Thir

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER H. The Prophecy. I have consulted one who reads Heaven's doom And sees, as present, things that are to come. Dryden. The youth was the first to speak. I beseech you, Bedwald, if indeed you will not have your name uttered even in these solitudes, I beseech you, now that it may well beguile the...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER H. The Prophecy. I have consulted one who reads Heaven's doom And sees, as present, things that are to come. Dryden. The youth was the first to speak. I beseech you, Bedwald, if indeed you will not have your name uttered even in these solitudes, I beseech you, now that it may well beguile the lonesome- ness of the way, relate to me the promised history of your last contest with that furious king whose fastnesses we are about to visit at the peril of our lives. Nay, nay, ?there is little peril to be apprehended, save such as may arise from the inhospitable climate and the difficulties of the journey. Griffith ap Hewel is as noble in his nature as he is brave in the field. We have engaged in the shock of the battle, and struggled for the mastery with all the fierceness of rivalry, but. the victory decided, we have met as warriors should meet in aught save the place of contest, and we have pledged our cups and crossed the spear with the greeting of old and valued friends. And can you dare, enquired Eadwulf, thus defenceless to place yourself in the power of him whom you have so often humbled, and whose country your arms have almost depopulated ? But I go to him now said Eedwald pensively, in another character. Not as the victorious captain, but as the solitary fugitive;?not as the ambassador of a crowned king, but as an outlaw and an exile. Eadwulf, I have many wrongs, an implacable passion, a firm heart and an unerring bow, and whatmore is wanting to make me welcome to him whose direst foe is the author of my wrongs and my sworn enemy ? It is well said, replied the youth, but the battle. Well, you shall hear it. I have already told you of my former contests with the Welsh chieftain, but he was not to be subdued by the partial ad...