and thirst to have another turn with him. I have thought on his passado ever since, and I believe, were it to try again, I know a feat would control it.-Fetch him directly."

Trusty Tomkins was presently ushered in, bearing himself with an iron gravity, which neither the terrors of the preceding night, nor the dignified demeanour of the high-born personage before whom he stood, were able for an instant to overcome.

"How now, good fellow ?" said Sir Henry; "I would fain see something more of thy fence, which baffled me the other evening-but truly, I think the light was somewhat too faint for my old eyes-Take a foil, man—I walk here in the hall, as Hamlet says; and 'tis the breathing-time of day with me-Take a foil then in thy hand."

"Since it is your worship's desire," said the steward, letting fall his long cloak, and taking the foil in his hand.

"Now," said the knight, "if your fitness speaks, mine is ready. Methinks the very stepping on this same old pavement hath charmed away the gout which threatened me.-Sa-saI tread as firm as a game-cock."

They began the play with great spirit; and whether the old knight really fought more coolly with the blunt than with the sharp weapon, or whether the steward gave him some grains of advantage in this merely sportive encounter, it is certain Sir Henry had the better in the assault. His success put him into excellent humour.

"There," said he, "I found your trick,nay, you cheat me not twice the same way— There was a very palpable hit-Why, had I had but light enough the other night-But it skills not speaking of it-Here we leave off; I must not fight, as we unwise cavaliers did with you roundhead rascals, beating you so often that we taught you to beat us at last.-And good now, tell me why you are leaving your larder so full here ?-Do you think I or my family can use broken victuals? What, have you no better employment for your rounds of sequestrated beef than to leave them behind you when you shift your quarters ?"

"So please your honour," said Tomkins, "it may be that you desire not the flesh of beeves, of rams, or of goats. Nevertheless, when you

know that the provisions were provided and paid for out of your own rents and stock at Ditchley, sequestrated to the use of the state more than a year since, it may be you will have less scruple to use them for your own behoof."

"Rest assured that I shall," said Sir Henry; "and glad you have helped me to a share of mine own. Certainly I was an ass to suspect your masters of subsisting, save at honest men's expense."

"And as for the rumps of beeves,” continued Tomkins, with the same solemnity," there is a rump at Westminster, which will stand us of the army much hacking and hewing yet, ere it is discussed to our mind."

Sir Henry paused, as if to consider what was the meaning of this inuendo; for he was not a person of very quick apprehension. But having at length caught the meaning of it, he burst into an explosion of louder laughter than Joceline had seen him indulge in for a good while.

"Right, knave," he said, "I taste thy jestIt is the very moral of the puppet-show. Faus

tus raised the devil, as the Parliament raised the army-and then, as the devil flies away with Faustus, so will the army fly away with the Parliament-or the rump, as thou call'st it, or sitting part of the so-called Parliament.-And then, look you, friend, the very devil of all hath my willing consent to fly away with the army in its turn, from the highest general down to the lowest drum-boy.-Nay, never look fierce for the matter; remember there is daylight enough now for a game at sharps."

Trusty Tomkins appeared to think it best to suppress his displeasure; and observing, that the wains were ready to transport the Commissioners' property to the borough, took a grave leave of Sir Henry Lee.

Meantime the old man continued to pace pace his recovered hall, rubbing his hands, and evincing greater signs of glee than he had shown since the fatal 30th of January.

"Here we are again in the old frank, Joliffe -well victualled too.-How the knave solved my point of conscience !-the dullest of them is a special casuist where the question concerns pro

fit. Look out if there are not some of our own ragged regiment lurking about, to whom a bellyfull would be a God-send, Joceline-Then his fence, Joceline-though the fellow foins wellvery sufficient well-But thou saw'st how I dealt with him when I had fitting light, Joceline."

"Ay, and so your honour did," said Joceline. "You taught him to know the Duke of Norfolk from Saunders Gardner. I'll warrant him, he will not wish to come under your honour's thumb again."

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Why, I am waxing old," said Sir Henry; “but skill will not rust through age, though sinews must stiffen. But my age is like a lusty winter, as old Will says-frosty but kindlyAnd what if, old as we are, we live to see better days yet! I promise thee, Joceline, I love this jarring betwixt the rogues of the board and the rogues of the sword. When thieves quarrel, true men have a chance of coming by their own."

Thus triumphed the old cavalier, in the treble glory of having recovered his dwelling-regained, as he thought, his character as a man of fence, and finally discovered some prospect of a change