In the Wars of the Roses | Page 5

held out some little token,
which was received with every demonstration of respect and
gratification.
His intense excitement caused the little Paul to push out somewhat
further than the line observed by the soldiers, and no one recalled him
to his place; and thus it was that when, as the cortege moved forward,
the Prince of Wales dropped the plumed hat with the white ostrich
feather, which he was raising in response to the salutations showered
upon him, it was Paul who had leaped to the ground and caught up the
costly headgear from beneath the very feet of the king's horse, and,
with glowing face and ardent gaze of admiration and homage, had bent
the knee to the princely child, and restored the cap, whilst his bunch of
roses was offered at the same moment with an air of modest eagerness
that touched all hearts.
The little prince took both the cap and the flowers, thanking the lad
with friendly smiles; but when he saw how closely that bright face
resembled his own, and how those floating curls of shining gold
uncovered to the hot sunshine were but as the counterpart of his, he too
glanced at his mother, whose smiling face was bent with a proud
pleasure upon the pretty picture formed by the two children, and he said
in his clear, joyous tones:
"Why, verily, this must be a brother or a cousin of mine own. Tell me
your name, good lad. Surely we must be akin."
"Nay, gracious prince," answered Paul in low tones; "I am but the son
of a simple knight, who has ever been your royal father's loyal servant.

But I was born, like you, upon St. Edward's Day, and perhaps our
patron saint smiled kindly on us both."
The boy was so excited he scarce knew what he said; but his words
seemed to please the little prince, who replied:
"Nay, now, if you share the good offices of my patron saint, you must
wear my badge too, for love of me. See here, this little silver swan, the
device of my noble ancestor King Edward the Third, it is now my
badge, and you must wear it for my sake. Farewell for the nonce; we
shall meet again--I am sure of it--ere we say goodbye to this pleasant
city. I would I had a brother like you. But we will meet anon. Farewell,
and forget me not."
The royal cavalcade was yet moving onward whilst these gracious
words of childish greeting were spoken. The next moment the
bewildered Paul was standing looking after the pretty child prince, the
silver swan he grasped tightly between his hands alone convincing him
that the whole encounter had not been a fair fleeting dream.
The great green meadow just without the walls of the city presented an
animated spectacle even to eyes accustomed to the gay and
party-coloured dresses of the Middle Ages, and to the hardy sports of
her bold sons. The whole town and countryside had assembled to
witness or bear a share in the merry silvan sports, instituted with a view
of amusing the royal guests, who had halted at Lichfield for three
nights in order that the pious monarch might hear mass on Sunday at
the cathedral; and the Saturday was given over to the revels and
pastimes at all times dear to the people, but more so than ever when
royalty deigned to be the witness of the feats of skill and strength. And
King Henry loved to watch the sports of his subjects. His simple mind;
that shrank from the intrigues of court life, seemed to gather strength
and health when removed from the strife and turmoil of parties. His
malady, which at times completely incapacitated him from tasking part
in the government, was always liable to recur, and it was with a view of
recuperating his health, and calming his anxieties and fears for himself
and those he loved best, that the queen had decided upon this progress
through the loyal midland counties, and encouraged the people to
display their skill in manly sports before their king; for nothing seemed
more beneficial to him than the interest evoked by any spectacles of
this kind.

And little Paul Stukely was an eager spectator of the encounters and
feats that were taking place before royalty that bright summer day. Paul
felt as if he were living and moving in a wonderful dream. He kept
pulling off his little velvet cap to make sure that the silver swan--the
prince's token--was still in its place; and even when most interested in
any contest going on upon the green, his eyes would turn instinctively
toward the fair child leaning upon his father's knee, and eagerly
watching the rustic revels.
The royal guests were sumptuously lodged