to Uckfield,
and which formed the backbone of the Andredsweald. In the depths of
a wood below the vicarage he found the almost forgotten site of the
old Castle of Walderne, situate in a pathless thicket, and only
approachable through the underwood. The moat was still there,
although at that time destitute of water, the space within
completely occupied by trees and bushes, where once all the bustle
and life of a medieval household was centred.

The author felt a strong interest in the spot; he searched in the
Sussex Archaeological Collections for all the facts he could gather
together about this forgotten family: he found far more information
than he had hoped to gain, especially in an article contributed by
the Reverend John Ley, a former vicar of Waldron. He also made
himself familiar with the topography of the neighbourhood, and
prepared to make the old castle the chief scene of his next story,
and to revivify the dry dust so far as he was able.

In a former story, the Andredsweald, a tale of the Norman Conquest,
he wrote of "The House of Michelham," in the same locality, and he
has introduced one of the descendants of that earlier family, in
the person of Friar Martin, thinking it might prove a link of
interest to the readers of the earlier story.

He had intended to incorporate more of the general history of the
time, but space forbade, so he can only recommend his readers who
are curious to know more of the period to the Life of Simon de
Montfort, by Canon Creighton {1}, which will serve well to
accompany the novelette. And also those who wish to know more of
the loving and saintly Francis of Assisi, will find a most
excellent biography by Mrs. Oliphant, in Macmillan's Sunday
Library, to which the author also acknowledges great obligations.

If it be objected, as it probably may, that the author's
Franciscans are curiously like the early Wesleyans, or in some
respects even like a less respectable body of modern religionists,
he can only reply "so they were;" but there was this great
difference, that they deeply realised the sacramental system of the
Church, and led people to her, not from her; the preacher was never
allowed to supersede the priest.

But, on the other hand, it may reasonably be objected that Brother
Martin only exhibits one side of the religion of his period; that
there is an unaccountable absence of the popular superstitions of
the age in his teaching; and that, more especially, he does not