dash the spur in his horse's flanks, when the latter again addressed him.

"Yet stay, good Clinton," he continued, "I have here further powers from Hubert de Burgh, who comes on with the King. He bids me forthwith bring round from Dover to the Sandwich haven certain vessels now lying in the former port, in order to embark the war engines expected from the tower. To you I intrust this latter service. You will, therefore, join me at Dover after executing your present commission. Away, good youth, the spirit of the times must teach us haste."

The Daundelyonnes were a fierce and martial race. The present knight was a fine specimen of his order. The news of the coming strife had aroused all his ardour; he raised himself in his saddle-stretched forth his gauntleted hand, and reining in his steed, struck him fiercely with the spur, till he bounded into the air, then turning his horse's head towards the Sandwich flats, he was quickly out of sight, whilst his esquire with equal haste made for Margate.

Arrived there the thoughts of the youth were for the moment distracted from his mission by the revolting scene he beheld.

A belief in witchcraft was in that ignorant age so prevalent, that neither station nor sex was any bar to persecution, if once suspicion fastened itself upon the victim. In the present instance, a crooked hag, with age and poverty grown into a hoop, was being hurried along by the rude hands of an excited mob, together with a young girl, whose lovely features and form ought to have procured her at least some show of mercy. As the rider spurred amongst the throng, his eye caught this bright form in the clutch of ruffians. He reined in his horse, leaped from the saddle, and as a sort of constable, bearing upon his doublet the emblazoned badge of the Cinque Ports, and armed with a halbert, was dragging the girl along, he confronted him and bade him desist.

"How now, sirrah," he said, "wherefore this brutal conduct towards one so young and innocent; wouldst thou murder the poor child? Unhand her, caitiff!" he continued, as

the man clutched his prisoner more firmly, and seemed inclined to question the right of his interference, "loosen your grasp upon her arm, or, by St. Paul, I'll drive my dagger in your teeth."

"She's a witch, my Lord," returned the manat-arms; "trust not her cunning beauty. She has been condemned and tried; we've our orders from the head-borough to burn her, together with that limb of the devil coming on behind. There's a bonfire i' the Dane, but we're going first to put them to their purgation, and fling them into the Guestling; if they swim, good: they may get out an they can; if they sink, they're guilty, and we shall hook 'em out and burn 'em in yonder fire."

"Stand back, hounds," cried the young esquire, as the mob pressed upon him, "and do you, sirrah, release the girl, as I direct."

Truly, your honour," said the constable,

you say so, it must be done; but body o' me, she's a witch, I tell you, and if I release her now from custody, she'll be torn in pieces

by the mob. See, even now they grow impatient, and if we get not on with the work in hand, we shall all suffer."

The mob, indeed, then ever eager for scenes of blood, but who had been stayed by respect for the esquire of a Daundelyonne, now showed symptoms of executing summary vengeance upon their victim. The old hag, who had, in fact, been quite at their mercy during the foregoing discussion, was almost past praying for, and had atoned for all the cattle she had murrained, and the people she had cramped. The youth saw he should scarcely be able to save the girl, whose beauty had made an impression upon him, unless he bestirred himself in earnest.

Drawing his hunting-blade from its sheath, in an instant he cleared a space around him, and as the burly constable also stepped back before his glittering steel and fierce eye, he caught the girl up in his arms, and placing her upon the pommel of the saddle, sprang lightly upon his steed; then upsetting the constable with the shoulder of the animal, he dashed like a thunder

bolt through the press, making for the spot where we have before seen his party engaged in the sport of hawking.

As the youth rapidly quitted the town with his lovely burthen, who from ill usage and fear was almost in a fainting state, he gazed with wonder upon her matchless beauty, and drawing bridle beside the monastic towers of Salmstone, the circling walls of which building are still to be seen in this part of the island, he alighted and gently set her upon her feet.

For the first time since he had obeyed the impulse of humanity, and rescued her from death-as he still continued to gaze upon a form, which for grace and loveliness seemed unequalled by any thing he had ever before seenhe began to recollect the mission he had been entrusted with by the good knight he servedthe coming of the King's power, and the consequent haste he was ordered to make towards Dover-and as these thoughts pressed upon him, consideration for the helpless state of one so lovely, and what he was himself to do with