extricate themselves from the intricacies of the wood, as their horses could hardly find a safe footing in the sinking soil, obstructed by the roots of trees spreading in every direction around them. After full four hours of continued toil and difficulty, the party arrived at the end of their journey, having dismounted at the massive outer gate of a considerable building. Here, a warder, with several attendants in martial garb, upon being summoned, after some brief explanation, readily admitted the travellers within the interior. The lady's arrival appeared to have been expected, and she was ushered, without delay, into apartments that were already prepared

for her.

The building into which the travellers were admitted, was one of no common order. It was an immense castellated and fortified baronial hall, and even at that period, of some antiquity. There were strong outer and inner gates, and square towers and battlements, capable of defence against the attacks of any irregular bodies of hostile opponents. Every assailable point bore the marks of recent improvements for increasing the existing available means and appliances of strength and resistance. Detached guards were stationed in different parts of the interior, while the courts and galleries swarmed with hardy, though undisciplined retainers, passing to and from their quarters. Every appearance betokened, that some important and coming event, out of the usual routine of life, was near at hand. For, although the lord or owner of so commanding an edifice, might in those days have supported a numerous retinue and establishment, yet the array of armed followers on the present occasion, was far too remarkable, to admit of their being regarded as the ordinary followers of any subject, even of the highest rank.

In fact, the place of this armed assemblage was the Castle of Naworth, situate in Cumberland, some dozen miles

or so, distant from Carlisle. Leonard Dacre, of Gillsland, the uncle of the late baron, who had died in early youth, leaving sisters, had either by right or might, put forth and enforced his claims to his nephew's inheritance, on the decease of the latter; and Leonard Dacre was now in the full exercise of the power, estates, and resources of the lord and occupier of Naworth. Dacre, who had zealously espoused the cause of Mary Stuart, had been long actively engaged in attempts to support the rising, headed by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland. He was, however, a malcontent of far superior energy, spirit, and decision, to those two barons. When they abandoned their unfortunate adherents, Dacre did not follow so feeble an example, but with renewed courage and vigour, exerted himself in keeping together the armed levies, which he had succeeded in raising amongst the hardy yeomanry of the border. He was determined to stake his life and fortune on the issue of a hostile encounter with the troops of Elizabeth: not that he was so indiscreet as to imagine, that single-handed and without assistance, he could wield the resources of a border insurrection, at all successfully against the royal power; but he had every hope of receiving very considerable assistance from Scotland, and also eventually from Spain and other Catholic countries beyond the sea. And so it was, that on the night of the arrival of the little party of travellers, the Castle of Naworth, and every part of its surrounding demesnes were occupied by numbers of the military retainers of the Dacre family, and of those friends who were united in the same cause, fully prepared to resist any attack which might be attempted on the part of the queen's forces.

Harrison, the landlord of the Rose at Carlisle, was in his secret opinions, attached to the Dacre party. When he had enlightened his inquiring customers (as we have seen) on the

object and destination of his female guest, he had told the truth partly, in one sense, though he had cautiously evaded communicating the whole. Harrison was a prudent man, the times were perilous, and his house was frequented by many hot spirits, seeking military service and pay, and with whose zeal and eventual partizanship, he could not be acquainted. The lady, from former information, was assured she could depend upon his sincerity and prudence, and when alone with Harrison, she had disclosed to him, that she was proceeding to Naworth to visit her uncle, then staying with Leonard Dacre, and who was dangerously ill. The thoughtful landlord then arranged, in order to avert the chance of any unforeseen interruption from the uncertain state of the districts, that the course of her journey should appear to be intended for the contrary direction-towards the Scottish border.

Bertha Ratcliffe, the fair traveller in question, was left at an early age an orphan, under the guardianship of her paternal uncle, Morton Ratcliffe. She was a branch of that ancient and affluent family, whose name so frequently occurs in the local histories of the northern counties of this kingdom. Entitled to very considerable landed estates, the rents of which had accumulated during her long minority, she was, nevertheless, subject to certain rights of wardship on the part of her uncle; and, amongst others, to his power of granting or withholding his consent to or from any marriage to be contracted by her. During a great portion of her earlier life, she had resided under the protection of Morton Ratcliffe, and her affection towards her relation, was but the natural result of the uniform kindness she had experienced from him. In later years, Morton Ratcliffe had been mixed up in many of the real or pretended plots and conspiracies of the day. His absences from home were protracted; and, at his own

desire and suggestion, his niece had accepted of the proffered and subordinate guardianship of one of her female relations, resident in London, the Lady Matilda Winton. Bertha was an amiable and handsome girl; and as she advanced to womanhood, her position in life was such, as to command marked attention and admiration, and many a gallant about the court had aspired to her hand.

The family of the Ratcliffes, and several of their connections, were of the Catholic persuasion, and warmly attached to the religion of their forefathers. But in those days, the different members of many families, of whatever religious creed, were often divided in their political sentiments. Thus, while Morton and many of his line were bound up strictly with the party of the Duke of Norfolk and Mary of Scotland, other connections-including the Lady Matilda Wintonremained firm in their loyalty to the Protestant Queen of England. Hence it was, that the fair Bertha had been honoured on many occasions, by pointed attentions from the discriminating Elizabeth, who had signified her willingness to attach her to the court, in some post about the royal person.

When the intelligence of her uncle's illness reached Bertha, it was judged by her friends that it would be prudent for her to undertake the journey to Naworth as privately as possible; for though Leonard Dacre had originally pretended to have taken up arms to suppress the insurrection of Northumberland, yet the queen and her council were fully acquainted with his motives and intentions.

Upon Bertha Ratcliffe's arrival at Naworth, she was not a little surprised at the display of warlike preparations that met her eye; and she was greatly disconcerted at having been so unintentionally committed, in appearance, to an indirect participation in any schemes or designs that might be then

in

But, for the moment,

progress under the hands of Dacre. all these considerations gave way to her feeling and anxiety for her kinsman Morton, to whose chamber she hastened, where, she found him prostrated by heavy, bodily sickness, though in entire possession of his mental faculties. The uncle, weak as he was, expressed delight at the presence of his niece; and much serious discourse at intervals ensued, in private, between them. He explained to her all the details of her inheritance; and even, before she quitted his bedside for the night, plainly hinted at certain plans he had anxiously formed for her future establishment in life.

On the following morning, Bertha was visited by Father Oswald, the chaplain of Naworth, a priest of benignant and prepossessing manners, who informed her, that her uncle had benefited by her company, and that the surgeon attending him had faint hopes of his recovery. Father Oswald added, that the patient appeared to have some wishes connected with Bertha, very anxiously at heart, and he gently recommended to her to ascertain the nature of the same, that, if possible, she might gratify them, and thereby, perhaps, confirm and accelerate his eventual recovery. The worthy priest then entered into discourse with Bertha upon the awful state of the country, and while lamenting feelingly the horrors and desolation of civil war, yet declaimed with fervour, upon the persecutions which had beset the professors of Catholic worship, and the pious necessity of raising the revered religion of their ancestors, from the degradation into which it had been plunged. Although a very conscientious and stanch Catholic in her profession and belief, yet Bertha cautiously abstained from acceding to any position, or encouraging any proposition which could have the tendency of impugning the queen's rights or the queen's government.

In the course of the day, Leonard Dacre, though greatly