On rushed the Hansacres with a shout of wrath, and a dark flight of arrows from the Malvesyns found sure aim among them; their chieftains' chessrocks glittered no more that night: still on they came, and the conflict waxed violent. Broader and broader the red blaze of the burning mill shook above the clanging weapons, the roused meadows rang with the onset. The noble steeds that had been turned out for the night on the opposite banks of the river, came thundering and neighing over their pastures to its brink. There they paused with a start, and with coalbright eyes, streaming manes, and tossing tails, stood. revealed in the portentous blaze which the red Trent reflected to the umbered skies; and then snorting, wheeling, and careering up and down, seemed as though they would stem the fire-light stream to join the battle. The raven's huge black wings might be seen in the glare, sailing slowly down from Cannock; the awakened hawk stretched his long pinions, as his bright eye looked forth from his brown oak, while the great owl was hushed, and the cruel otter, trembling in his bulrush haunt, deemed that the morning's hunt was about to be renewed.

The affrighted Benedictine hastened to the aid of Sir William Hansacre, whom he had seen fall-and was still vainly attempting to withdraw the arrow which had pierced through his sinewy shoulder, when the din of the affray suddenly grew less, and the monk looking up from the wounded knight, who had swooned from pain, saw that the Malvesyns were retreating in disorder, while the triumphant Hansacres, after vain attempts to quench the mill, whose half timbered walls looked like a fabric of flaming red gold, returned to the spot where their chieftain lay apparently lifeless, bringing with them as prisoner-the young Damoiseau, Florent of Fradley.

The South Trentsmen were furious and hot for blood; and it was soon clear that the luckless Damoiseau would never escape from their hands alive. The sight of their fallen lord made them perfectly frantic; in vain the monk assured them that Sir William had only swooned.

young fire faggot. Our master shall thank us for this deed though he should seem to chide. Strip him, Herbert! and thou, Sir Priest, give him short shrift, for he shall die ere another flake fly from yon bonfire of his kindling!"

"You will not murder me in cold blood?" said the youth, as the men, pulling off his doublet, thrust him down upon his knees. "Give me the strongest and the best of you hand to hand, and let me not die the death of the shambles."

"Thou should'st die the death of a a dog, and a mad dog to boot, if we had a stone here heavy enough for yonder river; or if there were a rope at hand, yon oak should bear a worthless acorn for the nonce! As it is confess and speedily; and thou, shaveling, absolve him, since thou must needs be a spectator of our play, thou shalt be an actor too!"

The monk ap

The unfortunate Damoiseau, seeing that remonstrance was fruitless, unloosed his vest, and with chest and shoulders naked, and gleaming white and polished in the moonshine, knelt to the Benedictine. peared like one in a dream; a few incoherent words he addressed to the incensed ruffians, who spurned him from them; when Florent said, with a smile that struggled ghastly with his haggard glance:

"Spare thine intercessions, holy father, the felon Hansacres will but follow their calling in butchering me hear my shrift, and bless heaven that I die young, with no heavier guilt than that of avenging my insulted lord-no misfortune but that of falling by a rabble of cowardly South Trentsmen."

The words were hardly past his lips, ere a sweeping stroke from Tuppenhurst's axe lighted on his neck, he fell with a groan and slight shudder upon his face; his long bright hair had prevented the blow from being mortal, but Simon dragging up his light curls, smote again and tossed the dissevered head among the Hansacres, who hailed it with a savage shout.

At this moment, all Malvesyn Hall seemed in disturbance; lights in the windows glanced from bay to bay-the trumpet sent forth that chieftain's battle note through the vale; and the Hansacres hastily bearing away their still senseless leader, turned their horses' heads eastward, proceeding rapidly through the meadows till they approached the embattled and moated walls of Hansacre Hall.

The site of the late combat was now once more in silence, but it was the silence of terror. The monk had fled with agonized speed towards his convent; the still glowing mill sent up fits of flame, and fragment after fragment fell echoing to the river and the wood. The bodies of those who had fallen, among whom was the miller, (his wife having perished in the flames) lay strewn around, and Florent's headless trunk was left prostrate as he had fallen.

The fresh succours which had poured forth from Malvesyn on the return of their discomfited comrades, had passed along the north pastures of the Trent, and crossing the high bridges, a small party repaired to the adjacent mansion of Pipe-ridware to summon their allies the Vernons; while the main body pushed up the hill to Hansacre, where they were in the very act of tossing firebrands into the court of their enemy, when the victorious South Trentsmen once more came up with them, and not only saved the stately mansion of their chief, but being aided by those from within, once more repulsed them.

It was, however, with the loss of many men, and among them Simon of Tuppenhurst, the immediate murderer of the Damoiseau, that they drove the Malvesyns down to the bridge, while the wounded Sir William was conveyed safely to his chamber. On a small but strong turret in the bridge the hasty succours of Vernon had posted themselves; the retreat of the North Trentsmen was thus covered, while the Hansacres, with numbers seriously thinned, returned to the hall, less in triumph than in rage and pain and weakness.

Meanwhile, the scene around the Mill again had its visitants. The fields still lay beneath the calm impassioned moonbeam. The Trent still rolled peacefully along his regal flood, the woods still stood unruffled in their pomp, and the startled swans had resumed their floating sleep,—nothing but the decaying gleams of the Mill, and the black wings of a solitary raven hopping from carcass to carcass, and dipping his great beak in the best flesh of each, gave evidence of the recent affray, when suddenly a noble cobswan that had approached the flags on the southern brink, with a hoarse scream dashed off into the middle of the river, unfurled his magnificent silver wings till they formed a hollow arch above his back, recoiled his proud neck till it almost touched its tail, and

spurned the calm Trent with the noise of many waters.

A solitary figure having crossed the wooden bridge that led from Malvesyn, was now standing on the fatal spot. Of lofty stature, not even his mean, uncrested cap, and the rough gray mantle that concealed his figure, would have led a spectator to deem him such as he appeared. Nothing could exceed the apparent anguish with which he paced from spot to spot of this dreadful scene; ever and anon he turned up his noble countenance to the heavens, wrung his hands, and murmured ejaculations of grief and horror. But when he recognized the headless trunk of the Damoiseau, torrents of tears streamed down his cheeks, and he had knelt beside it in the paroxysm of anguish that spoke more eloquently than words-" Would to God I had died for thee!” when suddenly the tramp of armed footsteps was heard advancing, and he was surrounded and roughly grasped by several men, who, on looking at his features, clearly visible in the moonbeam, shouted with joy.

"Heaven is just !" said one of them, "the fight is ours! The star of Malvesyn culminates amidst the red warclouds that have dimmed its lustre; and the haughty halls of Hansacre may stand to be a grange for our serfs, or a stable for our steeds, since the HEIR is delivered into our hands!"

It was indeed the young, the handsome William of Hansacre, on whose smile the fairest maids of Staffordshire had hung delighted, and to whose future prowess the chivalry north and south of Trent, looked with apprehension or hope.

Hoarse was the clamour of revenge that roared around him, and he had already received more than one wound of misdirected fury, when a deep and authoritative voice from behind stilled at once the uproar; a dignified form, clad in hastily assumed armour, three silver bendlets in a red field being blazoned on his breast, advanced amidst the throng.

"Forbear!" he said, "would ye make the pure fame of a true knight foul and spotted as his recreant antagonist ?— If we are to triumph, it shall be by respecting the laws of chivalry as much as our bloody foemen have transgressed them. Have the youth to my house, (see ye not he is unarmed?) place him in gentle durance, and see that his wounds (for which mine honour bleeds as deeply), meet with due tendance! I swear by St. Giles, heir and hope

though he be of mine injurious foeman, if the young man die of these hurts, right dearly shall ye answer it!" To be continued.

Biography of his late Majesty,

WITH THE

PRESENT KING.

No event, of our time, has caused such a deep sensation among all classes in these kingdoms as the death of George the Fourth; for, whatever may be the individual opinion of his late Majesty, either as a man or as a monarch, all must agree that in the present state of the affairs of this country, both foreign and domestic, any account involving so great a change as the " demise of the Crown," must necessarily be of peculiar interest and importance; so that the mind is more apt to indulge itself by speculating on the effects it may probably give rise to, rather than in reflecting on the past. A more critical and extended account of the life and actions of his late Majesty must be left for the pen of the historian; but it is our intention to lay before our readers a short biographical sketch, which we think cannot but prove interesting at this period. We trust it will be found an impartial one, being ready to accord to the deceased Monarch all the credit and praise which may be due to his exalted virtues, but at the same time by no means assenting to the maxim-particularly as regards all public characters-" de mortuis nil nisi bonum," considering it as being entirely subversive of truth, and, therefore, derogatory to the dignity of history.

His late Majesty was born on the 12th of August, 1762. His birth was announced in the usual manner, and we are told that the messenger who brought the glad tidings to the royal parent, received a bank-note for 5001. While the guns in the Park were firing to announce the event, the waggons which contained the treasure captured in the Hermione Spanish frigate, by the English, passed along St. James's-street, in sight of his Majesty and attendants, who appeared at the windows and joined in the hearty cheers of the populace.

Before the young prince was a fortnight old it was announced, for the gratification of the public, that his royal highness might be seen on drawing room days at St. James's from one till three o'clock. Agreeably to this intimation, all persons of fashion were

availed themselves of this permission to see the "beautiful baby," and to taste her majesty's cake and caudle, were so numerous, that the daily expense for cake alone was estimated at £40, and the consumption of wine was in proportion.

On the 17th of August, his royal highness was created, by letters patent, prince of Wales, being the twentieth prince of the royal family of England who has borne that title; at the early age of three years, he was invested with the insignia of the Garter; but even this was not his first appearance in public life, for, a short time previously, he had received in person an address from the Ancient Britons-a society which has a peculiar claim to the patronage of the heir-apparent. The address was well adapted to his infantine years, and he appeared perfectly capable of compre hending the stewards, when they told him that his royal parents had not thought any period of their lives too early for doing good, and that they hoped, when a few short years should call forth his virtues, he would remember with pleasure the occurrence of that day. The young prince, no doubt prepared by parental care for the occasion, listened with attention to the address, and distinctly repeated his answer: "Gentlemen, I thank you for this mark of duty to the king, and wish prosperity to this charity."

The course adopted by his tutors was certainly well calculated to render the Prince an excellent scholar and an accomplished gentleman; but so rigid was the system, and so strictly was his royal highness cut off from all intercourse with society, that, when emancipated from superintendance, it is no wonder that, with the ardour and inexperience of youth, he should have plunged into the gaieties of life, and given way to those seductions which beset, in an especial manner, the possessors of rank so exalted as his.

In 1783 his royal highness attained his majority-an event which was celebrated with great rejoicing. On this occasion, the king officially announced to the House of Commons that, to ob

The precise state of her mind cannot be better explained than in her own words.

In a letter, written to a friend, dated 28th November, 1794, she thus expressed herself:-"You are aware, my friend, of my destiny. I am about entering into a matrimonial alliance with my first-cousin, George Prince of Wales His generosity I regard, and his letters bespeak a mind well-cultivated and refined. My uncle is a good man, and I love him very much, but I feel that I shall never be inexpressibly happy. Estranged from my connections, my associations, my friends, all that I hold dear and valuable, I am about entering on a permanent connection. I fear, for the consequences. Yet I esteem and respect my intended husband, and I hope for great kindness and attention. But ah me, I say sometimes, I cannot now love him with ardour. I am indifferent to my marriage, but not averse to it; I think I shall be happy, but I fear my joy will not be enthusiastic. The man of my choice I am debarred from possessing, and I resign myself to my destiny. I am attentively studying the English language, I am acquainted with it, but I wish to speak it with fluency. I shall strive to render my husband happy, and to interest him in my favour, since the Fates will have it that I am to be Princess of Wales." This letter was written in German, and was addressed to a German Lady, residing for a short time in England.

According to the determination expressed in the letter, an extract from which has just been inserted, the Princess devoted a great part of her time, prior to quitting her native country, in acquiring an accurate knowledge of the English language. Her success was rapid and complete. The Prince of Wales on her arrival, complimented her on the fluency and propriety with which she spoke it, and "declared on his honour, that no Englishwoman could possibly excel her.” At length the day arrived when the nuptials were to be solemnized, and on the evening of April the 8th, 1795, the marriage took place. It was celebrated at the Royal Chapel, St. James's, and the ceremony was splendid and imposing.

With the unfortunate differences which ensued between his late Majesty and his consort we will not speak, too much having been already said upon the subject. It is sufficient for us to know that the match was not one

of affection; and beyond this we have nothing which offers room for further

comment.

Towards the close of the year 1810, his Majesty's malady assumed a more decided character, and his royal highness was at once invested with the high office of Regent, which he filled to the satisfaction of the nation, until the decease of his Royal Father, which took place January 29, 1820, when he succeeded to the crown of these realms.

The course of George the Fourth has been an unvarying course of splendour and utility. Coming to the exercise of supreme power, though not to the name of king in 1811, when the Continent presented hardly one spot on which hope could find a resting place, he was enabled by the vigour of his measures, developing the energies of a mighty nation, so to change the face of Europe as to bestow on it and on England, in the course of three short years, a peace the most solid and lasting that the whole world has enjoyed for nearly a century before.

Since 1814-for the reign of the hundred days can hardly be deemed a break in the treaty then concludedthe councils of his late Majesty have been directed to objects, if not of equal show, of greater profit. The amelioration in our criminal code--the simplification of our finance system --the fixing of the currency-above all, the TWO GREAT ACTS of the present ministry-all these not less than the warlike glories of the Peninsula, and the crowning victory of Waterloo, give to the reign of GEORGE THE FOURTH a proud and permanent pre-eminence over that of perhaps any monarch of England who has gone before him.

The principles of the late king were eminently liberal,-free alike from the church bigotry which distinguished his father and the state bigotry that had marked all the other kings of the house of GUELPH. In early life he attached himself warmly to the party of Mr. Fox that he did not continue to consult them, we think may be not unfairly set down, less to any capricious feeling of the monarch, than to the impracticability of his whig friends. It was at one time said, that he was irreconcileably opposed to the Catholic claimswith how much truth, subsequent events have proved.

The king spoke well in public, though very rarely. In private life, no man was more conversational; he told a story with great felicity; and his tal foxmiokry, which he some