WEBVTT
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CHAPTER X. HOW HEARN THE HUNTER WAS HIMSELF HUNTED On
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the guard's recovery, information of what had occurred was immediately
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conveyed to the king, who had not yet retired to rest.
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but was sitting in his private chamber with the dukes
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of Suffolk and Norfolk. The intelligence threw him into a
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great fury. He buffeted the guard and ordered him to
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be locked up in the dungeon whence the prisoner had escaped,
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reprimanded the canon, directed the duke of Suffolk with a
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patrol to make search in the neighborhood of the castle
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for the fugitive and the friar, and bade the duke
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of Norfolk get together a band of arquebusiers, and as
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soon as the latter were assembled, he put himself at
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their head and again rode into the forest. The cavalcade
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had proceeded about a mile along the great avenue, when
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one of the aqua-passeurs rode up and said that he
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heard some distant sounds on the right. Commanding a halt,
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Henry listened for a moment, and satisfied that the man
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was right, quitted the course he was pursuing and dashed
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across the broad glade now traversed by the avenue called
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Queen Anne's Ride. As he advanced the rapid trampling of
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horses was heard, accompanied by shouts, and presently afterwards a
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troop of wild-looking horsemen, in fantastic garbs, was seen galloping
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down the hill, pursued by Bouchier and his followers. The
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king immediately shaped his course so as to intercept the
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flying party, and being in some measure screened by the trees,
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he burst unexpectedly upon them at a turn of the road.
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Henry called to the fugitives to surrender, but they refused,
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and brandishing their long knives and spears made a desperate resistance,
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but they were speedily surrounded and overpowered. bouchier inquired from
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the king what should be done with the prisoners hang
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them all upon yon trees cried henry pointing to two
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sister oaks which stood near the scene of strife the
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terrible sentence was immediately carried into execution cords were produced
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and in less than half an hour twenty breathless bodies
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were swinging from the branches of the two trees indicated
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by the king this will serve to deter others from
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like offences observed henry who had watched the whole proceedings
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with savage satisfaction And now, Bouchier, how came you to
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let the leader of these villains escape? I did not
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know he had escaped, my liege, replied Bouchier in astonishment. Yea, Mary,
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but he has escaped, rejoined Henry, and he has had
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the audacity to show himself in the castle within this hour,
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and the cunning, moreover, to set the prisoner free. And
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he proceeded to relate what had occurred. This is strange indeed,
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my liege, replied Bouchier, at the close of the king's recital.
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and to my thinking is proof convincing that we have
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to do with a supernatural being supernatural pshaw banished the
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idle notion rejoined henry sternly we are all the dupes
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of some jugglery the caitiff will doubtless return to the
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forest continue your search therefore for him throughout the night
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if you catch him i promise you a royal reward
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so saying he rode back to the castle somewhat appeased
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by the wholesale vengeance he had taken upon the offenders
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In obedience to the orders he had received, Bouchier, with
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his followers, continued riding about the forest during the whole night,
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but without finding anything to reward his search until about dawn,
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it occurred to him to return to the trees on
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which the bodies were suspended. As he approached them, he
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fancied he beheld a horse standing beneath the nearest tree,
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and immediately ordered his followers to proceed as noiselessly as possible,
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and to keep under the cover of the wood. A
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nearer advance convinced him that his eyes had not deceived him.
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It was a swart, wild-looking horse that he beheld, with
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eyes that flamed like carbuncles, while a couple of bodies,
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evidently snatched from the branches, were laid across his back.
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A glance at the trees, too, showed Bouchier they had
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been considerably lightened of their hideous spoil. Seeing this, Bouchier
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dashed forward, alarmed by the noise, the wild horse neighed loudly,
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and a dark figure instantly dropped from the tree upon
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its back, and proceeded to disencumber it of its load.
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but before this could be accomplished, a bolt from a crossbow,
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shot by one of Bouchier's followers, pierced the animal's brain.
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Rearing aloft, it fell backwards in such manner as would
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have crushed an ordinary rider, but Hearn slipped off uninjured,
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and with incredible swiftness darted among the trees. The others
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started in pursuit, and a chase commenced in which the
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demon huntsman had to sustain the part of the deer,
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nor could any deer have afforded better sport. Away flew
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the pursued and pursuers over broad glade and through tangled glen,
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the words resounding with their cries. Bouchier did not lose
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sight of the fugitive for a moment, and urged his
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men to push on. But despite his alternate proffers and menaces,
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they gained but little on Hearn, who, speeding towards the
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home park, cleared its high palings with a single bound.
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Over went Bouchier and his followers, and they then descried
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him making his way to a large oak, standing almost
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alone in the center of a wide glade. An instant
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afterwards he reached the tree, shook his arm menacingly at
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his pursuers, and vanished. The next moment Bouchier came up,
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flung himself from his panting steed, and with his drawn
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sword in hand, forced himself through a rift in its
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side into the tree. There was a hollow within it
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large enough to allow a man to stand, and two
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funnel-like holes ran upwards into the branches. Finding nothing, Bouchier
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called for a hunting spear, and thrust it as far
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as he could into the holes above. the point encountered
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no obstruction except such as was offered by the wood itself.
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He stamped upon the ground and sounded it on all
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sides with the spear, but with no better success. Issuing forth,
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he next directed his attention to the upper part of
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the tree, which, while he was occupied inside, had been
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very carefully watched by his followers, and not content with
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viewing it from below, he clambered into the branches, but
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they had nothing to show except their own leafy covering.
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The careful examination of the ground about the tree at
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length led to the discovery of a small hole among
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its roots, about half a dozen yards from the trunk.
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And though this hole seemed scarcely large enough to serve
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for an entrance to the burrow of a fox, Bouchier
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deemed it expedient to keep a careful watch over it.
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His investigation completed, he dispatched a sergeant of the guard
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to the castle to acquaint the king with what had occurred.
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Disturbed by the events of the night, Henry obtained little sleep,
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and at an early hour summoned an attendant, and demanded
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whether there were any tidings from the forest. The attendant
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replied that a sergeant of the guard was without, sent
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by Captain Bouchier, with a message for his majesty. The
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sergeant was immediately admitted to the royal presence, and on
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the close of his marvellous story, the king, who had
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worked himself into a tremendous fury during its relation, roared out, What?
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Foiled again? Ha! But he shall not escape. If I
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have to root up half the trees in the forest,
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Bouchier and his fellows must be bewitched. Hark ye knaves!
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Get together a dozen of the best woodsmen and yeomen
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in the castle. Instantly, as you value your lives, bid
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them bring axe and saw, pick and spade. D'ye mark me? Ha?
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Stay I have not done. I must have faggots and straw,
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for I will burn this tree to the ground. Burn
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it to a char. Summon the dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk,
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the rassle archer I dubbed the duke of Shoreditch and
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his mates. the keepers of the forest and their hounds.
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Summon them quickly and bid a band of the yeomen
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to the guard get ready. And he sprang from his couch.
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The king's commands were executed with such alacrity that by
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the time he was fully attired, the whole of the
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persons he had ordered to be summoned were assembled. Putting
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himself at their head, he rode forth to the home
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park and found Bouchier and his followers grouped around the tree.
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We are still at fault, my liege, said Bouchier. So
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I see, sir, replied the king angrily.' Hue down the
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tree instantly, knaves,' he added to the woodman.' Fall to,
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fall to!' Ropes were then fastened to the head of
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the tree, and the welkin resounded with the rapid strokes
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of the hatchet. It was a task of some difficulty,
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but such zeal and energy were displayed by the woodman
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that ere long the giant trunk lay prostrate on the ground,
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its hollows were now fully exposed to view, but they
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were empty.' Set fire to the accursed piece of timber,'
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roared the king,' and burn it to dust and scatter
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it to the wind.' at these orders two yeomen of
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the guard advanced and throwing down a heap of faggots
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straw and other combustibles on the roots of the tree
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soon kindled a fierce fire meanwhile a couple of woodmen
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stripped off their jerkins and with their brawny arms bared
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to shoulder mounted on the trunk and strove to splinter
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it asunder some of the keepers likewise got into the
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branches and peered into every crack and crevice in the
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hope of making some discovery amongst the latter was will
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somers who had posted himself near a great arm of
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the tree which he maintained when lopped off would be
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found to contain the demon. Nor were there other expedients neglected.
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A fierce hound had been sent into the hole near
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the roots of the tree by Gabriel Lapp, but after
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a short absence he returned howling and terrified. Nor could
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all the efforts of Gabriel, seconded by a severe scourging
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with his heavy dog-whip, induce them to enter it again.
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But after a short absence he returned howling and terrified.
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nor could all the efforts of Gabriel, seconded by a
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severe scourging with his heavy dog-whip, induce him to enter
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it again. When the hound had come forth, a couple
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of yeomen advanced to enlarge the opening, while a third
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with a pick endeavoured to remove the root, which formed
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an impediment to their efforts. They may dig, but they'll
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never catch him, observed Shoreditch, who stood by, to his companions.
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Hunting a spirit is not the same thing as training
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and raising a wolf, or earthing and digging out a badger.
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Not so loud, Duke, said Is his majesty may think
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thy jest irreverent i have had an arrow blessed by
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a priest said paddington which i shall let fly at
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the spirit if he appears here he is here he
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is cried will sommers as a great white-horned owl which
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had been concealed in some part of the tree flew
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forth it may be the demon in that form Shoot!
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cried Shoreditch. Paddington bent his bow. The arrow whistled through
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the air, and in another moment the owl fell, fluttering
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to the ground, completely transfixed. But it underwent no change,
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as was expected by the credulous archer. Meanwhile the fire,
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being kept constantly supplied with fresh faggots and stirred by
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the yeomen of the guard, burned bravely. The lower part
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of the tree was already consumed, and the flames, roaring
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through the hollow within with a sound like that of
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a furnace, promised soon to reduce it to charcoal. The
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mouth of the hole having now been widened, another keeper,
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who had brought forth a couple of lurchers, sent them
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into it, but in a few moments they returned as
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the hound had done, howling and with scared looks. Without
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heeding their enraged master, they ran off, with their tails
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between their legs, towards the castle.' I see how it is, Rufus,'
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said Gabriel, patting his hound, who looked wistfully and half
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reproachfully at him. Thou wert not to blame, poor fellow.
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The best dog that ever was whelped cannot be expected
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to face the devil. The long ere this had become
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the general opinion that it was useless to persevere further
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in the search, the king, with his characteristic obstinacy, would
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not give it up. In due time the whole of
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the trunk of the enormous tree was consumed, and its
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branches cast into the fire. The roots were rent from
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the ground, and a wide and deep trench digged around
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the spot. The course of the whole was traced for
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some distance. but it was never of any size, and
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was suddenly lost by the falling in of the earth.
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At length, after five hours' close watching, Henry's patience was exhausted,
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and he ordered the pit to be filled up in
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every crevice and fissure in the ground, about to be
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carefully stopped. If we cannot unkennel the fox, he said,
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we will at least earth him up. For all your care,
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gossip Henry, muttered Will Summers as he rode after his
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royal master to the castle, the fox will work his
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way out. Thus ends the second book of The Chronicle
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of Windsor Castle.
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CHAPTER X. HOW HEARN THE HUNTER WAS HIMSELF HUNTED On
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the guard's recovery, information of what had occurred was immediately
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conveyed to the king, who had not yet retired to rest.
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but was sitting in his private chamber with the dukes
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of Suffolk and Norfolk. The intelligence threw him into a
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great fury. He buffeted the guard and ordered him to
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be locked up in the dungeon whence the prisoner had escaped,
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reprimanded the canon, directed the duke of Suffolk with a
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patrol to make search in the neighborhood of the castle
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for the fugitive and the friar, and bade the duke
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of Norfolk get together a band of arquebusiers, and as
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soon as the latter were assembled, he put himself at
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their head and again rode into the forest. The cavalcade
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had proceeded about a mile along the great avenue, when
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one of the aqua-passeurs rode up and said that he
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heard some distant sounds on the right. Commanding a halt,
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Henry listened for a moment, and satisfied that the man
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was right, quitted the course he was pursuing and dashed
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across the broad glade now traversed by the avenue called
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Queen Anne's Ride. As he advanced the rapid trampling of
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horses was heard, accompanied by shouts, and presently afterwards a
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troop of wild-looking horsemen, in fantastic garbs, was seen galloping
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down the hill, pursued by Bouchier and his followers. The
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king immediately shaped his course so as to intercept the
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flying party, and being in some measure screened by the trees,
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he burst unexpectedly upon them at a turn of the road.
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Henry called to the fugitives to surrender, but they refused,
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and brandishing their long knives and spears made a desperate resistance,
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but they were speedily surrounded and overpowered. bouchier inquired from
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the king what should be done with the prisoners hang
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them all upon yon trees cried henry pointing to two
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sister oaks which stood near the scene of strife the
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terrible sentence was immediately carried into execution cords were produced
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and in less than half an hour twenty breathless bodies
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were swinging from the branches of the two trees indicated
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by the king this will serve to deter others from
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00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.819
like offences observed henry who had watched the whole proceedings
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with savage satisfaction And now, Bouchier, how came you to
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let the leader of these villains escape? I did not
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know he had escaped, my liege, replied Bouchier in astonishment. Yea, Mary,
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but he has escaped, rejoined Henry, and he has had
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the audacity to show himself in the castle within this hour,
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and the cunning, moreover, to set the prisoner free. And
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he proceeded to relate what had occurred. This is strange indeed,
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my liege, replied Bouchier, at the close of the king's recital.
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and to my thinking is proof convincing that we have
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to do with a supernatural being supernatural pshaw banished the
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idle notion rejoined henry sternly we are all the dupes
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of some jugglery the caitiff will doubtless return to the
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forest continue your search therefore for him throughout the night
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if you catch him i promise you a royal reward
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so saying he rode back to the castle somewhat appeased
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by the wholesale vengeance he had taken upon the offenders
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In obedience to the orders he had received, Bouchier, with
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his followers, continued riding about the forest during the whole night,
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but without finding anything to reward his search until about dawn,
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it occurred to him to return to the trees on
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which the bodies were suspended. As he approached them, he
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fancied he beheld a horse standing beneath the nearest tree,
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and immediately ordered his followers to proceed as noiselessly as possible,
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and to keep under the cover of the wood. A
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nearer advance convinced him that his eyes had not deceived him.
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It was a swart, wild-looking horse that he beheld, with
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eyes that flamed like carbuncles, while a couple of bodies,
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evidently snatched from the branches, were laid across his back.
66
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A glance at the trees, too, showed Bouchier they had
67
00:04:02.629 --> 00:04:07.009
been considerably lightened of their hideous spoil. Seeing this, Bouchier
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00:04:07.069 --> 00:04:11.340
dashed forward, alarmed by the noise, the wild horse neighed loudly,
69
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and a dark figure instantly dropped from the tree upon
70
00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:17.680
its back, and proceeded to disencumber it of its load.
71
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but before this could be accomplished, a bolt from a crossbow,
72
00:04:21.410 --> 00:04:24.850
shot by one of Bouchier's followers, pierced the animal's brain.
73
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Rearing aloft, it fell backwards in such manner as would
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have crushed an ordinary rider, but Hearn slipped off uninjured,
75
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and with incredible swiftness darted among the trees. The others
76
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started in pursuit, and a chase commenced in which the
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demon huntsman had to sustain the part of the deer,
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nor could any deer have afforded better sport. Away flew
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the pursued and pursuers over broad glade and through tangled glen,
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the words resounding with their cries. Bouchier did not lose
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sight of the fugitive for a moment, and urged his
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men to push on. But despite his alternate proffers and menaces,
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they gained but little on Hearn, who, speeding towards the
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home park, cleared its high palings with a single bound.
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Over went Bouchier and his followers, and they then descried
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00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.790
him making his way to a large oak, standing almost
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alone in the center of a wide glade. An instant
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afterwards he reached the tree, shook his arm menacingly at
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his pursuers, and vanished. The next moment Bouchier came up,
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flung himself from his panting steed, and with his drawn
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sword in hand, forced himself through a rift in its
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side into the tree. There was a hollow within it
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large enough to allow a man to stand, and two
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funnel-like holes ran upwards into the branches. Finding nothing, Bouchier
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called for a hunting spear, and thrust it as far
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as he could into the holes above. the point encountered
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no obstruction except such as was offered by the wood itself.
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He stamped upon the ground and sounded it on all
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sides with the spear, but with no better success. Issuing forth,
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he next directed his attention to the upper part of
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the tree, which, while he was occupied inside, had been
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very carefully watched by his followers, and not content with
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viewing it from below, he clambered into the branches, but
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they had nothing to show except their own leafy covering.
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The careful examination of the ground about the tree at
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length led to the discovery of a small hole among
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its roots, about half a dozen yards from the trunk.
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And though this hole seemed scarcely large enough to serve
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for an entrance to the burrow of a fox, Bouchier
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deemed it expedient to keep a careful watch over it.
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His investigation completed, he dispatched a sergeant of the guard
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to the castle to acquaint the king with what had occurred.
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Disturbed by the events of the night, Henry obtained little sleep,
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and at an early hour summoned an attendant, and demanded
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whether there were any tidings from the forest. The attendant
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replied that a sergeant of the guard was without, sent
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by Captain Bouchier, with a message for his majesty. The
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sergeant was immediately admitted to the royal presence, and on
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the close of his marvellous story, the king, who had
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worked himself into a tremendous fury during its relation, roared out, What?
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Foiled again? Ha! But he shall not escape. If I
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have to root up half the trees in the forest,
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Bouchier and his fellows must be bewitched. Hark ye knaves!
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Get together a dozen of the best woodsmen and yeomen
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in the castle. Instantly, as you value your lives, bid
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them bring axe and saw, pick and spade. D'ye mark me? Ha?
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Stay I have not done. I must have faggots and straw,
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for I will burn this tree to the ground. Burn
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it to a char. Summon the dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk,
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the rassle archer I dubbed the duke of Shoreditch and
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his mates. the keepers of the forest and their hounds.
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Summon them quickly and bid a band of the yeomen
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to the guard get ready. And he sprang from his couch.
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The king's commands were executed with such alacrity that by
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the time he was fully attired, the whole of the
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persons he had ordered to be summoned were assembled. Putting
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himself at their head, he rode forth to the home
138
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park and found Bouchier and his followers grouped around the tree.
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We are still at fault, my liege, said Bouchier. So
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I see, sir, replied the king angrily.' Hue down the
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tree instantly, knaves,' he added to the woodman.' Fall to,
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fall to!' Ropes were then fastened to the head of
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the tree, and the welkin resounded with the rapid strokes
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of the hatchet. It was a task of some difficulty,
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but such zeal and energy were displayed by the woodman
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that ere long the giant trunk lay prostrate on the ground,
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its hollows were now fully exposed to view, but they
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were empty.' Set fire to the accursed piece of timber,'
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roared the king,' and burn it to dust and scatter
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it to the wind.' at these orders two yeomen of
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the guard advanced and throwing down a heap of faggots
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straw and other combustibles on the roots of the tree
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soon kindled a fierce fire meanwhile a couple of woodmen
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stripped off their jerkins and with their brawny arms bared
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to shoulder mounted on the trunk and strove to splinter
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it asunder some of the keepers likewise got into the
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branches and peered into every crack and crevice in the
158
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hope of making some discovery amongst the latter was will
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somers who had posted himself near a great arm of
160
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the tree which he maintained when lopped off would be
161
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found to contain the demon. Nor were there other expedients neglected.
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A fierce hound had been sent into the hole near
163
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the roots of the tree by Gabriel Lapp, but after
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a short absence he returned howling and terrified. Nor could
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all the efforts of Gabriel, seconded by a severe scourging
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with his heavy dog-whip, induce them to enter it again.
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But after a short absence he returned howling and terrified.
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nor could all the efforts of Gabriel, seconded by a
169
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severe scourging with his heavy dog-whip, induce him to enter
170
00:09:36.710 --> 00:09:39.450
it again. When the hound had come forth, a couple
171
00:09:39.470 --> 00:09:42.309
of yeomen advanced to enlarge the opening, while a third
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with a pick endeavoured to remove the root, which formed
173
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an impediment to their efforts. They may dig, but they'll
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never catch him, observed Shoreditch, who stood by, to his companions.
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Hunting a spirit is not the same thing as training
176
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and raising a wolf, or earthing and digging out a badger.
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Not so loud, Duke, said Is his majesty may think
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thy jest irreverent i have had an arrow blessed by
179
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a priest said paddington which i shall let fly at
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00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:10.679
the spirit if he appears here he is here he
181
00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:14.320
is cried will sommers as a great white-horned owl which
182
00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:16.799
had been concealed in some part of the tree flew
183
00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:20.440
forth it may be the demon in that form Shoot!
184
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cried Shoreditch. Paddington bent his bow. The arrow whistled through
185
00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:27.720
the air, and in another moment the owl fell, fluttering
186
00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:31.299
to the ground, completely transfixed. But it underwent no change,
187
00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:35.019
as was expected by the credulous archer. Meanwhile the fire,
188
00:10:35.460 --> 00:10:38.639
being kept constantly supplied with fresh faggots and stirred by
189
00:10:38.659 --> 00:10:42.080
the yeomen of the guard, burned bravely. The lower part
190
00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:45.100
of the tree was already consumed, and the flames, roaring
191
00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.750
through the hollow within with a sound like that of
192
00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:51.399
a furnace, promised soon to reduce it to charcoal. The
193
00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.440
mouth of the hole having now been widened, another keeper,
194
00:10:54.700 --> 00:10:57.360
who had brought forth a couple of lurchers, sent them
195
00:10:57.399 --> 00:10:59.659
into it, but in a few moments they returned as
196
00:10:59.730 --> 00:11:03.129
the hound had done, howling and with scared looks. Without
197
00:11:03.230 --> 00:11:06.230
heeding their enraged master, they ran off, with their tails
198
00:11:06.269 --> 00:11:10.070
between their legs, towards the castle.' I see how it is, Rufus,'
199
00:11:10.309 --> 00:11:13.210
said Gabriel, patting his hound, who looked wistfully and half
200
00:11:13.250 --> 00:11:16.409
reproachfully at him. Thou wert not to blame, poor fellow.
201
00:11:16.789 --> 00:11:19.289
The best dog that ever was whelped cannot be expected
202
00:11:19.309 --> 00:11:22.559
to face the devil. The long ere this had become
203
00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:25.539
the general opinion that it was useless to persevere further
204
00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:30.039
in the search, the king, with his characteristic obstinacy, would
205
00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.399
not give it up. In due time the whole of
206
00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:35.129
the trunk of the enormous tree was consumed, and its
207
00:11:35.210 --> 00:11:38.129
branches cast into the fire. The roots were rent from
208
00:11:38.169 --> 00:11:40.830
the ground, and a wide and deep trench digged around
209
00:11:40.850 --> 00:11:43.590
the spot. The course of the whole was traced for
210
00:11:43.629 --> 00:11:46.700
some distance. but it was never of any size, and
211
00:11:46.740 --> 00:11:49.100
was suddenly lost by the falling in of the earth.
212
00:11:50.220 --> 00:11:54.370
At length, after five hours' close watching, Henry's patience was exhausted,
213
00:11:54.850 --> 00:11:56.690
and he ordered the pit to be filled up in
214
00:11:56.789 --> 00:11:59.730
every crevice and fissure in the ground, about to be
215
00:11:59.769 --> 00:12:03.570
carefully stopped. If we cannot unkennel the fox, he said,
216
00:12:03.970 --> 00:12:07.129
we will at least earth him up. For all your care,
217
00:12:07.289 --> 00:12:10.399
gossip Henry, muttered Will Summers as he rode after his
218
00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:13.399
royal master to the castle, the fox will work his
219
00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:17.539
way out. Thus ends the second book of The Chronicle
220
00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:18.480
of Windsor Castle.
