the procession to the calvary.
a lovely morning dawned upon lewes. the sun, which ere it reached its meridian was destined to shine upon a terrible ceremonial, rose brilliantly over mount caburn, glittering upon the brow of that majestic eminence, and on the smooth summits of the adjacent hill, and filling the wide valley, watered by the meandering ouse, with radiance. kingston hill with the heights, enclosing the valley on the west, and extending to newhaven, glowed with roseate lustre, as did lordly mount harry and his subject hills at the rear of the town. the noble amphitheatre of downs, by which the town is surrounded, were seen in all their beauty, and no one unacquainted with what was passing, would have supposed that a morn so auspicious could usher in other than a joyous day.
at an early hour the bells of the different churches began to toll solemnly, announcing to the inhabitants that a sad ceremonial was about to take place, and shortly after six o’clock a religious procession, consisting of a number of cluniac monks, with the clergy and authorities of the place, the high sheriff, the under-sheriffs, the chief burgesses, with the headborough and constables, assembled in the high street, and proceeded to the star inn, where derrick carver was brought out, and ordered to join it. the train was headed by the cluniac monks, who were attired in the 348habits of their order, and after them walked the prisoner, with father josfrid beside him. next came the sheriff with captain brand, then the local clergy and authorities, while the head-borough and constables brought up the rear. the procession descended the steep street leading to the east gate, through which it passed, and then, turning off on the right, and skirting the old walls, which were thronged with spectators, crossed the valley to southover, and shaped its course towards the singular mount rising on the east of the ruined priory of st. pancras. on the summit of this eminence, a large crucifix, with the figure of the saviour nailed to it, was then reared, forming, from its commanding position, a conspicuous object for miles around.
on reaching the summit of the mount, the monks prostrated themselves at the foot of the cross, and began to recite a prayer, while the rest of the procession assumed an equally reverential posture. derrick carver, however, refused to kneel, and on this occasion his prejudices were respected. as he remained standing amidst the kneeling assemblage, he cast his eyes around, and surveyed the fair scene of which he was about to take leave for ever. to one less firmly constituted, it might have seemed hard to quit so lovely a world. but his thoughts were fixed on heaven, and though nature put on her most tempting aspect, she could not lure him back to earth.
immediately beneath him lay the ruins of the once noble priory of st. pancras, demolished by the vicar-general cromwell, in the reign of henry viii., and as he looked at the fragments of this vast and stately pile, carver rejoiced in its destruction. adjoining these ruins was an immense dovecot, built in the form of a cross, above which thousands of pigeons were circling or alighting on its roof. on his right, across a woody valley, climbing the side of a hill, and with its picturesque habitations intermingled with trees, was the town with whose annals his name was thenceforward to be associated. beautiful it looked on that bright clear morning, and proudly towered its old norman castle—grey walls, quaint houses, and church-towers, glittering in the sunbeams, and all seeming to claim attention; but carver turned from them to gaze at the downs, and as his eye 349wandered over those fair hills, thoughts of other days rushed upon him.
many and many a happy hour had he spent upon those downs. familiar with all their beauties, his imagination carried him from point to point, till it brought him to the little fishing-town where he was born, and where the greater part of his life had been spent. for a moment only did he yield to the emotions awakened within his breast. they were sharp and poignant, but he instantly checked them, and resumed his former stoicism.
just then, the monks having finished their prayer, arose, and began to chant a hymn to the blessed virgin, in which all those with them joined. many of the inhabitants of the town had followed the procession to the calvary, and by this time a large concourse had assembled on the sides and at the base of the mount. all these persons joined in the choral hymn; and the effect of so many voices linked together in harmony was inexpressibly fine.
at the conclusion of the hymn the monks began slowly to descend the mount, chanting lugubrious strains as they moved along. the others followed in the same order as before. as derrick carver marched on, many of the spectators expressed their sympathy for him, but no one was suffered to approach him, or exchange a word with him.
amongst those who had followed the procession to the mount were some half-dozen young men on horseback, who had hitherto kept aloof from the crowd; but just as derrick carver reached the foot of the mount, one of them suddenly dismounted, and leaving his steed with his companions, forced himself into a front place amid the line of spectators.
the movement attracted the attention of the prisoner, who instantly recognised osbert clinton, and signified to him by his gestures that no change had taken place in his sentiments.
osbert’s imprudent movement, however, had not escaped the notice of captain brand, who, moreover, detected the glance of intelligence that passed between the young man and carver. when osbert shortly afterwards rejoined his companions and remounted his horse, brand directed the 350sheriff’s attention to the group, and inquired if he knew the young men.
de warren replied in the negative, declaring they must be strangers.
“i am certain i have seen that young man before,” observed brand, “though i cannot, for the moment, give him a name. ha! i have it!” he exclaimed, quickly. “it is osbert clinton.”
“what! he who was engaged in the last rising?” cried the sheriff, surprised.
“the same,” replied brand. “i am sure of it. and now i look at the others, i cannot doubt but that they are the ringleaders in that treasonable affair. a heavy price is set on all their heads, and i must call upon you to aid me in their capture, sir richard.”
“i will readily do so,” replied de warren; “but even supposing you are right in your suspicions, we must act with prudence. they are all well mounted, and on the slightest movement will be off, and easily baffle pursuit upon these downs. alarm them not. they are following the procession. once in the town, we can easily secure them.”
“they are evidently come to witness the execution,” said brand, “and may design to rescue the prisoner.”
“fear nothing; we shall have them safe enough if we proceed with caution,” rejoined the sheriff. “i will presently give instructions concerning them to master piddinghoe, the headborough.”
“leave the matter to me, i pray you, sir richard,” said brand. “i can manage it without the headborough’s aid.”
“you desire to obtain the whole reward, eh, captain brand?” observed de warren. “well, as you please.”
the whole of this conversation had reached the ears of derrick carver, who marched in front of the speakers, and the danger incurred by osbert and his friends caused him great uneasiness. fain would he have warned them of their peril by look or gesture, but no opportunity of doing so occurred.
meantime, the procession moved on, and, pursuing a 351different course on its return, entered the town by the water-gate, and then ascending the steep and narrow thoroughfare called saint mary’s lane, came forth into the high street, exactly opposite the star inn. to his great satisfaction, captain brand remarked that osbert clinton and his companions had likewise passed through the water-gate.
