Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the MarchesHolt, Emily Sarah
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Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the Marches
Holt, Emily Sarah
Historical fiction; Mortimer, Roger de, Earl of March, 1328-1360 -- Fiction
"_Fais ce que doy, advienne que fourra_." And—"_Un Dieu, un Roy, servir
je day_."
And thus, with a thousand prayers and blessings, the boy left her.
"Ah, when to meet again?" she sighed, as from the castle turret she
watched him go, turning to kiss his hand to her as he rode away towards
Shropshire. "O my darling, mine heart misgiveth me sore!—when to meet
again?"
Never any more, Philippa Mortimer, till both stand in the street of the
Golden City, and under the shade of the Tree of Life.
Little Roger and his suite travelled, as was usual at the time, on
horseback. The charette was reserved for short journeys in civilised
places, where there was some semblance of a road; while the litter was
the vehicle of ladies and invalids. A dark roan-coloured "trotter," or
saddle-horse, was selected for the little lord, and fitted with a black
velvet saddle embroidered in gold. The harness was also black. There
was no saddle-cloth, as this was an article used on ceremonial
occasions; and as the horse was going on a journey which would lie
chiefly upon turf, he was not shod.
Roger himself was dressed in a long robe of dark blue damask, relieved
by narrow stripes of white and red; and over it he wore a hood of black
velvet. On the top of this sat a brown felt hat, in shape something like
a modern "wide-awake," with one dark-green plume standing straight up in
its front, and fastened to the hat by a small golden clasp. A little
white frill surrounded his throat beneath the hood, which latter article
could be cast aside if the weather were sufficiently warm. The sleeves
of the robe were extremely wide and full, and lined with white; and
beneath them were closer sleeves of apple-green, but these were far
wider than gentlemen wear them now. Dark-green boots, with white
buttons, and spurs of gilt copper, completed the young gentleman’s
costume. His stirrups were of white metal, and in his hand was an
excessively long white whip, much taller than himself.[#] It was the
first time that Roger had been allowed to ride alone on a journey, and
he was as proud of the distinction as might be expected.
[#] This description is mainly taken from one of Creton’s illuminations.
Harl. MS. 1319, illum. ix.
Before the convoy went two running footmen, attired loosely in a costume
somewhat resembling the Highland kilt, one of whom bore a pennon with
the Earl’s arms, and the other a trumpet, which was sounded whenever
they drew near to any town or village. Every man carried a drinking-cup
at his girdle, and his dagger served for a knife. The travellers
beguiled the long day by singing songs and ballads, among which was a
new song just become popular, of which the first line only has descended
to us, and that has a decidedly minor tone—"_J’ay tout perdu mon temps
et mon labour_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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