Ivanhoe

"Is Richard's title of primogeniture more decidedly certain than that of

Duke Robert of Normandy, the Conqueror's eldest son? And yet William

the Red, and Henry, his second and third brothers, were successively

preferred to him by the voice of the nation, Robert had every merit

which can be pleaded for Richard; he was a bold knight, a good leader,

generous to his friends and to the church, and, to crown the whole, a

crusader and a conqueror of the Holy Sepulchre; and yet he died a blind

and miserable prisoner in the Castle of Cardiff, because he opposed

himself to the will of the people, who chose that he should not rule

over them. It is our right," he said, "to choose from the blood royal

the prince who is best qualified to hold the supreme power--that is,"

said he, correcting himself, "him whose election will best promote the

interests of the nobility. In personal qualifications," he added, "it

was possible that Prince John might be inferior to his brother Richard;

but when it was considered that the latter returned with the sword of

vengeance in his hand, while the former held out rewards, immunities,

privileges, wealth, and honours, it could not be doubted which was the

king whom in wisdom the nobility were called on to support."

These, and many more arguments, some adapted to the peculiar

circumstances of those whom he addressed, had the expected weight with

the nobles of Prince John's faction. Most of them consented to attend

the proposed meeting at York, for the purpose of making general

arrangements for placing the crown upon the head of Prince John.

It was late at night, when, worn out and exhausted with his various

exertions, however gratified with the result, Fitzurse, returning to

the Castle of Ashby, met with De Bracy, who had exchanged his banqueting

garments for a short green kirtle, with hose of the same cloth and

colour, a leathern cap or head-piece, a short sword, a horn slung over

his shoulder, a long bow in his hand, and a bundle of arrows stuck in

his belt. Had Fitzurse met this figure in an outer apartment, he would

have passed him without notice, as one of the yeomen of the guard; but

finding him in the inner hall, he looked at him with more attention, and

recognised the Norman knight in the dress of an English yeoman.

"What mummery is this, De Bracy?" said Fitzurse, somewhat angrily; "is

this a time for Christmas gambols and quaint maskings, when the fate of

our master, Prince John, is on the very verge of decision? Why hast thou

not been, like me, among these heartless cravens, whom the very name

of King Richard terrifies, as it is said to do the children of the

Saracens?"