Castles and their Heroes ... With illustrations, etc

Preface

. >XKo« HIS little volume would have contained the narrative of many other Castles and their Heroes, had its Authoress not feared to make her subject wearisome, if too much extended, and so defeat her object, which is to interest, by her ' fireside tales,' young readers in historical reminiscences of old places. She trusts that her book may not interest them the less, that it is all true, being strictly founded on authentic historical annals. B. H. ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Death of the Last Welsh Prince . . Frontispiece. Lady Bankes fires off the Cannon .... 83 Alarm of the Searchers at Raglan Castle . . 141 Sir Guy appears before the King .... 203 Queen Elizabeth at the Window of Hampton Court 223 Lady dressed in a Vardingale CONTENTS.

Introduction

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FEW years ago, before railway communication had as closely united the rural districts to the metropolis as they do in the present day, there resided in a retired and secluded part of England a clergyman, whose family consisted of two boys and two girls. Like many of our clergy, his income was a very limited one, and would have been wholly inadequate to his expenses, had it not been that he possessed in his wife a companion ready to share and lighten all his anxieties, and able to assist him in the education of his family. Their vicarage garden opened on to a large common, on one side of which ran the high-road leading to the village of Castle Compton, which lay in a lovely valley beneath A the church and vicarage house ; on the opposite side was a wood intersected by paths, and which the children delighted to visit and explore.

This wood was close to a second piece of waste land; and there, merely enclosed by a few hurdles, without any guardian to preserve them from further decay, were the ruins of a castle, but little known, nor remarkable in his tory, and which, even in its best days, could never have been distinguished by any architectural beauty. It had probably once been the stronghold of some petty chief tain; and the only marvel was, that its remains were still standing in the present century. Rude as the fortress might have been, and little as it possessed any interest for the lover of old buildings be yond the fact of its antiquity, to the children it was a point of the highest interest ; and whenever they were permitted to visit it, they would try to imagine how it had looked in days of old, when it had been inhabited by the Anglo-Norman race, whose descendants still owned it, while often they would entreat their mother to tell them the few scanty legends connected with its structure.

The living was named after the old fortress. Mr and Mrs Lawrence had had it many years, and, though not rich, had contrived to give their children a good edu cation, and to implant in their minds the only thing that can make a quiet life a happy one, and that was contentment. It was Mrs Lawrence's custom to assemble her family round her sofa every evening (for she was a great invalid, Introduction. 3 and but rarely left it), and for years the children had looked forward to that social hour as the time when she would tell them not only fairy tales of the most enthrall ing interest, but tales of adventure by sea and land, w*hile her narratives got to be called ' Fireside Tales.' As they grew older, their mother tried to interest their minds in all that was noble and good by anecdotes of chivalry or tales of heroic deeds done in the cause of goodness and right.

At the time I am alluding to now, the eldest boy, Willie, was nearly fourteen. One evening the conver sation turned on the old ruins near them, and he asked his mother if the castle had a ' keep ; ' for he said he had found an old book in his father's library about castles. 'It has no "keep,"' said his mother; 'but if you will lend me the book you mention, I will try and tell your brother and sisters more about castles in general, as the book you mention is too dull a one for them to study. As we live so near a castle, you should all know the names of the different portions of the building. Do you all know why castles were built ? ' The children gave their mother the right answer when they replied that castles were places erected for the pur pose of defence in ancient times. 'Yes,' said their mother; 'and a castle may be "de fensible " either by nature or by art.

Our ruins are but small and poor : a complete ancient castle consisted of a fortress surrounded by a " moat " or ditch ; an outwork called a " barbican," intended to guard the gate or drawbridge; then there was an artificial mound of green turf, an outer and inner enclosure called " vallium ; " and lastly the " keep," in which the lord of the castle gener ally lived, and beneath whose strong walls were dark and gloomy prisons, called " dungeons," where prisoners were confined. Castles are very ancient. The Persians are said to have first erected them ; the Romans without doubt did so ; and the Gauls are thought by Cæsar to have instructed the early Britons in the art of encamp ing and fortifying themselves in such strongholds. The Persians are said to have constructed their fortresses of wood ; the Romans of earthworks thrown up to a great height.' One of the children asked if there were any Roman castles still in existence in England. 'None, I believe,' replied their mother; 'although there are traces of Roman architecture in some of our ancient castles.

The early Britons fortified themselves in their castles against the Roman invaders. The Saxons called them " cester " and "caster;" the Scots named them "Loncastel" and "Doncastel;" while the word " burgh " evidently meant the same thing. Doncaster and Lancaster are evidently named after the Saxon " caster." The capitol of Rome is thought to have orgin ated our earlier castles ; for it had a round tower, with an inner court surrounded by a deep ditch. One old writer (for all I am telling you is strictly true) ascribes this as the reason that in many places the keep of a castle is called a "Juillet," that is "Julius Cæsar's tower." The keeps of Tutbury and Warwick Castles are called Introduction. 5 " Juilletes," and from that same tradition doubtless arose the " Julius Tower " of the great Tower of London.' 'Mother,' inquired Willie, 'had the Saxons castles when the Danes invaded England ? ' ' But few,' said Mrs Lawrence ; ' and that was the reason that, when the Danes came over to England, they so soon and so easily conquered their foe.

There were scarcely any forts to arrest their progress. At the Norman conquest, the few Saxon castles that then re mained standing were destroyed, and new ones suited to the luxurious habits of the Norman race were erected in their place.' ' How were the Normans so luxurious ? ' asked Willie. ' Principally in the decoration of their persons,' said Mrs Lawrence, ' the beauty and elegance of which were remarkable. Their love of finery and ottentation'was also manifested in their dwellings. No Norman castle was ever erected without a " keep ; " and after the Conqueror had divided England among those followers and friends who had aided him to win it, the Norman nobility erected numerous castles, in which they resided, surrounded by numerous retainers. The dress of the Anglo-Normans was not so completely altered at the conquest as their castles. ' Edward the Confessor imbibed a strong liking to the dress and manners of the Normans during his long residence in Normandy, and introduced Norman dress into England, and familiarised both high and low to the innovation long before the conquest. ' Linen was the material used by both Saxon and Norman for their body garments, their outside habits being generally woollen.

The shoes of the Saxon were of leather ; and Norman rustics in the twelfth century wore tunics of leather, that is, shaggy skins but half dressed. The nobles and clergymen wore robes of silk upon solemn occasions, and adorned their churches with the same costly material, which was imported into Eng land from Spain, Sicily, Majorca, and other countries. The Normans wore a longer tunic than the Saxons, and it reached to the middle of their legs ; but this only applied to the tunics of the upper classes, the rustics and slaves did not change the style of their costume from that worn in the Saxon era. ' Besides a Norman nobleman's short tunic, he wore a longer one that reached to the heels. The monkish historians during the reign of William Rufus, while cen suring their sharp-pointed shoes, long hair, and loose robes, described them as " resembling women rather than men."

These tunics and mantles were sometimes made of linen and fine cloth, as well as of silk, and were generally richly embroidered with gold and precious stones. Sometimes they were lined and trimmed with costly furs. Robert Bloet, Bishop of Lincoln, made Henry the First a present of a mantle of the finest cloth, lined with black sables with white spots, which cost a hundred pounds, an immense sum of money in those days ; but Richard the First had a still more gorgeous mantle, adorned with half moons of solid silver, put on in straight lines, and which was one mass of glittering light. 'I have told you that they wore their hair very long; Introduction. 7 and before I go back to the subject of their castles, I must tell you an amusing anecdote of a Norman bishop named Serlo. He was preaching a sermon before Henry the First against the luxury of the day, and especially against the custom of wearing long hair.

He appealed to the king to set his court a better example ; the elo quence of the discourse actually induced the monarch and his courtiers to promise to part with their long locks. The prelate was prudent, and determined to strike while the iron was hot. He drew a pair of shears from up his sleeve, and cut off the hair of all the courtiers and nobles present, beginning with the king himself. After this long hair went out of fashion, and it was forbidden by law. ' The Saxons were so oppressed by their conquerors, that William the First was compelled to make very strict statutes for their protection. ' The land about the castles was distributed by the nobles, who owned the fortresses, to their followers and retainers, to be held on certain conditions — one was that they maintained " castleward," and also gave yearly presents of a portion of the produce of the land to their chieftain. ' " Castleward " was a solemn engagement on all holding lands, to watch over and guard the fortress were it ever assailed by hostile nobles. ' The holders of castles had great privileges.

They had the power of putting any one to death who dared lo rebel against their authority; and they often imprisoned those who offended them, till the prisoners consented to pay heavy fines, wrung from them on the most frivolous pretences, by means of the most cruel instruments of torture. The nobles became so arrogant and oppressive, that Stephen ordered several castles to be demolished, as a means of lessening the evil; and after 1115, it required a licence from the sovereign to be able to build a castle. In the time of Henry the Eighth the number of English castles had so much decreased, owing to the long peace, that there is an anecdote told of a certain Bishop of Winchester, named Goodwin, who had been sent over to the court of Francis the First, as ambassador from the English king. ' As he was conversing one day with the French monarch, the latter alluded in a boasting manner to the great number of forts and castles in France. ' ,: Now, my lord bishop," said the king, " I do not hear that you have any forts or castles left in England." '"Yes, your majesty," said the ambassador, "we have two." ' " And which may they be ?

" said Francis. '"Marry, sire," answered Goodwin, "Salisbury Plain and Newmarket Heath, where, if so be that any enemy offer to enter our land, we have forty thousand men at either place to give their foes such a welcome that but few would be able to take to their ships again."' As in those olden times, let us hope that the strongest defence of old England may ever be found, should its peace be threatened by foreign foes, in the courage and spirit of Englishmen, the descendants of those who de fended the castles of old, and whose deeds are narrated in these ' Fireside Tales,'

Chapter II Conway Castle, Edward The First Conquers Wales

HE ruined towers and turrets of Conway Castle stand on the left side of the river of the same name, as it flows into the Irish Sea, forming a boundary between Denbigh and Caernarvonshire. It was built in 1284 by Edward the First of England, and he and the gentle Queen Eleanor inhabited it after the conquest of Wales. This castle, the boast of North Wales, although now a complete ruin, still exteriorly appears almost untouched by time, the walls being of great thickness, and the architecture of the whole building peculiarly beautiful, as it stands up in majestic dignily above the broad river, which widens out to the opposite shore below the castle. The Conway is one of the largest rivers in North Wales, and flows through some of its finest scenery. The river springs from a little lake called Llyn Conway, which, lying amid hills, rocks, and swamps, owns no other inhabitants than the wild sea gulls, who build their nests on the numerous small islands in the water.

From this wild spot the river Conway wends its way through a mountainous district, joins other rivers as it runs its course, and then widens out into a consider able body of water, once famous for the pearls which are sometimes even now found at its mouth. These British pearls were chiefly found in the pearl mussel {Mya magaritifera), a shell-fish met with in large beds of sand, and adhering to other bodies by long silky beards. The Romans were attracted to the conquest of Wales by hearing of the Conway pearls, which they eagerly sought for, and valued highly when found. Julius Cæsar presented a breastplate adorned with British pearls to one of the heathen shrines at Rome; and as late as the time of Charles II., Queen Katharine of Braganza accepted a fine specimen from Sir Richard Wynne of Gwydir ; and I believe it is still in existence among our English crown jewels.

The Conway is thirty miles in extent. It abounds with trout, and, besides its pearls, has another curious distinction, that is those little native boats called 'cor acles,' said to be almost the most ancient kind of boat extant, as they were mentioned by Herodotus and Strabo, and Julius Cæsar employed them in Spain. In form they resemble an oblong tub, except that one end is more pointed than the ether, while a plank placed across its middle makes a seat for the rower. Contvay Castle. 11 The reason that they are built in this peculiar shape is obvious. On shallow rivers, such as the Conway, the Severn, and the Wye, every here and there the water is checked in its course by beds of low, shallow rocks, which would make the course of an ordinary boat wholly impossible. When a Welsh fisherman meets with such an obstacle, the extreme lightness of the coracle enables him to carry his bark on his back till the rocks are passed.

In the same way he takes it home at night, as a coracle very seldom weighs more than twenty to thirty pounds. They are not made of wood, like our modern river or sea-side boats, but are constructed of wicker-work, covered over with skins or strong canvas, which are coated with pitch. In length they vary from four to five feet, and four feet wide. I have often watched a little coracle wending its way down another Welsh river, the Wye, and wondered at the swiftness and ease with which the salmon-fishermen on that river seemed to navigate and manage these curious little vessels. Another evening we shall probably have to refer to them, as I promised you to include Raglan Castle among our castles. To return now, how ever, to Conway. The castle stands on the verge of a precipitous rock, commanding a view of the road to Snowdon and Anglesey.

On the land side was the moat, crossed by the drawbridge, whilst steps cut roughly in the rocky sides of the precipice, but well defended, led down to the river's brink. Eight battlemented towers rose gracefully above the long, extensive walls, each surmounted, or crowned as it were, by a slender watch tower, from which one can imagine (when we recall that Conway Castle was built by Edward I., as a stronghold to fortify this part of Wales from sudden attacks from the Welsh) the sentinel's eye diligently watching the roads below the fortress. You all know the history of Edward I. presenting his infant son to the Welsh nobles, who petitioned him to give them a native prince as governor. But as the period before that time is not so well known to you, I have chosen Conway Castle for our subject this evening, principally to introduce you to a few details of that wild and peculiarly brave Welsh race, whom we cannot help sympathising with, when we read in history of their fruit less struggles for independence.

Firstly, however, to continue our description of this celebrated castle. There were two towers at the entrance — the King's and the Queen's Towers. In the latter is said to have been Eleanor's oratory, the roof of which is still entire, although its beautiful painted windows no longer exist. The architecture of these towers is most massive ; and yet, such was the skill of the architect, that, when viewed from the opposite shores, the effect is all grace and light ness. The Conway chain suspension bridge was built in good taste to correspond with the old castle. That wonderful bridge carries the road across the river from east to west. Inside, the castle was divided into two courts, with an immense banqueting-hall, massive arches supporting its roof, and lighted by six lance-shaped windows on the one side, and three larger and more pointed ones on the other.

The six windows overlooked the river, the tide of which ebbs and flows, as does the Severn ; those on the opposite side of the hall overlooked the courtyard. Built by Edward I., and called in those days Aber conway, it was the scene of many a courtly revel in early times, but stands now a grand but lonely ruin, with not many of its chambers entire. The Parliamentary force besieged and took it in 1646, and demolished it as far as they could, under General Mytton ; and in later times its owner, Earl Conway, completing its destruction, by removing the greater portion of its timber beams to Ireland, to repair his property in that kingdom, this once famous fortress was then completely dismantled. The Puritans made a breach in the walls, and the peasants about Conway took many of the larger stones away.

Thus one part of the castle has sunk down lower than the rest, and seems tottering over the rock. Tourists, for that reason, have named it the ' Broken Tower.' Eleanor of Castile is one of the heroines of Conway Castle, as she resided there several times, — ' a godlie modeste princesse,' as the old chronicles describe her ; ' full of pitie, readie to releeve everie man's greefe.' Indeed, she must have had many occasions of exercising her 'pitie' during the tumultuous and troublous times that followed Edward the First's accession to the throne, and the final conquest of Wales. Wales then was divided into six principalities, each '4 under the separate rule of a Welsh prince, yet acknow ledging the supremacy of the kings of North Wales. Separated from England by the rivers Severn and Dee, Wales was a kingdom totally distinct from Edward's dominions, its people being a military race, devoted to arms, of eager courage, and jealous to a degree for the preservation of their country's independence and liberty.

To be called the lords of Snowdon was one of the proudest distinctions of the Welsh kings. Snowdon, as you all know, is a mountain in North Wales, and the region about it is called ' Snowdonia.' The scenery is about the most magnificent that can be imagined, — the range of mountains rising to a great height, lovely streams, hills and vales, snow and verdure, varying the beauty of this famous region. The ancient Welsh regarded Snowdon much as the Greeks looked upon Parnassus ; and the bards drew much of their inspiration from the grand scenes of their beloved principality. There was a tradition amongst them, that to pass a night on Snowdon, or to sleep near its summit, must infallibly result in that slumbering mortal's awaking the next day inspired as a bard. And to be a bard was to be privileged indeed ; for they were ever a race peculiarly honoured and distinguished by the Welsh nation, keeping up by the strains of their harps that ardour for national independence that it required so much labour on Edward's part to overcome.

We can trace this reverence for ' Snowdon ' to those still obscurer and darker ages, when, under Druidical teachers, the early Britons worshipped mountains and streams. We, under a higher and Christian dispensa tion, smile at the superstitions of those early times, yet, to my mind, those wild ideas are not nearly so displeas ing a form of idolatry as that of many other nations. I can imagine the Britons recognising, in primitive ages, by means of the glories of creation, that God they alone knew through the light of nature. So prized was ' Snowdonia,' that it was the last region yielded up to Edward I. by the ancient and unfortunate princes of Wales. Welsh chieftains each retained their bards, whose especial duty it was to tell their master's warlike deeds in long strains of heroic verse, accompanying themselves with the harp.

The bards were divided into three classes ; firstly, composers — that is, authors and poets, or ' beirdhs ; ' then minstrels or performers ; thirdly, singers. The 'composers' were men of genius and enthusiasm, and to them was entrusted the care of family archives, the preparation of the coats of arms, and genealogies of their chieftains. Like the Scotch, the Welsh ever felt eager warm love for ' kith and kin,' revenging, even to the remotest relationship, any affront passed on their kinspeople. Also, like the Scotch, pride of family was a trait highly thought of; in forming alliances among themselves, the first consideration being as to whether the bride and bridegroom were of equal birth, and their descent untainted by any foreign blood. Next to the 'beirdhs' were the minslre's, who performed on the harp, or crwth, which was a kind of flute (pronounced ' crowd '), the tabret, and the corn buelin — a bugle horn.

Lastly, there were the ' singers.' The bards had several privileges, but there were also strict laws regulating their conduct, which they were never permitted to transgress, on pain of forfeiting their position. It was considered four times more offensive to hurt cr molest a bard, than any less poetical individuals, yet for a bard to be intoxicated, quarrelsome, or a vagabond, was punishable by degradation from his office and rank. Once a year a court of bards was held at a royal resi dence, generally presided over by the king himself. To the one most distinguished by talent among these musical persons was awarded a silver badge, which badge was a silver chain ; and these annual courts gave rise to celebrated contests amongst the bards. The Irish, Welsh, and ancient Caledonians are the only Celtic races amongst whom there were vestiges of the bards, whose name, according to some authorities, is derived from Par, which signifies ' fury ; : and this has been said to be probably a correct surmise, as describing ' poetic fury.' It was Edward the First's policy to subdue them, as one step towards the introduction of English customs, which he found a far more difficult task than he had expected.

When, in 1282, he made war on Llewelyn, King of North Wales, Edward found the Welsh, one and all, devoted to warlike exploits, and from the courtier to the ploughman ready to obey the first summons to the field of battle. To them it was almost dishonourable to die peaceably in Conivay Castle. 17 their beds, and although the arrows and long spears for which the Welsh were remarkable were but rough weapons, they were expert marksmen : the men of South Wales being the best archers, the men of the northern principality the best spearmen. The national character was simple and unaffected. In times of peace, the youth of the kingdom, by keeping up all kinds of manly sports, were ever in bodily readiness for the scene of war. Excess in eating and drinking was prohibited, one meal only being allowed among the Welsh ; yet whilst themselves practising frugality, the virtue they held in the highest estimation was hospitality, Beggars were unknown in Wales.

When approaching a castle or house, all that the traveller was asked to do, so as to get taken in for the night's lodging, was to give up his arms. When he did this, the retainer appointed by the lord of the castle asked the traveller to allow him to wash his feet ; if he accepted this offer, it was the same as saying he would sleep there that night, but if he declined, refreshment only was set before him, and then he was suffered to go on his road unmolested. Seated round the hall fire in the evening, the house hold, no matter of whom it should consist, listened to the music of the harp — skill on that instrument being thought the highest of all peaceful arts. I dare say you are all thinking that it must have been rather hard work for Welsh cooks, but in those days simplicity was the order of the day.

The guests had no tables nor linen — such luxuries were dispensed with, the dinner or meal consisting of thin broad cakes of bread B baked fresh every day, and served up on large platters, put on rushes or clean grass. Milk was abundantly served to each guest ; the whole family, including even the master and mistress, standing whilst they ate, and attend ing to their wants. This does not much resemble a modern dinner party. And the conclusion of the evening appears to us even stranger ; for at bedtime a few more rushes were strewn upon the hall floor ; the fire was replenished and kept up throughout the night ; a hard, homespun, and coarse cloth was laid down, and every one went to sleep in the same room, ranged along the side walls of the hall. They never omitted one ceremony, when making their morning toilet, which was the care of their teeth, constantly rubbing them with green hazelnut leaves, and that their whiteness might be kept, eating as little hot meat as possible.

With these very simple habits, the Welsh excelled al most all other western nations by their talent for rhetoric and quickness of wit, and were so well aware of their capacity in this respect, that on grand and state occasions, nothing was thought more amusing than that one of the company should entertain every one else, by displaying his wit at the expense of his entertainer, which is directly contrary to our modern ideas of what is courteous and polite. They were first converted to Christianity by the Romans, and were a religious people; their reverence for churches, relics, and crosses being great. The church was a sanctuary where any one, taking refuge, was per fectly safe, as long as he remained in its precincts. Conivay Castle. 19 Their pursuits in times of peace were various, such as running races, fencing, riding, archery ; and in the long winter evenings quieter amusements beguiled their time, such as chess and draughts.* Hunting the stag, boar, roebuck, and squirrel were their outdoor pursuits.

Wales was governed on the feudal system, — the Welsh princes giving lands to their bondsmen, to be held on certain conditions ; and in some cases the bondsmen were sold with the land, and were considered to belong to their lords or masters, though, if a vassal was a mechanic, he became free, but he was not allowed to learn any art without his master's leave. The Welsh costume was chiefly white, very simple in form, being a shirt worn next to the skin, and a thin mantle. The women's dress also was principally white, ' with a large robe, rising by degrees into a graceful tuft or crown.' The princes wore gold coronets set with precious stones over their helmets. I wish I had space to tell you a little more about the Welsh ; but I must now tell you a few details of how Edward the First finally subdued Wales.