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Jane Seton Or The King's Advocate: A Scottish Historical Romance
Jane Seton Or The King's Advocate A Scottish Historical Romance Author:James Grant Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: sweet tone, which then hung in the rood tower of St. Giles) rung the citizens to vespers and to rest. CHAPTER III. THE MASTEB. OF THE OEDNANCE. " The br... more »ide into her bower is sent, The ribald rhyme and jesting spent; The lover's whispered words and few, Hare bade the bashful maid adieu; The dancing floor is silent quite. No foot bounds there—Good night! good night j" Joanna Baillie. Evening was closing, when a brilliantly-attired cavalier caracoled his horse from the palace porch, past the high Flemish gables of an ancient edifice, which was then the Mint of Scotland, past the strong round archway known as the Water Gate, because it led to the great horsepond of the palace, and throwing a handful of groats (twenty to king James's golden penny) among the poor dy vours who clustered round the girth cross of the Holy Sanctuary, rode up the Canongate. It was Sir Roland Vipont, the master of the king's ordnance. Compared to the bustle it had exhibited at noon, the street, though many still thronged it, seemed lifeless and empty. The windows were closed, the balconies deserted, the banners, pennons, and tapestry hung pendant and motionless, and the gay garlands were withering on the stone cross of St. John of Jerusalem. Casting a hasty glance around him to discover whether he was observed (for the political, feudal, and court intrigues of the time made it necessary that his visit to the family of Ashkirk should be as little noted as possible), he dismounted. A low-browed pend, or archway, opening from the street, and surmounted by a massive coat of arms within a deep square panel, gave admittance to the paved court of the mansion. He led his horse through, and was buckling the bridle to one of the numerous rings with which, for the convenience of mounted visitors, t...« less