calm and clear, as the face of a lovely woman, lit by the first smile, that breaks in upon days of sorrow. Scarcely had the sun climbed above the forest, before numbers of the idle and curious were assembled near the palace of Mansfield, to witness the departure of King John and his nobles, for the chase. Menials were also in waiting; some holding in the leash, tall, deepchested stag-hounds, limbed like antelopes, yet strong enough to tear down a wild boar. Ever and anon, they bayed deep and loud, like the hollow bass of an organ, or strained at the leash, and snuffed up the morning air, while they watched with attentive eyes the opening of the massy gates: the well-known signal to speed to the forest. Others held noble steeds, that were also impatient for the chase, and arched their proud necks, or pawed the earth, and scattered their white foam among the heath-flowers, while their long flowing manes, streamed out upon the breeze, like dark banners. The loud neighing of the horses, mingled with the voices of men, and the deep baying of the hounds, rung on the still air, and was borne along until the distant forest doubling echoes.

returned the

There was something spirit-stirring and pleasing in the scene, that made the blood race gladly through the veins, and lifted the soul above all feelings of sorrow. The rich and

mingled dresses of the attendants, the various and beautiful positions of the steeds, the picturesque forms in which the hounds were stationed, the smoke curling from the ample chimneys of the palace, the town of Mansfield, with its straggling street and rude Saxon church, glittering in the sunshine, the turrets of Newstead Priory just seen through a vista in the forest, and the wild and wide-spreading scenery of Sherwood; formed a beautiful and varied picture, which filled the beholder with delight.

Among the group assembled before the palace, were those who neither regarded the beauty of the scenery, nor the splendour of the preparations. These were men who hesitated not to show their aversion to the forest laws, and to speak harshly of the King and De Marchmont, even in the midst of their followers.

"Come hither, Rowen," said a broad bony man, calling to a fine greyhound, that had been trying his speed with a stag-hound, which

chanced to be loose; "come hither, fool, unless thou wouldst lose thy fore-claws. What hast thou to do among those high-bred dogs? Marry! some keeper will be lawing* thee, and calling it justice; and it will be unlawful for such as me to gainsay the deed," continued he, patting the noble hound: "and though I may fight for thee, I cannot place thy claws on again stay here, fool, and no harm shall befal thee."

"Be thou not so cock-sure," replied another, "yonder fellow, with the large brindled staghound, hath an evil eye upon thee; and, by my faith! unless you hold lands to entitle your keeping that greyhound, and he makes inquiries, he will take away the dog and yourself to boot, and, mayhap, imprison you for twelve moons, and the Normans will call this justice. For what the court of Swanimote concludes

Lawing-dogs.-Three claws of the fore-feet shall be cut off by the skin, by setting one of his fore-feet upon a piece of wood, eight inches thick, and a foot square, and then setting a chisel of two inches broad upon the three claws of his forefoot, to strike them off at one blow; and this is the manner of lawing-dogs, so that they may not hunt or hurt the deer, or other beasts of the chase.-MANWOOD's Forest Laws.

upon, the court of Eyre confirms. Were I thou, I would see my dog safe housed from the eyes of these Normans."

"By the Holy Virgin! an' any of them dare to mar, or meddle with my dog," exclaimed the man, "I will bray their limbs to a jelly," saying which, he shook over his head an immense cudgel, the weight of which, dealt by such an arm, would scarce need to be repeated, to destroy any living thing.

Strange times, neighbours," said an old peasant, who was taking his morning meal, while he looked around, (which consisted of a piece of swine's flesh, and a large stem of cabbage, as cold and greasy as the bacon, with which it had the day before been boiled)— "strange times, neighbours," repeated he again, holding a portion of the flesh upon the point of his sharp whittle; "Christian Smith taken to the Moot last night, for not following the hue and cry in the forest. Some trespass for vert or venison, I warrant, and Christian as deaf as a post, never heard the summons! Strange times, neighbours!"

"I marvel not at such matters," said the man with the club. "Lamberstone, the tanner,

suffered them to pull down his hut, and struck not a blow; and this they did, I trow, for fear of his dressing stolen deer-skins. I would they were half as honest as the tanner!"

"Nay, by St. Dunstan !" said another, whom, in spite of his disguise, was none other than Thomas-the-Carter, "and ye speak of grievances, what think ye of a man being held in thrall for a year, only for fetching his horse from the forest-pasture in the night, and that too to visit a dying father? But he was found in the forest after sun-set, and the Norman laws hold him guilty, as much as if he had been taken in stable-stand."

"I fear me it is over true," said the old peasant, wiping the whittle as he spoke on his doublet, and thrusting it into his belt. "Marry, they have made crabs and nuts mast, and demand pannage for gathering acorns. My grandson, a boy of eight summers, was but playing with a tiny bow, and shooting with a headless shaft, when the Regarder took it away, and said, that such things were forbidden by the forest-laws, and that no bow must be kept but by persons qualified.”

"Qualified, said ye?" exclaimed another;