The Knights Of England, France, & Scotland

Published in New York in 1852. (442 pages)

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CONTENTS

LEGENDS OF THE NORMAN CONQUERORS
The Saxon's Oath ----- The Norman's Vengeance ----- The Faith of Woman ----- The Erring Arrow ----- The Saxon Prelate's Doom ----- The Fate of the Blanche Navire ----- The Saxon's Bridal

LEGENDS OF THE CRUSADERS
The Syrian Lady ----- The Templar's Trials ----- The Renegado

LEGENDS OF FEUDAL DAYS
The False Ladye ----- The Vassal's Wife ----- True Love's Devotion

LEGENDS OF SCOTLAND
Passages in the Life of Mary Stuart
Chastelar ----- Rizzio ----- The Kirk of Field ----- Bothwell ----- The Captivity ----- The Closing Scene

Elizabeth's Remorse ----- The Moorish Father

EXCERPTS:

.....Just as the charge began, William rode out before the lines, and thus addressed his soldiery: "Turn your hearts wholly to the combat! set all upon the die, either to fall or conquer! For if we gain, we shall be rich and glorious. That which I gain, shall be your gain; that which I conquer, yours! If I shall win this land, ye shall possess it! Know, too, and well remember this, that not to claim my right have I come only, but to revenge ----- ay, to revenge our gentle nation on all the felonies, the perjuries, the treasons of the English! ----- the English, who, in profound peace, upon Saint Brice's eve, ruthlessly slew the unarmed and defenseless Danes; who decimated the bold followers of Alfred, my kinsman and your countryman, and slew himself by shameless treachery! On, then, with God's aid, Normans! on, for revenge and victory!"

.....Then out dashed from the lines the boldest of his vavasours, the Norman Taillefer, singing aloud the famous song ----- well known through every province of proud France ----- the song of Charlemagne and Rollo ----- tossing aloft the while his long, two-handed war-sword, and catching it adroitly as it fell; while at each close of that proud, spirit-stirring chant, each warrior of that vast array thundered the burden of the song ----- "God aid! God aid!"

.....Then, like a storm of hail, close, deadly, and incessant, went forth the volleyed showers from arbalast and long-bow; while infantry and horse charged m unbroken order against the gates and angles of the fort. But with a cool and stubborn hardihood the Saxon infantry stood firm. Protected by the massive palisades from the appalling volleys of the archery, they hurled their short and heavy javelins with certain aim and deadly execution over their stout defenses; while their huge axes, wherever they came hand to hand, shivered the Norman spears like reeds, and cleft the heaviest mail, even at a single blow! Long, and with all the hot, enthusiastic valor of their race, did the assailants crowd around the ramparts; but it was all in vain ----- they could not scale them in the face of that indomitable infantry; they could not force one timber from its place; and they at length recoiled, weary and half-subdued, toward the reserve of William.