kenilworth-第122章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　He　was　foal'd　in　Queen　Elizabeth's　time；
　　When　the　great　Earl　of　Lester
　　In　his　castle　did　feast　her。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BEN　JONSON；　MASQUE　OF　OWLS。

The　amusement　with　which　Elizabeth　and　her　court　were　next　day　to
be　regaled　was　an　exhibition　by　the　true…hearted　men　of　Coventry；
who　were　to　represent　the　strife　between　the　English　and　the
Danes；　agreeably　to　a　custom　long　preserved　in　their　ancient
borough；　and　warranted　for　truth　by　old　histories　and　chronicles。
In　this　pageant　one　party　of　the　townsfolk　presented　the　Saxons
and　the　other　the　Danes；　and　set　forth；　both　in　rude　rhymes　and
with　hard　blows；　the　contentions　of　these　two　fierce　nations；　and
the　Amazonian　courage　of　the　English　women；　who；　according　to　the
story；　were　the　principal　agents　in　the　general　massacre　of　the
Danes；　which　took　place　at　Hocktide；　in　the　year　of　God　1012。
This　sport；　which　had　been　long　a　favourite　pastime　with　the　men
of　Coventry；　had；　it　seems；　been　put　down　by　the　influence　of
some　zealous　clergymen　of　the　more　precise　cast；　who　chanced　to
have　considerable　influence　with　the　magistrates。　　But　the
generality　of　the　inhabitants　had　petitioned　the　Queen　that　they
might　have　their　play　again；　and　be　honoured　with　permission　to
represent　it　before　her　Highness。　　And　when　the　matter　was
canvassed　in　the　little　council　which　usually　attended　the　Queen
for　dispatch　of　business；　the　proposal；　although　opposed　by　some
of　the　stricter　sort；　found　favour　in　the　eyes　of　Elizabeth；　who
said　that　such　toys　occupied；　without　offence；　the　minds　of　many
who；　lacking　them；　might　find　worse　subjects　of　pastime；　and　that
their　pastors；　however　commendable　for　learning　and　godliness；
were　somewhat　too　sour　in　preaching　against　the　pastimes　of　their
flocks　and　so　the　pageant　was　permitted　to　proceed。

Accordingly；　after　a　morning　repast；　which　Master　Laneham　calls
an　ambrosial　breakfast；　the　principal　persons　of　the　court　in
attendance　upon　her　Majesty　pressed　to　the　Gallery…tower；　to
witness　the　approach　of　the　two　contending　parties　of　English　and
Danes；　and　after　a　signal　had　been　given；　the　gate　which　opened
in　the　circuit　of　the　Chase　was　thrown　wide　to　admit　them。　　On
they　came；　foot　and　horse；　for　some　of　the　more　ambitious
burghers　and　yeomen　had　put　themselves　into　fantastic　dresses；
imitating　knights；　in　order　to　resemble　the　chivalry　of　the　two
different　nations。　　However；　to　prevent　fatal　accidents；　they
were　not　permitted　to　appear　on　real　horses；　but　had　only　license
to　accoutre　themselves　with　those　hobby…horses；　as　they　are
called；　which　anciently　formed　the　chief　delight　of　a　morrice…
dance；　and　which　still　are　exhibited　on　the　stage；　in　the　grand
battle　fought　at　the　conclusion　of　Mr。　Bayes's　tragedy。　　The
infantry　followed　in　similar　disguises。　　The　whole　exhibition　was
to　be　considered　as　a　sort　of　anti…masque；　or　burlesque　of　the
more　stately　pageants　in　which　the　nobility　and　gentry　bore　part
in　the　show；　and；　to　the　best　of　their　knowledge；　imitated　with
accuracy　the　personages　whom　they　represented。　　The　Hocktide　play
was　of　a　different　character；　the　actors　being　persons　of
inferior　degree；　and　their　habits　the　better　fitted　for　the
occasion；　the　more　incongruous　and　ridiculous　that　they　were　in
themselves。　　Accordingly　their　array；　which　the　progress　of　our
tale　allows　us　no　time　to　describe；　was　ludicrous　enough；　and
their　weapons；　though　sufficiently　formidable　to　deal　sound
blows；　were　long　alder…poles　instead　of　lances；　and　sound　cudgels
for　swords；　and　for　fence；　both　cavalry　and　infantry　were　well
equipped　with　stout　headpieces　and　targets；　both　made　of　thick
leather。

Captain　Coxe；　that　celebrated　humorist　of　Coventry；　whose　library
of　ballads；　almanacs；　and　penny　histories；　fairly　wrapped　up　in
parchment；　and　tied　round　for　security　with　a　piece　of　whipcord；
remains　still　the　envy　of　antiquaries；　being　himself　the
ingenious　person　under　whose　direction　the　pageant　had　been　set
forth；　rode　valiantly　on　his　hobby…horse　before　the　bands　of
English；　high…trussed；　saith　Laneham；　and　brandishing　his　long
sword；　as　became　an　experienced　man　of　war；　who　had　fought　under
the　Queen's　father；　bluff　King　Henry；　at　the　siege　of　Boulogne。
This　chieftain　was；　as　right　and　reason　craved；　the　first　to
enter　the　lists；　and　passing　the　Gallery　at　the　head　of　his
myrmidons；　kissed　the　hilt　of　his　sword　to　the　Queen；　and
executed　at　the　same　time　a　gambade；　the　like　whereof　had　never
been　practised　by　two…legged　hobby…horse。　　Then　passing　on　with
all　his　followers　of　cavaliers　and　infantry；　he　drew　them　up　with
martial　skill　at　the　opposite　extremity　of　the　bridge；　or　tilt…
yard；　until　his　antagonist　should　be　fairly　prepared　for　the
onset。

This　was　no　long　interval；　for　the　Danish　cavalry　and　infantry；
no　way　inferior　to　the　English　in　number；　valour；　and　equipment；
instantly　arrived；　with　the　northern　bagpipe　blowing　before　them
in　token　of　their　country；　and　headed　by　a　cunning　master　of
defence；　only　inferior　to　the　renowned　Captain　Coxe；　if　to　him；
in　the　discipline　of　war。　　The　Danes；　as　invaders；　took　their
station　under　the　Gallery…tower；　and　opposite　to　that　of
Mortimer；　and　when　their　arrangements　were　completely　made；　a
signal　was　given　for　the　encounter。

Their　first　charge　upon　each　other　was　rather　moderate；　for
either　party　had　some　dread　of　being　forced　into　the　lake。　　But
as　reinforcements　came　up　on　either　side；　the　encounter　grew　from
a　skirmish　into　a　blazing　battle。　　They　rushed　upon　one　another；
as　Master　Laneham　testifies；　like　rams　inflamed　by　jealousy；　with
such　furious　encounter　that　both　parties　were　often　overthrown；
and　the　clubs　and　targets　made　a　most　horrible　clatter。　　In　many
instances　that　happened　which　had　been　dreaded　by　the　more
experienced　warriors　who　began　the　day　of　strife。　　The　rails
which　defended　the　ledges　of　the　bridge　had　been；　perhaps　on
purpose；　left　but　slightly　fastened；　and　gave　way　under　the
pressure　of　those　who　thronged　to　the　combat；　so　that　the　hot
courage　of　many　of　the　combatants　received　a　sufficient　cooling。
These　incidents　might　have　occasioned　more　serious　damage　than
became　such　an　affray；　for　many　of　the　champions　who　met　with
this　mischance　could　not　swim；　and　those　who　could　were
encumbered　with　their　suits　of　leathern　and　of　paper　armour；　but
the　case　had　been　provided　for；　and　there　were　several　boats　in
readiness　to　pick　up　the　unfortunate　warriors　and　convey　them　to
the　dry　land；　where；　dripping　and　dejected；　they　comforted
themselves　with　the　hot　ale　and　strong　waters　which　were
liberally　allowed　to　them；　without　showing　any　desire　to　re…enter
so　desperate　a　conflict。

Captain　Coxe　alone；　that　paragon　of　Black…Letter　antiquaries；
after　twice　experiencing；　horse　and　man；　the　perilous　leap　from
the　bridge　into　the　lake；　equal　to　any　extremity　to　which　the
favourite　heroes　of　chivalry；　whose　exploits　he　studied　in　an
abridged　form；　whether　Amadis；　Belianis；　Bevis；　or　his　own　Guy　of
Warwick；　had　ever　been　subjected　toCaptain　Coxe；　we　repeat；　did
alone；　after　two　such　mischances；　rush　again　into　the　heat　of
conflict；　his　bases　and　the　footcloth　of　his　hobby…horse　dropping
water；　and　twice　reanimated　by　voice　and　example　the　drooping
spirits　of　the　English；　so　that　at　last　their　victory　over　the
Danish　invaders　became；　as　was　just　and　reasonable；　complete　and
decisive。　　Worthy　he　was　to　be　rendered　immortal　by　the　pen　of
Ben　Jonson；　who；　fifty　years　afterwards；　deemed　that　a　masque；
exhibited　at　Kenilworth；　could　be　ushered　in　by　none　with　so　much
propriety　as　by　the　ghost　of　Captain　Coxe；　mounted　upon　his
redoubted　hobby…horse。

These　rough；　rural　gambols　may　not　altogether　agree　with　the
reader's　preconceived　idea　of　an　entertainment　presented　before
Elizabeth；　in　whose　reign　letters　revived　with　such　brilliancy；
and　whose　court；　governed　by　a　female　whose　sense　of　propriety
was　equal　to　her　strength　of　mind；　was　no　less　distinguished　for
delicacy　and　refinement　than　her　councils　for　wisdom　and
fortitude。　　But　whether　from　the　political　wish　to　seem
interested　in　popular　sports；　or　whether　from　a　spark　of　old
Henry's　rough；　masc