The Heir of Hascombe Hall; A Tale of the Days of the Early Tudors

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...The prior heard it, and flinched. He saw the light in Prince Henry's eyes, and his knees shook beneath him. He had been caught in an act of lawlessness for which there could be no defence. His only hope lay in abject submission, and for the moment fear conquered even his pride, and he dropped upon his knees before the king's son. Mercy, sweet prince, mercy! he implored. I have done amiss; I deny it not; but I was sorely provoked. Have mercy, I pray you, have mercy. As you are strong, be merciful. The prince eyed him with a certain scornful contempt, and then he held out his hand towards the town-clerk, who at once put into it a parchment, the ink upon which was only just dry. Sign this, my lord prior, said Prince Henry, and I will pardon your indiscretion towards me, and the evil intentions you had towards my father's loyal subjects. Refuse, and the matter will be told in detail in his ears, and I shall not lift a finger to spare you what punishment he may think fit to impose. The prior cast his eyes over the paper, which shook in (!-) 15 his hands. It was a clearly-worded deed renouncing, on the part of the prior and all his successors, any rights whatsoever upon the water of the upper streams, and also defining their boundaries in the marsh lands in a strict fashion which left no loophole for future disputes. To sign it would be for ever to abandon the claims so dear to the priors of Gadhelm, yet to refuse might bring upon them the wrath of a king who, if personally merciful to the lives and liberties of his subjects even when they were rebels and offenders, was known to have a rapacious eye for the filling of his coffers, and might well, through his officers, impose fines and conditions which would be ...