free　grace　a　sine　qua　non：　　and　to　think　of　being；　by　any　means　whatever；　the　lord　of　Locksley　and　Arlingford；　and　the　husband　of　the　bewitching　Matilda；　was　to　cut　in　the　shades　of　futurity　a　vista　very　tempting　to　a　soldier　of　fortune。　He　set　out　in　high　spirits　with　a　chosen　band　of　followers；　and　beat　up　all　the　country　far　and　wide　around　both　the　Ouse　and　the　Trent；　but　fortune　did　not　seem　disposed　to　second　his　diligence；　for　no　vestige　whatever　could　he　trace　of　the　earl。　His　followers；　who　were　only　paid　with　the　wages　of　hope；　began　to　murmur　and　fall　off；　for；　as　those　unenlightened　days　were　ignorant　of　the　happy　invention　of　paper　machinery；　by　which　one　promise　to　pay　is　satisfactorily　paid　with　another　promise　to　pay；　and　that　again　with　another　in　infinite　series；　they　would　not；　as　their　wiser　posterity　has　done；　take　those　tenders　for　true　pay　which　were　not　sterling；　so　that；　one　fine　morning；　the　knight　found　himself　sitting　on　a　pleasant　bank　of　the　Trent；　with　only　a　solitary　squire；　who　still　clung　to　the　shadow　of　preferment；　because　he　did　not　see　at　the　moment　any　better　chance　of　the　substance。
  The　knight　did　not　despair　because　of　the　desertion　of　his　followers：　he　was　well　aware　that　he　could　easily　raise　recruits　if　he　could　once　find　trace　of　his　game；　he；　therefore；　rode　about　indefatigably　over　hill　and　dale；　to　the　great　sharpening　of　his　own　appetite　and　that　of　his　squire；　living　gallantly　from　inn　to　inn　when　his　purse　was　full；　and　quartering　himself　in　the　king's　name　on　the　nearest　ghostly　brotherhood　when　it　happened　to　be　empty。　An　autumn　and　a　winter　had　passed　away；　when　the　course　of　his　perlustations　brought　him　one　evening　into　a　beautiful　sylvan　valley；　where　he　found　a　number　of　young　women　weaving　garlands　of　flowers；　and　singing　over　their　pleasant　occupation。　　He　approached　them；　and　courteously　inquired　the　way　to　the　nearest　town。
  〃There　is　no　town　within　several　miles；〃　was　the　answer。
  〃A　village；　then；　if　it　be　but　large　enough　to　furnish　an　inn？〃
  〃There　is　Gamwell　just　by；　but　there　is　no　inn　nearer　than　the　nearest　town。〃
  〃An　abbey；　then？〃
  〃There　is　no　abbey　nearer　than　the　nearest　inn。〃
  〃A　house　then；　or　a　cottage；　where　I　may　obtain　hospitality　for　the　night？〃
  〃Hospitality！〃　said　one　of　the　young　women；　〃you　have　not　far　to　seek　for　that。　　Do　you　not　know　that　you　are　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gamwell…Hall？〃
  〃So　far　from　it；〃　said　the　knight；　〃that　I　never　heard　the　name　of　Gamwell…Hall　before。〃
  〃Never　heard　of　Gamwell…Hall？〃　exclaimed　all　the　young　women　together；　who　could　as　soon　have　dreamed　of　his　never　having　heard　of　the　sky。
  〃Indeed；　no；〃　said　Sir　Ralph；　〃but　I　shall　be　very　happy　to　get　rid　of　my　ignorance。〃
  〃And　so　shall　I；〃　said　his　squire；　〃for　it　seems　that　in　this　case　knowledge　will　for　once　be　a　cure　for　hunger；　wherewith　I　am　grievously　afflicted。〃
  〃And　why　are　you　so　busy；　my　pretty　damsels；　weaving　these　garlands？〃　said　the　knight。
  〃Why；　do　you　not　know；　sir；〃　said　one　of　the　young　women；　〃that　to…morrow　is　Gamwell　feast？〃
  The　knight　was　again　obliged；　with　all　humility；　to　confess　his　ignorance。
  〃Oh！　sir；〃　said　his　informant；　〃then　you　will　have　something　to　see；　that　I　can　tell　you；　for　we　shall　choose　a　Queen　of　the　May；　and　we　shall　crown　her　with　flowers；　and　place　her　in　a　chariot　of　flowers；　and　draw　it　with　lines　of　flowers；　and　we　shall　hang　all　the　trees　with　flowers；　and　we　shall　strew　all　the　ground　with　flowers；　and　we　shall　dance　with　flowers；　and　in　flowers；　and　on　flowers；　and　we　shall　be　all　flowers。〃
  〃That　you　will；〃　said　the　knight；　〃and　the　sweetest　and　brightest　of　all　the　flowers　of　the　May；　my　pretty　damsels。〃　On　which　all　the　pretty　damsels　smiled　at　him　and　each　other。
  〃And　there　will　be　all　sorts　of　May…games；　and　there　will　be　prizes　for　archery；　and　there　will　be　the　knight's　ale；　and　the　foresters'　venison；　and　there　will　be　Kit　Scrapesqueak　with　his　fiddle；　and　little　Tom　Whistlerap　with　his　fife　and　tabor；　and　Sam　Trumtwang　with　his　harp；　and　Peter　Muggledrone　with　his　bagpipe；　and　how　I　shall　dance　with　Will　Whitethorn！〃　added　the　girl；　clapping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；　and　bounding　from　the　ground　with　the　pleasure　of　the　anticipation。
  A　tall　athletic　young　man　approached；　to　whom　the　rustic　maidens　courtesied　with　great　respect；　and　one　of　them　informed　Sir　Ralph　that　it　was　young　Master　William　Gamwell。　　The　young　gentleman　invited　and　conducted　the　knight　to　the　hall；　where　he　introduced　him　to　the　old　knight　his　father；　and　to　the　old　lady　his　mother；　and　to　the　young　lady　his　sister；　and　to　a　number　of　bold　yeomen；　who　were　laying　siege　to　beef；　brawn；　and　plum　pie　around　a　ponderous　table；　and　taking　copious　draughts　of　old　October。　　A　motto　was　inscribed　over　the　interior　door；
  EAT；　DRINK；　AND　BE　MERRY：
  an　injunction　which　Sir　Ralph　and　his　squire　showed　remarkable　alacrity　in　obeying。　　Old　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell　gave　Sir　Ralph　a　very　cordial　welcome；　and　entertained　him　during　supper　with　several　of　his　best　stories；　enforced　with　an　occasional　slap　on　the　back；　and　pointed　with　a　peg　in　the　ribs；　a　species　of　vivacious　eloquence　in　which　the；　old　gentleman　excelled；　and　which　is　supposed　by　many　of　that　pleasant　variety　of　the　human　spectes；　known　by　the　name　of　choice　fellows　and　comical　dogs；　to　be　the　genuine　tangible　shape　of　the　cream　of　a　good　joke。
  CHAPTER　VI
  What！　shall　we　have　incision？　shall　we　embrew？　　Henry　IV。
  Old　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell；　and　young　William　Gamwell；　and　fair　Alice　Gamwell；　and　Sir　Ralph　Montfaucon　and　his　squire；　rode　together　the　next　morning　to　the　scene　of　the　feast。　They　arrived　on　a　village　green；　surrounded　with　cottages　peeping　from　among　the　trees　by　which　the　green　was　completely　encircled。　The　whole　circle　was　hung　round　with　one　continuous　garland　of　flowers；　depending　in　irregular　festoons　from　the　branches。　In　the　centre　of　the　green　was　a　May…pole　hidden　in　boughs　and　garlands；　and　a　multitude　of　round…faced　bumpkins　and　cherry…checked　lasses　were　dancing　around　it；　to　the　quadruple　melody　of　Scrapesqueak；　Whistlerap；　Trumtwang；　and　Muggledrone：　harmony　we　must　not　call　it；　for；　though　they　had　agreed　to　a　partnership　in　point　of　tune；　each；　like　a　true　painstaking　man；　seemed　determined　to　have　his　time　to　himself：　　Muggledrone　played　allegretto；　Trumtwang　allegro；　Whistlerap　presto；　and　Scrapesqueak　prestissimo。　There　was　a　kind　of　mathematical　proportion　in　their　discrepancy：　while　Muggledrone　played　the　tune　four　times；　Trumtwang　played　it　five；　Whistlerap　six；　and　Scrapesqueak　eight；　for　the　latter　completely　distanced　all　his　competitors；　and　indeed　worked　his　elbow　so　nimbly　that　its　outline　was　scarcely　distinguishable　through　the　mistiness　of　its　rapid　vibration。
  While　the　knight　was　delighting　his　eyes　and　ears　with　these　pleasant　sights　and　sounds；　all　eyes　were　turned　in　one　direction；　and　Sir　Ralph；　looking　round；　saw　a　fair　lady　in　green　and　gold　come　riding　through　the　trees；　accompanied　by　a　portly　friar　in　grey；　and　several　fair　damsels　and　gallant　grooms。　On　their　nearer　approach；　he　recognised　the　lady　Matilda　and　her　ghostly　adviser；　brother　Michael。　　A　party　of　foresters　arrived　from　another　direction；　and　then　ensued　cordial　interchanges　of　greeting；　and　collisions　of　hands　and　lips；　among　the　Gamwells　and　the　new…comers；〃How　does　my　fair　coz；　Mawd？〃　and　〃How　does　my　sweet　coz；　Mawd？〃　and　〃How　does　my　wild　coz；　Mawd？〃　　And　〃Eh！　jolly　friar；　your　hand；　old　boy：〃　　and　〃Here；　honest　friar：〃　and　〃To　me；　merry　friar：〃　　and　〃By　your　favour；　mistress　Alice：〃　and　〃Hey！　cousin　Robin：〃　　and　〃Hey！　cousin　Will：〃　and　〃Od's　life！　merry　Sir　Guy；　you　grow　younger　every　year；〃　as　the　old　knight　shook　them　all　in　turn　with　one　hand；　and　slapped　them　on　the　back　with　the　other；　in　token　of　his　affection。　A　number　of　young　men　and　women　advanced；　some　drawing；　and　others　dancing　round；　a　floral　car；　and　having　placed　a　crown　of　flowers　on　Matilda's　head；　they　saluted　her　Queen　of　the　May；　and　drew　her　to　the　place　appointed　for　the　rural　sports。
  A　hogshead　of　ale　was　abroach　under　an　oak；　and　a　fire　was　blazing　in　an　open　space　before　the　trees　to　roast　the　fat　deer　which　the　foresters　brought。　　The　sports　commenced；　and；　after　an　agreeable　series　of　bowling；　coiling；　pitching；　hurling；　racing；　leaping；　grinning；　wrestling　or　friendly　dislocation　of　joints；　and　cudgel…playing　or　amicable　cracking　of　skulls；　the　trial　of　archery　ensued。　The　conqueror　was　to　be　rewarded　with　a　golden　arrow　from　the　hand　of　the　Queen　of　the　May；　who　was　to　be　his　partner　in　the　dance　till　the　close　of　the　feast。　　This　stimulated　the　knight's　emulation：　young　Gamwell　supplied　him　with　a　bow　and　arrow；　and　he　took　his　station　among　the　foresters；　but　had　the　mortification　to　be　out…shot　by　them　all；　and　to　see　one　of　them　lodge　the　point　of　his　arrow　in　the　golden　ring　of　the　centre；　and　receive　the　prize　from　the　hand　of　the　beautiful　Matilda；　who　smiled　on　him　with　particular　grace。　The　jealous　knight　scrutinised　the　successful　champion　with　great　attention；　and　surely　thought　he　had　seen　that　face　before。　In　the　mean　time　the　forester　led　the　lady　to　the　station。　The　luckless　Sir　Ralph　drank　deep　draughts　of　love　from　th