"Up, infidel dog, when I command you," said Prince John, "or I will have thy swarthy hide stripped off and tanned for horse-furniture!"

Thus urged, the Jew began to ascend the steep and narrow steps which led up to the gallery.

"Let me see," said the Prince, "who dare stop him!" fixing his eye on 10 Cedric, whose attitude intimated his intention to hurl the Jew down headlong.

The catastrophe was prevented by the clown Wamba, who, springing betwixt his master and Isaac, and exclaiming, in answer to the Prince's defiance, "Marry, that will I!" opposed to the beard of the Jew a shield of brawn, which he plucked from 20 beneath his cloak, and with which, doubtless, he had furnished himself lest the tournament should have proved longer than his appetite could endure abstinence. Finding the abomination of his tribe opposed to his very nose, while the Jester at the same time flourished his wooden sword above his head, the Jew recoiled, missed his footing, and rolled down 30 the steps-an excellent jest to the spectators, who set up a loud laughter, in which Prince John and his attendants heartily joined.

"Deal me the prize, cousin Prince," said Wamba. "I have vanquished my foe in fair fight with sword and shield," he added, brandishing the brawn in

19. brawn, pork.

one hand and the wooden sword in the other. "Who and what art thou, noble champion?" said Prince John, 40 still laughing.

"A fool by right of descent," answered the Jester; "I am Wamba, the son of Witless, who was the son of Weatherbrain, who was the son of an alderman."

"Make room for the Jew in front of the lower ring," said Prince John, not unwilling, perhaps, to seize an apology to desist from his original 50 purpose; "to place the vanquished beside the victor were false heraldry." "Knave upon fool were worse,' answered the Jester, "and Jew upon bacon worst of all."

"Gramercy! good fellow," cried Prince John, "thou pleasest me. Here, Isaac, lend me a handful of byzants.'

As the Jew, stunned by the request, afraid to refuse and unwilling to 60 comply, fumbled in the furred bag which hung by his girdle, and was perhaps endeavoring to ascertain how few coins might pass for a handful, the Prince stooped from his jennet and settled Isaac's doubts by snatching the pouch itself from his side; and flinging to Wamba a couple of the gold pieces which it contained, he pursued his career round the lists, 70 leaving the Jew to the derision of those around him, and himself receiving as much applause from the spectators as if he had done some honest and honorable action.

EXPLANATORY NOTES Setting, Merry England; Time, Latter Part of the Twelfth Century; Conditions:

a. Political. King Richard, after leading various crusading expeditions to Palestine, is in captivity in Europe. Prince John, Richard's brother, is temporary king of England. Petty warfares are waged among the nobles. Prince John is plotting to usurp the kingdom.

b. Social. The feudal system, under which the king owns all the land and grants it in fief to his nobles, is the prevailing social order. The chief classes, or "castes," are: Norman nobles (superior gentry); Saxon franklins (inferior gentry); Squires (in line of rank for knighthood); Freemen (tenants on large estates); Serfs, or slaves (menials and jesters); Outlaws (mostly Saxons); Jews (money lenders and merchants, who are treated as outcasts from society).

c. Religious. There are three groups of religious characters: (1) Knights Templars (military churchmen), including the Grand Master, Preceptors, Knights, Squires, and Menials (mostly Saracens); (2) Churchmen (non-military), including Priors, Monks, Hermits, and Pilgrims; and (3) Jews.

d. General. Corruption exists among both nobles and churchmen; there is lack of justice and disregard of law everywhere; narrow social and religious prejudices stimulate hatred between Normans and Saxons, and hatred and oppression of Jews by Christians; the nobles are heavily indebted to the Jews; means of travel, transportation, and communication are poor; and there are few large cities.

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS

1. This chapter describes conditions in England; what facts do you gather of the political, the social, and the religious situations? Make a blackboard sketch of the lists, showing the location of the five pavilions, the entrances, and the different galleries.

2. Tell the events related in this chapter, using the following outline: (a) entrance of Isaac and Rebecca; (b) arrival of Prince John; (c) Prince John's insult of Saxons and Jews, noting the parts played by De Bracy, the bold yeoman, and Wamba.

3. Find passages that describe the appearance and character of Prince John, Rebecca, Athelstane, and the yeoman. Why did the Knights Templars and Hospitalers attach themselves to Prince John? Why was Isaac of York sure that Prince John would protect him?

Library Reading. Read the other chapters of Ivanhoe and report on them in class, using the following outline of events in the six threads of the story: 1. Rotherwood (chapters I-VI). Wamba misdirects two travelers; the Palmer guides the travelers, Brian and Aymer, to Cedric's house; Brian challenges Ivanhoe through the Palmer; Isaac gains shelter in Cedric's house; the Palmer warns Isaac against Brian, and the two depart from Rotherwood; Isaac lends the Palmer a horse and armor. II. Ashby (chapters VII-XVIII). The Disinherited Knight is declared victor of the first day's combat; Rowena is chosen Queen of Love and Beauty; Gurth pays Isaac and meets with outlaws on his way back to his master's tent; the Disinherited Knight is declared victor on the second day, but is wounded; the Black Knight departs secretly; Ivanhoe is cared for by Rebecca; Oswald captures Gurth; Prince John receives a note; Cedric and Athelstane attend Prince John's banquet, Locksley wins the shooting match and receives a silver bugle; De Bracy plans to capture Rowena

Isaac, Ivanhoe, and Rebecca start for York. III. Torquilstone (chapters XIX-XXXI). Cedric shelters the Jews after their desertion by the hired servants; Cedric's train is captured and taken to Torquilstone; De Bracy orders the sick man cared for; Wamba and Gurth escape; Wamba and Gurth meet Locksley, who takes them to the Hermit's, where they obtain the aid of the Black Knight; Wamba and Gurth send a letter of defiance to Front-de-Boeuf; Cedric escapes, and Ulrica confesses to him and promises to help the Saxons; Rebecca refuses Brian's love; the castle is besieged, Front-de-Boeuf is wounded, and De Bracy is captured; De Bracy tells the Black Knight of Ivanhoe; the castle is set on fire by Ulrica, who perishes in the flames; the prisoners escape and are rescued; Front-deBoeuf is burned alive; Brian takes Rebecca to Templestowe, and Ivanhoe is taken to St. Botolph's; the clerk rescues the Jew; Athelstane is knocked senseless by the Templar; Wamba escapes; Gurth rescues Rowena. IV. The Trysting Tree (chapters XXXII, XXXIV, and XL). Prior Aymer is captured by outlaws; Athelstane's funeral passes by; Locksley gives the Black Knight the prize bugle; Cedric promises the Black Knight a favor; Prior Aymer writes a letter to Brian in behalf of Rebecca; De Bracy is freed by the Black Knight; the Black Knight, helped by Wamba and the outlaws, wins the fight with Prince John's party; the feast is broken up, and the Black Knight, Wamba, and Ivanhoe depart for Coningsburgh. V. Coningsburgh (chapters XLI-XLII). Ivanhoe and the Black Knight arrive at the funeral; Cedric forgives his son and learns who the Black Knight is; Athelstane arrives and tells his story; Isaac brings Ivanhoe a message; Ivanhoe departs for Templestowe and is followed by the Black Knight. VI. Templestowe (chapters XXXV-XXXIX, XLIII). The Grand Master arrives at Templestowe; Isaac brings a letter to Brian, which is read by Lucas; Rebecca is tried for witchcraft and sentenced to trial by combat; Higg takes a message to Isaac; delay until sundown is granted on day of combat; Ivanhoe arrives; Brian interviews Rebecca for the last time; Brian dies"a judgment from God"; King Richard arrives and restores order to his kingdom. Conclusion (chapter XLIV). Two Malvoisins are arrested and killed; Ivanhoe and Rowena marry; Cedric becomes reconciled to his son and the Norman court; Prince John is pardoned; De Bracy and Fitzurse escape; the Templars depart from England; Rebecca and her father depart for the Orient.

Illustrations. Blue prints illustrating Ivanhoe may be secured from Thompson Publishing Company, Syracuse, New York.

I. SCOTT AND HIS CHILDREN [These extracts give an intimate picture of Scott's family life.]

I ought to say a few words on Scott's method of treating his children in their early days. He had now two boys and two girls; and he never had more. He was not one of those who take much delight in a mere infant, but no father ever devoted more time and tender care to his offspring than he did to each of his, as they reached 10 the age when they could listen to him and understand his talk. Like their playmates, Camp and the greyhounds, they had at all times free access to his study; he never considered their prattle as any disturbance; they went and came pleased their fancy; he was always ready to answer their questions; and when they, unconscious how he was 20 engaged, entreated him to lay down his pen and tell them a story, he would take them on his knee, repeat a ballad or a legend, kiss them, and set them down again to their marbles or ninepins, and resume his labor, as if refreshed by the interruption. From a very early age he made them dine at table, and "to sit up to supper" was the great reward when they had 30 been "very good bairns." In short,

as

easily and playfully with the current of their own sayings and doings that so far from regarding him with any distant awe, it was never thought 40 that any sport or diversion could go on in the right way, unless "papa" were of the party, or that the rainiest day could be dull, so he were at home.

Of the irregularity of his own education he speaks with regret, in the autobiographical fragment written this year at Ashestiel; yet his practice does not look as if that feeling had been strongly rooted in his mind, for he 50 never did show much concern about regulating systematically what is usually called "education" in the case of his children. It seemed, on the contrary, as if he attached little importance to anything else, so he could perceive that the young curiosity was excited-the intellect, by whatever springs of interest, set in motion. He detested and despised the whole 60 generation of modern children's books, in which the attempt is made to convey accurate notions of scientific minutiæ; delighting cordially, on the other hand, in those of the preceding age, which, addressing themselves chiefly to the imagination, obtain through it, as he believed, the best chance of stirring our graver faculties also. He exercised the memory by 70 selecting for tasks of recitation passages of popular verse the most likely to catch the fancy of children; and gradually familiarized them with the

48. Ashestiel, a house on the river Tweed, near Selkirk, occupied by Scott 1804-11.

ancient history of their own country, by arresting attention, in the course of his own oral narrations, on incidents and characters of a similar description. Nor did he neglect to use the same means of quickening curiosity as to the events of sacred history. On Sundays he never rode at least not until his growing infirmity made his 10 pony almost necessary to him-for it was his principle that all domestic animals have a full right to their Sabbath of rest; but after he had read the prayers and lessons of the day, he usually walked with his whole family, dogs included, to some favorite spot at a considerable distance from the house-most frequently the ruined tower of Elibank-and there 20 dined with them in the open air on a basket of cold provisions, mixing his wine with the water of the brook beside which they all were grouped around him on the turf; and here, or at home, if the weather kept them from their ramble, his Sunday talk was just such a series of Biblical lessons as that which we have preserved for the permanent use of rising 30 generations, in his Tales of a Grandfather on the early history of Scotland. I wish he had committed that other series to writing, too-how different that would have been from our thousand compilations of dead epitome and imbecile cant! He had his Bible, the Old Testament especially, by heart; and on these days inwove the simple pathos or sublime 40 enthusiasm of Scripture, in whatever story he was telling, with the same picturesque richness as in his weekday tales the quaint Scotch of Pitscottie, or some rude romantic old rime from Barbour's Bruce or Blind Harry's Wallace.

43. Pitscottle, author of an old Scotch chronicle. 45. Barbour's Bruce, Blind Harry's Wallace, historical poems on the famous Scotch heroes, Robert Bruce and William Wallace.

By many external accomplishments, either in girl or boy, he set little store. He delighted to hear his daughters sing an old ditty, or one of his own 50 framing; but, so the singer appeared to feel the spirit of her ballad, he was not at all critical of the technical execution. There was one thing, however, on which he fixed his heart hardly less than the ancient Persians of the Cyropædia; like them, next to love of truth, he held love of horsemanship for the prime point of education. As soon as his eldest girl could 60 sit a pony, she was made the regular attendant of his mountain rides; and they all, as they attained sufficient strength, had the like advancement. He taught them to think nothing of tumbles, and habituated them to his own reckless delight in perilous fords and flooded streams; and they all imbibed in great perfection his passion for horses as well, I may venture to 70 add, as his deep reverence for the more important article of that Persian training. "Without courage," he said, "there cannot be truth; and without truth there can be no other virtue.”

II. SCOTT AT WORK

[These selections give you an opportunity of watching Sir Walter at work upon two of his poems.]

"I had formed," he [Scott] says, "the prudent resolution to bestow a little more labor than I had yet done, and to be in no hurry again to announce myself as a candidate for so literary fame. Accordingly, particular passages of a poem which was finally called Marmion were labored with a good deal of care by one by whom much care was seldom bestowed. Whether the work was worth