other sound which gave hopes of the approach

ing sport.

said the groom,

"What springlad is this, worthy falconer," "that we are summoned hither to attend at this early hour! wottest thou anything of his quality?"

"Not a jot I," replied the jolly falconer, a brave Saxon, whose face was ruddy with health, and the model of good humour: "nevertheless I hold him a hawk good at the mount, and no mean bird at the stoop, while we are to await him by the king's orders, and for my part, whether he be falcon-gentle, merlin, hobby, or gos-hawk, I care not. I mean to man him gently, and keep him from dropping asleep this sweet spring morning, and make him acquainted with the gentle and loving countenance of Rufus Rantin, falconer to King Stephen, a king who loved fighting better than hawking, and whom it hath please death to call to the lure. Ha! ha! ha!"

"Why thou great gos-herd, what hast thou found to laugh at saving thine own folly?" said

the groom, screwing up his thin miserable. features into such a sneer, that his high cheekbones seemed to project forth as far as his sharp hooked nose,—“making a long homily about thy hawkship, thou poor paltry birdfeeder, and dragging as many of thy outlandish falconry phrases into thy speech, as if thou thoughtest that all mankind were hawks, or understood all thy gibberish.”

"Peace, thou man of bots and spavins," said the good-humoured falconer, laughing at his irritable companion; "thou dost not assuredly think of naming thy paltry profession beside mine, or mentioning thy mangy broken-kneed palfreys on the same day with my bonny brown hawks?"

"And why not, master Rantin Rufus?" said the groom, speaking as if ready to bite him.

"Why not?" echoed Rufus, with well affected astonishment. "Why not?-a murrain on thine ignorance, to put forth so foolish a question. Marry, and whenever didst thou see a sweet lady, take up one of thy botchy and

mangy four-legged monsters, and place it upon her own fair wrist, lure it with her sweet voice, look lovingly into its round dark eyes, and stroke and play with it, as if it was a very child."

"And did never fair lady love a good palfrey?" inquired the gruff groom," nor speak loving to it? Who would run after thy lousy kites, without a good jennet, or hold them upon the wrist, if they had once seen them bad of the nares, megrims, or fillanders,-answer me Rantin Rufus? and cast thy gorge, like a foul kite as thou art."

"Ah! thou wouldst make but a sorry falconer, with that crusty humour of thine," continued Rufus, his good temper unruffled: "devil a bird wouldst thou ever get to come to either the lure or voice. As to making them bold and familiar with thy looks, marry, thou wouldst scare them as bad as a musket-hawk doth the bird in the bush over which it stoops."

"Thou hast never a hawk in thy mews," answered the groom, that will so readily answer

to either thy call or lure, as the meanest capul in my care. Look thee, bragging Rantin ;" so saying, he spoke to the beautiful jennet, which was already caparisoned for a lady, and the noble animal replied by a variety of actions, such as rubbing its graceful head against the groom's breast, moving its tail, and many other similar signs, which these sagacious creatures adopt to show that kindness is not lost upon them. "There, thou seest that a good horse knoweth his friend as well as e'er an hawk on thy perch," said the groom, with a grin which was his best apology for a smile.

"Turn him loose like this," replied the falconer, throwing up a beautiful hawk, "and see if he will settle on thy wrist at a whistle, or obey thy call;" saying which, he gave so shrill a whistle by the aid of his fingers, that the whole valley rang again with the sound. But the falcon paid no regard to his call; for just then a window in the eastern turret was thrown open, and the hawk instantly made a stoop, and

alighted upon the wrist of the knight, who was already equipped for the saddle.

A grim smile passed over the features of the groom at this triumph,—and as Rufus put on a kind of puzzling look, which whether it was shame at being thus taken aback in his own boast, or seen in the act of throwing up a falcon before the knight had given the order, were difficult to tell. He, however, cast his eyes upon the ground, and began to whistle a low ancient air, at which the groom said, "Surely thou hast forgotten the true chaunt, Rufus, or dost whistle on the wrong side of the mouth; or mayhap she cannot hear thee; show her the lure."

But Rufus was not one to be long daunted at an accident like this, and was about to reply, when the grating of the portcullis as it was uplifted, and the rattle of the chains of the drawbridge as it fell, announced the forthcoming of the knight and lady; and in another minute they were both mounted on their palfreys, and the whole group were in motion.