ROGER DUTTON; OR, THE TRUE


4Aa 1 PROPHECY
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MI IL II ~ 4.
elbow did you come here, then 20 Take
him, Walter and Fitzburg, and pump upon
him till ne is sober; and then bring him to
me in the hall. We must find out what all
this means.n


The EaIPs orders were soon obeyed; and
a considerable portion of cold water poured
in continuous stream upon the unfortu-
nate fiddler's head and face, so far restored
him to sense and discretion, that when
brought into the presence Of the Earl again
he was enabled to give something like a
coherent account of Roger Dutton's pro-
|ceedings.


"By the Lord!" cried the Earl, when he
had heard the whole story, ssthe boys mad;
but it's gallant sort of madness, after all.
Seventeen hundred fiddlers, and harpers,
and mountebanks, and tumblers-''


Sand cobblers--my lord, and cobblers ~
interrupted the man; s'we have great show
Of cobblers among US, and every cobbler
brings his awl."


ssAnd this! is all he has got to fight an
army Of Welshman WITH" said the Earl,
tLoughtfully. "Well, great things are Of
ten done with small means, and clean work
comes out Of dirty hands, they say. But
how came you to stray away from the rest
my man 80


"Why, was sent" replied the fiddler.
Il was the soberest and most discreet Of
the whole host, so gay Roger Dutton sent
me to find my way here, and tell you that
you would be delivered to morrow, or he'd
be food for the ravens"


Giles fine fellow, by St. James--he is
a fine fellow!" " was the reply.


"You see ! can speak some Welsh, my
lord, )" continued the man, and so feigned,
when got in among the Welshmen, to
have come in from the country, just to see
what they were about, and sat down in
one Of their rings, and played them tune,
and sung. 1t wasn't Roger Dutton's go
ing to fight; but then they would make me
take some more mead, and got fuddled
and fell fast asleep. woke by knocking
my nose against the strings Of my viol, and
finding them all sleeping around me,
filched knife or two, just for the sake Of
companionship, and then came on here the
best way could.


The fiddler's story was quite true. Ro-
ger Dutton commenced his march little
after two o'clock; and about six, they fell
in with some cart-loads of mead, that were
going to the camp of the besiegers. Neither
the mead nor the drivers were suffered to
escape, and this fresh supply of liquor, in
addition to aquantity of strong drink which
they had brought with them in bottles, so
completely intoxicated the greater part Of
his host, that gay Roger Dutton dared not
risk an engagement with the enemy that
night. Happily for himself, the thick for
est that lay between him and Rothelan
sheltered him from the Welshmen; and,
aided by the sober part of his force and
men-at-arms, he herded the rest in the val
ley, though twas not without great trouble
that be prevented them from struggling
about in such manner as to give intimation
of their proximity to the enemy's forces
Night, however, came on, just as he was
struggling with these difficulties and after
some brawling, and some singing, and fin
ishing the rest of the strong liquors which
they had brought with them, man after
man fell under the influence of the drowsy
god, leaving Roger Dutton, and hundred
and fifty of his more temperate or strong
headed companions, to keep an anxious
watch during the hours Of darkness
Anxiety to relieve the mind of Mary de
Lacy, however, certainly induced Roger
Dutton to commit very imprudent act,
in choosing out of the few who could
speak Welsh, messenger to bear the news
of his approach to his friends in the castle.
The result was better, as we have seen,
than might have been anticipated; and it
certainly is fact, that we very often see
the most rash and needless proceedings
which any one might be tempted to proph-
esy would produce the most disastrous
consequences, succeed perfectly, while pru-
dence and wisdom are baffied and disap-
pointed.


H.H CHAPTER vi.


THE RESCUE.


Happily for Roger Duttcn, at that season
/ 80 n