aron, and that the right divine or royalty would make it sufficiently
holy without the rite divine of the church. He was, therefore,
graciously pleased to fall into an exceeding passion, when his
confidential messenger returned from his embassy in piteous plight,
having been, by the baron's order, first tossed in a blanket and set in
the stocks to cool, and afterwards ducked in the moat and set again in
the stocks to dry. John swore to revenge horribly this flagrant outrage
on royal prerogative, and to obtain possession of the lady by force
of arms; and accordingly collected a body of troops, and marched upon
Arlingford castle. A letter, conveyed as before on the point of a blunt
arrow, announced his approach to Matilda: and lord Fitzwater had just
time to assemble his retainers, collect a hasty supply of provision,
raise the draw-bridge, and drop the portcullis, when the castle was
surrounded by the enemy. The little fat friar, who during the confusion
was asleep in the buttery, found himself, on awaking, inclosed in the
besieged castle, and dolefully bewailed his evil chance.

CHAPTER X

A noble girl, i' faith. Heart! I think I fight with a
familiar, or the ghost of a fencer. Call you this an
amorous visage? Here's blood that would have served me these
seven years, in broken heads and cut fingers, and now it
runs out all together.--MIDDLETON. Roaring Girl.

Prince John sat down impatiently before Arlingford castle in the hope
of starving out the besieged; but finding the duration of their supplies
extend itself in an equal ratio with the prolongation of his hope,
he made vigorous preparations for carrying the place by storm. He
constructed an immense machine on wheels, which, being advanced to the
edge of the moat, would lower a temporary bridge, of which one end would
rest on the bank, and the other on the battlements, and which, being
well furnished with stepping boards, would enable his men to ascend the
inclined plane with speed and facility. Matilda received intimation of
this design by the usual friendly channel of a blunt arrow, which must
either have been sent from some secret friend in the prince's camp,
or from some vigorous archer beyond it: the latter will not appear
improbable, when we consider that Robin Hood and Little John could shoot
two English miles and an inch point-blank,

Come scrive Turpino, che non erra.

The machine was completed, and the ensuing m