sun, so did war succeed to peace, and ruthless men made 

 sorrowful the homes of England. When Stephen and 

 the empress battled for pre-eminence, fell sounds broke 

 up the quiet of the valleys, and fugitives often sought to 

 hide themselves in the still close covert of the forest. 



A gay pageant passed one day within sight of the noble 

 yew. Men carrying branches of the beech, and damsels 

 with flowers in their hands, wound up the road; and with 

 them came a train of oxen, dragging a large tree, which 

 had been cut from out the forest. The tree was wreathed 

 with flowers ; the horns of the oxen too were tastefully 

 adorned, and when they reached the summit of the hill, 

 the tree was set up, round which the light-hearted party 

 danced right merrily. All this was done in honour of 

 king Richard's marriage. He had sought the sister of 

 the Emperor Wenceslaus, fair Anne of Luxemburg ; and 

 when, at length, the final arrangements were adjusted, she 

 left the palace of her brother, attended by the Duke of 

 Saxony, and a great number of knights and damsels, 

 with men-at-arms, and a goodly company, all well 

 appointed to do her honour. They journeyed through 

 Brabant to Brussels, where the Duke and Duchess 

 received the young queen with great respect, and caused 

 her attendants to be honourably entertained, for the Duke 

 was her uncle, and he rejoiced much in the prospects of 

 his niece. Anne expected merely to have spent a few 

 pleasant days in the society of the Duke and Duchess, 

 but, when about to leave them, intelligence was brought 



