tagne, made a diverfion on one fide, while he was attacked on the other by a barbarous nation called the Varnes, who poffeffed the country about Leyden. Childebert detached the flower of his forces against the Count of Bretagne, and a battle enfued; tho' neither fide would claim the victory; but both fuffered fo much, that hoftilities were immediately fufpended. His army had better fuccefs against the Varnes, who were totally extirpated ; at leaft, they are no more mentioned as a people in history. Immediately after this victory, Childebert breathed his laft in the twenty-fixth year of his age, and died very little refpected either for virtue or abili ty. His queen furvived him a very little time, fo that his children being infants, the adminiftration of affairs reverted to queen Brunehaut, who, for this reafon, was fufpected of having haftened the deaths of their parents. [An. 596.] This, however, is no more than a fufpicion unfupported by evidence. [To be continued.] SIR LAUNCELOT GREAVES. CHAP. XIX. [Continued.] was required, and defired that the Difcomfiture of the Knight of the regulations of the combat might be Griffin. R. Sycamore, alias the knight of the Griffin, fo denominated from a gryphon painted on his shield, being armed at all points, and his friend Dawdle provided with a certain implement, which he flattered himself, would enfure a victory over the novice Crowe; they fet out from the George, with their attendants, in all the elevation of hope, and pranced along the highway that led towards London, that being the road which our adventurer purfued. As they were extremely well mounted, and proceeded at a round pace, they, in less than two hours, came up with Sir Launcelot and his company; and Sycamore fent another formal defiance to the knight, by his trumputer, Dawdle having, for good reafons, declined that office. Our adventurer hearing himself thus addressed, and feeing his rival, who had paffed him, posted to obftru&t his progress, armed capapie, with his lance in the reft; determined to give the fatisfaction that June, 1761, established. The knight of the Griffin propofed, that the vanquished party should refign all pretenfions to Mifs Aurelia Darnel, in favour of the victor; that while the principals were engaged, his friend Dawdle fhould run a tilt with captain Crowe; that squire Crabshaw, and Mr. Sycamore's fervant, fhould keep themselves in readiness to affift their respective mafters occafionally, according to the law of arms; and that Mr. Clarke should obferve the motions of the trumpeter, whofe province was to found the charge to battle. Our knight agreed to thefe regulations, notwithstanding the earneft and pathetic remonstrances of the young lawyer, who, with tears in his eyes, conjured all the combatants, in their turns, to refrain from an action that might be attended with bloodshed and murder; and was contrary to the laws both of God and man. In vain he endeavoured to move them by tears and intreaties, by threatning them with profecutions in this world, and pains and penalties in the next › Q ૧ they they perfifted in their refolution, in arms; and that if he had the and his uncle would have begun leaft reafon to think Mr. Sycamore, hoftilities on his carcafe, had not or any other perfon, was diftinguishhe been prevented by Sir Launce- ed by her preference, he would inlot, who exhorted Clarke to retire ftantly give up his fuit as defperate. from the field, that he might not At the fame time, he observed that be involved in the confequences of Sycamore had proceeded too far to the combat. He relifhed this ad- retract; that he had infulted a vice fo well, that he had actually gentleman, and not only challengmoved off to fome diftance; but ed, but even purfued him, and his apprehenfion and concern for blocked up his paffage in the pubhis friends co-operating with an lic highway; outrages which he infatiable curiofity, detained him (Sir Launcelot) would not fuffer to in fight of the engagment. pafs unpunished. Accordingly, he infifted on the combat, on pain of treating Mr. Sycamore as a craven, and a recreant. This declaration was reinforced by Dawdle, who told him that should he now decline the engagement, all the world would look upon him as an infamous poltroon. The two knights having fairly divided the ground, and the fame precautions being taken by the feconds, on another part of the field, Sycamore began to be invaded with some scruples, which were probably engendered by the martial appearance, and well known character of his antagonist. The confidence which he had derived from the reluctance of Sir Launcelot, now vanished, because it plainly appeared, that the knight's backwardnefs was not owing to perfonal timidity; and he forefaw that the profecution of this joke might be attended with very serious confequences to his own life and reputation. He, therefore, defired a parley, in which he observed his affection for Mifs Darnel was of fuch a delicate nature, that fhould the discomfiture of his rival contribute to make her unhappy, his victory must render him the most miferable wretch upon earth. He propofed, therefore, that her fentiments and choice should be afcertained before they proceeded to ex tremity. Sir Launcelot declared that he was much more afraid of combating Aurelia's inclination, than of ⚫ppofing the knight of the Griffin These two obfervations gave a neceffary fillip to the courage of the challenger. The parties took their ftations: the trumpet founded to charge, and the combatants began their career with great impetuofity. Whether the gleam of Sir Launcelot's arms affrighted Mr. Sycamore's fteed, or fome other object had an unlucky effect on his eyefight; certain it is he started, at about midway, and gave his rider fuch a violent fhake as discompofed his attitude, and disabled him from ufing his lance to the best advantage. Had our hero continued his career, with his launce couched, in all probability Sycamore's armour would have proved but a bad defence to his carcafe but Sir Launcelot perceiving his rival's spear unrefted, had just time to throw up the point of his own, when the two horfes clofed with such a shocky that Sycamore, already wavering wavering in the faddle, was overthrown, and his armour crashed around him as he fell. The victor, feeing him lie without motion, alighted immediately and began to unbuckle his helmet, in which office he was aflifted by the trumpeter. When the head-piece was removed, the hapless knight of the Griffin appeared in the pale Livery of death, tho' he was only in a fwoon, from which he foon reCovered by the effect of the fresh air, and the aspersion of cold water, brought from a nall pool in the neighbourhood. When he recognized his conqueror doing the offices of humanity about his perfon, be closed his eyes from vexation, told Sir Launcelot that his was the fortune of the day, tho' he himself owed his mifchance to the fault of his own horse; and obferved that this ridiculous affair would not have happened, but for the mifchievous inftigation of that fcoundrel Dawdle, on whofe ribs he threatened to revenge his miskap. Perhaps captain Crowe might bave faved him this trouble, had that wag honourably adhered to the inftitutions of chivalry, in his conflict with our novice: but on this eccafion, his ingenuity was more commendable than his courage. He had provided at the ion a blown bladder, in which feveral fmooth pebbles were inclosed; and this he flily fixed to the head of his pole, when the captain obeyed the fignal to battle. Inftead of bearing the brunt of the encounter, he turned out of the ftraight line, fo as to avoid the launce of his antagonist, and rattled his bladder with fuch effect, that Crowe's horfe pric king up his ears, took to his heels, and fled acrofs fome ploughed land with fuch precipitation, that the rider was obliged to quit his fpear, and lay faft hold on the mane, that he might not be thrown out of the faddle. Dawdle, who was much better mounted, feeing his condition, rode up to the unfortunate novice, and belaboured his fhoulders without fear of retaliation. Mr. Clarke, feeing his kinfman fo rough ly handled, forgot his fears, and flew to his affiftance; but, before he came up, the aggreffor had retired, and now perceiving that fortune had declared against his friend and patron, very honourably aban doned him in his diftrefs, and went off at full speed for London. Nor was Timothy Crabshaw without his fhare in the noble archievements of this propitious day. He had by this time imbibed fuch a tin&ture of errantry, that he firmly believed himself and his mafter equally invincible; and this belief operating upon a perverfe difpofition, rendered him as quarrelfome in his sphere, as his master was mild and forbearing. As he fat on horfeback, in the place affigned to him and Sycamore's lacquey, he managed Gilbert in such a manner, as to invade with his heels, the pofteriors of the other's horse; and this infult produced fome altercation, which ended in mutual affault. The footman handled the butt-end of his horfe-whip with great dexterity about the head of Crabfhaw, who declared afterwards, that it fung and fimmered like a kettle of cod-fifh: but the fquire, who understood the nature of long lashes, as having been a carter from his Q ૧. infancy, infancy, found means to twine his thong about the neck of his antagonist, and pull him off his horfe half strangled, at the very inftant his master was thrown by Sir Launcelot Greaves. Having thus obtained the victory, he did not much regard the punctilios of chivalry; but taking it for granted he had a right to make the moft of his advantage, refolved to carry off the fpolia opima. Alighting with great agility, "Brother, (cried he) I think as haw yawrs bean't a butcher's horse, a doan't carry calves well-I'fe make yaw knaw your churning days, I wool-what yaw look as if yaw was crow-trodden, you do---now, you fhall pay the fcore you have been running on my peate, you shall, brother.” So faying, he rifled his pockets, ftripped him of his hat and coat, and took poffeffion of his matter's portmanteau. But he did not long enjoy his plunder: for the lacquey complaining to Sir Launcelot, of his having been defpoiled, the knight commanded his fquire to refund, not without menaces of fubjecting him to the fevereft chastisement, for his injuftice and rapacity. Timothy reprefented, with great vehemence, that he had won the spoils in fair battle, at the expence of his head and fhoulders, which he immediately uncovered, to prove his allegation but his remonftrance having no effect upon his master, Wounds! (cried he) an I mun gee thee back the pig, I'fe gee thee back the poke alfo; I'm a drubbing ftill in thy debt." With thefe words, he made a most furious attack upon the plainiff, with his horfe-whip, and before As the knight could interpofe, repay. ed the lacquey with intereft. an appurtenance to Sycamore and Dawdle, he ran the rifque of another affault from the novice Crowe, who was fo tranfported with rage, at the difagreeable trick which had been played upon him, by his fugitive antagonist, that he could not for fome time pronounce an articulate found, but a few broken interjections, the meaning of which could not be afcertained. Snatching up his pole, he ran towards the place where Mr. Sycamore fat on the grafs, fupported by the trumpeter, and would have finished what our adventurer had left undone, if the knight of the Crescent, with admirable dexterity, had not warded off the blow which he aimed at the knight of the Griffin, and fignified his displeasure in a refolute tone: then he collared the lacquey, who was juft difengaged from the chaftifing hand of Crabfhaw, and fwinging his launce with his other hand, encountered the fquire's ribs by accident. Timothy was not flow in returning the falutation, with the weapon which he ftill wielded: Mr. Clarke, running up to the affiftance of his uncle, was oppofed by the lacquey, who feemed extremely defirous of feeing the enemy revenge his quarrel, by falling foul of one another. Clarke, thus impeded, commenced hoftilities against the footman, while Crowe grappled with Crabshaw; a battle-royal infued, and was maintained with great vigour, and fome bloodshed on all fides, until the authority of Sir Launcelot, reinforced by fome weighty remonftrances, applied to the the fquire, put an end to the conflit. Crabshaw immediately defifted, and ran roaring to communicate his grievances to Gilbert, who seemed to fympathize very little with his diftrefs. The lacquey took to his heels; Mr. Clarke wiped his bloody nofe, declaring he had a good mind to put the aggreffor in the Crown-office; and captain Crowe continued to ejaculate unconnected oaths, which, however, feemed to imply that he was almost fick of his new profeffion. "D―n my eyes, if you call this--ftart my timbers, brother---look ye, d'ye fee---a loufy, lubberly, cowardly fon of a---among the breakers, d'ye fee---loft my fteerage way.fplit my binnacle; haul away---O! damn all arrantry--give me a tight veffel, d'ye fee, brother-mayhap you may'nt--fnatch my fea room and a spanking gale--odds heart, I'll hold a whole year's--fmite my limbs it don't fignify talking..." Our hero confoled the novice for his difafter, by obferving, that if he had got fome blows, he had loft no honour. At the fame time, he obferved that it was very difficult, if not impoffible, for a man to fucceed in the paths of chivalry, who had paffed the better part of his days in other occupations; and hinted that as the caufe which had engaged him in this way of life no longer exifted, he was determined to relinquish a profeffion, which, in a peculiar manner, exposed him to the most difagreeable incidents. Crowe chewed the cud upon this infinuation, while the other perfonages of the Drama were employed in catching the horses, which had given their riders the flip. As for Mr. Sycamore, he was fo bruifed by his fall, that it was neceffary to procure a litter for conveying him to the next town, and the fervant was dispatched for this convenience; Sir Launcelot staying with him until it arrived. When he was fafely depofited in the carriage, our hero took leave of him in thefe terms. "I fhall not infift upon your fubmitting to the terms, you yourfelf propofed before this rencounter. I give you free leave to use all your advantages, in an honourable way, for promoting your fuit with the young lady, of whom you profefs yourfelf enamoured. Should you have recourfe to finifter practices, you will find Sir Launcelot Greaves ready to demand an account of your conduct, not in the character of a lunatic knight-errant, but as a plain English gentleman, jealous of his honour, and refolute in his purpose." To this addrefs Mr. Sycamore made no reply, but with a fullen afpect ordered the carriage to proceed; and it moved accordingly to the right, our hero's road to London, lying in the other direction. Sir Launcelot had already exchanged his armour for a riding-coat, hat, and boots; and Crowe parting with his fkull-cap and leathern jerkin, regained in fome refpects the appearance of a human creature. Thus metamorphofed, they purfued their way in an eafy pace, Mr. Clarke endeavouring to amufe them with a learned differtation on the law, tending to demonftrate that Mr. Sycamore was, by his behaviour of that day, liable to three different actions, befides a commiffion of lunacy; and that Dawdle |