where it hung amid the group of arms which Philipson had formerly remarked, the English merchant observed, that were the minstrels of his land to assign her occupation, so fair a maiden should be bow-bearer to none but the little blind god Cupid.'

6

'I will have nothing of the blind god Cupid,' said Arnold, hastily, yet half laughing at the same time; we have been deafened with the foolery of minstrels and strolling minne

singers, ever since the wandering knaves have found there were pence to be gathered among us. A Swiss maiden should only sing Albert Ischudi's ballads, or the merry lay of the going out and return of the cows to and from the mountain pastures.'

While he spoke, the damsel had selected from the arms a bow of extraordinary strength, considerably above six feet in length, with three shafts of a cloth-yard long. Philipson asked to look at the weapons, and examined them closely. 'It is a tough piece of yew,' he said. 'I should

know it, since I have dealt in such commodities in my time; but when I was of Arthur's age, I could have bent it as easily as a boy bends a willow.'

'We are too old to boast like boys,' said Arnold Biederman, with something of a reproving glance at his companion. 'Carry the bow to thy kinsmen, Anne, and let him who can bend it, say he beat Arnold Biederman.' As he spoke, he turned his eyes on the spare, yet muscular figure of the Englishman, then again glanced down on his own stately person.

You must remember, good my host,' said Philipson, 'that weapons are wielded not by strength, but by art and sleight of hand. What most I wonder at, is to see in this place a bow made by Matthew of Doncaster, a bowyer who lived at least a hundred years ago, remarkable for the great toughness and strength of the weapons which he made, and which are now become somewhat unmanageable, even by an English yeoman.'

'How are you assured of the maker's name, worthy guest?' replied the Swiss.

'By old Matthew's mark,' answered the Englishman, and his initials cut upon the bow. I wonder not a little to find such a weapon here, and in such good preservation.'

'It has been regularly waxed, oiled, and kept in good order,' said the Landamman, being preserved as a trophy of a memorable day. It would but grieve you to recount its early history, since it was taken in a day fatal to your country.'

'My country,' said the Englishman, composedly, has gained so many victories, that her children may well afford to hear of a single defeat. But I knew not that the English ever warred in Switzerland.'

'Not precisely as a nation,' answered Biederman; but it was in my grandsire's days, that a large body of roving soldiers, composed of men from almost all countries, but especially Englishmen, Normans, and Gascons, poured down on the Argau, and the districts adjacent. They were headed by a great warrior called Ingelram de Couci, who pretended some claims upon the Duke of Austria; to satisfy which, he ravaged indifferently the Austrian territory, and that of our Confederacy. His soldiers were hired warriors

Free Companions they called themselves-that seemed to belong to no country, and were as brave in the fight as they were cruel in their depredations. Some pause in the constant wars betwixt France and England had deprived many of those bands of their ordinary employment, and battle being their element, they came to seek it among our valleys. The air seemed on fire with the blaze of their armour, and the very sun was darkened at the flight of their arrows. They did us much evil, and we sustained the loss of more than one battle. But we met them at Buttisholz, and mingled the blood of many a rider (noble, as they were called and esteemed) with that of their horses. The huge mound that covers the bones of man and steed, is still called the English Barrow.'

Philipson was silent for a minute or two, and then replied, 'Then let them sleep in peace. If they did wrong, they paid for it with their lives; and that is all the ransom that mortal man can render for his trangressions.-Heaven pardon their souls!'

Amen,' replied the Landamman, and those of all brave men!-My grandsire was at the battle, and was held to have demeaned himself like a good soldier; and this bow has been ever since carefully preserved in our family. There is a prophecy about it, but I hold it not worthy of remark." Philipson was about to inquire further, but was interrupted by a loud cry of surprise and astonishment from without.

6

'I must out,' said Biederman, and see what these wild lads are doing. It is not now as formerly in this land, when the young dared not judge for themselves till the old man's voice had been heard.'

He went forth from the lodge, followed by his guest. The company who had witnessed the games were all talking, shouting, and disputing in the same breath; while Arthur Philipson stood a little apart from the rest, leaning on the unbent bow with apparent indifference. At the sight of the Landamman all were silent.

What means this unwonted clamour? he said, raising a voice to which all were accustomed to listen with reverence. -Rudiger,' addressing the eldest of his sons, has the young stranger bent the bow?'

'He has, father,' said Rudiger; and he has hit the mark. Three such shots were never shot by William Tell.'

'It was chance-pure chance,' said the young Swiss from Berne. No human skill could have done it, much less a puny lad, baffled in all besides that he attempted among us.'

'But what has been done?' said the Landamman. Nay, speak not all at once!—Anne of Geierstein, thou hast more sense and breeding than these boys-tell me how the game has gone.' The maiden seemed a little confused at this appeal; but answered with a composed and downcast look: The mark was, as usual, a pigeon to a pole. All the young men, except the stranger, had practised at it with the cross-bow and long-bow, without hitting it. When I brought out the bow of Buttisholz, I offered it first to my kinsmen. None would accept of it, saying, respected uncle, that a task too great for you must be far too difficult for them.'

They said well,' answered Arnold Biederman; stranger, did he string the bow?'

and the

'He did, my uncle; but first he wrote something on a piece of paper, and placed it in my hands.'

'And did he shoot and hit the mark?' continued the surprised Switzer.

"He first,' said the maiden, removed the pole a hundred yards farther than the post where it stood.'

'Singular!' said the Landamman, that is double the usual distance.'

'He then drew the bow,' continued the maiden, ‘and shot off, one after another, with incredible rapidity, the three arrows which he had stuck into his belt. The first cleft the pole, the second cut the string, the third killed the poor bird as it rose into the air.'

By Saint Mary of Einsiedlen,' said the old man, looking up in amaze, if your eyes really saw this, they saw such archery as was never before witnessed in the Forest States !'

'I say nay to that, my revered kinsman,' replied Rudolph Donnerhugel, whose vexation was apparent; it was mere chance, if not illusion or witchery.'

'What say'st thou of it thyself, Arthur,' said his father, half smiling; 'was thy success by chance or skill?'

‘My father,' said the young man, ' I need not tell you that I have done but an ordinary feat for an English bowman. Nor do I speak to gratify that misproud and ignorant young man. But to our worthy host and his family, I make answer. This youth charges me with having deluded men's eyes, or hit the mark by chance. For illusion, yonder is the pierced pole, the severed string, and the slain bird, they will endure sight and handling; and, besides, if that fair maiden will open the note which I put into her hand, she will find evidence to assure you, that even before I drew the bow, I had fixed upon the three marks which I designed to aim at.'

'Produce the scroll, good niece,' said her uncle, and end the controversy.'

'Nay, under your favour, my worthy host,' said Arthur, ‘it is but some foolish rhymes addressed to the maiden's own eye.'

'And under your favour, sir,' said the Landamman, 'whatsoever is fit for my niece's eyes may greet my ears.'

He took the scroll from the maiden, who blushed deeply when she resigned it. The character in which it was written was so fine, that the Landamman in surprise exclaimed, 'No clerk of Saint Gall could have written more fairly.Strange,' he again repeated, ' that a hand which could draw so true a bow, should have the cunning to form characters so fair.' He then exclaimed anew, 'Ha! verses, by Our Lady! What, have we minstrels disguised as traders?' He then opened the scroll, and read the following lines :

'If I hit mast, and line, and bird,
An English archer keeps his word.
Ah! maiden, didst thou aim at me,
A single glance were worth the three.'

'Here is rare rhyming, my worthy guest,' said the Landamman, shaking his head; fine words to make foolish maidens fain. But do not excuse it; it is your country fashion, and we know how to treat it as such.' And without further allusion to the concluding couplet, the reading of which threw the poet as well as the object of the verses into some discomposure, he added gravely, 'You must now allow, Rudolph Donnerhugel, that the stranger