CHAPTER XVI.
In the course of this work I have mentioned several roads, thedirection of each of which will be very easily understood by those whohave an acquaintance with the locality, even in the present day. Forthose who have not, however, I must add a few words of explanation.One road, passing over the abbey green and between the houses on thewestern side, descended the slope, on the top of which the buildingsstood, and then, running through the lower part of the wood, ascendedthe higher hill, cutting straight across the heart of the forest. Atthe bottom of the slope, however, just under the abbey, and at thedistance of, perhaps, a quarter of a mile, this road was entered byanother, which, coming through the lower ground from the hamlet atColeshill, and joining the valley and the stream at the distance ofabout a mile from that place, followed all the meanders which thelittle river chose to take, till it reached the spot I have mentioned.At the point where the two roads met, Sir John Godscroft, afterdistributing his men around the wood, fixed his temporary headquarters, and took the measures which he thought necessary forobtaining information. Two messengers were also sent off in haste indifferent directions; and every peasant who could be brought in wasstrictly interrogated, as well as the bailiff of the abbey, who wassubjected to more than one cross examination. The information of thebailiff was peculiarly valuable, not so much because it was eagerlyand minutely given, both from motives of revenge and apprehension, asbecause it afforded the most perfect and detailed account of everypart of the abbey, as far as it was known to the coward himself. Fromit, Sir John Godscroft satisfied himself completely, first, that nopart of the abbey where a man could be concealed had escaped search,and, secondly, that the fugitive must have taken refuge in thatportion of the forest lying to the right of the road as you ascendedthe hill. With this conviction he established a line of patrols allround the wood, too close, as he thought, for any man to passunnoticed, and then wrapping himself in his cloak, with a saddle forhis pillow, he gave himself up to sleep. Twice he woke during thenight, and, mounting his horse, rode at a rapid pace round the wholeof that part of the wood which he was watching so eagerly, and ever,as he went, he encouraged the men on duty, by reminding them that areward of a thousand marks was promised for the capture of the bishopof Ely.
"Be vigilant till morning," he said, "and then we will search thewood. In a few hundred acres like this, it is impossible he canescape."
He once more stretched himself on the ground, when it wanted about anhour to dawn, and had slept for somewhat more than half an hour, whenhe was roused by the return of one of his messengers.
"Up into the saddle, Sir John, up into the saddle!" said the man; "SirWilliam Catesby is at my heels with full five hundred spears. He roseand mounted at once, as soon as he got your message; and his men saythat he has a warrant under the king's own hand for the arrest of thebishop and several others."
Godscroft looked somewhat grim at this intelligence, imagining,perhaps that the reward he anticipated was likely to be snatched fromhis grasp by another. What he might have done in these circumstances,had there been time for deliberate thought and action, I cannot tell;but before he could well shake off the effects of sleep, the head ofCatesby's troop came down from the green; and the crafty anddissimulating minister of Richard sprang to the ground by his side.
Catesby took Sir John Godscroft by the hand, and divining, perhaps,what might be the impression produced by his coming, said in a loudfrank tone, "Sir John, you and your brave companions have done theking good service, which will not be easily forgotten. Think not thatI come either to share or take away your reward, but simply as a loyalsubject and a good soldier, to do my duty to my prince and my country,without any recompense whatever. We must have this traitor before noonto-morrow."
"That shall we, beyond doubt, Sir William," replied the other, while agood number of the soldiers stood round and listened. "With the forcewhich you have brought, one body can surround the wood while the othersearches."
"I must detach a considerable troop," replied Catesby, "to pursue theparty of Lord Chartley to Hinckley; for I have authority to attachevery one who has contributed in any degree to the escape of thisproclaimed traitor, the bishop of Ely."
"Then I have a notion you must attach the abbess of St. Clare," saidGodscroft, "for she has certainly sheltered him and favoured hisevasion, since the young lord left him there."
"How many men has Chartley with him?" demanded Catesby, not appearingto notice the suggestion regarding the abbess.
"Well nigh upon fifty," answered Godscroft, and then added, returningto the point: "Had you not better secure the abbey first?"
"No, no," answered Catesby; "we must not violate sanctuary, nor touchthe privileges of the church;" and, taking Godscroft's arm, he said ina low voice, "What is the meaning of those houses I see burned uponthe green? I hope your men have not done it."
"Good faith but they have," answered the other; "altogether contraryto my orders though; and I have hanged several of them for theirpains."
"Better keep this from the king's ears," said Catesby, musing."However, we must have the bishop, Sir John, and this young LordChartley too, who has been clearly privy to Morton's visit to England,which makes it a case of misprision of treason, for which disease theaxe is the only remedy I know."
After uttering these bitter words in a somewhat jocose tone, hereturned to the head of his troop, and gave some orders, whichimmediately caused a party of forty-eight or fifty men to ride on,with all speed, upon the same road which had been taken the nightbefore by Chartley and his companions. The rest of Catesby'sdispositions were soon made; for, in order not to disappoint Sir JohnGodscroft and his companions of their prey, he reserved to the regularsoldiers the simple task of guarding the wood, while it was searchedby Godscroft's band. Nothing, however, could be done till day-break,beyond a few preliminary arrangements; and the rest of the time wasspent by the two leaders in walking up and down, and conversing overthe events in which they took an interest.
"If we had but known an hour or two before," said Sir John Godscroft,"we should have caught the bishop in the abbey. We lost no time by theway, nor in setting out either; for we were not five minutes out ofthe saddle after Sir Charles's messenger arrived. 'Tis marvellous hedid not send before; for his man tells me he was more than a whole dayin the bishop's company, and knew him from the first."
"He could not help it," answered Catesby. "He wrote at once to theking and to myself; but it was agreed on all hands that it would bebetter for Weinants to follow him till he was lodged somewhere for thenight; for, if we had attempted to take him in Tamworth yesterdaymorning--not having known soon enough to seize him in his bed--hewould have escaped to a certainty, in the confusion of the fair. Thento catch him on the road would have been difficult, for Chartley'sparty is large; and a very little resistance on their part would havegiven him time to fly. No, no, Weinants is wonderfully shrewd anddiscreet; and he calculated to a nicety, that this traitor prelatewould either stop here upon some pretence, while the rest rode on toHinckley, or go on with them to Hinckley, where he could be takenwithout trouble.--Is not the sky turning somewhat greyer, think you?"
"Methinks it is," replied the other.
"Well then, let us to our work," said Catesby. "You must dismount yourmen, and let two or three enter at the mouth of every path, pursuingit through its whole track, till they meet somewhere in the centre ofthe wood. Have you any one who knows the forest well?"
"But few," replied the other. "However, I have remarked, when ridingby on the other road, the towers of an old castle rising up, about themiddle of this part which we have surrounded. They can all directtheir steps thither--"
"Ay, and search the castle too," said Catesby. "He must have some oneto guide him, depend upon it. The ruin will be a good place forrefuge."
"If we find him not at the first essay," responded the other, "we canafterwards take the wood in separate portions, and beat through everythicket, as we should for a stag."
"Away then, aw
ay!" answered Catesby. "It will be well day before wehave commenced."