel also, that there is no one at present 
 among the few of my countrymen, who 
 put forth any pretensions to literature, 
 that could do justice to a theme so 
 boundless and so difficult, as the delinea- 
 tion
 
 tion of our national character and man- 
 ners. 
 
 I anticipate your remark — " Then 
 why," you will say, " does a quiet- 
 minded, bashful man, like you, attempt 
 a task so arduous ?" — " Because," I will 
 answer, " I feel quite convinced, that 
 even the attempt is meritorious; and 
 because (and why should I make any 
 mystery of the matter with you f) I do 
 think that my own advantages are such 
 as to render me capable of effecting, at 
 all events, a portion of my patriotic de- 
 sign." You know, my dear friend, that 
 I have spent the springtide of my life 
 among those green hills and smiling 
 vallies, where the scenes of the follow- 
 ing tales are laid. You know, more- 
 over, that I have mingled freely and 
 unreservedly with all classes of my coun- 
 try men — from old Owen Reece, my 
 good uncle's shepherd, to the noble oc- 
 cupant of the neighbouring great 
 house ; that I have lived, as it were, 
 B 3 among
 
 VI 
 
 among the mountains — partaken of the 
 boisterous and warm-hearted hospitality 
 of the Welsh " laird" — danced, sang, 
 laughed, flirted (no, I have not " bund- 
 led") with the lasses — and drank ale, 
 kicked football, wrestled, and rioted 
 with the lads. I have been indeed a 
 willing participator in all the various 
 pastimes and customs of the hill-side, 
 from the festive revelry of the peasants' 
 wedding, to the solemn simplicity of 
 his affecting funeral. In addition to 
 this, my mind, even at an early age, was 
 duly imbued with a full perception and 
 admiration of the wild and poetical su- 
 perstitions of the country. 
 
 " To me, a mountain youth, was known 
 
 The wailing tempest's dreariest tone ; 
 
 I knew the shriek of wizard caves, 
 
 And the trampling fierce of howling waves; 
 
 The mystic voice of the lonely night 
 
 I had often drunk with a strange delight. 
 
 And look'd on the clouds as they roll'd on high, 
 
 Till with them I sail'd on the sailing sky." 
 
 My
 
 Vll 
 
 My good old nurse, or rather foster- 
 mother, Lowry Williams — peace be with 
 her ! — left no means untried to cram my 
 imagination to the brim, with incredible 
 traditions, marvellous supernatural feats, 
 and all kinds of " chimeras dire." Nor 
 did she labour in vain in her darling 
 vocation; for I loved to listen to her 
 wild and wonderful narratives, as she 
 sat with me on her knee of a winter's 
 evening, before the blazing wood-fire in 
 
 the hall, at G . In short, I may 
 
 say, in the words of the French vision- 
 ary, somewhat altered to suit my pre- 
 sent purpose — " Je connois les mceurs de 
 ma patrie, et j'ai public cette livre ;" and 
 as I sin with my eyes open, on me, and 
 on me alone, must rcst the responsibility 
 of the adventure. So much for my de- 
 sign. Now then, a few words as to its 
 execution. 
 
 In the first place, I shall be censured 
 
 for an evident imitation of the author 
 
 of the Scotch novels, a practice into 
 
 B 4 which
 
 Vlll 
 
 which many have fallen, but in which 
 no one has hitherto succeeded. To this 
 accusation I will plead guilty — to a cer- 
 tain extent, but no further ; and this is 
 my defence. When I first entertained 
 the idea of writing these tales, I was 
 well convinced that the best possible 
 model was that of the Waverley novels, 
 and I determined to adopt it. Had I 
 confined myself to this particular, all 
 would be well ; but you tell me, that I 
 have sedulously followed up the imita- 
 tion, by a close adherence, not merely 
 to character, but to incident, situation, 
 and language — in fine, to every thing. 
 
 This I cannot acknowledge ; nor can 
 I perceive that tlie two most striking 
 personages in the tale bear any resem- 
 blance to the masterly and unrivalled 
 creations of the " Great Unknown." 
 Einion Edwards cannot, I think, claim 
 fellowship, much less identity, with any 
 of that author's personages ; and Caddy 
 of Cae Glas, of a surety, has no proto- 
 type
 
 type in the whole series of his works. 
 As to situations and incidents, there 
 may indeed be some which will not 
 bear rigid examination ; but you know 
 very well, Philip, bach, that such a re- 
 semblance is absolutely unavoidable, in 
 this class of fictitious narrative; yet the 
 " public in general" will not, 1 am well 
 aware, make any allowance for the 
 author's crippled range, but impute the 
 whole to negligence or design. 
 
 But, after all, my opinion with re- 
 gard to this species of writing, is just 
 this — the object being the delineation 
 of national manners and national charac- 
 ter, the quality of the canvas upon which 
 such delineations are depicted, is a mat- 
 ter of minor importance. Thus, we 
 ought not to require a well-sustained 
 narrative, an exquisitely wrought plot, 
 or a strict adherence to historical accu- 
 racy ; and, if provided the interest be 
 tolerably sustained, all flagrant errors 
 sedulously avoided, the " keeping" cor- 
 B 5 rect.
 
 rect, and the incidents abundant, why, 
 an amusing and, perhaps, an instructive 
 narrative may be produced ; and the 
 author's purpose, as well as that of his 
 readers, sufficiently fulfilled. 
 
 But I must not now enter into any 
 lengthened discussion on this subject : I 
 have already said enough to account for 
 my obstinacy in rejecting the friendly ad- 
 vice which you offered ; and although I 
 may seem to entertain very careless no- 
 tions as to the reception of this, my first- 
 born bantling, yet, entre nous, I do feel 
 certain nervous twinges, when I reflect 
 upon the formidable ordeal through 
 which it is destined to pass. It is now, 
 however, too late to retract ; I have en- 
 tered my horse for the goal ; and if I do 
 not come in the principal winner, I may 
 not be distanced by all my competi- 
 tors. 
 
 We have often read Chaucer toge- 
 ther. Do you remember the following 
 passage ?— 
 
 "Go,
 
 XI 
 
 " Go, little book, God send thee good passage, 
 And specially let this be thy prayer. 
 Unto thera all that thee will read or hear. 
 Where thou art wrong, after their help to call, 
 Thee to correct, in any part, or all." 
 
 I throw this in as " a sop to Cerberus ;" 
 so the critics will please to receive it in 
 good part : it will serve also as a me- 
 mento of old times, when Philip Sidney 
 Arundel idled away so much of his time 
 with his 
 
 Very faithful friend, 
 
 * * * 
 
 -, near Dolgelley, N. W. 
 December 1828. 
 
 b6
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 On his stern brow was fix'd the gloom of care. 
 And valiant resolution, pictured there, 
 Betoken'd well the firmness of his mind, 
 And shew'd to some a spirit, cold — unkind. 
 
 The Republican, a Foem. 
 
 During the clvil wars of the com- 
 monwealth, North Wales, and more es- 
 pecially the retired districts of Caernar- 
 von and Merioneth, were the scene of 
 much direful contention. After hav- 
 ing ravaged the adjacent parts of 
 England, general JVIytton crossed the 
 Welsh border, and soon succeeded in 
 
 gaining
 
 14 REGINALD TEEVOR. 
 
 gaining possession of the old and mas- 
 sive fortresses of the principality. These 
 he stoutly garrisoned with parliamen- 
 tary soldiers; and having thus success- 
 fully accomplished the task which had 
 been assigned to him, he retired to 
 Shrewsbury Castle, of which he had 
 been appointed governor, and there es- 
 tablished his head-quarters, with a strong 
 and well-selected garrison. 
 
 Of all the men who were mixed up in the 
 tempestuous transactions of those bust- 
 ling times, Mytton perhaps was the least 
 imbued with that cold ferocity which, 
 under the mask of puritanism, caused 
 so much cruelty at the hands of the par- 
 liamentary leaders. He had espoused the 
 cause of the commonwealth, entirely and 
 purely upon principle. With respect to 
 Charles, he hated the monarch, not the 
 man ; and when he joined the army of 
 the parliament, he did so without any 
 hope of particular aggrandizement, and 
 without any expectation of rising to great 
 
 eminence
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 15 
 
 eminence in the newly-constituted state. 
 His principles and his sentiments were 
 strictly republican; and he engaged 
 heart and hand in Cromwell's service, 
 because he hoped it was for the general 
 good, and for the public welfare. Every 
 action of his public life was in perfect 
 accordance with this determination : his 
 own views and feelings were cast aside, 
 and he acted entirely according to that 
 principle which was the polar star of his 
 destiny. 
 
 At the first breaking out of the war, 
 great interest was used by some influ- 
 ential members of his family to retain 
 him in the service of the loyalists ; but 
 in vain — he left his wife, his family, and 
 his kindred, and became the strenuous 
 supporter of the cause of Cromwell. 
 
 Although there was but little ferocity 
 in Mytton's disposition, there was ah 
 immoveable sternness, which, in some 
 instances, answered the same purpose. 
 If he made a determination, nothing 
 
 could
 
 16 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 could shake it — nothing could induce 
 him to alter it, although his dearest and 
 most acute feelings were involved in the 
 decision. He seemed to have prescribed 
 to himself a certain austere line of duty, 
 which he steadily, invariably, and un- 
 shrinkingly pursued. He was a strict 
 disciplinarian too, and extended his seve- 
 rity in this respect as sharply to his own 
 particular friends and favourites, as he 
 did to the meanest soldier in his ranks. 
 
 More than one circumstance had con- 
 tributed to imbue Mytton's character 
 with so much imperturbable sternness. 
 When a young man, he was remarkable 
 for the buoyancy of his spirit, and for 
 the depth and quickness of his feelings. 
 As he matured into middle age, these 
 qualities gave place to a grave and re- 
 flective disposition, originally caused by 
 the commotions with which the state 
 was agitated, and gradually gaining 
 strength as the political horizon of Eng- 
 land became more darkly clouded. He 
 
 had
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 17 
 
 had his domestic misfortunes to contend 
 with also : his wife, a woman of high 
 spirit and lofty feelings, but of a sickly 
 and delicate constitution, died, after a 
 short illness, leaving him to mourn her 
 loss, and to sooth the sorrows of five 
 young children. Mytton loved his 
 high-souled dame, with all the intense 
 affection of which his own lofty spirit 
 was capable. She was a fit mate for 
 such a man ; and contributed, by her 
 own fearless detestation of tyranny and 
 oppression, to hx fast in the heart of her 
 husband the aspirations and principles 
 which formed his future conduct. Her 
 loss added another weight to his afflic- 
 tions, and rendered him more anxious to 
 become engaged in, as he thought, de- 
 livering England from the moral des- 
 potism which choked up all the health- 
 ful sources of her prosperity and happi- 
 ness. 
 
 We have already said, that when the 
 wars broke out, Mytton immediately 
 
 joined
 
 18 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 joined the republicans, and left his child- 
 ren to the care of a maiden sister, of a 
 peaceful, patient, and affectionate dispo- 
 sition. With her he knew they would 
 be safe, contented, and happy. But, 
 patriot as he was — stern, unbending, 
 stoical as was his heart, he felt the pangs 
 of parting with his children. And such 
 a parting ! Where would they be — 
 where might he be, at the end of one 
 short, swift, fleeting month? Then 
 there was one among those children, 
 whom he loved with almost a woman's 
 love, a woman's weakness ; and this was 
 his fair-haired favourite, Margaret, a de- 
 licate and beautiful girl, just bursting 
 into womanhood. Mytton had always 
 loved this child, more fondly than the 
 others, for it was pining and sickly; 
 and as gentle maidens are wont to tend 
 more carefully a drooping flower, so 
 was Mytton's heart more tender towards 
 this weak and suffering girl. She was 
 his eldest born too. But he left her — 
 
 left
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 19 
 
 left them all, to mingle with the stormy 
 spirits that then governed the kingdom. 
 
 The routine of daily occupation at 
 Shrewsbury Castle was exceedingly sim- 
 ple. In that " piping time" of peace, 
 all that was necessary was to keep up 
 the discipline of the garrison, and to be 
 on the alert as to the proceedings in 
 Wales, it having been certified, by some- 
 thing more than rumour, that mischief 
 was brewing in the interior of the coun- 
 try. Mytton had, accordingly, adopted 
 means for ascertaining all true particu- 
 lars; and viewing the affairs in Eng- 
 land, in conjunction with the assistance 
 which prince Charles was receiving in 
 the Netherlands, it required less than 
 his sagacity to foretell, that the demon 
 of civil discord would again ere long cast 
 the dark shadow of his gloomy wing 
 over the fertile lands of ill-fated Eng- 
 land. 
 
 We must transport the reader into 
 Mytton's private closet at Shrewsbury 
 
 Castle.
 
 20 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 Castle. The general had just received 
 a packet from Cromwell, and he sat at 
 his secretaire, bending an eager and most 
 piercing eye upon its contents. Discon- 
 tent was expressed on his countenance: 
 the corner of his mouth was fretfully 
 contracted. He read on, and the red 
 spot appeared on his brow. He dashed 
 the paper from him, and paced hurried- 
 ly about the chamber, with his arms 
 folded, and his eyes fixed steadfastly on 
 the ground, — " Is it for this," he mut- 
 tered, " is it for this that I left my king, 
 to join with these mean, mercenary, 
 selfish men ? I, whose sole aim — whose 
 warmest hope, was glory, and the deli- 
 verance of my country from bondage 
 and oppression ! And then, he dictates 
 to me — to me^ whose exertions have won 
 him Wales, and conquered her hot and 
 stubborn people." 
 
 He sat down again, and took up the 
 letter. — " It is not," he read, " that we 
 feel distrustful of thy zeal, beloved com- 
 rade.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 21 
 
 rade, or unmindful of thy services ; but, 
 anxious to establish peace in this our 
 distracted realna, and desirous of concili- 
 ating all parties, now that our God hath 
 given us the victory, we aver that all 
 display of hostility or mastery is wrong 
 and unwise, seeing that it serves to in- 
 flame men's minds, and make them hate 
 us, when they should love. We, and our 
 trusty counsellors, have decreed, therefore, 
 that thou shouldst return to London, leav- 
 ing only a sufficient number of men at Sa- 
 lop, to communicate with us, in case of 
 need. Thy order from the council Com- 
 eth inclosed ; and we wish thee good 
 speed, and safety in thy journeying. 
 " Cromwell, Lord Protector." 
 
 Mytton was now too well acquainted 
 with the character of Cromwell and his 
 colleagues, to be ignorant of their in- 
 tentions regarding himself. He had long 
 since found out, that a republican upon 
 
 principle.
 
 22 BEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 principle, especially upon principle so 
 resolute as his, was no safe coadjutor 
 for them ; and he regarded the present 
 communication as the introduction to 
 his dismissal and disgrace. But little 
 did they know of Thomas Mytton, if 
 they thought, that a tamed submission 
 to any unjust decree formed any part of 
 his character. He knew his worth too 
 well, to bow submissively to any mea- 
 sure which was likely to implicate his 
 honour, or conduce to his destruction ; 
 and while his wrath was hotly excited 
 on the present occasion, his judgment 
 was not so warped or blinded, as to de- 
 prive him of the power of energetic and 
 decisive action. And decisive, indeed, 
 this action was ; for it consisted in the 
 transmission of a flat, unequivocal, and 
 positive refusal to obey the order of the 
 decree ; with a hint, that if it was press- 
 ed, while Wales was thus threatening 
 revolt, not only would he, Mytton, 
 throw up his commission in the repub- 
 lican
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 23 
 
 lican army, but it was not very improb- 
 able that he would actually join the loya- 
 lists. 
 
 How this was received by Cromwell, 
 we have no record ; nor is it possible to 
 ascertain what might have been its ulti- 
 mate effect, as regarded the bold and 
 manly conduct of the general; for a short 
 time afterwards, the revolt actually did 
 break out, and Mytton's services were in 
 very essential requisition. 
 
 Mytton was yet writing his answer, 
 when an attendant entered, and infor- 
 med him that a stranger required to see 
 him. — " An uncouth man he is," said 
 the attendant, " and stoutly armed." 
 
 " What wanteth he with me ?" asked 
 the general. " Hath he sent no notice 
 of his purpose ?" 
 
 " Not any, an it please you ; and he 
 saith he will not commune with any but 
 you : moreover " The man hesita- 
 ted, looked confused, and was silent. 
 
 " Speak out, varlet ! Moreover, what?" 
 
 "He
 
 24 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 " He saith that he will not go hence 
 till he hath seen you." 
 
 " Truly he is a bold and saucy fellow," 
 answered the general. " But conduct 
 him hither, that we may hear his news. 
 Perchance it may concern us vitally." 
 
 " Shall I order a guard into the anti- 
 room ?" inquired the man. 
 
 " For what purpose ?" asked My tton, 
 somewhat surprised. 
 
 " He is stoutly armed, sir ; and, more- 
 over, looks hugely ill-favoured and vil- 
 lainous." 
 
 My tton smiled. — " Take thou no heed 
 of that, good Thelwall, but send the 
 stranger hither. We have been exposed 
 to greater peril than that which an in- 
 terview with a single man can create ; 
 and if this saucy stranger means us any 
 mischief, I have that here," pointing to 
 his sword, " which shall make him dear- 
 ly rue it." 
 
 The man bowed, withdrew, and usher- 
 ed in the stranger ; but not without in- 
 wardly
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 25 
 
 wardly reproaching the extreme teme- 
 rity of his master. 
 
 It was not altogether without cause 
 that Thelwall evinced this caution ; and 
 Mytton gave him due credit for it, when 
 he gazed upon the person who had thus 
 unceremoniously sought an interview 
 with him. To a frame, almost gigantic 
 in its proportions, were added certain 
 peculiarities of dress and demeanour, 
 which revealed at once, to the quick eye 
 of the general, the rank and calling of 
 his visitor. A close steel cap, which he 
 now held carelessly in his hand, usually 
 covered his head ; a buff leathern jerkin, 
 plentifully tarnished, but slashed at the 
 shoulder, fitted close to the upper part 
 of his person, which, while it displayed 
 a vast amplitude of sinew and muscle, 
 left his arms unencumbered, and capable 
 of being freely used and exercised. His 
 legs were covered by articles of the same 
 material as his jerkin, equally tarnished, 
 and terminating in a fringe, which over- 
 
 VOL. I. c hung
 
 26 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 hung the loose leathern boots, worn at 
 that period by cavaliers and gentlemen. 
 A broad polished leathern belt encir- 
 cled his waist, and supported a large 
 pistol on each side, that on the left 
 being flanked by a short cut-and-thrust 
 sword, with two edges, and a sharp 
 straight point. His features were large, 
 harsh, and repulsive; and if there be 
 any truth, as the learned say there be, 
 in physiognomy, this man's countenance 
 indicated that its wearer was every inch 
 a rogue; there was no mistaking the 
 sly, sinister, furtive expression of his 
 eye; nor the bold, impudent, careless 
 swagger of his carriage. Mytton knew 
 at once, and, as it were, instinctively, 
 that a freebooter stood before him. 
 
 " What business is this," asked the 
 general, his curiosity not a little excited 
 to know the object of the fellow's er- 
 rand — " what business is this that you 
 seek of me ?" 
 
 The stranger leaned carelessly against 
 
 the
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 27 
 
 the wainscot as he replied — " I came to 
 serve you, master Mytton." 
 
 " To serve me ! I prithee how ?" 
 
 " Aha !" said the fellow, v/ith a coarse, 
 gruff laugh, " we must come to terms 
 first; w^hat reward wilt thou give me?" 
 
 " What is the nature of thy service? 
 comest thou to enlist thee under the 
 banner of the lord protector?" 
 
 The stranger laughed again. — " No," 
 said he, " no banner will I bend under 
 but that of the blue sky, and no fellow- 
 ship will I keep but that of my fellows 
 among the greenwood ; my service is 
 voluntary, but it must be paid for." 
 
 " Is it money that thou seekest?" 
 asked the general, casting his eye on a 
 pair of richly-mounted pistols which 
 hung within his reach, and then tixing 
 a piercing and scrutinizing glance on 
 his visitor. 
 
 " I want nothing," said the man, ap- 
 parently disregarding Mytton's suspi- 
 c 2 cion.
 
 28 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 cion, " that I do not mean to earn ; en- 
 gage my services, and they are thine." 
 
 There was an air of frankness in this 
 part of the stranger's speech which for- 
 cibly arrested the general's attention, 
 who now began to suspect the object of 
 the fellow's mission. — " You are a 
 Welshman, are you not?" asked Myt- 
 ton, in that quick, sharp tone, which 
 indicates the certainty of the conjecture 
 which occasioned the question. 
 
 " I am a Mowddwy man," was the 
 laconic answer. 
 
 " Ah !— indeed !— umph !" 
 
 Such were Mytton's exclamations as 
 this confession was made, for he well 
 knew that the title of " Mowddwy man" 
 was equivalent to that of rogue, vaga- 
 bond, cut-throat, and the like, a cha- 
 racter which the intruder's outward ap- 
 pearance well attested. The general re- 
 mained silent, while his brow became 
 contracted, and his features gave slight 
 token of a coming storm. He bit his 
 
 lip
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 29 
 
 lip, knit his brow over his flashing eye, 
 rose half from his seat, sat down again, 
 looked at the pistols, and placed his 
 hand on the hilt of his sword; for he 
 was not a little ruffled at the impudence 
 of the fellow, in daring to avow himself 
 so boldly. 
 
 " To be plain with you, master Myt- 
 ton,"said the stranger,with imperturbable 
 sang-froid, for he saw that the general 
 was chafing himself into a fury, " our 
 trade is spoilt, and — no offence, master 
 Mytton — by you and your followers; 
 yoii have raked up and ransacked every 
 house in the country, and left us not 
 even so much as a stray heifer that's 
 worth lifting. Now, we must all live, 
 master Mytton ; you, by your trade of 
 cutting and slashing — we, by our trade 
 of simple stealing and lifting. Instead 
 of seeking vengeance on you and your 
 rascally troopers here, I am come to 
 offer you my services ; for I hate a lazy 
 life, as a Puritan hates hot cakes — no 
 c 3 offence
 
 s30 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 offence again, Mytton, hack, I know 
 every rood and perch of North Wales, 
 from Holyhead to Aberdovey, and I 
 know the principles and means of every 
 family that's worth mention : what 
 wages will you give me, master Myt- 
 ton, if I act the scout for you ?" 
 
 " Villain !" said Mytton, starting up 
 from his seat, having scarcely had pa- 
 tience to hear the fellow out, " villain ! 
 dost take me for a wretch as base as 
 thyself, that thou pratest to me thus? 
 Thou shalt suffer the penalty due to ,thy 
 insolence. Ho! within there! — Thel- 
 wall ! Manly ! Townsend !" 
 
 " Why, master Mytton !" said the 
 stranger, laughing outright, " art mad, 
 man ? I came but to offer thee good 
 service, and you would hang me as a 
 scarecrow for my pains ! Is this neigh- 
 bourly and kind ? Is it fair play ?" 
 
 Mytton had already felt vexed with 
 himself, at having been so irritated by 
 such a vagabond, who, after all, was 
 
 really
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 3l 
 
 really intending to act serviceably to 
 him, and whose insolence was merely 
 the effect of his natural hardihood and 
 mode of life. He resumed his seat, 
 therefore, and asked the stranger his 
 name. 
 
 " I am known as Madoc of Mowddwy," 
 was the answer. 
 
 There was this peculiarity in Myt- 
 ton*s disposition : — Whenever he was 
 chafed into passion, which was not often, 
 he had the power of immediately curb- 
 ing his rage, after its first furious burst 
 was over ; and the calm which now suc- 
 ceeded his storm of wrath was a fortu- 
 nate circumstance for Madoc of Mowd- 
 dwy. — " Madoc," he said, in a tone which 
 showed no indication of his recent pas- 
 sion, " I think I understand you. You 
 mean me well, although, methinks, you 
 might have chosen a more becoming 
 way of making that meaning known to 
 me. You would serve me and the lord 
 protector, by enacting the spy, and report- 
 c 4i ing
 
 82 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 ing to us, or to others of our compatri- 
 ots, such individuals of note, or other- 
 wise, as are still adverse to the new go- 
 vernment. Perchance you have means 
 to discover plots and intrigues, and base 
 designs against the public weal, which 
 you would also report to some of the 
 friends of the commonwealth. For 
 these services you require some pay, 
 and, in addition, free licence to lift and 
 plunder, harass and annoy, all the ene- 
 mies of Cromwell and his friends. Speak, 
 man, is it not so ?" 
 
 " I could not have told you the mat- 
 ter better myself, master Mytton," said 
 Madoc. 
 
 " Now, if I had any suspicion that 
 this was any trick or foolery of thine, 
 by the cause that I serve, thy carcase 
 should feed the ravens ere sunset on 
 these battlements! But, as I believe 
 thee true in thy purpose, and honest — 
 that is, as honest as one of thy calling 
 can be — in this matter, I tell thee, that 
 
 if
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 33 
 
 if I, Thomas Mytton, was besieged here 
 in this castle of Shrewsbury, by the 
 whole force of the prince's party, and 
 if I had nothing to live on but my boots 
 and my sword-belt, rather than use 
 such means as those thou profFerest for 
 release and conquest, I would yield to 
 the enemy, count myself vanquished, 
 and still retain my honour." 
 
 Madoc looked extremely puzzled and 
 perplexed during this declaration of the 
 general. He had no conception that 
 such' scruples could exist in the breast of 
 any man ; and he was not altogether 
 convinced of Mytton's sanity, in refusing 
 so foolishly the offers which he had so 
 freely tendered. That the general was 
 in earnest, he well knew, from the flash- 
 ing of his eyes, and the knitting of his 
 darkened brow ; but it puzzled him 
 sorely — " Well, master Mytton," he 
 said, after a short pause, " I can't do 
 more: I must needs go to colonel Hor- 
 ton, at Bridgenorth ; he won't be so nice, 
 c 5 I'll
 
 34 REGINALD TREVOH. 
 
 ril warrant; and since you have been 
 so civil to me, if any thing turns up 
 that may be of use to you, I'll give you 
 notice on the instant. I have those 
 about me who can ride sixty miles a- 
 day, even in rough Wales. Good e'en 
 to you, master Mytton — good e'en." 
 
 He half- opened the door, and stood a 
 moment on the threshold — '* Taw !" he 
 exclaimed, as he stamped on the floor with 
 his foot, " I had wellnigh forgot the cream 
 of my errand. Here's news from Halston!" 
 and he threw a sealed packet on the table, 
 shut the door, and went on his way. 
 
 Mytton started at the sound of that 
 word, for it was the name of his home, 
 and there many hallowed feelings yet 
 lay buried. He snatched up the packet, 
 and gazed intently upon the superscrip- 
 tion. This was sufficiently laconic — 
 " For General Mytton, these." But 
 how many dormant feelings did that 
 writing awaken, as he traced, in its 
 cramped and formal figuration, the work 
 
 of
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. SS 
 
 of his ancient sister ! He carefully un- 
 fastened the silk with which it was 
 somewhat slovenly tied, and perused 
 the contents, with an avidity that evinced 
 the deep interest which they excited in 
 his bosom. 
 
 " I had hoped — we had all hoped," 
 said the writer, after a somewhat stately 
 preamble, " that our still-beloved bro- 
 ther would have sought to see us, now 
 that God hath granted peace over the 
 land ; and that he would have joyed in 
 repairing the rnisery and wo which war 
 hath cast, even over those most nearly 
 akin to, and once most dearly beloved 
 by him. Oh, brother, we have sadly 
 suffered and sorrowed! Hunger, and 
 cold, and brutal insolence, hath been 
 our unhappy portion ; and now, instead 
 of peace and quiet, we are exposed to 
 the persecutions and insolence of those 
 whom the government hath — doubtless 
 with much wisdom — sent to comfort 
 and protect us. jNIargaret, thine own 
 c 6 tender
 
 3^ REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 tender Margaret, Thomas, hath strug- 
 gled through these afflictions, with a 
 firm and lofty spirit ; but now she pineth 
 in sickness, and her feeble strength is 
 wearing fast away. Canst thou not — 
 wilt thou not see thy darling, once more 
 ere she dieth ? She prayeth for thee, 
 brother, at morn, at noon, at night ; and 
 surely, if the prayer of the righteous 
 doth avail us much, her prayers will 
 not be heard in vain. Oh ! come to us, 
 dear brother, come to us ! Thy power 
 and authority may keep these loose and 
 savage men more peaceable ; for it 
 would be better that our poor child 
 should die in peace, than amid such a 
 sinful riot as is daily practised here. 
 We should all " 
 
 The writer broke off suddenly here, 
 as if interrupted, and here the epistle 
 ended. 
 
 Strongly was Mytton's stern heart 
 shaken, by the calm sad narrative of his 
 quiet-minded sister; and bitterly did 
 
 he
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. S!f 
 
 he feel the true nature of his situation, 
 as contrasted with his former happy- 
 tranquil condition. He did not re- 
 proach himself, for he had never for an 
 instant deviated from that strict line of 
 conduct which he had prescribed for 
 himself But he now knew that the 
 path to glory was not strewn with 
 flowers, and that contingent circum- 
 stances were continually occurring, un- 
 connected with, and uncontrolled by 
 himself, to thwart his views, and render 
 his progress more toilsome and rugged. 
 For some time he had been battling 
 hard with the council in London, and 
 it was sufficiently annoying to his proud 
 and patriotic spirit, to discover that his 
 best and purest designs were constantly 
 thwarted, and that those whose dicta- 
 tions he was now bound to obey, were 
 actuated by the most sordid, selfish, and 
 disgraceful motives. 
 
 This, to a man of his spirit, we say, 
 was a source of continual irritation ; 
 
 but
 
 38 REGINALD TREVOK. 
 
 but the situation of his family, the 
 members of which he had not seen for 
 many months, was an affliction for which 
 he was unprepared, and which moved 
 him to the very core. Oppressed, how- 
 ever, as he was with grief, and shaken 
 as he was by his emotion, the power of 
 prompt decision was still left to him. 
 He resolved to proceed immediately to 
 Halston, with only one attendant ; and 
 as the distance from Shrewsbury was 
 not very great, by hard riding he might 
 reach it before nightfall. Summoning 
 this attendant, therefore, to his chamber, 
 he gave him the necessary directions; 
 and in less than half an hour from the 
 departure of Madoc of Mowddwy, Myt- 
 ton had set off on his way to Halston. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. ^ 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 It is as well to play with a wild boar as a wild Welshman, 
 
 Wehh Proverb. 
 
 Do you bite your thumb at me, sir? 
 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 While the parliamentary general was 
 hastening to Halston, we will follow his 
 recent visitor, IMadoc of Mowddwy, who 
 had also much important matter to 
 settle, ere he retired to the woods to 
 sleep. 
 
 Madoc passed through the galleries 
 and lobbies of Shrewsbury Castle, with 
 his thumb stuck in his belt, and at a 
 slow swaggering pace, which plainly 
 enough evinced, if not a high sense of 
 his own importance, certainly a most 
 
 careless
 
 40 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 careless one of the notice of others. The 
 unsuccessful termination of his inter- 
 view with the general no further fretted 
 him, than by rendering an expedition 
 to Bridgenorth necessary, and so occu- 
 pying rather more of his precious time 
 than he, at that particular period, was 
 willing to bestow. However, after two 
 or three indistinct growls, the matter 
 seemed to have been dismissed from his 
 mind, and to trouble him no more. 
 
 The sentinels, and other soldiers who 
 were lounging about, regarded him with 
 that close and peculiar scrutiny which 
 persons of their condition are very proud 
 to bestow upon those whose business 
 and calling they would gladly know, 
 but for the obtainment of which know- 
 ledge they had no pretext or opportunity. 
 However, two troopers of My t ton's own 
 cavalry regiment — a regiment picked 
 out by the general himself, and notori- 
 ous for its gallantry, as well as for the 
 surpassing insolence of the men — were 
 
 determined
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 41 
 
 determined to hazard a discovery of 
 Madoc's business and profession. They 
 were sitting on an empty barrel, at the 
 entrance of a lobby, which was made 
 use of as a temporary armoury for the 
 arms of such men are were not on duty; 
 and as Madoc walked through, he stop- 
 ped to examine the swords and carbines 
 which were ranged along the sides in 
 very admirable order. 
 
 " Move on — move on, sir !" said the 
 sentinel. 
 
 " Let the gentleman stay, Tom," said 
 one of the troopers aforesaid : " he's only 
 looking at those pretty playthings.— 
 D'ye know the use of them, master 
 Catamountain ?" 
 
 Now there was one thing, among 
 many others by the way, which Madoc 
 could not abide, and that was to be nick- 
 named. His own name — that is, the 
 name which he had assumed — was, he 
 thought, quite good enough for all oc- 
 casions ; and his Welsh blood was sure 
 
 to
 
 4M REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 to boil and bubble, at any attempt to 
 change this name, whether in joke, or, 
 as in the present case, in impudence and 
 scorn. There is a tradition — and I may 
 mention it par parenthesis — which goes 
 to say, that at Chester fair, in August 
 16—, an English drover, to whom Ma- 
 doc had just sold twenty head of cattle 
 — lifted, by the way, from the fertile 
 pasture of Su Trevaldwyn (Montgo- 
 meryshire), was rash enough to utter the 
 word Taffy, and apply it to Madoc, in a 
 manner, of course, offensive. The moun- 
 taineer said nothing at the time; but 
 half-an-hour afterwards, he contrived to 
 pick a quarrel with the Saeson, which 
 terminated in a stab under the fifth rib, 
 and the instant death of the drover. 
 
 With such an infirmity, the trooper's 
 address to our worthy immediately stir- 
 red up his blood ; that is, it paved the 
 way of putting Madoc in a very large 
 passion ; and when Madoc was in a pas- 
 sion, he spluttered forth his English, in 
 
 as
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 43 
 
 as harsh a manner as any one can con- 
 ceive. 
 
 " To I know the use of them?" an- 
 swered the Welshman, turning sharply- 
 round upon the trooper ; ** if I tit not 
 know the use of them petter than you 
 — Cot tamn you ! — know the use of your 
 peastly tongue, you would not see me 
 in this tamn place, tamn you !" 
 
 ** He's a civil gentleman, at any rate," 
 said the other to his companion : " I 
 wonder whether he can fight as well as 
 he can splutter. What think ye, Jack- 
 son ?" 
 
 " He looks big and brawny enough," 
 responded Jackson; " but your great 
 talkers are ever little doers." 
 
 This was sotto voce, but still suffi- 
 ciently audible to reach the ears of the 
 " Mowddwy man," for whose ears every 
 word was, in fact, particularly designed. 
 
 This was enough for Madoc. Any 
 imputation on his courage was sure to 
 kindle his wrath ; and he began to fume 
 
 and
 
 44 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 and chafe accordingly. He put his hand 
 several times to his short sword — pulled 
 up his belt — stretched out his stout, 
 brawny arm — stamped with his foot, 
 and enacted sundry other symptoms of 
 a rising tempest, to the great merriment 
 and amusement of the two troopers, and 
 of some other men, who had been at- 
 tracted to the spot by the colloquy be- 
 tween the parties. 
 
 " He's getting wild," said one of the 
 new comers : " let us throw some water 
 over him to cool him." 
 
 " Let us chain him to the post," cried 
 another, " and bait him like a boar." 
 
 " He grins like one already," said a 
 third. " I wonder has he got any ears 
 under that old tin pot ;" and adjusting 
 the action to the word, he attempted, 
 with the point of his scabbard, to lift 
 off Madoc's steel cap. 
 
 It was a rash act of his, and dearly 
 did he rue it; for one thrust of the 
 Welshman's short sword, sent him, un- 
 
 shrived.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 45 
 
 shrived, out of the world; and he fell, 
 bathed in blood, on the floor. — " And 
 now," shouted Madoc, as he brandished 
 his reeking sword in one hand, and pre- 
 sented a loaded pistol with the other, 
 " which of you will come next ? Cot 
 tamn you, teefles as ye are ! I'll make 
 some work amongst you pefore I finish ;" 
 and so saying, he discharged his pistol 
 at the insulting trooper's head, and then 
 rushed forward, with his sword striking 
 desperately, and at random. The troop- 
 er fell, and INIadoc fell over him, and 
 was in an instant secured. 
 
 " A pretty day's work you've made 
 of it, you Welsh devil," said Jackson to 
 him, as he h^ld him tightly by the 
 throat; and at that moment colonel 
 Pearce, who, in Mytton's absence, was 
 the commanding officer of the garrison, 
 made his appearance, and was somewhat 
 surprised to see two of his men bleeding 
 on the ground, and a stranger in the 
 custody of the soldiers. The matter 
 
 was
 
 46 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 was soon explained, and the result as- 
 certained. The man whom Madoc had 
 stabbed, was dead; but the trooper. 
 Peacock, had only been wounded in the 
 shoulder ; and he, with all who had wit- 
 nessed the fray, and as many others as 
 could thrust themselves in, proceeded 
 into a room, where something in the 
 form of a court martial was held, on the 
 mode of punishing the sanguinary moun- 
 taineer. 
 
 Madoc, with his arms tightly bound, 
 and guarded moreover by two troopers, 
 with each a loaded carbine on his arm, 
 stood in front of a table, at which were 
 seated colonel Pearce, and the other of- 
 ficers, as judges, with Mytton's secre- 
 tary, to take notes of the proceedings. 
 The mountaineer stood, unmoved as one 
 of his native rocks, before them all. 
 Fear, strictly speaking, he could not 
 feel ; and no other emotion played about 
 his heart, to shake his firmness or blanch 
 his cheek. His steel cap had been re- 
 moved.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 47 
 
 moved, and his dark brown hair fell in 
 straight lengths down his shoulders, and 
 partially shaded his coarse immovable 
 features. All his arms had been re- 
 moved, and there he stood, firm and de- 
 fenceless. 
 
 After hearing the corresponding evi- 
 dence of half-a-dozen witnesses, who all 
 proved the desperate and bloody inten- 
 tions of the captive, colonel Pearce ask- 
 ed him, what he had to say for him- 
 self? 
 
 Madoc, unmoved, replied — " Ask the 
 man wdth a broken shoulder there ; he'll 
 tell you better than I can." 
 
 " In what manner are you mixed up 
 in this matter. Peacock ?" asked the co- 
 lonel. " I see you have played some 
 part in it." 
 
 Peacock then explained, in his way, 
 the cause of the fray. He and Jackson, 
 he said, were chatting of their own con- 
 cerns, when the captured mountaineer 
 made up to them, and would take a part 
 
 in
 
 48 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 in their conversation ; he, Peacock, re- 
 monstrated, most mildly remonstrated, 
 but to no effect ; when his friend and 
 comrade, Matthews, " poor fellow, who 
 now lies died," interfered, and was im- 
 mediately stabbed to the heart. A ge- 
 neral commotion then took place, in 
 which he. Peacock, was shot in the 
 shoulder, and the mountaineer captured 
 and disarmed. 
 
 " Lies, lies, lies ! from beginning to 
 end, lies !" exclaimed Madoc, as he 
 writhed in his bonds, and stamped on 
 the ground for very rage. " The truth 
 is, that I was quietly looking at the 
 swords and carbines ; and that great 
 peast of a liar there, called me cat-o'- 
 mountain and coward— tamn him ! Then 
 comes another creat fool — him as lies 
 tead there, and with his sword- — it was 
 an evil teed of his — pokes at my cap, to 
 look at my ear. Him I stopped — and I 
 will stop any one who tares to do the 
 like. I then cot savage, and shot that 
 
 creat
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 49 
 
 creat peast of a liar there ; and this is 
 the true story." And Madoc leaned 
 against a pillar that was near him, and 
 with his eyes fixed on the ground, seem- 
 ed perfectly careless, and unconscious of 
 all that was passing around him. 
 
 The colonel conversed a short time 
 with his brother-officers, and then con- 
 sulted the secretary. 
 
 " The men from the Breiddin," was 
 the secretary's answer, " were hanged 
 forthwith, for a less matter than this ; 
 and we huve proof, and confession to 
 boot, that murder has been done. The 
 general would sanction the hanging." 
 
 " Ay, but we know not the nature of 
 his conference with the general," said 
 the colonel, evidently unwilling to un- 
 dertake the responsibility of the case, in 
 the absence of his superior officer. 
 " Besides," he continued, " the gallows 
 is full." 
 
 " We could soon make room for an- 
 other," replied the secretary, " although 
 
 VOL. L D he
 
 50 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 he should be as lusty as this mountaineer. 
 I would seriously advise the prompt ex- 
 ecution." 
 
 " It may not be, good Pendryve," 
 said the colonel. " The general will re- 
 turn to-morrow ; and till then let him 
 be placed in one of the dungeons in the 
 upper wall. We cannot, and we will 
 not, act hastily in this matter. Thel- 
 wall and Manly, bear him away, and bid 
 Robin Gyvely take special charge of 
 him. Let him, however, have where- 
 with to eat and drink, for he may as 
 well die with a full belly as an empty 
 one.'' 
 
 Thelwall and Manly accordingly came 
 forward, to conduct poor Madoc to du- 
 rance vile ; and he, to the surprise of all 
 present, accompanied them unresisting- 
 ly, and with apparent alacrity. 
 
 He passed through a long gallery, or 
 passage, which led to a platform, where- 
 on was raised a temporary gallows. From 
 this gallows were suspended the bodies 
 
 of
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 51 
 
 of six malefactors, who, not a week ago, 
 had been detected in attempting to se- 
 duce some of the soldiers from their al- 
 legiance to the protector ; and Mytton 
 had executed them summarily, by mar- 
 tial law, on his own responsibility. Their 
 faces were bloated and blackened by pu- 
 trefaction, and their tongues hung out 
 of their mouths, black and shrivelled. 
 On the platform was a block, about three 
 feet high, covered with sawdust, and 
 smeared with blood. This was used for 
 the more lenient putiishment of chop- 
 ping off hands, it being a common prac- 
 tice with Mytton to deprive lifters and 
 plunderers of their offending members, 
 and then turn them loose again. 
 
 As Madoc passed, his eye fell upon 
 two or three shrivelled hands, which, for 
 aught he knew to the contrary, might 
 once have been appended to the bodies 
 of some of his own followers. 
 
 The sight, however, notwithstanding 
 
 his own perilous situation, affected him 
 
 B 2 not ; 
 
 UnSsITV of ILUNO!^
 
 52 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 not; for it had not the horror of no- 
 velty, as he had often stood among the 
 crowd that gaped beneath at the fre- 
 quent executions which took place ; and, 
 more than once, had he witnessed the 
 summary suspension of one of his own 
 daring gang, equally unmoved. He 
 passed on between his two conductors, 
 now joined by Robin Gyvely, a large 
 savage-looking man, and ascending a 
 flight of small stone steps, entered a 
 turret, passed along a narrow, dark pas- 
 sage, reached a low iron-studded door, 
 and was pushed, sans ceremonie, into 
 a low, darii, damp cell, particularly 
 designed for criminals of his class. The 
 door was bolted and locked upon him 
 by Robin Gyvely, and he was left alone 
 to " chew the cud of sweet and bitter 
 memory." 
 
 " A pretty pisness I've made of this," 
 muttered Madoc, as he heard the gaoler's 
 heavy tread, and the clanking of his 
 keys, as he moved along the passage. — 
 
 « Tamn
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 53 
 
 ** Tamn these swaggering troopers ! now 
 must I pide in this peastly hole till 
 Mytton comes pack, with my arms tied, 
 like the fore-legs of a seep, instead of 
 roving on the hill-side with my prave 
 followers. I'll make that ranting rascal, 
 Peacock, as they call him, pay for this 
 prank, if I do swing for it ;" and with 
 this consolatory determination, he sat 
 down against the wall, and very philo- 
 sophically composed himself to sleep. 
 
 He slept long and soundly, so soundly 
 that he heard not the heavy unbolting 
 of his dungeon-door, nor the sonorous 
 clanking of the gaoler's ponderous keys ; 
 and it was not until Robin Gyvely had 
 bestowed upon him two or three hard 
 bumps with his keys, that he opened 
 his eyes. Of what Madoc had been 
 dreaming, we have no record ; but per- 
 haps his thoughts were wandering 
 among his native hills, or among the 
 green woods of the Dee, for he jumped 
 up on the instant, shouted — " Hurra for 
 D 3 the
 
 54 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 the Saeson kine!" endeavoured to put 
 his hand to his belt, found out that he 
 was strongly bound, and uttered, in 
 peevish disappointment, the expressive 
 monosyllable — " Tamn !" 
 
 " Hollo, old comrade !" exclaimed 
 Gyvely, vv^ho had formerly fought by 
 Madoc's side in the first civil vicars — 
 " vi^hy what devil's game hast been play- 
 ing now, to bring thee into this place ? I 
 ever told thee, that hot and silly pate of 
 thine would lead thy neck into a noose 
 with one knot, one of these days," and 
 Robin held up his lantern to the face of 
 his old comrade. 
 
 "Ah, Robin, bachT said the other, 
 " how fare ye ? Let go my hands, wilt 
 thou? for these cursed thongs have 
 galled my wrists." 
 
 " And so get throttled for my pains I 
 No, no, Madoc." 
 
 " I swear by saint Cad van — before 
 God, an' thou likest — that I will not lay 
 
 hands
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 55 
 
 hands on thee, except by way of greet- 
 ing." 
 
 " Can I trust thee, Madoc?" 
 
 " Madoc of Mowddwy never yet 
 broke his trust," said the mountaineer, 
 sullenly. 
 
 " Well then, we have been comrades 
 in a bloody war, and thou hast done me 
 some service ; so here goes." 
 
 He placed his lantern on the ground, 
 pushed the keys, which were fixed to 
 his belt, behind him, and began to un- 
 fasten the freebooter's arms. This was 
 quickly accomplished, and Madoc found 
 his arms once more free. — " Now, Ro- 
 bin, hack, just loosen the gyves on my 
 ancles. — Tut, tut, man, how the teefel 
 can I get out of this place? — Pelzepub 
 himself could not break through. Re- 
 member old times." 
 
 Robin's tough heart was moved at 
 the recollection of former companion- 
 ship, and he unlocked the small iron 
 chain which had been fastened round 
 D 4 the
 
 56 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 the mountaineer's ancles. While he 
 was stooping to do this, Madoc con- 
 trived to abstract the keys from the 
 bulky person of his gaoler, and no soon- 
 er did he feel his feet quite free, than 
 he snatched up the lantern, sprang to- 
 wards the dungeon-door, with the agi- 
 lity of a mountain-cat, turned it sharp 
 upon his old comrade, and locked and 
 double-locked it, bolted and double- 
 bolted it, to make quite sure of Robin's 
 safe incarceration. 
 
 There was now only one obstacle to 
 his escape, and that was the watch-word. 
 He knew every turning in the castle ; 
 and as he resembled Robin, sufficiently 
 close in the contour of his person to es- 
 cape observation, he had no fears on this 
 head, particularly as he knew more than 
 one private passage, which led to the 
 outer gate, or ballium, on the Castle 
 Hill. This indeed was a trifle in the 
 estimation of the hardy mountaineer, 
 who had been so often exposed to far 
 
 greater
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 5^ 
 
 greater peril, that he was now perfectly 
 callous even to the consequences of de- 
 tection. Besides, he was sure, if the 
 worse came to the worse, that Mytton's 
 arrival would set all to rights. But 
 then, the watch- word ! It would be a 
 hard matter, now that he had accom- 
 plished so much, to be thwarted for the 
 want of so trivial a matter ; and so, full 
 of hope and resolution, Madoc, having 
 fastened the keys to his girdle, went 
 forth on his expedition, keeping the 
 lantern sufficiently low, to prevent any 
 light from falling on his features. 
 
 He found that the night was consider- 
 ably spent, and silence seemed to hold 
 unlimited sway over the inmates of the 
 castle. He passed through the differ- 
 ent galleries, the clanking of his pon- 
 derous keys, and the tread of his heavy 
 footsteps, beingthe only soundsthat broke 
 the deep stillness which reigned around 
 him. He bent his steps towards the 
 guard-room, where he knew the men 
 D 5 who
 
 58 REGINALD TREVOK. 
 
 who were destined to relieve the senti- 
 nels during the night, were carousing; 
 and he hoped to catch, from the incau- 
 tious lips of a loquacious soldier, the 
 passport to his freedom. As he advan- 
 ced nearer, sounds of suppressed merri- 
 ment and glee became more and more 
 audible, and the solitary lamp, which 
 was fixed above the entrance into the 
 guard- room, shot forth its flickering 
 light, rendering visible every object 
 within its luminous sphere. 
 
 At this moment the clock of old Saint 
 Chad's church pealed forth the midnight 
 hour; and Madoc knew enough of mi- 
 litary tactics, to be aware that this was 
 the hour for relieving guard. He crept 
 close to the door, and heard the serjeant 
 marshalling the men : the door stood 
 half open, and he could see the men 
 ranging themselves, in order to march 
 forth for the relief of their comrades. 
 Now it was that every fibre of his frame 
 was stretched to the uttermost, to catch 
 
 the
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 5& 
 
 the watch- word ; and he heard the Ser- 
 jeant distinctly pronounce the word^ — 
 ** Lrion." This was sufficient ; and re- 
 treating to a dark part of the passage, 
 he suffered the guard to march onwards, 
 and then followed at a safe and respect- 
 ful distance. 
 
 The guard was set for the night, and 
 those in the castle whose services were 
 not required any longer, betook them- 
 selves to rest, till the sun should again 
 rouse them to their duty. Madoc moved 
 on towards the outward entrance, and 
 his keys and lantern proved a safe pass- 
 port to him, till he reached the last out- 
 let. Here he was challenged — " Come, 
 Robin — the word ?" 
 
 " Lion !" whispered the mountaineer. 
 
 " Why, what game art after now, 
 Robin ?" said the man. « Thou'rt al- 
 ways playing up some prank in the 
 town." 
 
 " Hold your tongue and be " 
 
 said Madoc, in a whisper, endeavouring 
 D 6 to
 
 60 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 to act the blustering part of his incarce- 
 rated friend. 
 
 " Well, it's no matter to me," said the 
 sentinel ; " you know the word, and 
 that's enough : so go to the devil with 
 you r 
 
 And away went Madoc gaily down 
 the hill, and in two minutes found him- 
 self in the high street of Shrewsbury, 
 having flung the lantern far enough un- 
 der the castle walls. But now another 
 difficulty presented itself. How was he 
 to pass over the West Bridge ? Now, 
 this bridge, which crossed the Severn 
 on the west side of the town, was guard- 
 ed by a tower at each end, and properly 
 defended by a detachment from the gar- 
 rison at the castle. He knew that the 
 castle watch-word was not used at the 
 bridge, and therefore he could not pass 
 without obtaining the proper passport, 
 unless, indeed, he crossed the Severn, 
 swimming at some distance above the 
 bridge. This, at length, he resolved to 
 
 do J
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 61 
 
 do; and proceeding about half-a-mile 
 up the river, he first disencumbered him- 
 self of Robin Gyvely's keys, by throw- 
 ing them into the river; and then plun- 
 ging into the stream, he gained the op- 
 posite banks, shook the wet from his 
 clothes, pulled his belt tighter round 
 him, and treading firmly on the green- 
 sward, pursued his way towards the 
 Breidden hills, where he knew he should 
 be safe from apprehension. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 6i REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Harae came our gudeman at e'en. 
 
 And baroe came he, 
 And there he saw some men, 
 
 Where some men sudna be. 
 
 '• How's this, now, kimmers? 
 
 How's this .'"' quo' he j 
 " How came these carles here. 
 
 Without the leave o' me ?" Rob Roy. 
 
 In the mean time, numerous were the 
 surmises which Mytton's departure, so 
 unexpectedly and at so late an hour, 
 created, coupled as this departure was 
 with the mission of the mountaineer. 
 But as it was part of the general's policy 
 never to divulge any matter, the dis- 
 closure of which was not material to 
 the current business of the hour, his si- 
 lence
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 63 
 
 lence on the present occasion was a mat- 
 ter of course ; and had it not been for 
 Madoc's visit, the affair would have 
 passed off almost unnoticed ; but as it 
 was, it created much marvel in the gar- 
 rison. 
 
 Mytton, in the mean time, rode on has- 
 tily towards Halston. As he passed the 
 several guard-posts, he was received 
 with that military obeisance which his 
 strict discipline rigidly enforced : the 
 sentinels presented arms — the men off 
 duty whom he passed in the streets, made 
 their devoirs to the general — while the 
 civilians in the streets of Shrewsbury, 
 for he had to pass through nearly the 
 whole extent of the town, paid that re- 
 spect to the governor of the castle to 
 wJiich his exalted rank entitled him. 
 There was nothing unusual — nothing 
 displeasing in this; but in Mytton's 
 present mood, it did not harmonize with 
 his saddened feelings ; and he could not 
 but reflect — stern, stoical, unbending
 
 64 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 as he was — that he had made no trifling 
 sacrifice to his happiness, by embarking 
 all his energies in the cause of glory. 
 
 In less than two hours after he left 
 Shrewsbury, Mytton beheld the deep 
 wood, in the midst of which his patri- 
 monial residence was situated, and he 
 was now passing through the extensive 
 domain attached to it. The hurly-burly 
 of civil discord had raged even here; 
 and the rich broad lands of Halston 
 evinced no sign of cultivation, and no 
 indication of glad and pastoral fertility. 
 Trees had been felled, and cast into the 
 road — carts, and waggons, and sledges, 
 with other carriages used in agriculture, 
 lay by the road-side, some wanting 
 wheels, others knocked to pieces, as it 
 should seem, for mere wantonness. The 
 nearer he approached the house, the 
 more evident were these marks of out- 
 rage and desolation : ploughs, harrows, 
 scythes, spades, with various other im- 
 plements of husbandry, lay scattered 
 
 about
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 65 
 
 about the path, all of them more or less 
 defaced and injured. No cattle, no 
 horses, no sheep, no mark whatever of 
 the pastoral wealth of the proprietor, 
 was apparent ; but every thing was in- 
 dicative of ruin and devastation. The 
 antique and elongated chimnies of the 
 mansion broke upon Mytton's view, 
 rising above the dark foliage of the wood 
 into the clear evening sky ; but no sign 
 of glad and boisterous hospitality did 
 they present ; one feeble, slender, flick- 
 ering line of smoke escaped from one of 
 them ; but it scarcely changed the den- 
 sity of the circumambient air. 
 
 The general urged on his horse, and 
 speedily reached the Grange, a series of 
 buildings including the agricultural 
 offices, and situated about a quarter of 
 a mile from the mansion. Here all was 
 noise, uproar, and riot. A troop of 
 horse, under the surveillance of the gar? 
 rison at Shrewsbury, had been quartered 
 here; and the Grange had been trans- 
 formed
 
 68 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 formed into a temporary barrack for 
 the men, captain Manby, and two other 
 officers, having taken up their quarters 
 at Halston itself. As there were only 
 women and children " up at the house," 
 these troopers led a lazy life of it ; for 
 there being no cause, as they thought, 
 for any excessive vigilance, no vigilance 
 did they exhibit, excepting such as they 
 were compelled to keep when on duty, 
 and at muster. At the latter operation, 
 the officers were present regularly every 
 morning; and this being effected, all 
 further discipline was entrusted to Ser- 
 jeant Stewart, in whose hands it was 
 most leniently used ; the men, in short, 
 being permitted to do as they liked 
 when off duty. The scene, therefore, 
 which was presented to Mytton's obser- 
 vation, as he rode into the court-yard of 
 the Grange, amply authenticated his 
 sister's report respecting the soldiery. 
 The men were congregated, in groups 
 of three or four; some were smoking, 
 
 some
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 67 
 
 some drinking, and many were gam- 
 bling ; others again were playing at 
 quoits, or pitching the bar, or wrest- 
 ling ; and the whole scene presented a 
 condition the very reverse of that of a 
 well-disciplined troop of " Mytton's 
 men," as they were called. 
 
 No flock of lambs could have been 
 more scared or startled, by the sudden 
 and unexpected swoop of an eagle, than 
 were these riotous troopers at the ap- 
 pearance of general Mytton; the loud 
 shout of laughter and glee instantly 
 subsided, the men stood petrified, and 
 knew not whether to remain where they 
 were, or to retreat into the house. 
 
 " How is this, Stewart?" asked Myt- 
 ton, his quick eye instantly perceiving 
 that no officer was present ; " what 
 raeaneth all this riot and uproar? Put 
 down every one of these men's names 
 — mind, there are thirty-two — and get 
 them mounted instantly. Draw them 
 up in front of the house yonder, and 
 
 let
 
 68 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 let them be all well and properly accou- 
 tred. Look that it be done quickly !" 
 and the general rode on, followed by 
 his servant. 
 
 The transient flush of passion which 
 tinged the general's brow, at the disco- 
 very of the condition of his men, passed 
 away before he rode into the court-yard 
 of the mansion ; for other and sadder 
 feelings again rushed to his heart. These 
 were painfully fostered by the dilapida- 
 tions which now met his eye in every 
 direction ; it seemed as if the house had 
 been absolutely besieged — but this he 
 knew could not have been ; and, from 
 the scene which he had just witnessed, 
 he could only attribute all the mischief 
 and devastation which he beheld to the 
 wanton outrage of the soldiery. 
 
 Dismounting from his horse, he gave 
 it in charge to the servant, and, with a 
 hurried and unequal step, he entered 
 the house. The door gave way to the 
 pressure of his hand, and he was once 
 
 more
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 69 
 
 more in the hall of his fathers' dwelling. 
 Here all but his own heavy footstep 
 was silent as the grave. The portraits 
 of his ancestors gazed upon him, as he 
 thought, reproachfully ; and that of his 
 deceased wife, which had been hung 
 there but a few days before he joined 
 the republicans, represented that high- 
 souled woman as she was in life, high- 
 spirited, handsome, and noble*. He 
 turned into a room on his left; it was 
 that which was generally used as the 
 common sitting-room of the family. 
 Here he found no one ; but two or three 
 cartridge-boxes, a sword-belt, and hel- 
 mets, with some fowling-pieces, inti- 
 mated that their honours, the officers, 
 had appropriated this apartment to 
 themselves. He returned to the hall, 
 and shouted, when the sound of his 
 
 voice 
 
 * These portraits are still, I believe, to be seen at Halston, 
 with, in addition, that of Mytton himself; remarkable for its 
 breadth of forehead, and for the brilliant, piercing, almost 
 living, appearance of its rich dark eye.
 
 70 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 voice attracted the attendance of old 
 Pearson, the major-domo of the esta- 
 blishment, who, notwithstanding his 
 age, had manfully stood by the family, 
 during the whole of their troubles and 
 adversities. 
 
 " Well, Pearson, how fares it with 
 my children?" was the general's first 
 question. 
 
 " Good Lord, master, is it you ?" 
 was Pearson's glad exclamation; and 
 then changing his tone, he answered — 
 " Sadly enough, good master — sadly 
 enough !" 
 
 " Where are they ?" asked the anx- 
 ious father. 
 
 " They are with mistress Bridget in 
 the east wing : it is more quiet than this 
 part of the house." 
 
 " See to the refreshing of Stevens, 
 good Pearson," said Mytton, desirous of 
 going alone to the apartments occupied 
 by his family. " We have ridden hard, 
 and the man will want something." 
 
 " Ala§ !"
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 71 
 
 " Alas !" said the old man, with a 
 deep sigh, " we have nothing left ; the 
 soldiers have taken all !" 
 
 " Ally sayst thou ?" and My tton's eye 
 flashed fire. " Send down to the Grange 
 instantly, and tell Serjeant Stewart to 
 send up abundance of every thing ; bid 
 him fail to do so at his peril !" and the 
 general strode hastily towards the east- 
 ern wing of the building. 
 
 The flush of deep wrath was yet on 
 his brow, as he opened the outer door of 
 the suite of apartments to which mis- 
 tress Bridget and the children had retired, 
 to seek refuge from the noise and riot 
 of captain Manby and his friends. The 
 same stillness reigned there, as he had 
 found in the hall ; but here was one ob- 
 ject that attracted his attention. In the 
 seat of one of the windows of the gal- 
 lery which flanked the apartments, re- 
 clined a little boy, about seven years of 
 age — My tton's youngest child, appa- 
 rently gazing on the magnificent pros- 
 pect
 
 7^ REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 pect which lay before him, and that so 
 intently, as to be undisturbed by the 
 approach of his father. On a closer in- 
 spection, however, Mytton found that 
 he had fallen asleep, as he lay on the 
 seat, and that his little head was pil- 
 lowed on his arm. There was some- 
 thing very strange in this; for little 
 Harry was a remarkably lively child, 
 full of glee and frolic, and the hour was 
 not so late as to account for his slum- 
 bering. He stooped a moment over the 
 child, and could not help observing, in 
 his pinched and pale features, the effect 
 of the privations to which he had been 
 exposed: he pressed a kiss upon his 
 pallid cheek, and passed on. 
 
 The clank of his iron scabbard had 
 reached the quick and apprehensive ear 
 of mistress Bridget; and suspecting 
 that one of the officers had come to in- 
 trude upon her privacy, she had hasten- 
 ed out of the chamber of her sick niece, 
 to request that she, at least, might re- 
 main
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 73 
 
 main undisturbed. The involuntary 
 shriek of joy and surprise which burst 
 from the kind-hearted woman, brought 
 the remainder of the children to the 
 spot, and even awakened the little slum- 
 berer at the wundow ; and Mytton had 
 enough to do to receive and return the 
 joyous embraces of his happy children ; 
 while mistress Bridget hastened to ap- 
 prize Margaret of her father's arrival. 
 
 Theseglad tidings infused new strength 
 into the debilitated frame of the poor 
 sufferer; and she welcomed her father 
 with gladness, while the glow of quick- 
 ened feeling mantled on her pale, ex- 
 tenuated features: so well indeed did 
 she appear, that IMytton hoped his sis- 
 ter's fond solicitude had exaggerated her 
 fears; but he had yet to learn, that 
 Margaret's malady had become too 
 deeply rooted to render any human skill 
 available. 
 
 Soon after Mytton's arrival, the troop 
 from the Grange, with serjeant Stewart 
 
 VOL. I. E at
 
 74 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 at its head, rode into the court-yard of 
 the mansion ; and when captain Manby 
 and the other officers returned from their 
 carousal at the house of a neighbouring 
 gentleman, they could not clearly com- 
 prehend the meaning of this muster. It 
 evidently foreboded some evil ; and its 
 precise nature they soon discovered; 
 for they were received by Mytton at 
 the hall door, who commanded them in- 
 stantly to mount, and march to Shrews- 
 bury, without a single word of comment 
 or reprimand. 
 
 They accordingly did so; and the 
 bold notes of the trumpet, with the 
 tramping of the horses' feet, conveyed 
 to the inmates of Halston the glad ti- 
 dings, that their obnoxious intruders 
 were quitting the scene of their recent 
 revellings. They were relieved by a 
 picquet merely, consisting of a dozen 
 privates, under the command of a Ser- 
 jeant, in whom Mytton could safely 
 confide ; a considerable reformation was 
 
 made
 
 EEGENALD TREVOR. 75^ 
 
 made in the domestic arrangements of 
 the household, so that the family were 
 supplied with abundance of every thing; 
 and the lands of the estate were once 
 more subjected to the culture of the 
 husbandman. 
 
 My t ton now visited Halston every 
 day, his anxiety for Margaret increas- 
 ing in proportion to the danger and 
 hopelessness of her malady ; and it was 
 a fortunate occurrence for him, that the 
 events which w^e are about to relate, did 
 not take place before he had witnessed 
 the last moments of his child, and at- 
 tended her remains to the tomb. Had 
 they so occurred, his military duties 
 would have prevented his attendance at 
 Halston, and added very materially to 
 his grief for Margaret ; for, even in this 
 dearest and most tender affair, his stern 
 resolution would have prevented any 
 swerving from that rough path which 
 he deemed it his duty to follow. Amidst 
 this conflict of feeling, all his energies 
 E 2 would
 
 76 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 would have been directed to the one 
 grand and engrossing object — the sup- 
 pression of the insurrection in Wales. 
 How this insurrection was managed, and 
 what was its result, we shall now pro- 
 ceed to describe. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 77 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 See ! on yon verdant lawn, the gathering crowd 
 Thickens araain : the buxom nymphs advance, 
 Usher'd by jolly clowns : distinctions cease. 
 Lost in the common joy ; and the bold slave 
 Leans on his wealthy master, unreproved. 
 
 Sombrville's Rural Sports. 
 
 When the civil wars first broke out, 
 the majority of the large landed proprie- 
 tors in Wales were unanimous in their 
 resolution to espouse the cause of the 
 king. Their distance from the court, 
 and their consequent ignorance of its 
 intrigues and cabals, preserved their 
 loyalty from contamination ; and with- 
 out entering into any discussion as to 
 the merits of either party, they engaged 
 heart and hand in favour of their sove- 
 reign, with that ready ardour which, 
 E 3 even
 
 78 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 even to this day, characterizes the warm- 
 hearted mountaineer. Their reasoning 
 was the reasoning of a quiet, sechided, 
 and pastoral people. They said — " We 
 have tilled our land in peace, and reap- 
 ed our harvest in abundance : our flocks 
 and herds graze on the hill-side, unseat- 
 ed by the cry of war, and undisturbed 
 by the ravages of an enemy. We wor- 
 ship the God of our fathers unmolested : 
 we supply all our humble wants by the 
 sweat of our brow : we lie down in quie- 
 tude and security, and are contented. 
 Why then should we wish for a change ? 
 it can bring us no good — it may bring 
 us much evil. Let us then preserve 
 the blessings which we now enjoy, and 
 unite to oppose the inroads of our ene- 
 mies." 
 
 They did so unite, till the rivers ran 
 with blood, and their mountains were 
 strewn with the bodies of their slaugh- 
 tered countrymen. But the strong arm 
 of the republicans finally prevailed ; and 
 
 having
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 79 
 
 having sacrificed most of their property 
 in the cause of loyalty, they were com- 
 pelled to submit to the arbitrary decrees 
 of the parliament, and to endure, unre- 
 dressed, the insolent oppression of the 
 soldiery. 
 
 As might be expected, this oppression 
 was supremely deep and despotic. The 
 exercise of unshackled power, establish- 
 ed as it was at the point of the sword, 
 and by those to whom it was as novel 
 as it was grateful, was neither temperate 
 nor merciful. Those licentious and tur- 
 bulent spirits, who had taken possession 
 of the reins of government, were well 
 aware that a strict, and even sanguinary 
 watchfulness, was absolutely necessary 
 for the preservation of the dominion 
 which they had usurped ; and it is not 
 to be supposed that they would take 
 into consideration, notwithstanding any 
 ostensible profession to the contrary, any 
 other object than their own inordinate 
 and ambitious aggrandizement. The 
 E 4 gloom
 
 80 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 gloom and misery which arose out of 
 this new and unnatural state of things, 
 spread far and wide throughout the land, 
 and penetrated even into the retired 
 mountain wilds of Wales. 
 
 Mytton, himself a Welshman, well 
 knew how important was the policy of 
 casting into severe subjection his cho- 
 leric and brave countrymen ; and to 
 him, as the most fit person, was this 
 particular task entrusted. With the 
 promptitude and decision which cha- 
 racterized his fiery spirit, he soon ac- 
 complished his object, and that too, as 
 we have already intimated, so effectu- 
 ally, that all the strong holds in the prin- 
 cipality fell into the hands of the rebels. 
 
 The oppression which the Welsh ex- 
 perienced, in common with the rest of 
 their fellow- subjects, was at first sub- 
 mitted to, without any decided opposi- 
 tion or open resentment. It is true, 
 that in secret, curses, " loud and deep,*' 
 marked the detestation in which the 
 
 proceedings
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 81 
 
 proceedings of the soldiery were held ; 
 but the ill success of the royalists had 
 broken the spirit of the people, and dif- 
 fused a gloom throughout the land, 
 which cast its baneful influence over all. 
 But the imprisoned wolf, although chain- 
 ed to a rock, will turn, and rend its per- 
 secutors, if blows be added to coercion ; 
 and the domineering insolence of the 
 military became at length so unbound- 
 ed, that no species of indignity was too 
 base to be withheld from the suffering 
 inhabitants. This necessarily established 
 a most bitter and inveterate animosity 
 between the soldiers and the people ; 
 and, to use the words of a writer of that 
 day, " was so farre a marke of the wise 
 care of Providence ; for it created a very 
 deadlie hatred of the camp vices of these 
 men of Belial ; and so hindered the ho- 
 nest Welshmen from following their 
 abominable courses and pastimes." It 
 did more than this ; for it effectually 
 stirred up once more into active exer- 
 E 5 tion.
 
 82 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 tion, that spirit of loyalty and heroism 
 which animated the Welsh before their 
 subjection ; and which eventually con- 
 tributed, in no small degree, to the sub- 
 version of the yoke of Cromwell. 
 
 In a country like Wales, affording so 
 many facilities for concealment and se- 
 curity, it is not surprising that a num- 
 ber of secret associations should be 
 organized, for the purpose of effecting a 
 deliverance from the tyrannical domina- 
 tion of a set of men, whose objects were 
 the gratification of their vices, and the 
 unconstrained indulgence of their law- 
 less passions. At first, these associations 
 were for the most part limited in their 
 plans and designs. They had no con- 
 nection with that body of brave men 
 which espoused the cause of prince 
 Charles, because their members were 
 not aware of its existence. Their pri- 
 mary object was to effect their own de- 
 liverance, from a bondage too galling to 
 be any longer unresistingly endured. 
 
 The
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 83 
 
 The immediate result of these confede- 
 racies soon became obvious, in the altered 
 manners of the people ; they began to 
 mingle more frequently and more nu- 
 merously together; they resumed their 
 usual manly and athletic pastimes on 
 holidays and fair-days; they moreover 
 crouched not so lowly before the insult- 
 ing arrogance of the soldiers ; and occa- 
 sionally, some spirit, more daring than 
 the rest, actually inflicted chastisement 
 on the person of an insolent trooper. 
 
 But this served only to increase the 
 mutual enmity, already so strongly ex- 
 isting; for any opposition to the con- 
 stituted authority was always punished 
 with the utmost rigour. A time, how- 
 ever, was fast approaching, when these 
 insuiFerable indignities were to termi- 
 nate: man, however much his spirit 
 may be crushed by power, or oppressed 
 by cruelty, will not crouch for ever at 
 the feet of his oppressor : the spirit thus 
 shackled and bowed down, must one 
 E 6 day
 
 84 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 day spring forth, to assert, with all its 
 energies, its rightful independence a- 
 mong men, and to turn again, and 
 grapple with the arm which has enslaved 
 it. Let not the meaning of these words 
 be misconstrued — independence is per- 
 fectly compatible with loyalty ; but ab- 
 ject slavery, unspurned and unresisted, 
 must be preeminently disgraceful, in any 
 condition of human existence. Let us 
 be thankful, that in these our own times, 
 we possess so many blessed immunities, 
 and that we are govered by a monarch, 
 who — God bless him! — can have no 
 dearer wish than the welfare of his 
 people, and no deeper gratification than 
 their peace and happiness. 
 
 Many of my readers have doubtless 
 visited the gloomy, quiet, but romantic 
 little town of Dolgelley, in Merioneth- 
 shire — a town, to the high honour of 
 its inhabitants be it spoken, that has 
 most courageously resisted all violent 
 endeavours towards external improve- 
 ment.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 85 
 
 ment, for the last century, or more, and 
 which is now, with one or two excep- 
 tions, in its original condition, this same 
 condition being any thing but enviable, 
 as those who have blessed it with their 
 presence can readily and truly testify. 
 To those, however, whose happy lot it 
 has not been to visit this Cambrian Tus- 
 culum, we shall beg leave to observe, 
 that it is very like all other Welsh 
 towns — to wit, that it has a church 
 with a square tower and a clock, which 
 clock, by the way, is very unlike the 
 clocks of all other Welsh churches, in- 
 asmuch as its indexes perform their daily 
 evolutions with wonderful regularity — 
 that it has a river, running on one side 
 of a green, or marion, over which the 
 sagacity of former ages discovered that 
 it was requisite to erect a bridge — and 
 that, being the county town, it can 
 boast of something like a town -hall, in 
 which criminals are occasionally tried, 
 and plays, *' by the permission of the 
 
 magistrates,"
 
 86 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 magistrates," occasionally enacted, both 
 being doubtless a source of infinite edi- 
 fication and delight to the natives. It 
 has &lso its rectory and its head inn — its 
 market-place, such as it is — and its 
 post-office and pot-houses. It is en- 
 cumbered, moreover, with divers men 
 " learned in the law," and with more 
 than one disciple of the divine craft of 
 physic: in short, it is, in every possible 
 respect, a veritable Welsh town. 
 
 The evening on which this history 
 commences, was the evening of a fair- 
 day, and the young men of the town, 
 with several of the peasants from the 
 mountains, had assembled on the ma- 
 rion, or green aforesaid, to spend the 
 evening in the exercise of those ath- 
 letic feats which characterize the amuse- 
 ments of a pastoral and unrefined 
 people. It should be mentioned, that 
 the men of the dragoon regiment, a de- 
 tachment of which was at that time 
 quartered at Dolgelley, had strict orders 
 
 not
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 87 
 
 not to interfere in any manner with the 
 amusements of the people. It seems 
 that some reports of the increasing 
 restlessness of the Welsh had been for- 
 warded to London ; and that in conse- 
 quence of the recommendation of mild- 
 er measures, it was determined to try 
 the effects of a more palliative treat- 
 ment, and to allow them all due and 
 reasonable license. Among other in- 
 dulgences, they were graciously per- 
 mitted to practise those harmless games 
 of competition, which generally consti- 
 tuted, at that time, the recreations of 
 a fair or wake ; and which, at the be- 
 ginning of their bondage, had been 
 most sedulously suppressed. At the 
 same time, the troopers were to watch 
 carefully all indications of tumult or 
 disturbance, and to hold themselves in 
 readiness to quell them, should they be 
 commanded so to do ; but without or- 
 ders they were to do nothing. 
 
 On the evening in question, a very 
 
 particular
 
 88 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 particular order had been issued by ma- 
 jor Maitland, then commanding the de- 
 tachment in the absence of the colonel, 
 that none of the men should stir from 
 their quarters during the continuance 
 of the fair ; for on a similar and not 
 very distant occasion, at the neighbour- 
 ing town of Machynlleth, the indigna- 
 tion of the populace had been very 
 rashly and perilously provoked, by the 
 wanton conduct of some soldiers who 
 were quartered there at the time, and 
 a good deal of blood w^as shed in the 
 fray. In consequence of this regula- 
 tion, the young Welshmen prepared to 
 enjoy themselves, for once, entirely freed 
 from the presence of those whose com- 
 pany was at all times the source of bit- 
 ter and rankling detestation. 
 
 The marion presented a very busy 
 and animated scene. This marion, or 
 green, is, of itself, an object of some pro- 
 minence in the landscape. A large and 
 level strip of land, flanked on one side 
 
 by
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 89 
 
 by a brawling mountain river, and on 
 the other, by the confused and gloomy 
 buildings of the town, it presents, with 
 its smooth greensward, and grazing 
 cattle, a very lively object, as contrasted 
 with the dark and towering mountains, 
 which rise in all directions around it. 
 
 During the morning, the upper part 
 of the green had been occupied by the 
 horses and small black cattle, for the dis- 
 play of which Dolgelley has, to this day, 
 preserved its pristine celebrity. But 
 business had given way to recreation, 
 and the scite of the market was now en- 
 livened by groups of the townspeople ; 
 some busily preparing to mingle in the 
 pastimes which were about to commence ; 
 others — comprising the infirm and the 
 aged of the one sex, staid matrons and 
 blooming maidens of the other — stood 
 gazing at the various preparations, and 
 followed, with a glistening eye and a 
 bounding heart, the movements of a fa- 
 vourite competitor ; while those young- 
 sters,
 
 90 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 sters, who were not yet old enough to 
 participate in the different athletic 
 games, leaped and shouted, in the over- 
 flowings of youthful mirth, and in the 
 unrestricted license of a general holi- 
 day. 
 
 An indifferent spectator, as he stood 
 and gazed on the beautiful and busy 
 scene before him, glowing as it was in 
 the ruddy glory of the setting sun, 
 would not have supposed that the 
 people which he beheld were smarting 
 under the despotic yoke of an usurper. 
 
 An indulgence in merriment and 
 joyousness of heart, except in the mo- 
 ment of actual suffering, is a principal 
 feature in the character of the Welsh, 
 who, like their neighbours, the Irish, 
 yield themselves up, on all occasions, to 
 the quickening impulse of the moment ; 
 and the sounds of unrestrained glee, 
 which continually emanated from the 
 several groups on the green, proved, 
 plainly enough, that the ardent minds 
 
 of
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 91 
 
 of the mountaineers had lost, in that 
 moment of temporary hilarity, all sense 
 of bondage and oppression. 
 
 The amusements which they were 
 enjoying were as various as they were 
 manly. One group was witnessing the 
 sturdy contentions of two wrestlers — 
 another admired the strength and skill 
 of those who were engaged in hurling 
 the bar, pitching the pike, or brandish- 
 ing the quarter-staff. 
 
 In another part of the green there was 
 abundance of running and leaping — 
 " Everie man," to borrow the words of 
 an old writer, descriptive of a similar 
 scene, " striving, in a friendlie emula- 
 tion, to performe some acte or other, 
 worthie the name of souldier*." But 
 the principal actors in the scene were, in 
 the centre of the green, ranged round a 
 quintain, or gwyntyn, which had been 
 
 erected 
 
 * See a very interesting "Life of Sir Rice ap Thomas," in a 
 recent number of the " Retrospective Review."
 
 92 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 erected for the especial purpose of that 
 evening's amusement. A large pole 
 was fixed firmly in the ground, on the 
 top of which, and placed horizontally, 
 was a long transverse beam, fastened 
 with a pin, which permitted it to turn 
 freely round, on the application of suffi- 
 cient impetus. At one end of this beam 
 hung a bag of sand, fashioned so as, in 
 some degree, to resemble a rotund pun- 
 chy person ; and from the other extre- 
 mity a small flat board depended. This 
 was nailed firmly to the beam, so that 
 when smartly struck, it might commu- 
 nicate to it a revolving motion. 
 
 ^ Thus was the quintain constructed ; 
 and those who were deemed capable of 
 running at it, as the phrase went, were 
 mounted on horseback, and armed, 
 either with a pike, pole, or hunting 
 spear. 
 
 As this was the most arduous and im- 
 portant game, the competitors of course 
 attracted a greater share of attention ; 
 
 but
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 93 
 
 but not more on this account than for 
 their own rank and bearing, for the ma- 
 jority of them were young men, of 
 wealth and family, possessing no incon- 
 siderable pretensions to be styled gen- 
 tlemen. The running at the quintain 
 was, in fact, a feat of horsemanship, com- 
 bined with some manual dexterity, for 
 the game consisted in this : — the com- 
 petitors divided themselves into two par- 
 ties, or sides, the one party being the 
 runners, the other the guardians of the 
 quintain. Each of the runners, in rota- 
 tion, put his horse to the gallop, and ran 
 at the quintain, striking the fiat board 
 forcibly with his weapon as he passed. 
 If he was not extremely dexterous and 
 expeditious in his movements, he w^as 
 liable to be dismounted by a stroke in 
 the rear from the sand-bag, as it swung 
 round on the opposite end of the beam. 
 If, on the other hand, he was sufficient- 
 ly accomplished to pass it without fall- 
 ing, he had the option of challenging 
 
 any
 
 94 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 any one of the opposite party to a trial 
 of skill at some athletic game, a chal- 
 lenge which could not be declined ; so 
 that, to guard the quintain, was a ser- 
 vice at once arduous and honourable. 
 
 On the present occasion, the party at 
 the quintain was more than usually nu- 
 merous. The prohibition with regard 
 to the absence of the soldiers, had opera- 
 ted as a powerful attraction to the young 
 squires, at the extreme boundaries of 
 the county ; and while they made the 
 business of the fair the ostensible object 
 of their visit, they were determined to 
 enjoy, with unrepressed energy, those 
 hereditary pastimes, which, in more 
 peaceful times, always enhanced the 
 glee of a merry-making. A number of 
 fine young fellows had consequently as- 
 sembled, to compete with each other at 
 the quintain ; and, full of manly enthu- 
 siasm, they eagerly prepared for the con- 
 test. 
 
 While they were yet arranging them- 
 selves
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 95 
 
 selves for the game, a loud shout fron^i 
 the upper end of the green, in which 
 the exclamation of — " A Trevor ! a Tre- 
 vor !" could be distinctly heard, announ- 
 ced the approach of some person of more 
 than ordinary notoriety ; and a young 
 man, mounted on a very beautiful black 
 horse, rode up to join their party. But 
 there was nothing very particular, either 
 in his dress or accoutrements. His dress 
 indeed was plain, and simply fashioned, 
 when compared with the gay attire of 
 many of the others, for it consisted only 
 of dark green cloth, made to fit close to 
 his person, the fine and manly form of 
 which it displayed to great advantage. 
 It is true, that a close inspector would 
 have discovered that his buttons and 
 spurs were of silver, and that the stocks 
 of his holster pistols were beautifully 
 inlaid with the same metal. The dark 
 feather which curved gracefully in his 
 bonnet was fastened with a clasp of pure 
 gold ; and his buff boots were likewise 
 
 ornamented
 
 96 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 ornamented with a fringe of silver lace. 
 In other respects, he was unencumbered 
 with adventitious ornament of any- 
 kind ; and there was a good-humoured 
 and frank suavity in his manners, which 
 comported well with his handsome and 
 truly noble form. 
 
 He was rapturously welcomed by his 
 young associates, and every concession 
 made to his superior rank, as well as to 
 his pre-eminent excellence in all matters 
 of this description. This distinction he 
 bore, with a dignity that was perfectly 
 natural to him, and, without either su- 
 perciliousness, or a display of conscious 
 merit, he speedily completed the ar- 
 rangements for the game. 
 
 In marshalling the men of each party, 
 it seemed that there was one deficient 
 on the side of the guardians of the 
 quintain ; and as all the competitors 
 were already engaged, Reginald Trevor 
 (the reader will have already surmised 
 that he of the green garb is our hero) 
 
 offered
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 97 
 
 offered to withdraw himself, as, from 
 the lateness of his arrival, he ought not 
 to derange their plans. This was simul- 
 taneously and vociferously opposed, and 
 in the midst of the din which ensued, a 
 stranger stepped forward, out of the 
 group of spectators, and shouting for 
 silence, addressed Reginald. — '* I see 
 you want another to make one in the 
 game ; what say you, my merry mates, 
 to me ? I am not much used to such 
 pastimes, albeit I can handle a pike, or 
 a quarter- staff, or even more deadly 
 weapons, upon occasion; but if you will 
 take me as I am, I'll do my best among 
 ye." 
 
 Reginald bent upon the speaker a 
 look of suspicious scrutiny. He was a 
 tall, raw-boned, middle-aged man, with 
 a countenance indicative of daring fero- 
 city, mingled with a sinister expression 
 of a tiger-like cunning; there was a 
 reckless appearance in his small, grey 
 eye, and a familiarity in his manner, 
 
 VOL. I. F which
 
 98 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 which was any thing but recommenda- 
 tory. 
 
 He exhibited no change of counten- 
 ance, nor any symptom of confusion, as 
 the young leader eyed him from head 
 to foot. All he did was to grasp more 
 firmly the circumference of a short 
 quarter-staff, which he held extended in 
 his hand, as if impatient of this silent, 
 though irksome observation. 
 
 Reginald turned to his party, and 
 said — " What say you, my friends ?-— 
 shall we admit this stranger to a share 
 of our pastime ? He seems well fashion- 
 ed enough, if he have but spirit for the 
 game." 
 
 " Spirit !" said the man ; " w^iat spirit 
 do ye want for such foolery as this ? — 
 my old mother, rest her soul! would 
 play this game with her spindles well 
 enough ; and her son has too much of 
 the breed in him to hang back. If it 
 were not against the rules of the game, 
 I'd pit myself against you all !" 
 
 " You speak boldly, however," an- 
 swered
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 99 
 
 svvered Reginald ; " and now for the 
 ^ test. Where is your horse ?" 
 
 " He stands by yonder heudy,'' (cow- 
 house). 
 
 " Away then, and bring him hither ; 
 we have lost time already by this pra- 
 ting." 
 
 The stranger turned on his heel, and 
 walked swaggeringly towards his horse ; 
 but not without muttering sundry in-, 
 distinct execrations on the pride and 
 suspicion of the youthful leader. He 
 speedily rejoined the party, however, 
 mounted on a very powerful horse, and 
 one which, in the opinion of many, was 
 not well calculated for the sport; but 
 to a remark relative to this, made by 
 one of the young Welshmen, the stran- 
 ger carelessly replied, that the beast was 
 the best he had, and good enough, if oc- 
 casion required, to be pitted against such 
 mountain colts as those ; at all rates, 
 they should see. And so the spoi't com- 
 menced. 
 
 r 2 The
 
 100 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 The first who ran at the quintain was 
 Reginald Trevor ; and he performed his 
 part, like one to whom such a manly 
 pastime was as gratifying as it was easy 
 of accomplishment. He vaulted into 
 his saddle, and sat there, with all the 
 grace and freedom of a well-practised 
 horseman ; and would have reminded 
 the admiring damsels who were present, 
 of the exquisite description of Harry of 
 Monmouth, had they been acquaint- 
 ed with a book so profane as the plays 
 of Shakespeare. 
 
 " They saw him 
 Rise from the ground like feather'd Mercurj', 
 And vault with so much ease into his seat. 
 As if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds, 
 To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus, 
 And witch the world with noble horsemanship." 
 
 The distance which he had to ride 
 was not more than a hundred paces, 
 and putting his horse to a hand-gallop, 
 he made the spirited but obedient ani- 
 mal bound as he struck the quintain, so 
 
 that
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 101 
 
 that he cleared his distance with ease. 
 Having done this, it behoved him to 
 challenge some one of the opposite par- 
 ty to a competitorship in any game he 
 pleased. As soon, therefore, as he had 
 reined in his horse, his eye fell upon the 
 brawny person of the stranger, and he 
 said to him, with a smile — " You know 
 the custom of the game, I suppose — 
 what say you ? — will you try a bout at 
 quarter-staff with me ?" 
 . " Ay, will 1 !" promptly answered 
 he. 
 
 " Agreed then — but stay," continued 
 Reginald, as his antagonist was coming- 
 forward; " the running must be finished 
 first." 
 
 " As you will," said the stranger, 
 carelessly ; and the game proceeded. 
 
 The running was bravely managed ; 
 for out of the whole party, only two 
 were dismounted : one was a young 
 squire from the hills, who had swallow- 
 ed too much ale for the preservation of 
 F 3 his
 
 102 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 his equilibrium, and so he fell; and the 
 other was no less a personage than the 
 squire of Pentre himself — a huge mon- 
 ster of a man, who, like ** sweet Jack 
 FalstafF," actually larded the lean earth 
 as he walked along. What on earth 
 possessed this caricature of a creature to 
 hazard his annihilation in this way, no- 
 body knew ; but he came of a stubborn 
 and stiff-necked generation, which is ex- 
 tant even to this day — and so, he fell 
 also, shaking the solid earth by the pros- 
 tration of his carcase, and lying like a 
 stranded whale upon its grassy surface. 
 He was speedily removed, however ; 
 and now came the contest of the chal- 
 lengers and their opponents. 
 
 A ring was quickly formed, and an 
 enthusiastic and eager anxiety marked 
 the countenances of the spectators, as 
 they gathered round to witness the trial 
 of skill between their champion, Regi- 
 nald, for in that light was he considered, 
 and the stranger. Reginald's prowess 
 
 and
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 103 
 
 and dexterity were well known; yet, 
 nevertheless, some misgivings arose in 
 the minds of some of his young friends, 
 as they gazed on the gaunt, brawny, 
 and exceedingly powerful form of his 
 opponent. However, the feat in which 
 he was about to be engaged, was one 
 that required a quick eye, and an active 
 arm, rather than great strength, or per- 
 sonal power. For some time the con- 
 test was exceedingly doubtful. The 
 stranger made his staff whirl about the 
 ears of his opponent, with a force and 
 rapidity which proved him to be a per- 
 fect master of his weapon ; while Regi- 
 nald was equally dextrous in parrying 
 his blows, and in inflicting others upon 
 the close steel cap of his adversary. At 
 length, the young mountaineer evidently 
 gained the advantage ; for the stranger 
 began to flag, while his steel cap inces- 
 santly rang with the sound of Reginald's 
 blows. He endeavoured to rally, but it 
 was useless ; and before it could be said 
 F 4 that
 
 104 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 that he was absolutely vanquished, he 
 hurled his staff into the river, and 
 shouted — " Hold your hand, young sir ! 
 — this is but child's play. Are you man 
 enough to try a fall with me, in a wrestle 
 on the greensward h^re?" 
 
 " I should be unworthy of the name 
 of Welshman, were I not," promptly 
 replied Reginald ; "but you must con- 
 fess yourself vanquished at this game 
 first." 
 
 " What ! and by a poy ! — a peardless 
 poy, like you !" and he laughed loudly 
 and scornfully, as he stood in the centre 
 of the ring, with his arms folded, and 
 his eye bent fiercely upon the youth. 
 
 The blood of the young Welshmen 
 was now on fire, and they gathered 
 round the stranger, with the intention 
 of laying violent hands upon him, and 
 forcing him to make that acknowledg- 
 ment to Reginald's superior prowess, to 
 which they conceived their champion to 
 be justly entitled. 
 
 The
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 105 
 
 The stranger shrank not from their 
 menaces, but stood his ground, with the 
 firmness of a rock, accustomed to the 
 angry beatings of a troubled sea. It is 
 probable that some desperate doings 
 would have ensued, had not Reginald 
 gallantly stood forward, and accepted his 
 antagonist's challenge unconditionally. 
 His friends would have dissuaded him 
 from so rash an act, but he would not 
 heed them. — *' It was I," he said, " who 
 first challenged this stranger, and he has 
 a right to retort upon me. In the name 
 of St. David, let it not be said, that any 
 o^ us ever quailed at the vauntings of a 
 braggart, whom nobody knows. He 
 may be a mongrel Saxon, for aught w^e 
 know to the contrary. If so, we have 
 had enough of their insolence, and it 
 must be our own faults now, if we en- 
 dure any more." 
 
 " I am no Saxon, young sir," said the 
 
 stranger; " nor, as you shall see, any 
 
 braggart. But you accept my chal- 
 
 r 5 lenge;
 
 106 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 lenge; and now for the trial. Come 
 on, my young Springald ! I have laid 
 stouter and sturdier men than thee low ; 
 and it shall go hard with me if thou 
 hast not the worst on't.'* 
 
 The young Briton threw off his bon- 
 net, and stepping manfully forward, 
 placed himself in an attitude, which, 
 while it served to display almost every 
 muscle of his fine athletic form, gave de- 
 cided proof of his skill in the game. His 
 antagonist advanced towards him, and, 
 from his superior size and strength, 
 seemed as if he could crush him to atoms, 
 as he extended his long sinewy arms to 
 prepare for the scuffling. After much 
 skilful manoeuvring on both sides, the 
 combatants closed, each being appa- 
 rently determined to conclude a contest, 
 which had assumed a more serious cha- 
 racter than its commencement seemed 
 to promise. In this, as in the other 
 game, Reginald's superior activity gave 
 him the advantage over his rival, who 
 
 attempted
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 107 
 
 attempted several times to throw him, 
 but in vain ; for Reginald's extreme agi- 
 lity counteracted every effort. At length 
 the stranger lost his patience, and with 
 it the necessary coolness and caution. 
 The quick eye of the young Welshman 
 saw this in an instant; and collecting 
 all his strength, he fairly lifted his oppo- 
 nent off the ground, and hurled him to 
 the earth, with a force that deprived 
 him of motion. A loud shout of tri- 
 umph burst from the spectators, who 
 joined simultaneously in rejoicing over 
 the downfall of the braggart, and in 
 congratulating their gallant champion 
 on his victory. 
 
 The stranger, stunned with his fall, 
 lay apparently lifeless on the green; 
 and it was not till Reginald had loosen- 
 ed the clasps of his cap, and poured 
 some water over his face, that he shewed 
 any symptoms of returning animation. 
 He soon, however, recovered from the 
 effect of his fall, and rose, unassisted, 
 F 6 from
 
 108 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 from the ground. He approached Re- 
 ginald, and took his hand, — " Thou art 
 a brave lad," be said, " and I shall not 
 forget thee. Thou hast vanquished me 
 now; but a time may come, when it 
 will be my turn to cry conqueror. Fare- 
 well! We shall meet again," and he 
 wrung Reginald's hand with an energy 
 that almost drove the blood out through 
 his fingers. 
 
 " Be it so," answered Reginald ; " and 
 for my own part, I care not how soon. 
 But let me advise you, friend, not to 
 risk too much with us wild Welshmen ; 
 you see we are not the boys you took 
 us for." 
 
 " I verily believe you," answered the 
 other ; " but beware, nevertheless, how 
 ye meddle with matters belonging to 
 men. It is not every mongrel Saxon 
 who is so unpractised in these childish 
 pastimes as I am. I will give thee an- 
 other trial yet, before long ; but it shall 
 
 be
 
 v^i^ 
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 109 
 
 be at a manlier and deadlier game than 
 this." 
 
 He mounted his horse as he spoke, 
 and striking his spurs up to their rowel- 
 heads in his sides, rushed up the green, 
 like some demon of evil, who came, no- 
 body knew whence, and went, nobody 
 cared whither. 
 
 The shadows of evening now began 
 to lengthen apace, and gradually dis- 
 solving, vanished into the gathering 
 gloom of twilight. The moon, too, 
 arose ; and even its feeble ray seemed to 
 warn the lingering groups, that it was 
 time to devote the brief remnant of the 
 holiday to the festivities of the dance, 
 the song, and the banquet board. The 
 alehouses of the town vied with each 
 other in presenting their allurements; 
 their windows beamed with an unwon- 
 ted display of lights ; and the harpers, 
 which had been engaged to enhance the 
 evening's harmony, competed lustily 
 with one another, if not in the melody, 
 
 at
 
 110 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 at all events in the sonorous loudness of 
 their tones ; while " mine host," duly- 
 imbued with his own importance, bustled 
 to and fro among his guests, with an 
 energy and effect which were mightily 
 conducive to his own profit. All the 
 young mountaineers led off their re- 
 spective partners to the dance, except- 
 ing only Reginald, and one or two 
 others, who walked slowly towards the 
 town, engaged in deep and earnest con- 
 versation. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. Ill 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Ob, monstrous traitor ! I arrest thee, York, 
 Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown : 
 Obey, audacious traitor ! Henry V. Part II. 
 
 While the occupiers of the marion 
 were engaged in the manner we have 
 attempted to describe, there was an- 
 other assemblage, equally bustling and 
 miscellaneous, at the head inn, then and 
 now denominated the Golden Lion*. 
 The best parlour was occupied by major 
 
 Maitland, 
 
 * Connoisseur* of curious inn signs would be highly de- 
 lighted with the figure which is here intended to represent this 
 rampant animal. It was painted by a very eccentric and ex- 
 traordinary character, in some respects closely resembling the 
 late celebrated Richard Tinto, esquire. He was advised by 
 his friends to add the following inscription — " Take notice : 
 this is a golden lion." But like all other advice that he ever 
 received, it was scornfully and indignantly rejected.
 
 112 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 Maitland, and the mess of the detach- 
 ment then quartered at Dolgelley. In 
 the kitchen were divers farmers, cattle- 
 drovers, and peasants from the moun- 
 tains, who had congregated here, for the 
 purpose of concluding their bargains, as 
 well as for spending an hour or two over 
 the ale-can, for the sake of old acquain- 
 tance and good fellowship. Some were 
 standing in parties of three or four, and 
 others were sitting at the furthest end 
 of the apartment, engaged in rapid and 
 vociferous discourse, about the price of 
 cattle, cheese, and woollen webs. At a 
 small round table, by the fire, sat his 
 honour, Mr. David, or, as he was com- 
 monly called, Mr. Die Davis, the jus- 
 tice, a personage of great influence at 
 Dolgelley. In his youth he left the 
 country ; and after a series of lucky in- 
 cidents, and the lapse of thirty years, 
 returned, to spend his fortune and his 
 declining years, amidst the green hills 
 of his native land : he had purchased a 
 
 small
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 113 
 
 small estate in the neighbourhood, which, 
 with a trifling patrimonial property of 
 his own, gave him some rank and im- 
 portance in the county ; so he took out 
 his certificate, and added J. P. to his 
 name. He was greatly and deservedly 
 respected, as much for his benevolent 
 and kind-hearted disposition, as for his 
 wealth and magisterial distinction. At 
 the table with him were doctor Jones, 
 master David Ellis, the minister of Dol- 
 gelley, and mine host himself, while 
 moving about, with all the bustling ac- 
 tivity and ready courtesy of youthful 
 civility, was seen Margat Williams, 
 mine host's pretty daughter. 
 
 A merry and laughter-loving lass 
 was Margat ; and a kind word and ready 
 answer had she for every one : even the 
 brutal soldiers regarded her with a kind- 
 lier civility than they were wont to be- 
 stow upon others ; and although she 
 had barely passed her twentieth year, 
 she managed the business of the inn 
 
 with
 
 114 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 with great credit to herself, and abund- 
 ant profit to her worthy, good-natured, 
 but indolent, and fat progenitor. There 
 was another person, however, who, from 
 the hereditary importance of his calling, 
 and from the means which he possessed 
 of contributing to the conviviality of 
 the " inn-kitchen," ought not to pass 
 unnoticed. This was Owen Reece, the 
 harper, a man well stricken in years, 
 with a face plentifully pitted with the 
 small-pox, but enlivened by two merry 
 light-blue eyes, which, on the present 
 occasion, had derived additional vivacity 
 from the exhilarating effects of sundry 
 draughts of ale, which had duly disap- 
 peared down his capacious and thirsty 
 throat. This was the assemblage within 
 the house ; but there was a party with- 
 out which demands our attention. 
 
 Before the inn-door was a large and 
 venerable oak, under whose spreading 
 branches many a cup of good cwrw had 
 been quaffed; there it grew and flou- 
 rished,
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 115 
 
 rished, spreading its green branches to 
 the blue sky. Under this tree a rude 
 bench had been constructed, for the pur- 
 pose of accommodating the customers, 
 many of whom, in days of former tran- 
 quillity, were wont to regale themselves 
 of a summer's evening in the cool air, 
 and under the umbrageous boughs of 
 this fine old tree ; and a pleasant seat it 
 was in those days, for that irregular 
 and confused mass of building, which 
 now interposes between the bridge and 
 the inn, was not then in existence, and 
 the eye was permitted to roam unob- 
 structed over one of the most magnifi- 
 cent scenes in nature. On the one side 
 were the wooded hills of Llwyn, Garth- 
 maelan, and Nannau ; on the other, the 
 ruder, but more lofty mountains of 
 Gwanas and Caerynwch *. The river 
 
 was 
 
 • A beautiful modern mansion has been erected, in a de- 
 ligUtful spct, on this estate, by the late lord chief baron Rich- 
 ards, to whose lady (now also uo more) the property belonged. 
 
 If
 
 116 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 was also seen meandering through some 
 rich meadow land, skirted on the north 
 by the high road to Bala and Barmouth ; 
 and on the opposite side, by that leading 
 to Dinas Mowddwy and Mallwyd. High 
 above all the neighbouring hills, to the 
 south, Cader Idris upreared its dark and 
 towering summit into the blue heaven, 
 in grand and stupendous majesty ; while 
 lowering more gloomily and abruptly 
 to the east, were the lofty summits of 
 the two Arans, mountains rivalling 
 Cader himself in elevation, though not 
 in extent and massive grandeur. 
 
 On the evening which we have intro- 
 duced to our readers, this pleasant seat 
 was occupied by four or five of the men 
 belonging to the detachment already 
 mentioned as being quarterred at Dol- 
 
 gelley : 
 
 If the passing testimony of a nameless individual will afford 
 any satisfaction to the surviving family, it will gratify him to 
 declare, that a more honourable, upright, and honest man, 
 never filled the high office, to which his own merits and learn- 
 ing alone elevated him.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 117 
 
 gelley ; they had selected it, because it 
 was the most delightful seat they could 
 have ; and they sat there smoking their 
 pipes, and drinking their ale, in all the 
 luxurious indolence, consummate im- 
 pudence, and conscious importance, of 
 troopers off duty. 
 
 " Well, you may say what you please, 
 Ned," said one of them, in answer to a 
 remark made by a comrade, " but ^ think 
 this is a cursed stupid way of life. Here 
 are we, day after day, chained to this 
 infernal place, without any hope or like- 
 lihood of getting away. If it was not 
 for an occasional quarrel with these hot- 
 blooded Taffies, and be d d to them ! 
 
 we should forget that we were soldiers, 
 and our swords would stick to the scab- 
 bards with rust. I wish, in my heart, 
 we were at war again ;" and he hummed 
 the verse of the old song — 
 
 " Too much rest is rust. 
 
 There's ever cheer in changing : 
 We tire by too much trust, 
 
 So let's be up and ranging." 
 
 " Now
 
 118 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 « Now I don't wish for war, Tom," 
 said the other ; " although, as you know, 
 I like the fun of fighting as well as any- 
 one. But there is something devilish 
 comfortable in sitting down at one's 
 ease, and getting up at one's pleasure, 
 as we do now, without the risk of a 
 hard day's ride, and bad quarters after 
 all. This idleness does very well by 
 way of a change." 
 
 " Ay, so it does, truly ; but we have 
 had quite enough of it; and I hope, 
 with all my heart, that our gallant co- 
 lonel will bring us either a change of 
 quarters — for I am sick of this place — 
 or a report of war. We have had no 
 pillaging now for the last six months ; 
 and my sword-arm is as stiff as a hal- 
 berd for want of practice." 
 
 " I thought you had practice enough 
 at Naseby, Tom," said one who was 
 considerably older than the others, and 
 who was accounted, for a trooper, a very 
 sedate and sober personage. " I saw 
 
 you.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 119 
 
 you, with my own eyes, cleave to the 
 ground the brave fellow who stabbed 
 Ireton's horse." 
 
 " Ay, that was something like a fight, 
 my old Sobersides; and our generals 
 behaved like brave devils, as they were. 
 Do you remember seeing old Fairfax 
 riding among the ranks, with his bare 
 head, and his grey hair hanging down 
 upon his neck, after he had his helmet 
 beat off? I heard colonel D'Oyley 
 offer him his helmet, which the hardy 
 old man refused, saying — * Never mind, 
 Charles, I shall not catch cold.' God! 
 we all fought like furies that day !" 
 
 " Faith we did ! and so did the enemy 
 too. Sir Marmaduke Langdale, with 
 those infernal light-horse of his, was 
 almost a match for the lord protector ; 
 and would have done for him, had it 
 not been for Skipton ; and the king be- 
 haved bravely too, weak as he was in 
 other matters. We had hot work 
 there!" 
 
 "It
 
 120 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 " It will be something for us young 
 lads to talk of in our old age ; and I 
 shall tell my grandchildren that I was 
 the bold fellow who killed a king's en- 
 sign, and took his colours. Do you re- 
 member that, old Graveairs ?" 
 
 " I remember," said the other, very 
 coolly, " that Fairfax killed the ensign, 
 and you got the credit of it; for he 
 could well spare you so slight an ho- 
 nour." 
 
 " It's a lie, old Squaretoes ! hav'n't I 
 got the colours now ? You are envious 
 of my luck, one and all of you ; and 
 this comes of an idle life. Here's for a 
 speedy war and a long one, with plenty 
 of booty, and no lack of kind lasses !" 
 and he quaffed a cup of ale, to enforce 
 this amiable adjuration. 
 
 " Don't fidget yourself, my lad," said 
 the other; " you shall have plenty of 
 work presently, and bloody work it will 
 be too, I promise you. Have you ever 
 
 fought
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 121 
 
 fought any of these Merionethshire fel- 
 lows?" 
 
 " Yes — many times under Mytton. 
 Why do you ask ?" 
 
 '' Because you may prepare to fight 
 them again." 
 
 " In the world to come, I suppose 
 you mean ?" 
 
 " No, I mean in the month to come. 
 Mark my words, Tom Bryceson — we 
 shall have tough work to do, and that 
 quickly. Between ourselves, our wor- 
 thy major is too careless ; and it w^ould 
 be no hard matter to take us all by sur- 
 prise, and slaughter us quietly in our 
 beds here. There are secret meetings 
 in these mountains, and lights have 
 been seen dancing at midnight among 
 the rocks. The old women here say, 
 they are fairies, or hobgoblins, or imps 
 of the devil ; but your evil spirits are 
 not so fond of such cold quarters. Be- 
 sides, Taffy is getting every day more 
 saucy ; and this indulgence from the 
 
 VOL. I. G parliament
 
 122 llEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 parliament has given all these young 
 brawlers mighty great airs. We must 
 watch hard, Tom, and sleep softly, if 
 we wish to get home again alive." 
 
 " Devil a bit will I do either !" replied 
 the other : " I don't care the snap of a 
 pistol for all their watchings and meet- 
 ings; but I'll promise them this, that-if 
 any of them are saucy to me, there 
 shall not be a hair's breadth between 
 their thick skulls and my good broad- 
 sword. Here's confusion to them all !" 
 
 " Speak not your curses so loud, sir !" 
 said a strange voice, as the trooper was 
 carrying his cup to his lips ; " you may 
 rue your rashness." 
 
 The trooper turned round, and en- 
 countered the steady gaze of Reginald 
 Trevor, who turned on his heel, and 
 walked slowly into the inn. 
 
 The soldier cast a significant glance 
 at his older comrade, and asked if he 
 knew w^ho the braggart was? 
 
 '' Not I," was the answer ; " I sup- 
 pose
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 123 
 
 pose he is some headstrong springald, 
 who has more blood than brains, and a 
 good jorum of claret under his belt : but 
 he must be looked to." 
 
 "Umph!" muttered Bryceson, as he 
 shook the ashes out of his pipe; " I 
 would give a dollar and my best hel- 
 met to know his name ; he is a fine lad, 
 at any rate, and would fight well, I 
 warrant. Did you see what a sinewy 
 arm he had, and how bravely the young- 
 ster carried himself? I'll bet you a pair 
 of silver spurs to an old foraging-cap, 
 that he is a well-bred youth — will you 
 take me?" 
 
 " Not I truly — you owe me now 
 three quarts of claret and a pound of 
 'bacco; and, hang me if I'll venture 
 another stiver, till we are clear on that 
 score." 
 
 " Well then, you shall have your 
 
 claret now — it will make a good finish 
 
 to the evening. — Margaret, ho there! 
 
 — You may think wliat you like, Wat- 
 
 G 2 son,
 
 124 Bi|EGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 son, but I am sure that young devil is 
 well-born." 
 
 " Indeed truth is he, Mr. Bryceson ," 
 said Margat Williams, who just then 
 came to answer the summons of the 
 trooper ; " well-born, and well-bred is 
 he too." 
 
 " Aha ! my sweet cuckoo, say you 
 so ? He is a sweetheart of yours too, 
 I suppose?" 
 
 " Name of goodness, Mr. Bryceson ! 
 Mr. Reginald Trevor a sweetheart of 
 mine ! no, indeed — he is a match for the 
 first lady in the land. He lives at 
 Abermaw Castle yonder," pointing in 
 a south-west direction from the town. 
 
 " I said so," exclaimed the trooper 
 exultingly ; " hang me ! I knew he was 
 no hedge-sparrow. — Is he any relation, 
 sweet, to the gruff old lord that lives at 
 the castle?" 
 
 " Yes, sure — a brother's son." 
 
 " What we in England call a nephew, 
 Margaret : well, he is a brave lad ; and 
 
 if
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 125 
 
 if he had not been so, it would have 
 gone hard with me but I would have 
 tried a bout with him at the broad- 
 sword. — As it is, Margaret, for your 
 sake," and he chucked her under the 
 chin as he spoke, " he shall be spared 
 this time; and so do you bring us some 
 claret ; quick, sweet one ! for this chat- 
 ter has made us dry." 
 
 And away tripped Margaret, ejacu- 
 lating, however, as she went — " For 
 my sake, sure ! indeed, truth, it is well 
 for some people that they can make such 
 good excuses — it saves them many a 
 broken head." 
 
 In the mean time, Reginald Trevor 
 had entered the inn-kitchen, where he 
 was greeted by all with many warm 
 and welcome gratulations. Mr. Davies, 
 who was expatiating, with much elo- 
 quence, although not in a very loud 
 voice, on the abominable vices of the 
 soldiery — a favourite and never-failing 
 topic with that worthy gentleman, im- 
 G 3 mediately
 
 126 REGINALD TRETOR. 
 
 mediately suspended his harangue, iand 
 with his wig pushed somewhat awry, as 
 much by the fervour of his eloquence as 
 by the fumes of the claret he had drank, 
 stretched out his hand towards the 
 youth, and warmly welcomed him to 
 the party.—" Reginald, my lad," said 
 he, as the young mountaineer seated 
 himself at the table, " I am very glad 
 to see you ; but where have you been 
 all day r 
 
 " I have been very busy in disposing 
 of some of the baron's cattle, and have 
 had to deal with some English drovers, 
 v^ho thought, I believe, that they could 
 get our black cattle as easily as the red* 
 coats have them, for the asking, or ra- 
 ther for the taking. I would rather deal 
 with twenty rough Welshmen, than one 
 smooth-tongued Saxon." 
 
 " So would I, master Reinallt," said 
 mine host : " your Englishers will drink 
 but little, and then grumble to pay for 
 that But your Welshman — give him 
 
 good
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 127 
 
 good ale and brandy — will drink till he's 
 dry again, and pay like a prince. Mar- 
 gat! Where's the girl gone to? Mar- 
 gat! I say, bring a fresh stoup of claret, 
 and leave those ranting troopers to their 
 own jabber." 
 
 " And how is my old friend, the ba- 
 ron, Reginald ?" resumed the justice — 
 " and his lovely daughter ? 'Tis a great 
 pity that the fairest flower on the hill- 
 side will not come more among us." 
 
 ** My lord's increasing indisposition 
 has too many claims upon her solicitude, 
 to permit her to leave him often. Be- 
 sides, sir, these are not times for females 
 to wander abroad, without powerful 
 protection. The parliament, in the ple- 
 nitude of its wisdom and mercy, has 
 sent a legion of devils among us, to 
 keep us in good humour with its de- 
 crees. It was but now that I heard 
 these swaggering troopers at the door, 
 flushed wdth drunken insolence, call 
 down curses on our heads. The lady 
 G 4 Isabel
 
 1218 EEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 Isabel has too much affection for her 
 father, and too much regard for herself, 
 to wander far beyond the castle grounds, 
 in such troubled times as these." 
 
 " She is a very good and discreet 
 young lady," responded the justice; 
 " and I trust, that for her sake, and for 
 yours, and for all of us, Reginald, hap- 
 pier times may come, and come speedily." 
 
 " Amen ! with all my heart !" warmly 
 answered the youth. " But," he conti- 
 nued, after pausing a moment, " I must 
 leave you, my good friends. I only 
 came to see how you were all going on, 
 and to take my stirrup-cup with you. 
 I must reach home before night-fall, and 
 it is now past eight o'clock;" and he 
 pointed to the indices of a huge fiddle- 
 shaped w^ooden clock, which decorated 
 the mantelpiece of the kitchen. 
 
 We have said, that Reginald Trevor 
 was warmly welcomed on his appear- 
 ance in the inn kitchen, by the grave 
 and sedate personages there assembled ; 
 
 and
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 129 
 
 and we have already seen, that his pre- 
 sence was hailed with equal joy by the 
 youngsters congregated on the green. 
 He was, in truth, an object of very great 
 regard among the townspeople and pea- 
 santry, as much on his own account, as 
 from his connection with a very power- 
 ful nobleman who resided in the neigh- 
 bourhood. This nobleman was the ba- 
 ron of Abermaw, an extensive landed 
 proprietor, and the descendant of a very 
 ancient and honourable family ; but, 
 from some calamity which had befallen 
 him in early life, he had rigidly seclu- 
 ded himself at Abermaw Castle. It 
 was, however, chiefly on his own ac- 
 count, that Reginald Trevor was so be- 
 loved by the people among whom he 
 dwelt. Frank, generous, and open- 
 hearted, he insisted not upon the dignity 
 due to his rank ; but mingling constantly 
 with the people, he alleviated the wants 
 of the needy, and redressed the grie- 
 vances and wrongs of those who were 
 G 5 not
 
 130 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 not able of themselves to obtain justice 
 and restitution. Reginald, in common 
 with his countrymen, entertained to- 
 v»^ards the soldiery, the most cordial and 
 unquenchable hatred; and had been 
 frequently embroiled in quarrels, with 
 the men of the regiment which had 
 been previously quartered at Dolgelley. 
 But his connection with the house of 
 Abermaw, the then representative of 
 which was more than suspected of hav- 
 ing aided the measures of the usurper, 
 had hitherto preserved him from the 
 signal vengeance of the troopers. To 
 the present detachment, it has been 
 shewn that he was not known — at least 
 not to the privates generally; but the 
 warning which he gave Bryceson and 
 his companions, as he passed by to the 
 inn, had secured for him the very espe- 
 cial attention of that worthy and his as- 
 sociates. 
 
 Great was the regret manifested by 
 the little party which Reginald had 
 
 joined,
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 131 
 
 joined, when he rose to depart; but 
 theii' pressing solicitations could not pre- 
 vail upon him to tarry longer. He went 
 to the door, and desired one of the ost- 
 lers to bring out his horse. Now, this 
 was the same horse which he had ridden 
 in running at the quintain, and a beau- 
 tiful creature it was. It had been given 
 to him by one of the baron's tenants, 
 when quite a colt, and was very much 
 prized by its possessor. The horse was 
 no sooner brought to the door, than one 
 of the dragoons — Thomas Bryceson to 
 wit — said, to one of his comrades — 
 " That's a fine horse. Jack ; and hang 
 me if it does not belong to the young 
 devil that spoke so big to me just now." 
 He rose hastily as he spoke, and ap- 
 proaching Reginald, commanded him 
 to deliver up the animal, pursuant to a 
 certain regulation, not then repealed, 
 which gave every soldier the privilege 
 of appropriating to himself any article 
 G 6 which
 
 132 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 which could possibly be rendered useful 
 in the service. 
 
 Reginald eyed the man, with a look 
 half astonishment and half ridicule ; for 
 he imagined, and perhaps rightly, that 
 the trooper was stimulated to act thus 
 by the potent influence of mine host's 
 ale and claret. He took the bridle in 
 his hand, and had already placed his 
 foot in the stirrup, when he felt the 
 grasp of the soldier's hand on his neck. 
 He turned swiftly round, disengaged 
 himself from the grasp of the trooper, 
 and, with his eye flashing fire, asked the 
 miscreant what he meant ? 
 
 " I mean," said the fellow, " to have 
 that horse; for I have taken a liking to 
 the beast, and must have him." 
 
 " If you dare to lay your hand upon 
 him, you shall dearly rue it ! Will you 
 add this open robbery to the rest of your 
 detestable villanies ?" 
 
 " Bravo, my lad ! you are a fine fel- 
 low, by G ! but the horse must be 
 
 mine;
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 133 
 
 mine : take notice all of you — observe, 
 AVatson," turning to his elder comrade, 
 " I claim this beast, in the name and for 
 the use of the lord protector." 
 
 He approached, for the purpose of 
 making his caption, as Mr. Davies after- 
 wards expressed it, and had stretched 
 out his hand toward the horse, when Re- 
 ginald sprang on him like a tiger, and, 
 seizing him by the collar, hurled him to 
 the ground, with a force that would have 
 felled an ox. In an instant the com- 
 rades of the fallen man rushed towards 
 Reginald, who had as instantly drawn a 
 pistol from his holster, which he now 
 presented at the soldiers — " Stand off!" 
 he exclaimed, in a voice of thunder, " or, 
 by the heaven above, I'll fire !" They 
 heeded not his threat, but pressed on- 
 wards. He fired, and the foremost man 
 fell. It was now time to think of es- 
 cape, to which he was urged, and actu- 
 ally compelled by the bystanders, who 
 effectually prevented the interference of 
 
 the
 
 134 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 the other troopers, by holding them 
 tightly, " vi et armis ;" and before the 
 bustle occasioned by this event had be- 
 come very extensive, Reginald Trevor 
 had gained the high road which led to 
 Abermaw Castle. 
 
 But the youth had scarcely left the 
 inn yard, before major Maitland and his 
 party made their appearance, followed by 
 all the inmates of the inn. The first ob- 
 ject which attracted the major's atten- 
 tion, was the senseless body of the pros- 
 trate trooper. Watson, the man who 
 had been shot, had only been slightly 
 wounded in the leg, and was now bind- 
 ing up the wound with much uncon- 
 cern. — " What outrage is this, in God's 
 name?" demanded the officer, as he ap- 
 proached the fallen man — " Watson, 
 how comes this ? I heard a shot, and 
 you, I see, are wounded. Is Bryceson 
 dead ?" 
 
 An explanation speedily ensued, and 
 
 loud
 
 REGINALD TREVOB. 185 
 
 loud and deep was the major's wrath 
 at the recital. 
 
 " What were ye all about, ye white- 
 livered scoundrels," he exclaimed, as he 
 gazed in fury upon the assembled people, 
 " that ye did not secure the rebellious 
 wretch? This shall be taken notice of! 
 Is a murderer to escape thus ? Who 
 and what is he, and which way has he 
 gone ?" 
 
 " He is nephew to lord Abermaw," 
 answered Watson, " and has, I suppose, 
 taken the road to the castle." 
 
 " Then up and away after him !" was 
 the prompt reply ; " this is no time for 
 trifling ; and were he nephew to the lord 
 protector, he should answer this outrage. 
 Tell Harris to sound, boot and saddle; 
 and do you, lieutenant," turning to a ra- 
 ther handsome young man, who stood 
 by him, " pick out twelve men, and 
 pursue this young firebrand — you have 
 my commands to bring him here, dead 
 
 or
 
 1S6 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 or alive ; and remember I shall look for 
 him at your hands." 
 
 The lieutenant smiled his acquies- 
 cence ; the trumpeter sounded to horse ; 
 and in a few minutes the detachment 
 was ready mounted for the pursuit. 
 Bryceson, who had only been stunned, 
 and wa« now perfectly recovered, begged 
 hard to be included in the party ; and 
 as he was a bold fellow, his petition was 
 readily granted. Lieutenant Fowler 
 glanced at the accoutrements of his men, 
 placed himself at their head, and gave 
 the word ; and they proceeded in quest 
 of their victim, at a round but regular 
 trot; the clatter of their horses* hoofs, 
 and the shrill sound of the trumpet, be- 
 coming less and less audible as they 
 were further removed from the town. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 EEGINALD TREVOE. 137 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 -'Twas time and griefs 
 
 That fram'd him thus : Time, with his fairer hand. 
 
 Offering the fortunes of his former days. 
 
 The former man may make him. The Misanthrope. 
 
 Abermaw Castle, we have already inti- 
 mated, was situated about four miles 
 south-west of Dolgelley. It was an an- 
 cient and spacious building, or rather 
 series of buildings, which stood on the 
 summit of a gentle acclivity, shrouded 
 on all sides by venerable forest trees, and 
 situated not far from the river Mowd- 
 dach, amidst an assemblage of scenery 
 the most wild and magnificent. The 
 immediate spot itself was secluded and 
 beautiful; and the eminence on which 
 the castle stood commanded a rocky de- 
 file,
 
 138 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 file, leading to a district that might have 
 been aptly termed the Southern High- 
 lands of Merionethshire. A sea of hills, 
 stretching from east to west, till they 
 terminated in bold promontories in Car- 
 digan Bay, formed the distant boun- 
 dary to the scene, while the magnifi- 
 cent Mowddach, here nearly two miles 
 in breadth, and encircled, as it seemed, 
 by high and frowning mountains, was 
 seen, from any of the heights near the 
 castle, sweeping onward in its course, to 
 pay hourly tribute to the Atlantic Ocean. 
 This extensive upland domain had ap- 
 pertained to the ancient and noble fami- 
 ly of the Owens, of Abermaw, since the 
 days of Rodri Maur, or Roderic the 
 Great ; and it had descended to the pre- 
 sent possessor, with all its pristine quota 
 pf pine-tree forests, freestone quarries, 
 and peat-bogs. Nearly allied to one of 
 the lordly tribes of Wales *, the earlier 
 
 representatives 
 
 • The fifteen tribes of Wales were certain chieftains, wlio 
 
 held
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 1S9 
 
 representatives of this ancient house had 
 been deeply involved in all the various 
 political commotions which had agitated 
 their country ; and they had ever been 
 staunch adherents to their princes. In 
 the earlier wars between the Saxons and 
 the Britons, they were distinguished 
 
 for 
 
 held their lands bj baron-servire, being bound to particular 
 ministerial attendances on their princes, in addition to those 
 coraraou to them as subjects, by homage and fealty. The 
 particular tribe from which the baron of Abermaw claimed hi» 
 descent, was that of Ednowain ab Bradwean, lord of Merio- 
 neth, the ruins of whose palace are still to be seen in the 
 mountains above Abermaw Castle. An ancestor of the baron, 
 one Morgan ab Griffith ab Einion, " a courageous stout 
 man," is said to have met, in the streets of London, one night, 
 by chance, king Henry the Eighth, " with a small guard 
 about him, coming to see what rule was kept in the city;" 
 and when neither would yield to the other, they drew and 
 fought hardly, until a person who accompanied Morgan, bade 
 hira take heed what he did, for he feared that it was the king 
 with whom he fought. Whereupon Morgan, crying mercy, 
 yielded, and craved pardon ; and the king did let him go, 
 saying he was a lusty man ; and ever after he was called 
 Lusty Morgan.
 
 140 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 for their loyalty, valour, and uncompro- 
 mising faith ; and in the more recent, 
 but more fatal, contests between the 
 English and the Welsh, the Owens of 
 Abermaw never deserted their king or 
 his cause: nay, when the unfortunate 
 but brave Llewellyn was slain at the 
 battle of Buillt, his life was first twice 
 preserved by the boldness and bravery 
 of an Owen of Abermaw. 
 
 It is sad to say, that the nobleman to 
 whom our present history relates, had 
 departed, in some degree, from the re- 
 nowned loyalty of his fathers. It is true, 
 that he had his reasons — nay, his provo- 
 cations, for so doing. In early life, he 
 had devoted much of his time and wealth 
 to the service of his prince, the mar- 
 tyred Charles. He had served him 
 fondly and faithfully; and had more 
 than once contributed to his extrication 
 from the meshes of those political in- 
 trigues, in which he eventually became 
 so fatally entangled. For these services 
 
 he
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 141 
 
 he was rewarded with disgrace, and ex- 
 pelled the court, to make room for some 
 more favoured minion. The proud and 
 fiery spirit of the young Briton could 
 not endure this ; and tradition says, that 
 he made a deep and terrible vow of ven- 
 geance, for the indignities which he had 
 received. How far he carried this into 
 execution, we have never, with all our 
 diligent and industrious research, been 
 able to discover. Among all the nume- 
 rous and interesting documents which 
 have been submitted to us, for the pur- 
 pose of compiling this history, we have 
 found none which could tend to crimi- 
 nate the baron's character in this respect ; 
 although tradition, the authenticity of 
 which is often questionable, has handed 
 down to us some circumstances, which 
 prove that the baron was, undoubtedly, 
 well disposed towards Cromwell, and 
 which attribute to him certain secret ser- 
 vices on the behalf of the parliamentary 
 party; but whether his goodwill, sup- 
 posing
 
 142^ REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 posing it to exist, was prompted, like 
 general Mytton's, by a patriotic desire 
 to redress existing grievances, or whe- 
 ther he was wholly actuated by revenge- 
 ful motives, must, and ever will, remain 
 a matter of great dubitation. However, 
 to us it is not of much consequence, as 
 it will answer our purpose, for the pre^ 
 sent, to know that he was regarded by 
 the people, as a proud, morose, and au- 
 stere man. 
 
 In addition to his political vexations, 
 the baron had some of a domestic na- 
 ture to contend with. His only brother, 
 a man of great talent and accomplish- 
 ments, but of profligate habits, had been 
 compelled to leave England, in conse- 
 quence of being implicated in some 
 transactions which endangered his life ; 
 what had since become of him, nobody 
 knew; and the baron had long since 
 looked upon his death as an event 
 which, although he had no positive 
 proof of it, the absence of all tidings re- 
 garding
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 14S 
 
 garding his brother, rendered more 
 than probable. The baron loved this 
 brother dearly ; he was much younger 
 than himself, and the only one of the 
 family that remained to him. His ex- 
 ile, therefore, was a source of sorrow, 
 which even time had failed to heal. 
 Fate, as if it had marked the young no- 
 bleman for its victim, had another and 
 a deadlier blow than this in reserve for 
 him. His young and lovely wife, a wo- 
 man whom he adored with all the pas- 
 sionate fondness of his nature, was call- 
 ed from this world, in giving birth to a 
 daughter, now the only existing seion of 
 this ancient and honourable family. 
 
 Although grief had seared the baron's 
 heart, and quenched the fiery ardour of 
 his soul, it had not deprived him of all 
 feeling ; for he cherished the most in- 
 tense and tender affection for his lovely 
 child. Reared under his own eye, un- 
 known to all the world beside, the 
 young and artless Isabel returned this 
 
 affec-
 
 144 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 affection with all the confiding fondness 
 of a loving child. 
 
 *' Far from the haunts of men she grew, 
 
 By the side of a lonesome tower. 
 
 Like some solitary mountain-flower. 
 Whose veil of wiry dew, 
 Is only touch'd by the gales that breathe. 
 O'er the blossoms of the fragrant heath. 
 
 And in its silence melts away, 
 With those sweet things too pure for earthly stay." 
 
 And while the doting father watch- 
 ed the dawning of each simple virtue, 
 and regarded, with the exulting eye of 
 a fond parent, the unfolding of each 
 new beauty, he blessed God that he 
 possessed such a charm to existence, and 
 so heavenly a compensation for the am- 
 bitious pursuits which he had relin- 
 quished. The sweet and obedient af- 
 fection of his beloved Isabel charmed his 
 seclusion, and was by far more soothing 
 to his troubled spirit, than the glare, 
 and bustle, and deceit, of a world which 
 he detested. 
 
 It has been said, that Reginald Tre- 
 vor
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 145 
 
 vor was a near kinsman of the baron : 
 he was, in fact, the son of the baron's 
 brother; but it was whispered, that his 
 birth was unsanctioned by marriage. 
 From the known profligacy of his fa- 
 ther, such a surmise might not have 
 been unfounded ; and the silence of Tu- 
 dor Owen himself on the subject, im- 
 parted additional plausibility to the sup- 
 position. Be this as it may, the baron 
 considered him in this light ; and by 
 naming him Trevor, kept him in igno- 
 rance of the actual proximity of his re- 
 lationship to his family. 
 
 As for the youth himself, he consi- 
 dered the baron as his patron only ; for 
 he was not particularly anxious to re- 
 gard himself as one of those irregular 
 apparitions, which, without having in- 
 curred any blame, are looked upon by 
 the rigidly virtuous, as unseemly and 
 obtrusive excrescenses on the fair face of 
 this beautiful world. 
 
 The baron, indeed, from the aristocra- 
 VOL. I. H tic
 
 146 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 tic reverence which he had for the un- 
 tarnished honour of his family, did all 
 he could to favour this opinion ; and 
 Reginald was regarded in the family as 
 the son of a deceased and distant rela- 
 tion of his lordship, and as the foster- 
 brother of the young Isabel. 
 
 Under these circumstances, and in 
 strict conformity with this considera- 
 tion, the youthful Reginald was brought 
 up, in every respect, as a member of the 
 family; and the austerities which charac- 
 terized the baron's behaviour to him, 
 were not more bitter, than such as he 
 would have used to a son, for they were 
 intermingled with many gleams of kind 
 and fatherly feeling. 
 
 Still the baron was distant and 
 austere; and the ardent spirit of the 
 young mountaineer, free as the moun- 
 tain wind, and impetuous as the 
 mountain torrent, accommodated itself 
 with difficulty to the rigid and haughty 
 demeanour of his patron : kindness and 
 
 (;on-
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 147 
 
 confidence would have easily won his 
 devotion ; pride and coldness served 
 only to check those affectionate im- 
 pulses, which characterize the disposi- 
 tion of the generous and the good. 
 
 But although his lordship was thus 
 formal in his communications with his 
 young kinsman, there were two indivi- 
 duals in that family, who maintained a 
 free and most confidential intimacy 
 with him. The one was the lady Isa- 
 bel, the other his lordship's chaplain, the 
 reverend Pendragon Jones. 
 
 With the lady Isabel his joyous boy- 
 hood had been spent ; nearly of an age, 
 many of their childish pastimes, notwith- 
 standing the difference of sex, were neces- 
 sarily enjoyed together ; and, " like two 
 twin cherries on one stalk," they grew 
 up in the full possession of each other's 
 affection. How could it be otherwise ? 
 They were alone, quite alone in the 
 world ; and the young aspirations of 
 Isabel's tender heart, found a ready com- 
 H 2 bination
 
 148 llEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 bination with the generous emanation^ 
 of Reginald's noble spirit. 
 
 The learned chaplain had been in- 
 trusted with the moral cultivation of 
 Reginald's mind. He was commission- 
 ed by the baron to instil into his young 
 heart as many virtues as he could, and 
 to crowd his brains with as much eru- 
 dition as they were capable of receiving. 
 And this worthy man, from the natural 
 love which he bore to learning, as 
 well as from a sincere regard for his 
 young pupil, performed his task with 
 all his might ; so that Reginald obtained 
 a tolerable knowledge of the classics, 
 and could discourse somewhat learnedly 
 upon divers knotty points of ecclesiastical 
 polity. 
 
 We have shewn, that the plan of tu- 
 ition adopted by Mr. Jones, by no 
 means superseded the acquirement of 
 those manly accomplishments, which 
 are more useful to many, than all the 
 scholarship of the most erudite. Regi- 
 nald
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 149 
 
 nald Trevor was too much of a moun- 
 taineer to pay any thing like an exclu- 
 sive devotion to Greek and Latin, or to 
 the more favourite topics of the day, as 
 they related to the polemical discussions 
 respecting the fallibility or infallibility 
 of some particular creed or sect. His 
 constant association with the sturdy 
 mountain peasants, in a district where, 
 in those days, the forms of rank and 
 precedency could not be conveniently 
 insisted upon, had inured him, very early 
 in his youth, to those manly pastimes 
 which characterize the hardy inhabi- 
 tants of our British Highlands ; and he 
 became an adept in all those fine ath- 
 letic exercises, which, while they 
 strengthen the body, impart energy and 
 firmness to the mind. His pacific and 
 even- minded tutor indeed would often 
 remark, that master Reginald, although 
 exceedingly apt and clever, would never 
 be a learned man : the cry of the fox- 
 hound was more musical to him than 
 h3 the
 
 150 REGINALD TREVOH; 
 
 the melodious lines of Virgil and Ho- 
 race, and the sound of a fowling-piece 
 more sonorous than the majestic diction 
 of Homer and Demosthenes. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding his erratic and 
 truant disposition, there was one grand 
 virtue that Reginald possessed, which, 
 like charity, covered and concealed all 
 other backslidings in the opinion of Mr, 
 Pen dragon Jones ; and this was a zea- 
 lous and most implicit accordance in the 
 political tenets of that reverend gentle- 
 man. Mr. Jones had always entertained 
 a very decided detestation of the usurper 
 and his proceedings, and held the round- 
 heads, or, as he called them, the hypo- 
 critical heretics, in utter abhorrence. 
 This was in direct opposition to the will 
 and expectation of his benefactor; but 
 the snug and comfortable habitation 
 which he enjoyed under the roof of 
 Abermaw Castle, had too much influ- 
 ence over his earthly happiness, to render 
 him particularly loquacious on this to- 
 pic;
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 151 
 
 plc; SO he always, as in duty bound, 
 apparently acquiesced in the republican 
 prejudices and predilections of his ho- 
 noured patron. But in his tuition of 
 the young Reginald, he spared no pains 
 to inspire his pupil with a due detesta- 
 tion of the existing government. The 
 martyrdom of the ill-fated Charles was 
 depicted in ail the vivid colouring of a 
 partial and enthusiastic narrator; and 
 the cruelties which were daily exercised 
 by Cromwell and his followers, were 
 impressed upon the ductile mind of the 
 youth with all the energy of the tutor's 
 eloquence. 
 
 The efiPect of all this was not lost: 
 the seed thus sown fell not by the way 
 side, nor upon a rock, nor among thorns, 
 but upon good ground, where it sprang 
 up, and bore fruit an hundred-fold. 
 While he was yet a child, Reginald 
 listened to the tales which his tutor re- 
 lated, with the simple wonderment of 
 H 4 childish
 
 152 REGINALD TREVOR, 
 
 childish horror and credulity ; but when 
 he came to mingle reiore among the pea- 
 santry, his own experience too truly 
 confirmed his preceptor's reports; and 
 his young blood boiled when he wit- 
 nessed — unredressed, and without the 
 power of redressing — the terrible op- 
 pression exercised by the soldiery. 
 
 There was one event in particular, 
 which he had accidentally witnessed, at 
 a time when his reason was sufficiently 
 matured to render him painfully con- 
 scious of the misery of his countrymen, 
 and which had made an indelible im- 
 pression on his mind. He had been 
 grousing one morning on the hills, at 
 some distance from the castle, and had 
 sought rest and refreshment at a cot- 
 tage, which was inhabited by the widow 
 of one of the baron's tenants. Just 
 about that time, and it was at no very 
 distant period from the commencement 
 of our history, the inhabitants of the 
 
 neighbouring
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 153 
 
 neighbouring county of Montgomery 
 had attempted to shake off the yoke of 
 the usurper, but had eventually failed, 
 several men having been slain at Mac- 
 hynlleth, in a skirmish with a party of 
 dragoons, commanded by colonel Hor- 
 ton. This abortive effort increased 
 the oppressive cruelty under which the 
 Welshmen had been suffering One of 
 the consequences of their ill success was 
 an order from the parliament to the 
 soldiers quartered throughout Wales, to 
 exercise the utmost vigilance in the de- 
 tection of the disaffected; and a very 
 summary power was vested in the com- 
 manding officers, for the punishment of 
 such offenders : nay, the absolute power of 
 life and death was entrusted to them ; it 
 having been sagaciously decided by one 
 of the sanguinary and canting legislators 
 of the period — " That the death of a 
 few wild Welshmen, more or less, could 
 not injure the commonwealth, which, 
 H 5 by
 
 l!54 BEGINALD TEEVOR. 
 
 by the blessing of God, was now placed 
 on a firm foundation*." \ 
 
 Reginald had not been long in the 
 cottage, before he observed a watchful 
 anxiety in his hostess : her features were 
 clouded with apprehension, and she oc- 
 casionally looked towards the path which 
 led to the house, with an expression of 
 great alarm and trepidation. Presently 
 the trampling of horses' feet was heard, 
 and about half-a-dozen troopers rode up 
 to the door, with an officer at their head. 
 ir—" God of my fathers !" exclaimed the 
 poor woman in her own language — 
 *' what will become of my boy ?" and 
 before Reginald could inquire the parti- 
 cular import of her exclamation, the 
 officer entered the room. 
 
 Reginald knew that he belonged to 
 the regiment then quartered at Dolgel- 
 ley, and received from him a slight bow 
 of recognition on his entrance, which the 
 
 young 
 
 * See Wbitelock and Clarendon, but particularly the former, 
 {or a variety of similaf decisions.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 155 
 
 young mountaineer returned, in all the 
 solemnity of perfect unwillingness. 
 
 The officer addressed the poor woman, 
 who stood before him in fear and trem- 
 bling, and with a face pale as ashes — 
 " Is your name Megan, otherwise Mar- 
 garet Evans ?" he asked, as he glanced 
 his eye over a paper which he held in 
 his hand. 
 
 " Iss, sure, sir," answered the poor 
 woman, in as cheerful a voice as she 
 could assume. 
 
 " You have a son, I believe ?" conti- 
 nued the officer, in the same interroga- 
 tory tone. 
 
 " Iss, sure, sir; but indeed truth he 
 is not here." 
 
 " I said not that he was," coolly re- 
 plied the officer, although it was easy 
 to perceive that he gave no credit to the 
 poor woman's assertion. " What is your 
 son's name ?" he resumed, after another 
 scrutiny at the contents of the paper in 
 his hand. 
 
 H 6 " Morgan,
 
 156 BEGINALn TREVOR, 
 
 " Morgan, sure, sir." 
 
 " Well, then, I command you, Me- 
 gan, otherwise Margaret Evans, in the 
 name of the lord protector, to deliver to 
 me, forthwith, the body of your son 
 Morgan, that he may answer for divers 
 treasonable words by him uttered, and 
 divers treasonable acts by him commit- 
 ted, at the fair at — at — Mac — Mac 
 
 Curse these outlandish names ! — Per- 
 haps, sir," turning to Reginald, " you 
 will do me the favour to pronounce this 
 formidable jumble of consonants ?" 
 
 Reginald glanced at the paper, and 
 read—" Machynlleth." 
 
 " Ay, that's the word ;" and the offi- 
 cer continued — " That the judges of the 
 commonwealth may inflict such punish- 
 ment upon the said Morgan, as they in 
 their discretion, and under the sanction 
 of the lord protector, should think fit." 
 
 The poor woman, to whom the greater 
 part of this charge was totally unintelli- 
 gible, was, however, sufficiently ac- 
 quainted
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 157 
 
 quainted with its import ; and, unwill- 
 ing to yield up her son, she again de- 
 nied that he was in the house. — " Did 
 not I tell you, sir," she said, " that he 
 was not here ? Poor lad ! I have not 
 seen him since he was at the fair." 
 
 " Must I bring in my bloodhounds, 
 to hunt him from his lair ? or do you 
 wish that I should lop off one of your 
 own ears, by way of sharpening your 
 wits a bit? Come, come, I have no 
 time to lose ;" and he drew his sword 
 from the scabbard as he spoke, and placed 
 it on the table before him, beckoning at 
 the same time to the men, who entered 
 the house. 
 
 Margaret eyed the naked weapon — 
 the blade of which was rusted with 
 blood — with undisguised terror ; but 
 she held her peace. 
 
 Not so Reginald : his blood began to 
 boil, at this savage, and, as he conceived, 
 unjustifiable intrusion, and he said sharp- 
 ly to the officer — " Have you not heard^ 
 
 sir.
 
 tii REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 sir, that the object of your search is not 
 here? Why are we to be thus mo- 
 lested by such unnecessary intrusions?" 
 
 The officer gazed at the youthful 
 speaker, with just such a degree of asto- 
 nishment as an eagle would regard the 
 attack of a wren, — " Young man," he 
 said, as he looked steadfastly at him, 
 " when I seek your interference, it will 
 be time enough to give it. Till then, 
 you had better not waste either your 
 words or your courage : you may have 
 need of both presently." 
 
 Reginald was about to reply ; but the 
 officer had already approached the trem- 
 bling mother, with the intention, pro- 
 bably, of only frightening her into com- 
 pliance, and had already lifted up his 
 sword, when a sudden blow, from an 
 unseen arm, stretched him at full length 
 on the floor. 
 
 Morgan had been an anxious, though 
 concealed spectator, of all that had pass- 
 ed ; and imagining that the officer was 
 
 about
 
 REGINALD TREVOR^ 159 
 
 about to injure his mother, had rushed 
 from his hiding-place, and stricken him 
 to the earth. He was, of course, imme- 
 diately seized by the soldiers ; but not 
 unresistingly. He had succeeded in 
 disengaging himself a second time, when 
 the officer, who had in the mean time 
 recovered, and risen, cried out to the 
 men — " Cowardly fools that ye are ! cut 
 down the rebel! Take him, dead or 
 alive !" 
 
 His orders were promptly obeyed ; 
 for the broadsword of a trooper clove 
 his head down to the very neck, at one 
 tremendous blow. 
 
 This had passed so quickly, that Regi- 
 nald had not time to interfere ; and when 
 he had recovered from the horrible shock 
 which this appalling spectacle had occa- 
 sioned, he boldly approached the officer. 
 — " In God's name, sir," said he, his lips 
 quivering with horror, " what have you 
 done ? You shall surely account for 
 this wanton murder, and that quickly. 
 
 The
 
 166 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 The baron of Abermaw will not suffer 
 
 " Young man," sternly interrupted 
 the oflScer, " if you wish to avoid a 
 fate similar to that which this clown has 
 just met with, you will not meddle rash- 
 ly in state matters. I will account for 
 this murder, as you call it, and satisfac- 
 torily too. Fleming, get the men mount- 
 ed : we will leave the carcase behind, as 
 we do not want the trouble of burying 
 it. — And now, sir," turning to our hero, 
 " let me advise you not to be seen again 
 by any of us in such suspicious com- 
 pany ; it may go hard with you if you 
 are ;" and so saying, he mounted his 
 horse, having previously made a memo- 
 randum of the transaction, with as much 
 unconcern as if nothing of consequence 
 had occurred ; leaving Reginald, who 
 was almost speechless with surprise and 
 horror, to comfort, as best he could, the 
 now-childless mother. 
 
 Such occurrences as these were by no 
 
 means
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. l6l 
 
 means uncommon in the country ; but 
 hitherto Reginald had only heard of 
 atrocities of this nature, and they seem- 
 ed to him like feverish dreams, rather 
 than tangible realities. There wanted 
 but this occular proof of their existence 
 to confirm his hatred to the despotism 
 of the usurper ; and with all the warm 
 and impetuous feelings of youth, he 
 vowed that a day of vengeance should 
 come, and that the murdered corpse at 
 his feet should be deeply and terribly 
 revenged. The sequel will show how 
 far this vow was observed ; and how 
 powerfully these appalling proceedings 
 operated on the fiery spirit of Reginald 
 Trevor. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 1^ REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 " Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind. 
 
 That from the nunnery 
 Of thy chaste breast, and quiet ruind, 
 
 To war and arras I fly. 
 
 " True : a new mistress now I chase, 
 
 The first foe in the field ; 
 And with a stronger faith embrace 
 
 A sword, a horse, a shield. 
 
 " Ye% this inconstancy is such, 
 
 As yon, too, shall adore ; 
 I contd not love thee, dear, so much. 
 
 Loved I not honour more." Lovelace. 
 
 While the events which we have re- 
 lated were passing at Dolgelley, the 
 castle and its inmates preserved their 
 usual sombre tranquillity; and it was 
 not till the approach of the supper-hour 
 that the baron made any inquiry, or ex- 
 .'I J pressed
 
 REGINALD TREVOR: 163 
 
 pressed any surprise, respecting the pro- 
 longed absence of his protege. At other 
 times, Reginald had returned from I>ol- 
 gelley long before night-fall, for it had 
 always been the wish of the baron that 
 he should do so, in order that he might 
 avoid any quarrel with the soldiers ; but 
 on the present occasion, the surrounding 
 woods had become wrapped in the gloom 
 of the summer twilight, and still Regi- 
 nald came not. They sat down to sup- 
 per, and the baron, as old Howel, the 
 butler, placed by his side his silver gob- 
 let of mulled claret, asked, with some 
 degree of anxiety, whether Reginald had 
 returned. 
 
 Howel had not seen him ; but he 
 would inquire whether his horse was in 
 the stable. He did so, and ascertained 
 that it was not. 
 
 " In the name of Heaven," said the 
 baron, " where can the boy be? It is 
 long past his usual hour of return: I 
 
 hope_
 
 164 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 hope his hot spirit has not embroiled 
 him in any quarrel with the military." 
 
 " Nay, do not think that, dearest 
 father," said the lady Isabel ; " Reginald 
 has too much regard for you, and for all 
 of us, to act in such direct opposition to 
 your express commands: you must re- 
 member that he had a great deal of bu- 
 siness to transact in town to-day." 
 
 ** I do not forget that, my love ; but 
 surely he might have reached the castle 
 ere this; my mind misgives me as to 
 the cause of his detention." 
 
 " Peradventure, my lord," rejoined 
 mistress Dinah Price, a distant relation 
 of the family, and a constant resident at 
 the castle, a staunch puritan to boot — 
 " peradventure, my lord, the young 
 man tarrieth in the town at some bois- 
 terous wassail board; there are those 
 in the place who would tempt him to 
 such abominations." 
 
 " 1 crave thy pardon, good mistress 
 Dinah," responded the chaplain, some- 
 what
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 165 
 
 what nettled at the suspicions of the 
 immaculate maiden; for mistress Dinah, 
 although verging close upon half a cen- 
 tury, had never yet entrusted herself on 
 the (often) tempestuous seas of matri- 
 mony — " I crave thy pardon, good 
 madam ; the youth is no drunken rois- 
 terer; ill would his time and mine have 
 been spent, if his mind had not received 
 the good seed, and brought forth the 
 good fruit, of the precepts which I hum- 
 bly, but earnestly, endeavoured to instil 
 into it: master Reginald is doubtless 
 detained by business." 
 
 " Your exertions, reverend sir, have, 
 I doubt not, been unremitting," replied 
 the maiden, " to train up his heart in 
 the paths of virtue and godliness ; but 
 youth, good master Pendragon, is not 
 the season for soberness and reflection ; 
 master Reginald is like all other youths, 
 headstrong and eager, generous and con- 
 fiding; and the claret-stoup and the 
 ale-can, are more likely, I ween, to keep 
 
 him
 
 166 HEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 him from his home, than the transaction 
 of business : he has of late been much 
 out o' nights, Mr. Pendragon." 
 
 " Nay, good cousin," mildly rejoined 
 Isabel, ** you do our young friend wrong. 
 But it grows late ; and if Mr. Jones will 
 favour us with grace, we will retire to 
 our chambers." 
 
 Mr, Jones rose accordingly, and, in 
 the fashion of the times, poured forth 
 one of those long and tedious blessings, 
 which served at once for the evening 
 prayer of the family, and for the thanks- 
 giving for the evening meal. 
 
 Scarcely had mistress Dinah's shrill 
 " Amen !" announced the conclusion of 
 the grace, when the trampling of horses 
 was heard approaching the castle. The 
 first impression which the sound con- 
 veyed, was the arrival of Reginald ; but 
 this was quickly dissipated, as the sound 
 became more audible, for the heavy 
 tread of several horses was plainly heard 
 by 3II. Isabel withdrew the curtains 
 
 from
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 167 
 
 from the window, and beheld in the 
 moonlight, a party of dragoons riding 
 up to the castle, along the beautiful ave- 
 nue of old beech trees, which lined on 
 either side the weaving approach to the 
 building. She uttered an exclamation 
 of surprise, and announced her discovery 
 to the party with evident emotions of 
 alarm, 
 
 *' In the name of Heaven,'' exclaimed 
 the baron, changing colour, " what can 
 these troopers want here ? I fear some- 
 thing is wrong at Dolgelley. Had not 
 you better retu-e, my child? Our cou- 
 sin Dinah will accompany you, my 
 love." 
 
 " Oh no, no, dear father ! there may be 
 danger to you — to Reginald ; I pray you 
 let me remain." 
 
 " Do as you will, dearest ; but these 
 troopers are rough fellows, and not much 
 used, I ween, to ladies' company." 
 
 When the baron had heard that sol- 
 diers were approaching, it instinctively 
 
 occurred
 
 168 REGINALD TREVOE. 
 
 occurred to him, that the efforts of the 
 loyalists had been successful, and that, 
 having received information of his adhe- 
 rence to the adverse party, a detachment 
 had been sent to apprehend him; but 
 he was immediately convinced to the 
 contrary, when he discovered that the 
 dragoons wore the uniform of the par- 
 liament. It next occurred to him, that 
 Reginald was concerned in the event ; 
 and just as he was about to give orders 
 for an inquiry, old Howel entered, and 
 informed him, that lieutenant Fowler, 
 of colonel Pappendick's regiment, re- 
 quested an interview, on an affair of the 
 utmost importance. The baron desired 
 that he might be immediately admitted ; 
 and the party awaited with great anx- 
 iety the result of the interview. 
 
 The lieutenant entered, with all the 
 ease and polish of a gentleman, and ap- 
 proached the baron. — " I grieve, my 
 lord, to be the messenger of ill news to 
 
 you, but " 
 
 He
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 169 
 
 He looked anxiously around, and 
 paused, as if he did not wish the ladies 
 to hear his tidings. 
 
 The baron observed it, and said — 
 " Pray, sir, proceed ; the ladies are pre- 
 pared for some untoward inteUigence." 
 
 The lieutenant bowed, and went on 
 — " A kinsman of yours, my lord baron, 
 and an inmate of this castle, has com- 
 mitted an outrage upon two men be- 
 longing to our troop, which will subject 
 his conduct to an unpleasant investiga- 
 tion. I am commissioned by the com- 
 manding officer to apprehend him, and 
 to carry him with me to head-quarters." 
 
 " Good God ! can this be true ?" ex- 
 claimed the baron. " Surely there must 
 be some mistake. No kinsman of mine 
 could assault the soldiers of the lord 
 protector," 
 
 " I fear, my lord, the fact is too true," 
 answered the lieutenant. " The name 
 of the offender is Reginald Trevor, a 
 middle-sized young man, with dark hair 
 and eyes, and very handsome features." 
 VOL. L I " That
 
 170 REGINALD TREVOR, 
 
 " That is indeed our Reginald," re- 
 joined the chaplain; " but I trust a 
 satisfactory explanation may be found 
 for his conduct." 
 
 " I trust in Heaven there may !" mur- 
 mured Isabel, as she leaned in deep sus- 
 pense and agitation on mistress Dinah's 
 shoulder. 
 
 " That, sir, we shall see in due time," 
 resumed the lieutenant; " at present, 
 my orders are to take him with me to 
 head-quarters. Perhaps your lordship 
 can inform me where I may meet with 
 him ?" 
 
 "I know not, sir, except he be at 
 Doigelley ; he went thither in the morn- 
 ing, and we have not seen him since." 
 
 " Umph!" said the lieutenant, and 
 paused, as if to consider how to pro- 
 ceed next. " Is it likely," he asked, 
 " that he will return this evening ?" 
 
 " I fear not, if he has been really guil- 
 ty of the charge you mention." 
 
 " Well then, my lord, you must per- 
 mit me to leave here two of our troopers. 
 
 :i ' . .' .^->- In
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 171 
 
 In the morning, if we shall not have 
 discovered the offender, major Maitland 
 will do himself the honour of waiting 
 upon your lordship, to confer more par- 
 ticularly upon this unpleasant adventure. 
 My lord, I wish you a good even." 
 
 He bowed to the ladies, and was re- 
 tiring, when the baron asked if he would 
 take any refreshment ? He politely de- 
 clined, and withdrew. 
 
 It was not till the heavy tramp of the 
 soldiers' horses gave intimation of their 
 departure, that the baron of Abermaw 
 made any comment upon this strange 
 adventure. That Reginald had com- 
 mitted some rash offence, was evident 
 enough ; and the baron expressed him- 
 self, in terms of considerable asperity, on 
 what he called the headlong rashness of 
 youth. — " I would have freely forfeited 
 the half of my estates," he said, after 
 inveighing sharply on the indiscretion 
 of his protege, " to have avoided this 
 occurrence. I foresee that much evil 
 will result from it ; for these are times 
 1 2 when
 
 172 UEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 when such events are magnified into 
 acts of treason and rebellion. Howel," 
 (the old man had just come in with the 
 chamber lamps), " when master Regi- 
 nald returns, tell him that I desire his 
 company ; and tell Roberts to have the 
 carriage ready by seven o'clock in the 
 morning; I must away early to Dol- 
 gelley. Be careful also of the comfort df 
 the two troopers who have been quar- 
 tered here, and see that they be well 
 lodged and refreshed." 
 
 Howel, who had been born and bred 
 in the family, regarded these injunctions 
 with an anxiety which he could not 
 restrain ; and with the solicitude of an 
 old and faithful servant, he timidly in- 
 quired, if any thing had happened to 
 disturb the tranquillity of his lord ? 
 
 " Nothing of moment, good Howel," 
 replied the baron ; " there has been a 
 slight disturbance at Dolgelley, in which 
 I fear master Reginald has been engag- 
 ed, but I trust that all will be cleared 
 up to-morrow. Do not say any thing 
 
 to
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 173 
 
 to the servants about it, and endeavour 
 to shut the mouths of the troopers." 
 
 " I will do your lordship's bidding," 
 answered the old man, as, with a sigh, 
 he left the room. 
 
 This adventure cast a gloom over all 
 the inmates of the castle, and their ap- 
 prehensions were alarming, in proportion 
 to their ignorance of the precise nature 
 of the event which gave rise to them. 
 Howel had so far obeyed his lordship's 
 commands, as to impose a rigid silence 
 on the two soldiers ; and the vague sur- 
 mises which the uncertainty of Regi- 
 nald's offence, and even of his probable 
 xiestination excited, were, as is usual in 
 such cases, productive of the most dis- 
 tressing forebodings. The baron was 
 sullenly displeased, and became ab- 
 stracted and gloomy ; the reverend 
 chaplain, albeit a man of calm and 
 agreeable temper, was restless and un- 
 happy ; and mistress Dinah, who could 
 not accuse herself of any extraordinary 
 I 3 aberrations
 
 174 REGINALD TREVOB. 
 
 aberrations on the score of profuse sensi- 
 bility, was really concerned on this oc- 
 casion; for, to do her justice, notwith- 
 standing the natural asperity of her dis- 
 position, she had some kindly feelings 
 for her young kinsman, and so she par- 
 ticipated in the general perplexity. But 
 how felt the lady Isabel ? Alas ! lier 
 feelings were too acute for utterance, 
 and too deeply painful for display. Re- 
 ginald she had loved as a brother — per- 
 haps more than as a brother, for he had 
 been the companion of her childhood, 
 and had grown up with her in her soli- 
 tude, till, like the leaves and tendrils of 
 two isolated and secluded plants, their 
 young affections had become impercep- 
 tibly blended together in the sweet 
 bonds of confiding tenderness. Isabel 
 well knew the hatred which Reginald 
 bore to the soldiers ; she knew also, that 
 he possessed " the will to dare, and the 
 power to do" many a deed, which, al- 
 though venial, and even justifiable in it- 
 self.
 
 REGINALD TREVOE. 176 
 
 self, became a crime of the deepest die, 
 in the present unsettled and peculiar 
 state of the country. In her tender and 
 affectionate estimation, the doom of her 
 foster-brother was indeed a dismal one ; 
 and although she was not quite without 
 hope, on account of her father's influ- 
 ence, still she pictured to herself the 
 most dreadful results, and her heart 
 sank within her, as she thought of Re- 
 ginald's peril. 
 
 The night had advanced considerably 
 beyond the hour at which the baron 
 usually retired to rest, before the little 
 party was separated this evening, and 
 the baron, as he kissed his child, bade 
 her not despond, for he hoped all would 
 yet be well. The reverend Mr. Pen- 
 dragon also, as he pressed his lips to her 
 fair forehead, for the patriarchal simpli- 
 city of " the olden time" was not then 
 lost in Wales, bade her be of good com- 
 fort, for he trusted that the Lord would 
 vouchsafe to his young friend a safe and 
 I 4 speedy
 
 176 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 speedy deliverance. Isabel joined men- 
 tally and fervently in this hope, and re^ 
 tired with mistress Dinah to her cham- 
 ber. 
 
 Being left alone with her maid, she 
 sat down on the window-seat, and, throw- 
 ing open the window, gazed out upon 
 the lovely scene before her. The bright 
 unclouded moon was shining with all 
 her mild splendour upon the rocks, and 
 the woods, and the distant mountains. 
 The majestic Mowddach here, as we 
 have said before, nearly two miles wide, 
 shone in that gentle light, with all the 
 smooth placidity of a mountain lake ; 
 while the blue hills which bounded it 
 on the opposite side imparted a stern 
 sublimity to the scene. 
 
 " Now was the hour that wakens fond desire 
 
 In men at sea ; and melts their thoughtful hearts, 
 
 Who in the morn have bid sweet friends farewell.'' 
 
 Isabel continued leaning on her hand, 
 and looking out upon this lovely land- 
 scape.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 177 
 
 scape. Her mind was crowded with 
 many gloomy images, to the creation of 
 which the silence of the night, and " the 
 still grandeur of the eternal hills," dis- 
 turbed only by the occasional hooting 
 of the owl, and the soft rippling of the 
 Mowddach, as its gentle waves chased 
 each other to the shore, was abundantly 
 favourable. A fluttering noise startled 
 her from her reverie, and the next 
 moment a young hawk, which Reginald 
 had reared from the nest, and tamed, 
 flew upon the outer ledge of the win- 
 dow. This was no uncommon occur- 
 rence ; for the bird was extremely fond 
 of Isabel, with whom he was also a great 
 favourite. She put out her hand, and 
 the hawk, perching upon it, was taken 
 into the room ; when, as he extended 
 his wings, which he always did when 
 he was pleased, she perceived a slip of 
 paper tied round his neck, and fastened 
 under his right wing. With a hurried 
 and trembling hand she withdrew it, and 
 I 5 immediately
 
 178 REGiNAtD TREVOR. 
 
 immediately recognised the hand- writing 
 of her foster-brother. She read — 
 
 " BELOVED ISABEL, 
 
 " Let not my absence alarm 
 you ; I am safe among the hills, and 
 shall soon be with you again. 
 
 " Your faithful foster-brother " 
 
 *' Thank Heaven he is safe !" was the 
 instinctive exclamation of the maiden, 
 as she showered her caresses on the trus- 
 ty messenger, who seemed conscious of 
 having rendered some important service, 
 as he arched his beautiful neck, and shot 
 lightning from his eye. " Shenny ! Re- 
 ginald, my dear brother, is quite safe !" 
 and she burst into tears of unrepressed 
 
 joy- 
 
 Shenny, who was as pretty a little 
 Welsh puritan as ever quoted scripture, 
 
 came
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 179 
 
 came to her mistress. — " My dear lady," 
 she said, ** the Lord is ever bountiful of 
 his mercy and loving-kindness. The 
 young master hath doubtless erred, but 
 he will yet return to us in gladness. 
 Will youi;, ladyship ple^e, to be un- 
 dressed ?"v-m:i 7:22'-:iis-i-?^b p.h\ h^'. 
 
 " Yes, Shenny, you may undress me 
 now, for I shall perhaps be able to sleep. 
 You too are fatigued, and must re- 
 quire rest." 
 
 " Think not of me, your humble bond- 
 maiden, sweet lady," answered the dam- 
 sel. ** 111 would it become me to study 
 my own convenience, before the will of 
 so kind a mistress." 
 
 " Nay, but my good Shenny, / am 
 tired too ; so we will sit no longer, but 
 seek that rest which we both so much 
 require." 
 
 Isabel retired to rest, with her heart 
 much lightened by Reginald's affection- 
 ate assurance of his safety ; and she 
 sank into a slumber, soon after she was 
 I 6 left
 
 180 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 left to the silence and solitude of her 
 chamber. 
 
 In the mean time, the faithful hawk 
 had sought once more the deep recesses 
 of the neighbouring woods, where, con- 
 cealed amidst their " breezy bowers," he 
 pursued his defenceless prey, till the 
 grey dawn of morning enticed him to 
 return again to roam amidst the plea- 
 sure-grounds and gardens of the castle. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 181 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Titus. — What doth she mean ? 
 Canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus ? 
 
 Boy. — Mj lord, I know not, I; nor can I guess ; 
 Unless some fit or frenzy do possess her ; 
 For I have heard my grandsire say full often. 
 Extremity of griefs would make men mad. 
 And I have read that Hecuba of Troy 
 Ran mad through sorrow. Titus Andronicus. 
 
 Lieutenant Fowler, disappointed in 
 his expectation of finding Reginald at 
 the castle, remounted his horse, and 
 with the ten remaining men, turned 
 back towards Dolgelley. We have al- 
 ready said that the night was fine, and 
 that a bright moon shed its gentle radi- 
 ance over rock, wood, and valley. Un- 
 der the beams of this radiant moon then, 
 the small detachment rode on, through 
 
 a district.
 
 18£ REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 a district, than which few in Wales pre- 
 sent a more magnificent display of 
 mountain scenery. The wooded hills of 
 Abermaw, extending nearly all the way 
 to Dolgelley, were contrasted on the op- 
 posite side of the road with huge piles 
 of freestone rocks and bleak heather 
 hills, between which the eye might 
 catch an occasional glimpse of the sil- 
 very Mowddach, as it rolled on towards 
 the sea, " expanding its lone bosom to 
 the sky." In some parts the road, as it 
 wound over the hills, overhung the 
 river itself, which went roaring and 
 foaming along amongst the rocks, over 
 which it gained but a doubtful mastery 
 — in others, the opposite mountains ap- 
 proached each other so closely, as scarce- 
 ly to admit thp passage of mor^ th^nf 
 four horsemen abreast; while their tow- 
 ering summits effectually excluded the 
 moonlight. 
 
 The lieutenant, as he rode along these 
 rocky defiles, thought more than once 
 
 that
 
 REGINALD TREVOK. 183 
 
 that it would be an easy matter to in- 
 tercept a very considerable force, by 
 taking advantage of the locality of these 
 ravines ; and, like a good soldier — for, 
 young as he was, he had seen a good 
 deal of service— he amused himself with 
 making silent observations on the best 
 mode of dislodging parties from the 
 hills above the road, and of defending 
 this or that pass most advantageously. 
 
 Immersed in these and similar cogi* 
 tations, he had arrived at an expansion 
 in the road, where there was a rude 
 bridge thrown over a rapid mountain 
 river, which came brawling through a 
 fine wooded valley from the hills : the 
 moon shone directly on the spot, and 
 the young officer was almost thrown, by 
 the sudden starting of his horse, which, 
 with an abrupt neigh, or rather snort, 
 sprang from one side of the road to the 
 other, as if some hideous and unearthly 
 object had crossed its path. 
 
 The lieutenant gazed in the direction 
 
 whence
 
 184 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 whence his horse started, and saw, in 
 the moonlight, a dingy red figure, of a 
 very questionable shape, seated on a 
 large fragment of rock, which had been 
 precipitated from the hill above. 
 
 " In the name of God, what art 
 thou ?'* exclaimed the officer, in the 
 first impulse of his surprise, while his 
 men halted and hung back ; " speak, or 
 by the heaven above I'll cleave you to 
 the brisket." 
 
 The figure began to move, and gra- 
 dually to unfold itself; when, having 
 thrown back a hood from its head, it 
 sprang into the road, and presented to 
 the astonished troopers the person of an 
 old and withered woman. She held up 
 her long and skinny fore-finger, as if in 
 defiance of the menaces of the young 
 officer. — " What want ye with me?" 
 she asked, in a tone rivalling in harsh- 
 ness the croaking of the rock-raven ; 
 " cannot a poor and miserable old wo- 
 man sleep in peace upon the cold rock, 
 
 but
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 185 
 
 but ye must rouse her from her rest ? 
 Ye have burnt her cot to ashes, mur- 
 dered her brave sons, and worse than 
 murdered her fair daughter. And the 
 curses of a childless mother, and the 
 ban of a starving widow, shall cling to 
 you, till the kite and the mountain 
 eagle — the fox and the black raven, shall 
 feast upon your mangled carcases !" 
 
 " Good woman !" replied the lieute- 
 nant, but not without a momentary 
 feeling of horror at such an impreca- 
 tion, " we do not deserve your curses — 
 we know nothing of the sons and daugh- 
 ter that you speak of" 
 
 " Ye know nothing of them truly !" 
 echoed the hag ; " do not ye all serve 
 the same murderous master ? are ye not 
 all bound to the same bloody and cruel 
 calling? are not ye even now in quest 
 of your prey ?" 
 
 " Then you have seen the young re- 
 bel?" hastily rejoined the officer. 
 
 " The rebel call ye him ?" said the 
 
 hag,
 
 186 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 hag, iri a tone of taunting arrogance— 
 " have I seen the rebel, said ye ?" She 
 paused a moment, and then shouted, as 
 if some sudden thought had occurred to 
 her — " Ay, indeed, truth have I seen 
 him, if it is Reginald Trevor that ye 
 mean." 
 
 '* Ay, the same — the same ! which 
 way went he ? speak — quick— <juick !" 
 
 She came close to the lieutenant's 
 horse, and said, in a low but perfectly 
 distinct voice — " Two hours ago he 
 passed along this road — along this moun- 
 tain path I mean," pointing to a road 
 which passed off from the main one, 
 and led to an unfrequented upland dis« 
 trict : " he was alone, and on horseback ; 
 and has long ere this reached the cot- 
 tage where he means to rest the night. 
 An hour's ride will bring ye to it. Keep 
 along this path, till ye come to Llyn 
 Cregenan — it's a pool, mind ye — and 
 then turn to the left, and go straight 
 ori ; ye will see the place where my cot 
 
 once
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 187 
 
 once stood; tarry not there, for the 
 ground is wet with the blood of my 
 murdered boys, but keep on, till you 
 see a dark and wooded dingle. In that 
 dingle is a cottage, and tJiere will ye 
 find your prey." 
 
 " What proof have we of the truth of 
 this r 
 
 " What proof would ye have ? Can- 
 not ye believe the words of an old wo- 
 man, who has one foot in the grave, 
 and the other close upon the brink? 
 But hearken to me. The father of that 
 youth did me once some wrong — some 
 deadly wrong ; and I must be revenged ! 
 The blood of so brave a son will wash 
 out the fault of so foul a father. Go 
 then, and haste to take him ; but tell 
 him, that Shonad, of Cae Glas, put you 
 upon the scent. My revenge will be 
 the sweeter if he know but that. And 
 now, away with ye! or the wolf will 
 have taken to the mountain. Remem- 
 ber,
 
 188 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 ber, it was Shonad, of Cae Glas, that 
 found him for ye." 
 
 The lieutenant, having first dispatch- 
 ed one of the men to Dolgelley with in- 
 formation of his proceedings, gave the 
 word, and placing himself at the head 
 of the men, they struck into the path 
 pointed out by their guide, and proceed- 
 ed onwards at a brisk pace. No sooner 
 were they fairly out of hearing, than 
 Shonad burst out into a loud discordant 
 scream, and sprang upon the stone 
 from whence she had been originally 
 disturbed. She looked after the troop- 
 ers with eagerness and delight, and again 
 shouted and clapped her hands, in all 
 the wild ecstacy of demoniac joy.— 
 " And so," she said, chuckling with un- 
 repressed glee — " and so, they think to 
 catch the sleeping wolf? — ha ! ha ! ha ! 
 — Brave, brave fools that they are ! — 
 they will go headlong into his den ; but 
 many a sun shall rise, and many a moon 
 wane, before they shall come out into 
 
 the
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 189 
 
 the free air again. And now, to bless 
 my dim old eyes with the glorious sight ! 
 I can reach the place before them yet, 
 and prepare the bullets for their brain. 
 That shall be my vengeance; and it 
 will help to quiet the angry spirits of 
 my slaughtered sons." And so saying, 
 away scuffled the crazy old woman, 
 straight up the hill side, her red cloak 
 waving, like an ill-omened streamer, in 
 the mountain wind. 
 
 In the mean time, the young officer 
 rode gallantly forward, suspecting no 
 harm, and occupied only with the pros- 
 pect of the speedy and successful termi- 
 nation of his commission. The road, at 
 first, lay over a bleak, barren, and ex- 
 tensive ridge of hills, exhibiting no tra- 
 ces of vegetation, beyond prickly gorse, 
 or stunted grass, with here and there a 
 clump or two of heather. In some parts 
 rose a huge isolated rock, like the car- 
 nedd of some ancient chieftain, or the 
 observatory of some gigantic mountain 
 
 genii ;
 
 190 UEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 genii ; for the district which they tra- 
 versed was celebrated for its supernatu- 
 ral visitants ; and the small but impe- 
 tuous streamlets, that rushed down from 
 the higher mountains, only contributed 
 to the desolateness of a scene, which was 
 of itself sufficiently cheerless. The sol- 
 diers found themselves elevated far above 
 the level of the Mowddach ; and they 
 rode along these barren hills for about 
 two or three miles, still pursuing the 
 same desolate and beaten track. They 
 then gained Llyn Cregenan, the pool 
 mentioned by their strange guide, whose 
 glistening surface they saw long before 
 they reached its level margin ; and ob- 
 serving a continuation of the path which 
 they had been traversing, they pursued 
 their course, as she had directed them, 
 to the left. 
 
 They came to the ruins of a srn^U 
 mountain cottage, the scorched rafters 
 of which, as they glistened darkly in 
 the moonlight, gave evident tokens that 
 
 it
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 191 
 
 it had been destroyed by fire. It was a 
 lonely and desolate spot, and, to men 
 less superstitious than these credulous 
 troopers, would have presented an ob- 
 ject of reverential fear. They simul- 
 taneously gathered closer to each other, 
 as they walked their horses over the 
 stones which strewed the way ; and 
 more than one of them afterwards swore, 
 that an object, tall, white, and ghastly, 
 met his view, as he gazed on the dilapi- 
 dated dwelling. 
 
 Having passed the ruined cottage, 
 they found that the road assumed a 
 wilder and more intricate appearance ; 
 and the extensive and desolate plain 
 which they had hitherto traversed gra- 
 dually contracted into a narrow ravine, 
 or, as it is called in Wales, ^ frith, through 
 the centre of which brawled a fierce 
 mountain river. The banks of the river 
 were well wooded on the opposite side, 
 but clothed only with stunted brush- 
 wood, and a few alder and hazel bushes 
 
 on
 
 192 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 on that which the troopers occupied. 
 Their path extended itself along the 
 river side, following the sinuosities of 
 the stream, and sometimes approaching 
 its very brink, while at others it would 
 be elevated far above it. The banks 
 themselves presented a similar variety. 
 In some places they were rocky and pre- 
 cipitous, rising many feet above the bed 
 of the river ; in others, they presented a 
 smooth greensward, terminating in a 
 border of gravel, or loose stones, where 
 the river swelled out into a broad, quiet, 
 and deep pool, the pool itself being con- 
 tained within a basin, either hollowed, 
 probably by the incessant action of the 
 water, out of the solid rock, or formed 
 by a loose bed of gravel and freestone. 
 
 The little troop rode on, momentarily 
 expecting to reach the glen, which they 
 considered as their ultimate destination. 
 But no glen could they discover, nor 
 any indications whatever of human habi- 
 tation. The only sounds that occurred 
 
 to
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 193 
 
 to break the silence which reigned 
 around them, were the tramping of their 
 own horses, with the occasional clang of 
 their iron scabbards, and the foaming of 
 the river, as it rushed between its rocky 
 banks. Occasionally also the shrill scream 
 of the night-hawk rose high over the 
 war of the waters, as it swooped down 
 upon its prey, in the opposite wood. 
 
 The road became now more and more 
 intricate ; and in many places it was 
 only wide enough to admit of the pas- 
 sage of a single horseman. The officer 
 became distrustful ; and taking advan- 
 tage of a small flat, halted his men by 
 the river's side, and commanded Bryce- 
 son, and another man, to go on as an ad- 
 vanced guard. He commanded also the 
 other men to close their files, and half- 
 cock their carbines ; and advised them 
 to be on their guard. Having taken 
 these precautions, they proceeded slowly 
 and warily onwards. 
 
 They had not ridden far before they 
 VOL. I. K found
 
 194 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 found that the road turned suddenly up 
 the bank, along which it wound to the 
 summit. This gave the lieutenant en- 
 couragement, as he suspected that the 
 glen was in the valley below, and all 
 would be right. But Bryceson had not 
 quite reached the summit, before a man 
 started from among the brushwood, and 
 presented a musket at the trooper, ex- 
 claiming a'c the same time — " Who goes 
 there?" The soldier's horse started at 
 the sudden sight of the man, and before 
 the trooper could reply to the challenge, 
 the man fired his piece, and darted im- 
 mediately into the brushwood. By this 
 time the remainder of the men had come 
 up; and after a brief deliberation, it was 
 resolved that they should follow the 
 path into the plain below, but with re- 
 doubled caution. The shot which had 
 been fired had wounded no one, and it 
 might have been discharged by a strag- 
 gling marauder : the circumstance, 
 however, was too suspicious to pass un- 
 r heeded.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 195 
 
 heeded, and it behoved them to move 
 with great caution and alertness. The 
 dechvity which they now descended, 
 was too steep to admit of any steed, and 
 too narrow to allow of the passage of 
 more than one person at a time. They 
 had descended about half way, when 
 Bryceson, who led the party, saw the 
 flash of a musketoon just beneath him, 
 and the next instant his horse fell under 
 him. — " Treason, by G — d !" exclaimed 
 the trooper, as he fired his carbine in 
 the direction whence the flash had is- 
 sued. '' Cromwell for ever, hurrah !" 
 
 The other men stood thunderstruck : 
 they saw nothing near them, but the 
 dark brushwood, that thickly clothed 
 the side of the hill which they were de- 
 scending : not a single human form was 
 to be seen. They moved onwards a few 
 paces, when another flash was seen, fol- 
 lowed by a report, and the fall of the 
 officer's horse: but the ball which 
 struck him came from an opposite di- 
 K 2 rection.
 
 196 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 rection. The peril of their situation was 
 now sufficiently evident : they were sur- 
 rounded on all sides by men in ambush, 
 without the power or the possibility of 
 escape. What could be done, was done. 
 The troopers drew up on the hill side 
 in two lines, and discharging their car- 
 bines at random, on each side, rode as 
 rapidly as they could down the declivity. 
 But this was useless ; for a chevaux-de- 
 frise of pikes effectually stopped their 
 progress in that direction. They turned 
 to retreat, but the summit was well de- 
 fended by armed men ; and in the con- 
 fusion which this discovery occasioned, 
 the little troop was surrounded by their 
 enemies, speedily dismounted, and dis- 
 armed. 
 
 " To whom are we indebted for this 
 courtesy?" asked the lieutenant, as he 
 delivered his sword and pistols to a per- 
 son wearing the dress of an officer; for 
 the assailants wore the English uniform. 
 
 " To one to whom you would have 
 
 been
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 197 
 
 been equally courteous, sir," answered 
 Reginald Trevor, stepping forward as 
 he spoke. " Is there any thing that 
 lieutenant Fowler desires, compatible 
 with his safety and ours ?" 
 
 " We are your prisoners, I suppose?" 
 asked the lieutenant. Reginald bowed, 
 and the officer continued — " Then, sir, 
 all that I and my men require, is, that 
 should it be necessary, you will bear 
 testimony that we came not willingly 
 into your hands." 
 
 " I will cheerfully do that, sir : in the 
 mean time, we must place you under 
 some little restraint. Lieutenant Mor- 
 ris, you will take charge of the prisoners, 
 and escort them to Llys Brad wen. 
 Lieutenant Fowler, we will indulge you 
 with a horse. Your men, as the dis- 
 tance is not far, will not object to walk. 
 For the present, farewell !" 
 
 The prisoners were quickly arranged 
 
 for their march. A strong detachment 
 
 of Reginald's party, mounted on horse- 
 
 K 3 back.
 
 198 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 back, and commanded by lieutenant 
 Morris, composed their escort; and as 
 the first faint dawn of morning opened 
 in the east, they proceeded over the hills 
 to Llys Brad wen, an old and massive 
 fortress, already alluded to as having 
 been formerly the summer residence 
 of the Welsh chieftain, Ednowain ab 
 Brad wen, and which was still a place 
 of great strength and security. They 
 pursued a lonely and unfrequented path ; 
 and in one of the most wild and deso« 
 late spots, the hateful form of their de- 
 ceitful guide stood before them. She 
 did not speak ; but running, or rather 
 bounding along the road, with her head 
 bent towards the ground, she tossed her 
 shrivelled hands on high, and laughed, 
 and shouted, and sang, in a frenzy of 
 wdld and ungovernable exultation. She 
 then turned suddenly round, and stood 
 still till the party had passed, pointing 
 at the prisoners with her long fleshless 
 finger, and accompanying her scornful 
 
 gesture
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 199 
 
 gesture with a sharp angry hiss, not un- 
 like that of a disturbed and irritated 
 serpent. 
 
 " By the soul of my father !" mut- 
 tered Bryceson, as he gazed in impo- 
 tent fury on the hag, " if ever my hand 
 will hold a carbine again, I'll save one 
 bullet to whiz through thy blasted 
 brain !" 
 
 The old woman seemed to understand 
 his meaning, for she burst out into a 
 hollow and loud laugh of contempt and 
 defiance, and bounded up the hill side, 
 with an agility far beyond her years. 
 
 The trooper dispatched a hearty curse 
 after her, and the party moved on to- 
 wards their destination. 
 
 Some of my readers will be probably 
 anxious to ascertain, how it was possible 
 for so large a body of men as that which 
 surprised lieutenant Fowler's detach- 
 ment, to assemble together so near Dol- 
 gelley, without the observation of the 
 soldiers, who were quartered in and 
 K 4 about
 
 200 REGINALD TEEVOB. 
 
 about that town, for the express purpose 
 of preventing such occurrences We 
 have ah-eadj hinted, that midnight meet- 
 ings were not uncommon ; and indeed 
 the locality of the country in that 
 neighbourhood presented every facility 
 for the existence of such meetings, with- 
 out the probability of a discovery. 
 Those who, in the course of their wan- 
 derings, have ascended Cader Idris, may 
 have observed how powerfully nature 
 has fortified that romantic district ; and 
 there are recesses amidst these rocky de- 
 files, where thousands of persons may 
 assemble in safety and concealment. It 
 was, in fact, among these precipitous 
 and secluded rocks, that this brave and 
 able band of loyalists had become so 
 skilfully organized, and so firmly knit 
 together, that it constituted a force, 
 which we shall see was far from con- 
 temptible. Many of its members had 
 been well drilled in the first civil war ; 
 and not a few of the county militia had 
 
 joined
 
 BEGIXALD TREVOK, 201 
 
 joined in the cause. It consisted, in 
 short, of the most respectable of the 
 upland farmers, not merely of Merio- 
 nethshire, but of the neighbouring coun- 
 ties ; and the total number was about 
 eight hundred. There were hundreds, 
 also, more timid, or more cautious, who 
 were only waiting for a favourable op- 
 portunity of espousing the cause of 
 prince Charles; and they secretly assist- 
 ed the designs and operations of those 
 who were more boldly preparing to en- 
 ter the lists. The meetings to which 
 we have alluded, were carried on with 
 great spirit and assiduity : they were 
 held so far up in the mountains, that the 
 report of the firearms could not be heard 
 at Dolgelley ; and the lights which were 
 occasionally seen, were generally attri- 
 buted, by the superstitious troopers, to 
 the WiIl-o*-the-wisp, or the fairy. 
 
 On the eventful evening, the busy 
 
 occurrences of which we have laboured 
 
 to describe, Reginald Trevor, who, by 
 
 K 5 hi&
 
 203 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 his condition and hearty espousal of the 
 cause, no less than by his courage and 
 sagacity, had obtained great influence 
 among the party, after the affray at 
 the inn, immediately sought the spot 
 where a meeting had been appointed to 
 assemble that very night. Spies were 
 on the alert, to discover the movements 
 of lieutenant Fowler's detachment ; and 
 when it was known that they had been 
 at Abermaw Castle, it was determined, 
 if possible, to intercept them, as the out- 
 rage which Reginald had committed, in 
 his own defence, would, at all events, 
 involve him in some trouble, and might 
 lead to some unpleasant discoveries. 
 From Shonad (anglice Janet) of Cae 
 Glas, they sought the assistance which 
 she willingly, and, as we have seen, 
 successfully rendered. This poor de- 
 ranged woman, who once held a respect-^ 
 able rank in aaciety, had been of essen- 
 tial service to them; in many other re- 
 ects. Driven to madness, by the 
 
 inhuman
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 203 
 
 inhuman cruelty of the parliamentary 
 soldiers, who had shot before her eyes 
 her two brave sons, and, as she had said, 
 worse than murdered her only daughter ; 
 expelled, moreover, from her humble 
 dwelling, which, in their wantonness, 
 they set on fire, and thrust out on the 
 hills, in her old age and helplessness, 
 she devoted her waning existence to the 
 passion of revenge, and flitted about 
 from place to place, like the remorseless 
 minion of some unhallowed spirit. But 
 she had her revenge, as we shall see; 
 and that was the only hope, and the 
 only consolation, which her frenzied 
 heart desired. 
 
 K 6 CHAP.
 
 204 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Nay, good my lord — not so ; his followers 
 
 Are seen in midnight muster on the hills. 
 
 Rehearsing insurrection, and arrayed 
 
 In mimicry of war. The Mountaineer. 
 
 On the following morning, the baron's 
 old and neglected family carriage was 
 put in requisition at an early hour. The 
 four black long-tailed heavy Flemish 
 horses, which had rested quietly in the 
 stable for some months, were yoked to 
 a vehicle, with which, in bulk and cum- 
 bersome grandeur, they so fitly corres- 
 ponded ; and by seven o'clock the whole 
 equipage was at the grand entrance of 
 Abermaw Castle. The man of fashion 
 and taste, or, in other words, the mo- 
 dern exquisite, who is accustomed to the 
 spruce articles manufactured and vended 
 
 by
 
 EEGINALD TREVOR. 205 
 
 Hatchett or Burnand, would have quiz- 
 zed with much merriment the baron's 
 substantial " turn-out." But it is no 
 less true than lamentable, that although 
 we moderns are, absque omni dubio, a 
 more refined and polished race than our 
 worthy progenitors, still we have, in 
 many instances, obtained our refinement 
 at the expence of much that is good and 
 meritorious. With the plain substan- 
 tiality of our forefathers' equipages and 
 dress, much of their own hearty spirit 
 and lustihood has passed away. We 
 have become more elegant ; but it is a 
 question, whether we have become more 
 intrinsically excellent, or more unequi- 
 vocally happy. " The world," to use the 
 words of a modern writer *, " has become 
 more worldly. There is more of dissi- 
 pation, and less of enjoyment. Pleasure 
 has expanded into a broader but shal- 
 lower stream, and has forsaken many of 
 those deep and quiet channels, where it 
 
 flowed 
 
 • Sketch Book, Vol. ii. p. 35.
 
 206 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 flowed SO sweetly through the calm bo- 
 som of domestic life. Society has ac- 
 quired a more elegant and enlightened 
 tone ; but it has lost many of its strong 
 local peculiarities — its home-bred feel- 
 ings—its honest fireside delights. The 
 traditionary customs of golden- hearted 
 antiquity, its feudal hospitalities and 
 lordly wassailings, have passed away, 
 with the baronial castles and stately ma- 
 nor-houses in which they were celebra- 
 ted. They comported well with the 
 shadowy hall, the great oaken gallery, 
 and the tapestried parlour ; but are un- 
 fitted to the light showy saloons, and 
 gay drawing-rooms of the modern villa." 
 But to return to our history. 
 
 As the chapel -clock of the castle 
 struck seven, the baron entered his car- 
 riage, accompanied by the reverend Mr. 
 Pendragon Jones, and his house-stew- 
 ard, Morgan Wynn; the castle gates 
 were thrown open, and the lumbering 
 vehicle rolled lazily along the avenue 
 
 towards
 
 REGTNALD TREVOR. 207 
 
 towards Dolgelley, followed by six out-^ 
 riders, habited in the baron's livery, and 
 bearing on their left shoulders the arms 
 and cognisance of the house of Owen*. 
 By this time Reginald's rencontre with 
 the troopers at the inn was well known, 
 and had been duly commented upon, by 
 all the grown inhabitants of the town 
 and its neighbourhood ; so that the ba- 
 ron's visit, which on any other occasion 
 would have been a matter of much mar- 
 vel and mystery, was now readily, and, 
 as it happened, rightly accounted for by 
 all. His equipage, therefore, albeit an 
 object of stupendous admiration, created 
 
 no 
 
 • For the gratification of tlie curious in htraldlc matters, 
 we have been able to ascertain the precise arras which the 
 baron bore ; thej were " Gules, three snakes enoiced in a tri- 
 angular knot, argent." These were originally bcroe by his an- 
 cestor, Ednowain ab Bradwen. On the present occasion, they 
 were quartered with his lady, who, as a heiress of the house of 
 Tudor Trevor, bore for her arms, " Parted per bend rinister', 
 ermine and ermines, surmounted by a lion rampant, or." The 
 crest was a Lion rampant azure.
 
 2108 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 no surprise, in the crowd of men, wo- 
 men, and children, by which it was fol- 
 lowed and surrounded, the moment it 
 stopped at the door of the Golden Lion. 
 All were anxious to obtain a sight of a 
 person of the baron's rank and impor- 
 tance; and as he descended from the 
 carriage, the crowd pressed forward to 
 his manifest discomposure, as we have 
 witnessed, on much grander occasions, 
 in this well-regulated and orderly me- 
 tropolis The baron bowed as he walk- 
 ed into the house, and the people, as in 
 duty bound, cheered him as he passed. 
 
 Having entered the inn, he sent his 
 compliments to major Maitland, and re- 
 quested a few minutes conversation with 
 him : the major answered the invitation 
 by his immediate appearance. 
 
 After the introductory compliments, 
 the baron opened the business. — "You 
 are, doubtless, aware of the purport of 
 my visit, sir." 
 
 " I am, my lord ; and most sincerely 
 
 regret
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 209 
 
 regret that it should be so unfortu- 
 nate." 
 
 " It is unfortunate, sir; but fron:! 
 what I can learn, I do not see that much 
 harm has been done. The provocation 
 appears to have been given by one of 
 your men, who " 
 
 " Pardon me, my lord," interrupted 
 the major — " no provocation, your lord- 
 ship must be aware, could justify the 
 outrage committed by your kinsman. 
 The mere shedding of a soldier's blood 
 is treason ; and the man wounded last 
 night is disabled from duty. Besides, 
 there are other circumstances in the 
 young man's character, my lord, which, 
 if true, would render him an object of 
 very particular regard with the govern- 
 ment." 
 
 " Nay, sir, I can answer for Reginald's 
 pacific disposition : he is rash and impe- 
 tuous — and what youth is not? but he 
 is true to the principles in which he has 
 been educated." 
 
 •* That
 
 210 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 " That / can certify," exclaimed the 
 honest chaplain, but with a meaning 
 very different from the baron's ; " for it 
 has ever been my care to instil into him 
 the principles of true patriotism." 
 
 " True, my lord — true, reverend sir; 
 but I must beg leave to differ from your 
 lordship. I have gained intelligence 
 which would somewhat startle you, my 
 lord— know you where your young kins- 
 man spent the night ?" 
 
 " No — I have not the least intima- 
 tion ; but I suppose somewhere in con- 
 cealment." 
 
 " You have not seen him then since 
 he committed the offence with which 
 he stands charged ?" 
 
 " On my honour, I have not." 
 
 " Then my suspicions are confirmed. 
 He has been in arms all night, with a 
 strong and numerous party ; and the 
 detachment sent to apprehend him must 
 have fallen into his hands, I fear much 
 evil will come of this." 
 
 " What,
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 211 
 
 " What, sir — in arms ? Impossible ! 
 Have not your men returned ? They 
 left the castle soon after ten o'clock." 
 
 " They did so, my lord ; but they 
 met with some witch, or devil, on their 
 way here, who directed them to seek 
 the object of their search far up among 
 the hills. Of their movements thus far, 
 1 am well acquainted ; but what became 
 of them subsequently, I can only sur- 
 mise: I fear, too justly, that they have 
 fallen into some trap." 
 
 " But you have no proof that Regi- 
 nald Trevor has had any part in the de- 
 tention or capture of the soldiers." 
 
 " No proqfi certainly ; but till the 
 absence of my men is rightly accounted 
 for, I must, of necessity, take such steps 
 as are most proper for the apprehension 
 of the original cause of their departure 
 from quarters. Your lordship will con- 
 sider that I am acting under authority, 
 and for the well-being of the state ; and 
 I am sure your lordship will give me 
 
 the
 
 212 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 the credit of acting as leniently as pos- 
 sible towards your kinsman. But as a 
 soldier, I have only thing to observe, 
 and that is, to do my duty." 
 
 " I am perfectly aware of this, sir : 
 but is there any necessity — any absolute 
 necessity, for pursuing at present this 
 matter further? Surely my services to 
 the state might be acknowledged by 
 some indulgent concession on the part 
 of the parliament." 
 
 " Your services, my lord, have been 
 great, and eminently beneficial ; but / 
 am not the person to acknowledge them. 
 The parliament will, doubtless, take 
 them into due consideration ; but I have 
 only one path to pursue. I lament that, 
 on the present occasion, I am conapelled 
 to act in opposition to your /lordship's 
 wishes; but I am sure the event will 
 justify me, even in y^ur estimation." 
 
 *' Then I am to hope for nothing from 
 you, major Maitland ?" said the baron, 
 stiAy, as he rose to depart. 
 - *• ^ « Not
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 213 
 
 " Not SO, my lord. What I can do, 
 I will do ; but I would not encourage 
 you to hope for much in this affair. Of 
 course, all will be guided by circum- 
 stances, and every favourable fact shall 
 be taken advantage of." 
 
 The baron bowed, and withdrew, 
 little pleased with the success of his vi- 
 sit, and with his mind much perturbed 
 by the information he had received from 
 the major, relative to the detachment. 
 Reginald's absence from the castle all 
 night, gave a deep colouring to the sus- 
 picion that he was concerned in the af- 
 fair; but it was altogether so marvel- 
 lous to the baron, that he could scarcely 
 give credit to the occurrence. Mr. Pen- 
 dragon Jones was silent on the subject. 
 He, too, had his suspicions ; and it were 
 difficult to say, whether he felt more 
 joy at this demonstration of the good 
 effect of his secret but unremitting in- 
 structions, or more alarm and apprehen- 
 sion at the peril of his apt and obedient 
 
 pupil :
 
 214 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 pupil: he could not imagine that any 
 serious harm would befall the young 
 Briton, for the baron had many claims 
 on the gratitude of the protector; and 
 even should the worst happen, he thought 
 that his patron's influence might prove 
 effectual in obtaining the youth's par- 
 don. Whether the protector's sense of 
 justice or generosity was put to the test 
 in this instance, remains yet to be 
 shewn. Were conclusions to be drawn 
 beforehand, it is more than probable, 
 that, by those who were best acquainted 
 with the usurper, such conclusions would 
 be any thing but favourable. 
 
 As the carriage drew up at the door 
 of the castle, Isabel hastened into the 
 hall, and anxiously inquired of her fa- 
 ther, as she affectionately embraced him, 
 what news he brought from town ? 
 
 The baron shook his head, as he press- 
 ed a kiss upon the pale cheek of his 
 daughter, and led her into the sitting- 
 room. — " I had better have remained at 
 
 home.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 215 
 
 home, my child, " he said, as he seated 
 himself sullenly at the breakfast- table ; 
 " for I fear Reginald has indeed been 
 guilty of a terrible outrage on the lord 
 protector's soldiers. He has shot one of 
 the troopers." 
 
 " But say, dear father," exclaimed 
 Isabel, breathless and pale with exces- 
 sive agitation — " tell me — is he safe — 
 quite safe from their vengeance ?" 
 
 " They have not taken him yet." 
 
 " Thank Heaven for thatT said the 
 agitated girl, as she sank down on a set- 
 tee, at the extremity of the room. 
 
 The baron now related all that had 
 passed between him and major JMait- 
 land ; and Isabel's gentle bosom was 
 filled with alarm and apprehension, as 
 she reflected, should the major's suspi- 
 cions be well founded, on the imminent 
 peril of her foster-brother's situation. 
 Of the justice of the one cause or the 
 other, she had never thought ; but she 
 had learned from Reginald, to imbibe a 
 
 horror
 
 216 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 horror and hatred of the oppression ex- 
 ercised by the military ; and perhaps 
 she would rather have lifted up her 
 prayers, for a gay and chivalrous prince 
 like Charles, than for an austere, hypo- 
 critical, and cruel despot like Cromwell. 
 Whatever her sentiments might have 
 been, they were now wholly in favour 
 of the loyal party; for Reginald had 
 openly avowed his determination of 
 joining it with heart and hand ; and she 
 could not blame him for doing so. She 
 knew that his heart was replete with all 
 the high and noble feelings of our na- 
 ture, and that it bent in unison with all 
 that was good and generous; but she 
 shuddered when she reflected, that how- 
 ever aptly these qualities might befit 
 him for the successful achievement of 
 the enterprize which he had thus volun- 
 tarily undertaken to accomplish, there 
 was much peril in his path, and much 
 doubt, in the present state of things, as 
 to the issue. It would have been more 
 
 agreeable
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 217 
 
 agreeable to her, than to have had him 
 still with her at the castle, pursuing, 
 with herself, those calm and quiet occu- 
 pations which had hitherto filled up the 
 measure of his time. He had now left 
 the quiet haven which had sheltered his 
 youth, to embark on the boisterous 
 ocean of political contention ; and not- 
 withstanding the justice of the cause 
 which he had vowed to maintain, and 
 the noble independence which he had 
 evinced in its espousal, it was not im- 
 possible but that he might fall a sacrifice 
 to his principles, and to his high and 
 chivalrous feelings. But hope, 
 
 " That draws towards itself 
 
 Tlie flame with which it kindles," 
 
 inspired the maiden with some confi- 
 dence in the success of her foster-bro- 
 ther ; and, satisfied of his present safety, 
 she awaited the issue with silent and 
 trembling apprehension. 
 
 Various were the rumours to which 
 VOL. I. L Reginald's
 
 ^18 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 Reginald's disappearance, and the ab- 
 sence of the soldiers, had given origin. 
 There were many at Dolgelley, to whom 
 the actual facts were well known ; but 
 they wisely held their peace, and listen- 
 ed with much gravity to the surmises 
 and positive assertions of their towns- 
 men. Before noon, it was confidently 
 affirmed, by those who knew nothing 
 of the matter, that Reginald Trevor 
 was in arms, with two or three thou- 
 sand men, among whom were some 
 hundreds of wild Irish ; that this terrible 
 force was encamped among the Black 
 Rocks, near Cader Idris ; and that the 
 troopers had fallen into their hands, and 
 had been cut into pieces small enough 
 for kite's meat. Gitto Shone David, the 
 hereditary blacksmith, swore, till his 
 eyes glistened again, that he saw, from 
 the top of the church tower, hundreds 
 of armed men moving about among the 
 Black Rocks; and Modryb Shane, the 
 septuagenarian sagefemme, also asserted, 
 
 that
 
 REGINALD TREVOH. 219 
 
 that her dim eyes could see as much 
 from the same situation. 
 
 It were dangerous to dispute the 
 blacksmith's word, for he had wielded 
 the sledge hammer for thirty years ; still 
 his arm was stout and brawny ; and the 
 reverential respect which the females, 
 old and young, entertained for Modryb 
 Shane, preserved her veracity from any 
 dubitation : so they were' both believed, 
 although the distance from the church 
 tower to the Black Rocks cannot be less 
 than six good miles. But that mattered 
 not ; such marvels have occurred, both 
 before and since, and without the potent 
 influence of that worker of wonders, 
 prince Hohenlohe. 
 
 However true these assertions actu- 
 ally were, there was but one feeling as 
 to the conduct of the youthful cham- 
 pion, and that was one of unequivocal 
 and enthusiastic admiration. There was 
 not a single person in the town but 
 would have followed his steps, had not 
 L 2 unavoidat>le
 
 220 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 unavoidable circumstances prevented 
 him. 
 
 In the simplicity of their national 
 character, heightened as it was by their 
 seclusion from the arena of political in- 
 trigue and jugglery, the Dolgellians had 
 troubled themselves but little with the 
 propriety of the protector's pretensions. 
 Many knew not the difference between 
 the new constitution and the old one ; 
 their opinion of the merits of the one 
 and the other could only be formed from 
 the facts and circumstances which more 
 immediately, and more tangibly, con- 
 cerned themselves, and their comforts, 
 as individual members of one communi- 
 ty. It was indifferent to them who held 
 the reins of the government ; but the 
 measures which he instituted or sanc- 
 tioned became a matter of importance 
 to them, in proportion as they affected 
 themselves or their interests. Thus 
 Cromwell himself was no more hateful 
 to them, than as the ostensible source 
 
 whence
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 221 
 
 whence all their miseries flowed ; the 
 military, as the actual instruments of the 
 despot's decrees, were the objects of 
 their detestation, and on them they 
 burned to be revenged. 
 
 It is at no time a pleasant thing to be 
 incumbered with the intrusion of a sol- 
 dier, even if he be pacifically disposed 
 towards you ; but to be compelled to re- 
 ceive into your houses, into the very bo- 
 som of your domestic circle, a trooper, 
 flushed with all the brutal insolence of 
 conquest, unrestrained by any motives 
 of good will or delicacy, and striving, 
 moreover, to render his abominable pre- 
 sence as irksome as possible — this, in 
 sober truth, would be a severe trial for 
 men of milder dispositions than the 
 Welsh are allowed to possess ; but, in 
 such cases, it must be evident that op- 
 position is useless. 
 
 To us, who live in times of peace and 
 prosperity — who are governed, more- 
 over, by institutions, which have for 
 L 3 their
 
 222 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 their especial object the protection and 
 happiness of the subject, these times 
 of anarchy and oppression will for ever 
 remain unknown in reality ; from the 
 occurrences of past ages, we may derive 
 a warning and an example, and see good 
 reason to rejoice at our own enviable 
 tranquillity. 
 
 But although the natives were thus 
 unanimous in their good wishes for the 
 success of Reginald Trevor, they evinced 
 no open proof of their favourable senti- 
 ments. It was therefore with apparent 
 unconcern that they witnessed the pre- 
 cautions which major Maitland was ta- 
 king. This officer, roused by what had 
 taken place into energetic activity, dis- 
 patched, in the first place, a courier to 
 London. He then mustered all the 
 men in the immediate neighbourhood 
 to head- quarters, and appointed picquets 
 on the four principal roads leading to 
 Dolgelley. By way of intimidation, he 
 exercised that part of the regiment which 
 
 he
 
 BEGINALD TREVOR. 223 
 
 he had called in, on the marion, or green, 
 adjacent to the town, where the men 
 went through their evolutions, to the 
 great wonderment of the natives. 
 
 Having made these arrangements, he 
 issued an order, forbidding any person 
 to leave the town after seven in the 
 evening, or to enter it at any hour, 
 without a previous application to him in 
 person. The men were kept under arms, 
 to be ready for instant action, and all the 
 ordinary business of the town was sus- 
 pended during the remainder of the day. 
 
 L 4 CHAP.
 
 324 REGINALD TREVOK. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The sky is clouded, Gaspard, 
 
 And the vex'd ocean sleeps a troubled sleep, 
 Beneath a lurid gleam of parting sunshine. 
 Such slumber hangs o'er discontented lands. 
 While factions doubt, as yet, if they have strength 
 To front the open battle. Albion, a Poenv. 
 
 This was another dull and gloomy day 
 at Abermaw Castle. The ill success of 
 the baron's visit, and the prolonged ab- 
 sence of Reginald, had cast an additional 
 shade over a disposition naturally cloud- 
 ed with melancholy ; and the baron had 
 immured himself in his library nearly 
 the whole of the day. Evening at length 
 arrived, and the sun, which had bril- 
 liantly illumined the mountain and the 
 valley during the day, was descending 
 
 majestically
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 225 
 
 majestically into the west, behind a ridge 
 of dark-blue hills, the summits of which 
 were tinged with his departing glory. 
 
 Isabel, with a sad and anxious heart, 
 had wandered out alone, and had sought 
 a favourite spot, where she had passed 
 many a tranquil and happy hour with 
 her foster-brother; it was in a lovely 
 and secluded dell, very near the castle, 
 and almost close to the brink of the 
 Mowddach ; and a rude seat had been 
 constructed by Reginald under an old 
 oak, whose gnarled branches spread far 
 and wide, in a variety of grotesque and 
 fantastic forms. A small rill, clear as 
 the clearest crystal, ran gurgling thro' 
 the dell, between boundaries of the soft- 
 est moss ; and the ringdove and the 
 robin would come and drink of its pel- 
 lucid waters, unscared by the presence 
 of a creature so fair and gentle as Isabel. 
 
 It was in this spot that Isabel was 
 
 sitting, watching the splendid setting of 
 
 the summer sun, as his broad and glow- 
 
 L 5 ing
 
 226 REGINALD TREVOB. 
 
 ing disc rested on the calm waters of the 
 Mowddach ; and she felt that her heart 
 was sad, and that the sorrow which 
 shrouded her might be lightened by one 
 of those plaintive airs which a bard of 
 old had composed to sooth his own 
 sorrows. An ancestor of her family, in 
 tin:ies long past, had emigrated to some 
 foreign and far distant land, to avoid 
 dissensions which he could not quell. 
 He was said to have composed the fol- 
 lowing song, which Isabel warbled to a 
 tune that bears to this day the title of 
 Lady Ozven's Delight : — 
 
 " Why lingers ray gaze where the last hues of day, 
 On the hills of ray country in loveliness sleep ? 
 
 Too fair is the sight for a wanderer, whose way 
 Lies far o'er the measureless worlds of the deep ! 
 
 Fall, shadows of twilight ! and veil the green shore, 
 That the heart of the mighty may waver no more, 
 
 " Why rise on my thoughts, ye free songs of the land, 
 Where the harp's lofty soul on each wild wind is borne? 
 
 Be
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 2217 
 
 Be hush'd ! be forgotten ! for ne'er shall the hand 
 Of the minstrel with melody greet my return. 
 
 No, no ; let your echoes still float on the breeze, 
 
 And my heart shall be strong for the conquest of seas. 
 
 " 'Tis not for the land of my sires to give birth 
 
 Unto bosoms which shrink when their trial is nigh : 
 
 Away ! we will bear over ocean and earth 
 A name and a spirit that never shall die. 
 
 My course to the winds, to the stars, I resign. 
 
 But ray soul's quenchless fire, oh ! ray country, is thine I" 
 
 The last cadence of the song was yet 
 lingering on Isabel's lip, when she was 
 startled by a rustling among the bushes ; 
 and the next moment her foster-brother 
 stood by her side. 
 
 " My sister ! — my own Isabel !" he 
 exclaimed, as he pressed her to his bo- 
 som. " Will you forgive me?" 
 
 " Forgive you, Reginald ! Oh yes, 
 yes. But are you safe ? — quite safe, in 
 venturing so near the castle? Know 
 you not that two troopers are there for 
 your apprehension ? You are armed 
 L 6 too !
 
 22S REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 too ! Merciful Heaven ! then all my 
 fears are true !" 
 
 " Nay, fear nothing, my beloved ; 
 all is safe ; and I shall quickly return 
 to you, Isabel, not as the hunted out- 
 law, with a price upon my head — not 
 as the malefactor, doomed to certain 
 and cruel death, but as the joyful de- 
 liverer of my country, from a yoke too 
 abominable to be borne. Look up, my 
 beloved, and sorrow not. A little while 
 only shall elapse before we shall be once 
 more free !" 
 
 There was a vehemence in Reginald's 
 manner which startled the maiden, and 
 she gazed on him in silent astonish^ 
 ment. 
 
 He took her hand, and pressed it to 
 his lips. — " Speak to me, dearest," he 
 continued, " and tell me that you will 
 pray for me, and for our good cause." 
 
 " I will pray for you, my brother — I 
 have prayed for you. But, oh, do not 
 rashly engage in this perilous under- 
 taking.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 229 
 
 taking. Remember my dear father — 
 think also of me, your sister: and if you 
 succeed not, they will put you to a cruel 
 and terrible death." 
 
 " If we succeed not, they, perhaps, 
 will wreak their vengeance upon us. 
 But does the daughter of my noble kins- 
 man think that we shall not succeed? 
 Isabel, there are many brave hearts 
 panting to throw off the yoke of this 
 despotic usurper, and many brave hands 
 at work to do it. / must not be idle. 
 Is not my life already forfeited to the 
 just law, which makes a man a traitor 
 for defending his own property, and 
 dooms the traitors thus conveniently 
 constituted to the scaffold? Shall I 
 tamely deliver myself into the hands of 
 these liveried ruffians, and silently bend 
 my neck to the death- stroke ? Surely 
 my dear sister cannot wish this ?" 
 
 " Oh, no, no !" sobbed Isabel, as she 
 trembled at the idea of her foster-bro- 
 ther's fate. 
 
 " No,
 
 StSO REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 " No, Isabel, this will I never do ; and 
 if I fall at last, I will fall as a brave 
 man ought to fall — in the battle field. 
 But cheer thee, my beloved : our cause 
 has too many supporters, and too many 
 able espousers, to fall to the ground. 
 The prince Charles is making extensive 
 preparations for asserting his rights, and 
 we may soon hope to see him safely 
 seated on the throne of his martyred 
 father. We shall not then be oppress- 
 ed by the insolent turbulence of the 
 soldiers. Our hearths will not be stain- 
 ed, as I have seen them stained, with 
 the blood of our brave countrymen ; 
 neither will the peasant's cottage be pil- 
 laged and destroyed, to gratify the in- 
 clinations of a lawless soldiery. The 
 country groans aloud for redemption 
 and succour, and now is the best time 
 to draw the sword from the scabbard^ 
 where it has already lain too long." 
 
 " But why must you, my brother, in- 
 volve yourself in these turmoils ? Sure-
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 231 
 
 ly you might be spared to us in the ge- 
 neral danger." 
 
 " Nay, Isabel, I must not be supine. 
 Is there not a price upon my head ? — 
 and are not the bloodhounds, even 
 now, let loose to hunt me down ? But 
 I must leave you, dearest, for a short 
 time. Hark ! some one approaches. If 
 circumstances should occur to render 
 my intentions suspicious to the baron, 
 rest assured, that a day of satisfactory 
 explanation will come. Should you 
 also wish to communicate with me at 
 any time, remember the hawk. He is 
 a faithful courier, and may be safely 
 trusted. Now, God bless you, dearest!" 
 and pressing a kiss upon the pale cheek 
 of his foster-sister, he plunged into the 
 thicket, and disappeared. 
 
 Scarcely had he done so, before mis- 
 tress Dinah Price, accompanied by Shen- 
 ny Roberts, Isabel's faithful and attach- 
 ed maid, gained the spot where she sat. 
 They both instinctively uttered an excla- 
 mation
 
 222 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 mation of joyful surprise when they be- 
 held her, for it seems that they had been 
 entertaining divers strange fears as to 
 the cause of her absence. — " My heart 
 rejoiceth to have found thee, my dear 
 child," said the ancient maiden, after she 
 had calmed her momentary agitation — 
 " I had sad forebodings as to thy safety ; 
 for these are troublous times, and likely 
 to become worse: may the Lord deli- 
 ver us out of the hands of our enemies !" 
 
 " Amen !" softly responded Shenny, 
 as, with her arms folded meekly on her 
 bosom, she stood in respectful and silent 
 obedience at a short distance from her 
 mistress. 
 
 " Have you heard, sweet cousin," con- 
 tinued mistress Dinah, " of the great 
 peril with which we are threatened? 
 There are certain rebels in arms among 
 the hills, and purpose, as I hear, to come 
 down with fire and sword upon Dol- 
 gelley : I dread to think of the defence- 
 less
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 233 
 
 less state of us weak and tender maid- 
 ens." 
 
 " Fear not on that account," answered 
 Isabel. " But tell me from whom heard 
 you the news ?" 
 
 " From Lewsyn Lewis, the errand- 
 man, who brought my new stomacher 
 from Lowrie Reece. Major Maitland, 
 that good and valiant man, hath forti- 
 fied the town, and guarded it within 
 and without with his brave warriors; he 
 has, moreover, ordained that no one shall 
 leave Dolgelley, or enter therein, after 
 seven of the clock, without his especial 
 permission ; but he hath taken no heed 
 of us that dwell in the valley." 
 
 " These are idle fears, cousin ; the 
 major is too wise a man to trouble him- 
 self with such unnecessary precautions ; 
 Lewsyn's intelligence, you know, is not 
 always to be credited. But, come, we 
 will return to the castle, and seek my 
 father ; it is probable that he may now 
 desire our company." With that, Isa- 
 bel
 
 §134 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 bel took the arm of her kinswoman, and 
 proceeded towards the castle; and not- 
 withstanding her apparent incredulity 
 with regard to the information convey- 
 ed by the indefatigable Lewsyn Lewis, 
 she had good reason to believe that the 
 preparations which the major had made 
 would not be found utterly needless. 
 
 Had she really been sceptical on this 
 point, the appearance of things at the 
 castle would have convinced her to the 
 contrary; in the court-yard were three 
 or four troopers, inspecting with much 
 care the different parts of the building ; 
 while along the terrace, which extended 
 the whole length of the front of the cas- 
 tle, and commanded a very wide and 
 magnificent prospect, stood another sol*- 
 dier, with his carbine on his arm, keep- 
 ing strict and cautious watch. Within 
 the castle there was infinitely more 
 bustle and confusion ; servants were 
 hurrying to and fro, with all the busy 
 importance of some grand and unex- 
 pected
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 235 
 
 pected occurrence. The women-kind 
 were fearfully alarmed, and woefully in 
 the way, as the park-keeper said, when 
 he stumbled over two stout red-cheeked 
 wenches in the cellar, whither he had 
 gone, to hunt up some rusty musketoons, 
 which had been used for buck-shooting; 
 and the dark and silent sanctuary of 
 which they had sought, in the horror 
 and alarm which had seized upon their 
 tender hearts : old Howel, with the calm 
 experience of age, and of times of simi- 
 lar dismay and peril, was issuing direc- 
 tions, with much coolness and compo- 
 sure, to the bustling throng around him ; 
 and conferring occasionally with some 
 four or five troopers, who seemed to en- 
 joy the confusion which reigned in the 
 castle. The ladies sought the sitting- 
 room, and found the baron and the re- 
 verend chaplain in earnest confabulation 
 with a cavalry officer. He bowed as 
 the ladies entered ; and mistress Dinah 
 observed afterwards to Isabel, that he 
 
 was
 
 236 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 was neither so young nor so handsome 
 as lieutenant Fowler. 
 
 " My dear father," said Isabel, " what 
 mean all this bustle and confusion ?'* 
 
 The baron pointed to a letter, which 
 lay open upon the table, and said — 
 " Read that, my child ; it will explain 
 all to you." 
 
 Isabel took the letter, and read : — 
 
 " MY LORD, 
 
 " From the occurrence of di- 
 vers circumstances, we expect that an 
 attack, or sortie, will be made this night 
 upon the town, by the rebels now in 
 arms among the mountains. It hath 
 therefore been deemed expedient to take 
 such precautions as the spur of the mo- 
 ment, and our little force, will admit of. 
 Your lordship's adherence to the state 
 will doubtless subject you to the ven- 
 geance of the insurgents. I send you, 
 therefore, lieutenant Egerton, with a 
 
 guard
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 237 
 
 guard of ten men, which, with the two 
 soldiers already quartered at the castle, 
 will constitute a force sufficient, with 
 sound judgment and discretion, to repel 
 the assaults of these undisciplined trai- 
 tors. Nevertheless, as it is known that 
 the insurgents are strong and numerous, 
 I would humbly suggest to your lord- 
 ship, the propriety of gathering together 
 every able man in your service, or on 
 your domain ; and I trust that, with the 
 assistance of your tried patriotism, and 
 with the blessing of God, we shall keep 
 to ourselves the mastery, till we can ob- 
 tain further succour. 
 
 " I subscribe myself, 
 " With much respect, 
 " David William Maitland, 
 
 " Major iD the lOlh Parliamentary Dragoon Regiment. 
 " Writ at Dolgelley, this 6th day of August, 16 — ." 
 
 The letter was indorsed, " To the 
 Lord Baron of Abermaw, of Abermaw 
 Castle: These." 
 
 It
 
 238 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 It was not till the evening that the 
 baron had received this intelligence ; but 
 by promptitude and activity, the castle 
 was tolerably fortified before night. 
 Every thing was put in requisition 
 which could be made useful; and with 
 the anxiety and uncertainty of their si- 
 tuation, the inmates awaited tlie ap- 
 proach of night, with anticipations of 
 storm and bloodshed. It should be ob- 
 served, however, that although the force 
 within the castle, including the soldiers, 
 consisted of nearly thirty men, a very 
 small proportion was formed by the ba- 
 ron's tenantry, as scarcely more than ten 
 of his numerous dependents were found 
 able to come. Some — and by far the 
 greater number — had repaired to Dol- 
 gelley (so it was said), to witness the 
 transactions which were going on there ; 
 several had gone to Towyn fair, and 
 others again to Barmouth ; so that those 
 who were summoned were few in num- 
 ber, and somewhat scurvy in appear- 
 ance ;
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 239 
 
 ance; but, as it was remarked by one of 
 the troopers, if they did for nothing else, 
 they would do very well to stop up the 
 windows of the women's room, instead 
 of beds and bolsters. 
 
 While affairs were thus situated at 
 the castle, Dolgelley presented a curious 
 scene — 
 
 " Men stood whispering men, 
 
 As though revealing some portentous secret, 
 
 At every sound cried Hist ! and gazed alarmingly 
 
 Upon each other." 
 
 All, or nearly all, were favourably dis- 
 posed towards the insurgents ; and not 
 a few of the young men were known to 
 have joined them. This, therefore, re- 
 lieved them from any apprehension of a 
 cruel sackage or a rigorous siege ; but 
 still there was something wildly awful 
 in the preparations which they saw 
 made for bloodshed and slaughter. Few 
 entertained any doubt of the success of 
 the assailants, at least in their present 
 
 premeditated
 
 240 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 premeditated attack; but many lives 
 might be lost in the struggle, and many 
 miseries entailed by the result. These 
 considerations consequently cast a gloom 
 over the town ; and this gloom increased 
 as the shadows of twilight deepened 
 into darkness. The Golden Lion was 
 deserted also by its usual customers, 
 whose places were supplied, and toler- 
 ably well in mine host's estimation, by 
 some hundred and fifty troopers ; while 
 Mr. Die Davies, doctor Jones, and mas- 
 ter David Ellis — worthies already intro- 
 duced to the reader — were taking a 
 quiet cup of claret at the Blue Lion, 
 which was situated, as it is now, on the 
 east side of the principal street, just by 
 Mr. John Pugh the bookseller's man- 
 sion. 
 
 There was one advantage, at all 
 events, in this more humble house of 
 entertainment, for its inmates on this 
 occasion were not molested by the sol- 
 diers ; and as the fumes of the claret 
 
 rose
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 241 
 
 rose into their heads, they dissipated 
 the gloom and dullness which had set- 
 tled there, and rendered this illustrious 
 triumvirate, all things considered, mar- 
 vellously merry. 
 
 " How looks the night, Pal ?" asked 
 his honour the justice, of the landlady 
 and sole proprietress of this public. 
 
 " Indeet, truth, Mr. Davies, it was 
 look but lowering towards Barmouth; 
 and that, they say, is a sure sign of tem- 
 pest. Got save us from all mischief!" 
 
 " Why, how now, mistress ! at prayers 
 already ? Fetch us another stoup, and 
 hold thy tongue. — Our friends on the 
 hills," he continued, dropping his voice, 
 and addressing only his companions, 
 " will rejoice at this. The moonlight is 
 pleasant to lovers; but the dark cloud 
 and the rustling wind will better aid 
 tJieir purpose." 
 
 " Think you then, in good truth," 
 asked the doctor, " that they will come 
 
 VOL. I. M down
 
 242 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 down to-nigbt ? I fear the major's pre- 
 cautions will prevent them." 
 
 " I do not see that," answered the 
 other : " the major has done as much as 
 he can do, but he is weak, having but 
 few of the men at hand. What are a 
 hundred and fifty troopers to four or 
 five hundred well-trained and well arm- 
 ed mountaineers, who know every creek 
 and cranny about the place ? and as to 
 the picquets, and the order about enter- 
 ing and leaving the town, that may do' 
 very well to keep quiet folks like us at 
 home ; but you know, David Ellis, that 
 there are more ways than the high roads 
 into Dolgelley." 
 
 " Iss, sure there is," said David ; " over 
 the Clogwyna, or by the Aran side, or 
 through Bryn-y-gvvyn woods, or " 
 
 Here the minister was interrupted by 
 the somewhat unexpected appearance of 
 a person who had hitherto been sitting 
 at the farthest end of the room, unper- 
 ceived by our little party. He was 
 
 dressed
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. ^43 
 
 dressed in the plain habiliments of a 
 mountain farmer — namely, a grey coat 
 and waistcoat, kerseymere breeches, and 
 strong boots ; and held in his hand an 
 enormous riding- whip. Round his waist 
 was a leathern belt, supporting, as was 
 usual at that time, a brace of pistols. 
 He was a stout, active, middle-aged 
 man, but not known to either of the 
 party. He addressed the supervisor in 
 Welsh. — " I beg pardon," he said, " but 
 you were talking of an order to hinder 
 persons from leaving the town ; I hope 
 that it will not affect me, as I must be 
 at home to-night." 
 
 " The order, sir, is positive," rejoined 
 the justice. " No one must leave the 
 place, or enter it, after seven — and it is 
 now eight — without indeed leave can 
 be had of major Maitland." 
 
 " Diawl r growled the farmer ; " how 
 will I get home the night? Which 
 way said you the soldiers were ?" 
 
 " There are some on the Barmouth 
 M 2 and
 
 244 REGINALD THEVOR. 
 
 and Bala roads ; some on the Mallwyel; 
 and a party also on the roads leading up 
 to Cader, and to Penmaen and Garthyng- 
 hared." 
 
 " Diatvl maur /" again growled the 
 farmer. " I must walk then over the 
 hills;" and so saying, he buckled his 
 belt tighter round his waist, looked to 
 the priming of his pistols, and grasped 
 his whip tightly in his hand. With a 
 rustic conge, and the usual courteous 
 salutation of — " Nos da chevi,'' (good 
 night to you), he left the house. 
 
 " Who the devil could that be ?" ask- 
 ed the doctor, when the man was gone. 
 " I should not wonder much if he was 
 a spy." 
 
 " A fiddlestick !" answered the jus- 
 tice. *' A proper fellow he would be 
 for a spy, with his brawny carcase, and 
 his display of arms ! Why the brute 
 could not speak English !" 
 
 " But he could understand it though." 
 
 "So
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 245 
 
 ** So can a horse, or a dog, or a blind 
 jackass, but " 
 
 " Here is a letter for you, master 
 Davies," said Pal Shone Hamfray, the 
 hostess, who had, as in duty bound, ac- 
 companied her customer to the door. 
 " That strange farmer man was tell me 
 to give it you." 
 
 " For me, Pal !" exclaimed his wor- 
 ship, in surprise, as he took the letter, 
 and opened it. " By Gad, doctor, you 
 are right ! This is strange !" and he read 
 to his companions as follows : — 
 
 " An attack will be made on 
 the town to-night. In the struggle, 
 some mischief may be done. To avoid 
 all danger to the inhabitants, you are 
 advised to assemble all the old men, and 
 the women and children, in the church, 
 where they will be safe from harm. Do 
 this without delay; and be silent and 
 secret. " A Friend." 
 
 M 3 " Duw
 
 246 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 " Duw anwyl ! What is to be done 
 now ?" exclaimed the justice, as, he con- 
 cluded this strange warning. " This 
 can't be a jest sure." 
 
 " A jest !" reechoed the doctor. " The 
 postman who brought you that letter 
 looked like any thing but a jester, I'm 
 thinking. Take my advice, and do as 
 you are desired." 
 
 " I think it will be the best plan, 
 doctor, I do indeed ; and I'll go about 
 it straight. I must get the major's leave 
 though, or the old trooper will suspect 
 something. Pal, bring me my cloak." 
 
 Pal brought it accordingly ; but did 
 not seem mightily well pleased at this 
 sudden departure of her guests. — " I 
 hopes indeet, truth I do, that there wass 
 nothing going wrong, Mr. Davies ?" 
 
 " Nothing — nothing, Pal ; only a storm 
 is brewing, and I must get home before 
 it breaks. There, that will do," said he, 
 impatiently, as the officious landlady 
 was busily arranging the folds of his 
 
 immense
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 247 
 
 immense cloak. " I tell you, woman, 
 it will do. Now give me my stick ; 
 and mind you shut up at proper time 
 to-niffht. I must have no unlawful 
 wassailing these troublous times;" and 
 away went the justice at a round trot, 
 followed by the more un wieldly, and 
 therefore more majestic persons of his 
 two companions. 
 
 " Yn eno Duw /" exclaimed Pal, as 
 she gazed after the party. ** His wor- 
 ship is wondrous twitty the night, I 
 -trow. I wonder what is in the wind 
 now, to make him leave his wine so 
 -soon. Lord help us ! he is trotting 
 down the street, like Dick Hugh Ri- 
 • siart's red poney. — These be, in truth, 
 strange times !" and, with a sigh, the 
 ancient landlady returned to the sanc- 
 tuary of her own fireside, her mind oc- 
 cupied with sad forebodings on the evil 
 which must necessarily follow the oc- 
 currence of such uncommon events. 
 
 M 4 CHAP.
 
 248 REGINALD TREVOB. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Heard ye in Maelor the step of war — 
 The hastening shout — the onset ? Did ye hear 
 The clash and clang of arras — the battle din — 
 Loud as the roar of oceans, when the winds 
 Of midnight are abroad ? Southey's Madoc, 
 
 Mr. Die Davies, instead of turning to 
 the left, when he got to the bottom of 
 the street, to go to his own house, called 
 Plds brith, or the party-coloured man- 
 sion, went straight on to the Golden 
 Lion ; and, nothing abashed by the num- 
 ber of troopers which were scattered 
 about the house, he boldly desired an 
 interview with the major. This was 
 immediately granted, doubtless to the 
 great satisfaction of the worthy magis- 
 trate. Of the particulars of this inter- 
 view we can unfortunately say nothing 
 
 — because
 
 REGINALD THEVOR. 249 
 
 — because nothing has been recorded : 
 all that we know is, that the magistrate's 
 proposition was regarded with much 
 condescension, admired with much sin- 
 cerity, and consequently very readily 
 acceded to; and the major left to him 
 the entire management of the business, 
 rightly concluding that the townspeople 
 would be more willingly swayed in this 
 instance, by the advice and persuasion 
 of so respected an individual, and of one 
 who had, moreover, some influence over 
 them, than by any mandate which he, 
 as the commanding officer, might issue. 
 The justice, having obtained the offi- 
 cer's permission, consulted with his 
 friends, as to the best mode of collecting 
 the people, and sending them to church 
 at so unusual an hour. It was arranged 
 that the public crier should announce to 
 the dismayed Dolgellians, the wise mea- 
 sure which had been adopted for their 
 safety ; which measure, by the way, was 
 unanimously attributed to the justice's 
 
 M 5. OWHi
 
 2150 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 own sagacity and affection for the people, 
 a compliment he never disputed or de- 
 clined to his dying day. 
 
 The crier was summoned, and mount- 
 ing his rostrum, namely, the horse- 
 block, which stood in the centre of 
 the town*, he began to ring his bell, to 
 the great consternation of the people* 
 One or two, how^ever, did venture to 
 lend an ear to the proclamation, and our 
 old acquaintance. Pal, was among the 
 number of these bold hearts, for her 
 house stood nearly opposite the horse- 
 block. The substance of the crier's 
 speech spread like wildfire through the 
 town; and great was the laudation 
 which was showered upon the head of 
 the magistrate, for thinking of so excel- 
 lent and wise a plan. 
 
 In a short time the people began to 
 
 crowd 
 
 * This horse-block is still existing, and serves now a similar 
 purpose, in addition to the assistance which it renders sundry 
 fat farmers on fair days, without which they might find it k. 
 difficult matter to lift themselves into their saddles.
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 251 
 
 crowd towards the church, the bell of 
 which was now heard ringing, sending 
 its deep and solemn sound to the re- 
 motest extremity of the town. The 
 spectacle which ensued was novel and 
 curious : the soft gloom of twilight had 
 been superseded by the deep darkness of 
 actual night ; and the groups of people, 
 rich and poor, young and old, as they 
 moved towards the church, were only 
 visible in the fitful light which was 
 emitted from an occasional torch, or 
 from the lanterns which they carried. 
 In some respects the scene was not un- 
 like that which has since occurred on 
 the breaking up of an assize ball ; only 
 there was far less of discord and uproar, 
 although an infinitely greater concourse 
 of people. In one place might be seen 
 an entire family, the children clinging 
 in alarm and wonder to their parents, 
 and moving on in silence and fear ; in 
 another, the cautious spinster, well 
 cloaked and calashed, picking her way 
 M 6 carefully
 
 252 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 carefully through the puddles, and pre- 
 ceded by her maid with a lantern. 
 
 Among the crowd might also be per- 
 ceived an old man or woman, unsup- 
 ported and unaccompanied by any hu- 
 man being, hobbling along with a staff, 
 and anxious to keep pace with their 
 younger and nimbler companions. Such 
 as these had outlived their kindred ; and 
 bent down with age, were as anxious as 
 the most youthful to prolong their ex- 
 istence, though the charms which could 
 render that existence tolerable, had long 
 since passed away. Having entered the 
 church, each family and its connections 
 formed separate groups ; and found, 
 under the sacred roof of the temple, ^n 
 asylum for the night. 
 
 The time passed on, and the quiet 
 hour of midnight had arrived, without 
 having brought with it any thing to 
 disturb the deep, deep silence which 
 reigned over the town. Sleep had crept 
 oyer many of the inmates of the church ; 
 
 and
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 253 
 
 and many a smiling infant lay pillowed 
 on the bosom of its mother, unconscious 
 of its absence from the crib at home. 
 Some, however, were more watchful ; 
 and ever and anon sought the belfry, to 
 see how things were going on. From 
 this elevated situation they obtained a 
 wide and extensive prospect ; and the 
 scene which lay exposed before them, 
 would have possessed charms for those 
 less interested in the probable events of 
 the night. The heavens, which in the 
 earlier part of the evening had been 
 totally clouded, were now only par- 
 tially obscured by filmy clouds, which 
 only shaded, without perfectly conceal- 
 ing, the bright harvest moon. In the 
 different directions round the town, 
 were seen the watch-fires of the piequets, 
 burning steadily, and occasionally re- 
 vealing the dark and dense body of a 
 trooper, as he stood before the flame; 
 while a gleam of light seemed to shroud 
 the Golden Lion, like that which may
 
 254 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 be seen in a calm evening to hang over 
 a distant city. The deep silence of 
 night hung over all, and the surround- 
 ing hills lifted up their dark summits 
 into the heavens, partially illumined by 
 the mild moonbeams. 
 
 Still the time passed on, unmarked 
 by any event ; and the worthy magis- 
 trate began to entertain some suspicions 
 as to the gravity of the plan which he 
 had put into execution. Rest, we may 
 be assured, he had none; nay, he was 
 the most fidgetty of any, and performed 
 more pilgrimages to the belfry, that 
 one night, than ever he did before or 
 since. He was preparing for his tenth 
 excursion, when just as he had reached 
 the porch, the report of a carbine sent 
 its dull echoes far and wide over the 
 hills. This quickened his pace, and he 
 reached the narrow window of the bel- 
 fry just in time to witness the uproar 
 which ensued. 
 
 This window commanded a direct 
 
 view
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 255 
 
 view of the space in front of the Golden 
 Lion, which was now occupied by a 
 troop of dragoons, ready mounted, the 
 temporary garrison having been alarmed 
 by the report of the carbine, which had 
 been fired from one of the outposts ; it 
 commanded also a considerable portion 
 of the principal street of the town. The 
 moon afforded sufficient light to enable 
 the spectators, and several had now 
 sought the belfry, to distinguish what 
 was going on. In a few minutes a dense 
 column of men was seen marching in 
 the most regular order and array down 
 the street. A swivel had been fixed on 
 the horseblock, and two troopers left to 
 guard it, who fled at the approach of 
 this unexpected force, and readily re- 
 linquished their post. This created no 
 disorder in the advancing insurgents; 
 two men left the ranks, and quietly took 
 possession of the gun. Having pro- 
 ceeded rather beyond the centre of the 
 street, they halted, and formed a thick, 
 
 massive
 
 256 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 massive square. All was done in the 
 most orderly and methodical manner; 
 and as well as the spectators could guess, 
 there could not be less than four hun- 
 dred men. 
 
 Major Maitland was somewhat asto- 
 nished at this formidable array, and saw, 
 in an instant, that his case was despe- 
 rate. However, he determined to make 
 one decisive effort, trusting, more than 
 he ought to have done, to the probable 
 inexperience and want of discipline of 
 the insurgents. He had with him about 
 one hundred and twenty men, and these 
 he commanded to charge, in the hope 
 that he might break through the oppo- 
 sing phalanx. But his men were re- 
 ceived with unshaken firmness at the 
 point of the bayonet, while the inner 
 files poured in upon them so steady and 
 destructive a fire, that nearly a score of 
 saddles were instantly emptied. Before the 
 troopers could rally themselves, another 
 volley doubled their loss, and they then 
 
 discharged
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 257 
 
 discharged their carbines, wheeled about, 
 and fled, taking the road towards Ba- 
 la and Corwen, and leaving the insur- 
 gents in perfect possession of the town. 
 
 By this skirmish the troopers lost 
 nearly fifty men, twenty of which were 
 killed, and the remainder either wound- 
 ed or taken prisoners. Two of the pic- 
 quets fell into the hands of the insur- 
 gents, and the other two fled with the 
 main body towards Bala, while the in- 
 surgents themselves lost only three men ; 
 one of which was shot at the first picquet 
 which they had surprised, and two 
 others by the volley fired by the troop- 
 ers as they retreated. They had several 
 besides slightly wounded. 
 
 By the time that this was over, morn- 
 ing had dawned, and the officer who 
 had the command of the party, proceed- 
 ed to announce to the townspeople their 
 deliverance, at all events for the pre- 
 sent, from the despotism of the soldiers. 
 He was well known to the majority of 
 
 the
 
 258 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 the people, being a small landed pro- 
 prietor in the uplands, and having for- 
 merly served as a lieutenant in the mi- 
 litia. He was warmly welcomed by 
 all ; and the people returned to their 
 homes, considerably elated with the suc- 
 cess of their deliverers. 
 
 " But where is my young friend, 
 Reginald ?" asked the magistrate, as he 
 walked up the street with the officer 
 already mentioned ; " is not he among 
 you ?" 
 
 " He is quite safe, I trust, my dear 
 sir, and I hope, ere this, well housed 
 under the roof of Abermaw Castle." 
 
 " What, then he has returned to his 
 home after all ?" 
 
 " He has, sir, but only to take pos- 
 session of it for the present, in the name 
 of our rightful monarch, prince Charles 
 Stuart." 
 
 "The devil!' muttered the justice, 
 as he thought of the political sentiments 
 
 of
 
 UEGINALD TREVOR. 259 
 
 of the baron ; " my lord of Abeririaw 
 will not like this." 
 
 " These are not times, my dear sir, to 
 consult the wishes and inclinations of 
 our enemies; but I trust all will yet 
 be well with the baron." 
 
 " I trust so too," returned the magis- 
 trate, as he shook hands with the officer, 
 and bade him good night. 
 
 While these events had transpired at 
 Dolgelley, the castle of Abermaw had 
 not been undisturbed. The important 
 task of taking possession of it had been 
 entrusted to Reginald, at his own re- 
 quest, and by his own avowed inclina- 
 tion ; for all knew how he was situated 
 with regard to the family, and the ope- 
 rations of the insurgents were wholly 
 regulated by a temperate and merciful 
 spirit towards those who had not actu- 
 ally oppressed the people. Their ob- 
 ject was not to stir up among their 
 countrymen an enmity to themselves, 
 but to rid the country of the detestable 
 
 yoke
 
 2^60 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 yoke under which they had all been 
 groaning ; so far then as their own 
 countrymen were concerned, the Merio- 
 nethshire patriots, for they really were 
 patriots, conducted themselves with mo- 
 deration, and with a due respect to the 
 property of the people. 
 
 The force which had been sent to 
 Abermaw Castle was well known to 
 Reginald, and he knew also, how total- 
 ly insufficient was the whole of its little 
 garrison. On the score of strength, 
 therefore, he had nothing to fear ; but 
 he had reason to suppose that the place 
 would be stoutly defended, and that in 
 the bustle of the storm, some individual 
 for whom he had a regard, might fall a 
 sacrifice. It was with a view to pre- 
 vent, as much as possible, such an oc- 
 currence, that he had expressed a wish 
 to undertake its reduction ; he was 
 aware, also, that he should, by these 
 means, be enabled to watch over the 
 safety of his foster-sister, and over that 
 
 of
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 261 
 
 of all those, indeed, with whom the best 
 and warmest feelings of his heart were 
 associated. Had his request been ob- 
 jected to, he might have urged more 
 powerful reasons still for the appoint- 
 ment, for he knew each bye-path to the 
 building, and each creek and corner 
 within ; but it was not objected to, and 
 with a stout and efficient party, he 
 marched on towards the castle. 
 
 It has been already intimated, that 
 the castle was composed of a series of 
 buildings, and that the front was faced 
 by a terrace, which extended some way 
 before the edifice. This terrace, we 
 have seen, was guarded by a trooper, as 
 it was the most conspicuous spot in the 
 place ; the back of the castle, contain- 
 ing the stables and outhouses, was also 
 guarded ; but the most accessible part, 
 namely, the side nearest the wood, was 
 left totally undefended. This Reginald 
 perceived, the moment he came within 
 sight of it; and, in case of necessity, he 
 
 determined
 
 262 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 determined to take advantage of this 
 part, which might be set on fire without 
 danger of communication with the more 
 important parts of the building, and 
 with no risk of destroying any property 
 of much consequence. He dispatched 
 a party of about thirty men, by a cir- 
 cuitous route, to the spot, while he rode 
 along at the head of the others, up the 
 avenue, to the principal entrance. He 
 halted the men before he came near 
 enough to be perceived by the sentinel, 
 and commanded the trumpeter to sound. 
 The blast rang lustily over hill and dale, 
 awakening the sleeping deer in the park, 
 and startling the owl and the night- 
 hawk from the trees of the avenue. 
 The summons was immediately answer- 
 ed by the sentinel on the terrace, who 
 asked the business of the party. 
 
 By this time, Reginald had ridden up, 
 with two or three other young men, 
 and an elderly person, who had render- 
 ed himself very useful by his counsel. — 
 
 " Bear
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 263 
 
 " Bear my obeisance to the baron of 
 Abermaw," said Reginald, " and tell 
 him that I, Reginald Trevor, am com- 
 manded to demand the surrender of this 
 castle, in the name and for the service 
 of prince Charles Stuart." 
 
 The man looked to the priming of his 
 carbine, cocked it, and replied — " I 
 don't know who you may be ; but I 
 give you fair notice, that if you do not 
 take yourself quietly off, with those half- 
 dozen curs at your heels, I'll send a 
 brace of bullets through your brains." 
 
 " You know me not, fool!" indig- 
 iiantly exclaimed Reginald. '* Know 
 you the traitor who struck your com- 
 rade to the earth last evening ? Bear 
 my summons to the baron, or my aim 
 shall be more true to you, than it was 
 to that headstrong brute that fell at the 
 fair;" and he drew a pistol from his hol- 
 ster as he spoke. 
 
 While this altercation was taking 
 place, lieutenant Egerton had sought the 
 
 spot ;
 
 264 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 spot ; and reproving the trooper for his 
 conduct, entered into the parley him- 
 self. 
 
 Reginald again demanded the surren- 
 der of the castle, in the name of prince 
 Charles. 
 
 " By what right do you make the de- 
 mand, sir?" asked the officer. 
 
 " By the right of the strongest," 
 promptly answered Reginald, " by the 
 right of true loyalty, and by the right 
 of a just cause. Will you surrender in 
 peace ?" 
 
 "I know my duty better, than to 
 yield my trust to a rebel; I came not- 
 here to submit unresistingly to such de- 
 mands, and I will shed my heart's blood 
 before I relinquish my post : we are well 
 guarded, sir, I give you notice." 
 
 " And so are we," returned Reginald, 
 as his men, hitherto out of sight, now 
 advanced towards the castle. 
 
 The officer started at the sight, but 
 quickly regained his composure—" Well, 
 
 sir,
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 265 
 
 sir, you have heard my determination, 
 and must abide by it : the blood of all 
 this business be upon your own head !" 
 and he retired for the purpose of arrang- 
 ing his forces within the castle. 
 
 Reginald took advantage of this pause, 
 and, by a preconcerted signal, ordered 
 the party stationed on the other side of 
 the castle, to begin the assault in that 
 quarter, while another party commenced 
 an attack on the great gate. This was 
 speedily broken down, and they rushed 
 into the court-yard, where they were 
 somewhat warmly received by the dra- 
 goons. Accustomed, however, more to 
 the manoeuvres of the troopers than to 
 those of the foot-soldiers, they speedily 
 gave way, leaving their opponents to be 
 annoyed by the fire of the men from the 
 castle windows. This however did not 
 do much execution ; one or two of the 
 most active were picked out by some 
 able marksmen from below, and serious- 
 
 VOL. I. N ly
 
 266 llEGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 ly wounded, and the others speedily 
 dislodged. 
 
 By this time the other assailants had ef- 
 fected a secure lodgment among the out- 
 houses ; and in a short time the castle 
 was completely in the hands of the loy- 
 alists, 
 
 Reginald issued an order that the in- 
 mates should do as they pleased, and be 
 unmolested in every respect ; and he 
 sent old Howei, who had fallen into the 
 hands of the assailants early in the fray, 
 with his respectful obeisance to the ba- 
 ron, requesting an interview. 
 
 The old man speedily returned with 
 a refusal, and an intimation that the ba- 
 ron looked upon all this as an unseemly 
 outrage, and an unwarrantable intrusion 
 upon his rights and property. 
 
 Reginald coloured slightly, as Howel 
 told his errand ; and thanking the old 
 man for his civility, dismissed him. 
 
 The baron, in good truth, was highly 
 indignant at the boldness and presump- 
 tion
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 267 
 
 tion of the insurgents ; and not the less 
 so, because his own protege and kins- 
 man performed so conspicuous a part in 
 the transaction. It could not have been 
 very pleasant to a man of his conscious 
 importance, to be thus made a prisoner 
 in his own house, and to have the halls 
 of his fathers trampled upon and defiled, 
 by those whom he regarded as rebels, 
 and as plebeians beneath his notice. 
 
 Mistress Dinah was equally incensed : 
 that ancient lady forgot the usual de- 
 corum which characterized her conduct, 
 and vituperated, in no gentle terms, her 
 young kinsman and his followers. Even 
 Shenny Roberts's meek spirit was mov- 
 ed to rebuke her, and to remind her 
 that it showed no superfluity of wisdom, 
 to revile those into whose hands the 
 Lord had delivered them : it was bet- 
 ter, she said, to bow to the evil with 
 patience and resignation. 
 
 Isabel, grieved on her father's account, 
 
 could not feel wroth with her foster- 
 
 N 2 brother.
 
 268 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 brother. She knew how he had been 
 driven to the deed ; and she remembered 
 the last words which he spoke to her, 
 as he parted from iier in the secluded 
 glen that very evening. She spoke 
 soothingly to her father, and endeavour- 
 ed to extenuate Reginald's conduct. 
 But his dignity had suffered too great a 
 wound, to listen favourably, even to the 
 affectionate comfortings of his daughter. 
 He rejected her mild endeavours, and 
 declared that nothing could excuse the 
 ingratitude of the serpent which he had 
 cherished in his bosom, with all the care 
 of a parent. 
 
 Mi\ Pendragon Jones said nothing ; 
 and in this, as in several other matters, 
 he certainly showed his wisdom. This 
 v/orthy man, indeed, had evinced a de- 
 gree of prudence, throughout every part 
 of the adventure, which redounded much 
 to his credit; for, notwithstanding his 
 vehement wishes for the success of the 
 loyalists, he contrived to preserve his 
 
 character
 
 REGINALD TREVOR. 269 
 
 character with his patron, who had not 
 the least suspicion of his sentiments : 
 and his motives for dissembling in this 
 manner were not altogether actuated by 
 a desire to retain the baron's good will ; 
 he considered that, implicated as Regi- 
 nald was, he might still be of essential 
 service to his disciple, should fortune 
 frown upon the efforts of the loyalists. 
 On the other hand, should they be even- 
 tually successful, he might be the means 
 of effecting a reconciliation between the 
 baron and Reginald. Thus his dissi- 
 mulation, however unworthy it might 
 appear, was occasioned by circumstances 
 which originated in the peculiar aspect 
 and condition of the times. 
 
 Reginald, having marched off his pri- 
 soners to the general dep6t at Llys 
 Bradwen, made the necessary arrange- 
 ments for the safe preservation of \i\& 
 conquest. For the sake of the family, 
 he left but few men to form the garri- 
 son ; for, being in constant communica- 
 tion
 
 S70 REGINALD TREVOR. 
 
 tion with Dolgelley, the number might 
 be increased at pleasure. He then hoist- 
 ed the royal standard on one of the tur- 
 rets; and as the rising sun was just peer- 
 ing through the trees of the avenue, he 
 rode forth, with the remainder of his 
 men, to join his comrades at Dolgelley. 
 
 END OF VOI/. I. 
 
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