tured to make this inquiry of the royal guards; but old Anselm, the porter of the castle, said, that as they had left the outer court, he had heard one of them exclaim to his companions, "Although we have not found thee here, I trust thou wilt not escape us, crafty Percival Godolphin!"

"Percival Godolphin!" repeated Eleonora; "is not that the name of a Kentish knight, who was arraigned with the late Duke of Northumberland, for having been one of his principal adherents in his attempt to place the Lady Jane Grey upon the throne?"

"Yes, the same, the same," was replied by several of the servants.

"I thought that he had paid the forfeit of his life for his misdeeds," returned Eleonora.

"I thought so too, Lady," replied Anselm; "but the pursuit which is now raised after him appears to confute that report."

With a slight adjunction in his opinion, Eleonora withdrew herself from the castlehall. Of the rebel Godolphin she had no knowledge,

knowledge, and therefore no particular interest was excited for him in her breast; with the warmest pulsations it beat towards the mysterious stranger; and, retiring to her chamber, she passed a considerable portion of the night in reflecting on the unexpected manner in which he had that evening appeared before her.

CHAP

CHAP. IX.

"But their way

Lies through the perplexed paths of this drear wood,
The nodding horror of whose shady brows,
Threats the forlorn and wandering passenger.”

"Sullen and sad to fancy's frighted eye,
Did shapes of dun and murky hue advance,

And passing horrible."

MILTON.

of gesture strange,

MASON.

THE hour of breakfast was scarcely past with Eleonora, ere the faithful Cyprian returned to Worcester Castle, and entered

her apartment. "Welcome! welcome "" she exclaimed, rising to receive him; "what tidings do you bring? what reply does Lady Blunt return to the suit of my unfortunate father, for the protection of his child?"

"She sends you back by me," returned Cyprian,

Cyprian, "greetings of love and tenderness, and promises you a mother's care.”

"And her husband, Sir Sigismund, did he second this message?" inquired Eleonora eagerly. "He is not my relation; I have no claim upon his protection, and therefore I dread to feel myself an intruder in his mansion."

66

Lady Blunt directed me to join Sir Sigismund's promises of friendship with her's," answered Cyprian; "I did not myself see him; he was unwell during the short period of my stay at Castle Gower, and did not quit his chamber."

"You think then that it was real illness, and not a want of condescension in him to my forlorn state, which withheld him from sending me a welcome from his own lips?" said the anxious Eleonora.

"Indeed I trust it was," replied Cyprian; "the domestics informed me that his health was now mending, but that he had for a considerable time past been so severely indisposed, as to have been seen only by Lady Blunt and his sons."

"His sons!" repeated Eleonora: "I

thought that when we conversed together a day or two before your departure from hence, concerning the family of Sir Sigismund, that you told me he was the father of only one child."

"I did so, Lady," replied Cyprian; "but during my absence from home, I have learnt that it is not less the pride than pleasure of Sir Sigismund to acquaint the world, that the Lord Henry Fitzroy, the royal offspring of his first wife, grants him permission to name him also his son."

After a pause given to reflection, Eleonora ascended to her chamber, in order to make the necessary preparations for commencing her journey on the following day. She had inquired of Cyprian whether he supposed that the Lady Blunt would object to her introducing a female servant of her own into her family? and having learnt from him that Lady Thomasine had requested that she would in every respect consult solely her own inclination and convenience, she resolved to take with her Gillian, whose attentions custom had ren

dered almost necessary; and the simple