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them to discovery and interception, they soon reached Preston Candover Downs. The sun shone with that intense fierceness which it sometimes does in the harvest season, about an hour or so before its declension; there was not a breath of air, and the occasional barking of a shepherd's dog alone broke the silence of the scene, which seemed to have infused itself into the party, none of whom had for some time uttered a word, when they were aroused by Jan Schontz, on whom the heat and the ale began to operate, and who, it not being in "his bond," struck up a Dutch Kicksysalaw, the monotonous mazes of which he lilted with no ordinary vigour. "I hope Smallcraft," said Lester, "that fellow may not have had more than has done him good." They had now reached the crest of the Downs, from whence the country for miles was visible, and below them lay a large sheepfold belonging to a farm-house about a mile distant. "We are now half-way," said Trevanion, "and though it is a good fault, we have time by the forelock-had we not better halt here to reconnoitre, and let our horses feed ?"" Certainly," replied Lester, for we command the whole country; we will avail ourselves of the cover of this sheepfold.". So saying, they alighted under the side which appeared to them least discernible, and leaving the horses to graze under the care of Smallcraft and Schontz, the two young men advanced to the brow of the hill, where, directly underneath, was one of those immense chalk-pits so common to that part of Hampshire, and on the opposite side of which was a strong, though small brake of thorns and briars. 66 I never saw a more likely place for a hare," said Trevanion, at the same time jerking a stone into it as far as he was able to throw, and which alighted, not on the back of poor puss, but close by Solas Rabishaw who lay there lurking for his prey, couched like a tyger in a jungle. When he promised Colonel Miller that he would deliver them into his hands, he spoke not at random, for the farm-house to which the sheepfold belonged, was in the possession of a particular friend of his, and there his men were at that moment concealed; as he knew that the sheepfold commanded a view of the roads to Basing, he had been there on the look out, and on

the approach of the party had retreated to the brake to observe their motions, or pick up what he could of their conversation as they passed. This ill-timed and unexpected halt, he interpreted as a sign that the hand of heaven was linked with his enterprize. "I know you are a good sportsman," observed Lester to Trevanion's last observation, "but what place is that?" pointing in a particular direction.

That is Preston Candover," said Trevanion, "and if you look down the hill as far as you can to the left, you will see the windows of a large house reflecting, with more than golden lustre, the rays of the setting sun, that is Popham Lane." "This is the best route then," said Lester, and we will abide by it." "I see nothing to the contrary," said Trevanion, “but before we resume our journey, I will try how Smallcraft's charge of Cognac would qualify some of the water of a fine spring which I observed about a hundred yards off as we approached this spot." They accordingly turned from the chalk-pit towards the spring. Rabishaw, taking advantage of their departure, crept like a snake from his hiding-place, and keeping on his hands and knees along-side a wall, reached a tall hedge-row which led down to the farm-house, under cover of which he joined his men undiscovered. Having allayed their thirst, the young men took horse, and had the vexation of perceiving, that Jan Schontz, though he was not quite drunk, was just upon the point of not being sober. They proceeded leisurely and carefully-a chilly evening succeeded to the great heat, and the second harvest moon appeared in all its splendour; about two hours quiet riding brought them to the wood, already mentioned, and here they again dismounted to deliberate.

Having adopted precaution against surprise, they took short rest, and prepared to proceed on their way, Lester arranging that Smallcraft, being best mounted, should bear Sir William Ogle's letter which he had written to De Lacy, and if they should unfortunately light upon any of the enemy's parties, he should be intent on nothing but effecting his escape. Previously to getting into their saddles, they laid their ears to the ground to catch any sound which might awaken suspicion,

but nothing reached them but the call of the partridge or the bleating of the sheepfold. They set their arms in order and mounted. There was nothing but a cart track through the wood, which they followed at a brisk trot, and with spirits rising at every horse's length they gained, had got three parts through, when as they approached a track which crossed at right angles that which they were pursuing, four men dashed out before them from the right, and ere they could pull up their horses five more sprung out from the left upon their rear, and completely intercepted them. "A fine night this, friend," said Solas Rabishaw to Smallcraft, but ere he could utter a reply, the clash of weapons commenced. The mare on which Jan Schotnz rode was faulty in her fore legs, and at the moment Rabishaw spoke, she nearly came on her head; Jan rapped out a thundering oath, and Isaac Yalden, the farmer, (who had joined Rabishaw) cried out, "behold the men !"-they were the last words he ever uttered, for in the half drunken conviction that he had done wrong, Jan instantly unsheathed and clove Yalden's skull to his shoulders, unhorsed the next man who opposed him, and then the fray became general. "Do your duty, if possible!" cried Lester to Smallcraft, who, throwing his sword across his body to the left, the point guarding his horse's shoulder, made a dash by Rabishaw to his right into the wood; for this, however, the latter had been prepared, and his petronel was up to the level in a moment, but Lester struck down his arm with a blow which, had it not been for a shirt of mail worn under his clothes, would have disabled him for ever the shot went off, however, and Rabishaw's horse rearing up perpendicularly, fell with him into the bushes on the left. Smallcraft had dashed by two of the three men who were ahead of Rabishaw, and slightly wounded the headmost of the party, in doing which he regained the track, and set forward full speed, closely followed by the parliamentarians: a small four-barred gate closed in the wood, and being an old sportsman, as the moon shone brilliantly, he resolved on attempting to clear it he drew his horse up for a

moment, and then sent him at it with such determination and impetus, that the animal was unable to refuse it, but springing short, struck the top bar, and came down on his nose and knees on the other side; Smallcraft kept his seat, and this accident again saved him, for his pursuer who was not up to such a feat, slipping his sword under his left arm, let fly a shot at him just as the horse was rising, which passed right through his high-crowned hat. This last danger escaped, he struck spurs into his horse and got clear away.Meantime the skirmish was stoutly carried on behind; the two men who were in front of Rabishaw turned when he fell, and thus mainly contributed to Smallcraft's escape, but Lester and Trevanion were at liberty to oppose them, for Jan Schontz verified the character De Lacy had given of him, to the strength of a Hercules he added the activity of a Mercury, and he kept the rear completely at bay. Several shots struck him, but rebounded off his cuirass which he wore under his cloak, to the terror and dismay of his opponents, who regarded him as something supernatural. Escape being their main object, Lester and Trevanion, after a sharp struggle, succeeded in brushing by their antagonists, calling loudly on Jan to follow them, which he did but apparently with reluctance; he retreated like a Parthian, severely marking his opponents as they came up, until they relinquished the pursuit.They pushed on as hard as they were able, when in descending a small hill, Jan Schontz's mare, who had been severely wounded, fell headlong down."Are you hurt ?" said Trevanion, who instantly dismounted. Jan made no reply, but gave his kecksies an assenting lug up. Trevanion's horse being wounded also, Lester took Jan Schontz behind him, and slowly proceeding, they got into the high road, and almost immediately heard the swift approach of horse. Giving themselves up for lost, they forced their horses through a hedge, and endeavoured to conceal themselves in the shadow of a large oak, but their apprehension was speedily converted into joy, as the wellknown voices of Smallcraft and Courtnay reached their gladdened ears.

Revolving in his mind the dangers to which his express might be subjected, and the difficulty of joining him, should Sir William Ogle decline his reinforcement, De Lacy had sent Courtnay forward from Banghurst, with directions to patrol the high-way between Basingstoke, and the turn of the road leading down to Basing-house for a certain time, and should he then fall in with the despatch, to retrace his steps until he joined the main body, but, at the same time to use the utmost caution. In pursuance of these orders, he had drawn up his small troop at the bottom of a green lane, as soon as he heard the firing on his left; when Smallcraft dashing down the road, met this new support of friends, and they were returning to the wood, when they thus happily fell in with their companions. They now counter-marched as Courtnay had been directed, and met the advance under Bunckley, in about half an hour.

In the meanwhile Rabishaw had recovered from the stupor occasioned by his fall, which had effectually stunned him for the time; he found his men gathered together in the wood, most of them hurt more or less, and lamenting over the body of Isaac Yalden, who exhibited a ghastly specimen of the Dutchman's prowess. Solas sternly regarded the deceased for a moment in silence, and then said, "Thy wife looketh for thee, and thus shalt thou meet her sight; thy little ones call unto thee, yet thou hearest them not-but, verily their cries shall be heard. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.' and I swear unto thy chosen soul, now among the departed faithful, that I will avenge thee!" So saying, he ordered the men to return to the

Farm-house with the body, and remounting his horse, which, after the firing had ceased, rejoined its companions, set out to put Norton on his guard in case any attack was meditated. He passed directly through the town of Basingstoke, but by the time he had reached, and just entered the hamlet of Old Basing, the conflict had begun. Mortified and disappointed as De Lacy was at Sir William Ogle's non-compliance, he was, nevertheless prepared for it, and had settled in his own mind several different plans of attack, as circumstances might call for them. He, therefore, no sooner read Sir William's letter, than he halted for a small space, and sent a hundred horse, each carrying a footman behind, under Bunckley, to the hamlet of Old Basing, with orders to possess himself of it. It was occupied by about three hundred of the parliament's foot, but they were so completely surprised, that the place was gained in much less time than under any other circumstances could have been hoped; and it was just as this attack commenced, which lasted about twenty minutes, that Rabishaw reached it. Exasperated at his late failure apprehensive of Norton's anger for not having apprized him of the despatch passing Aldermaston, instead of taking that affair into his own hands; but, above all, dreading the release of the mighty heathen, as he termed the Marquis of Winchester, and whom, as a man of influence and rank in the country, his republican soul execrated, his enthusiasm rose almost to insanity, and he threw himself into the midst of the combatants. Regard less alike of friend or foe he seemed to

bear a charmed life," for protected by his secret shirt of mail, he escaped as by miracle the shower of balls which

The firing at Old Basing corrobora ting the intelligence conveyed in the Marchioness's despatch, which had reached the garrison of Basing-house, the Marquess of Winchester prepared to act accordingly. The last sounds of the enemy's voices at the close of the war-hymn had died away, when De Lacy moved forward to the attack. About half a mile from the village, the advance, under Bunckley, drove in the enemy's picquet, and he there halted to make his final disposition. A long thick hedge separated two fields, one of which they now occupied, and which led from the lane by which they had marched out of Old Basing to the park, the palings of which had every where been broken down. To avoid passing tnis was not possible, although they were apprehensive that it was occupied by skirmishers: De Lacy, therefore, ordered Bunckley and Webb to divide the horse into equal wings, and pass it, one on each side, in divisions, and then form when they got to the top, the ground being a gradual ascent. To his left, on the top of this hill was a small copse which he had ascertained was unoccupied, and he determined on gaining it under cover of their movement. The cry of "Love and Loyalty!" "St. George and the King!" ran through their small but gallant ranks as they moved on to these respective positions, and immediately a sharp but ill-directed fire was opened on the horse, the hedge, as was suspected, being lined with foot. This they sustained without flinching, to the surprise and admiration of their Leaders, and quickly forming on the top of the hill, came in sight of the Parliament's army; their horse, consisting of seven troops, distinguishable by their respective coronets or standards flying, on a plain about two thousand paces from them, while their foot was posted on a small height beyond, and nearer to the house. De Lacy, in the interim, gained his desired position, and instantly sent Trevanion to desire Bunckley and Webb to unite and charge their horse, when he would move forward or not, as they might succeed or fail. They broke into a gentle trot,

gradually accelerating their pace until within about a hundred yards of the enemy, and then with a rattling cheer dashed at them full tilt. This onslaught the attacked party waited not to receive-they went about quickly, and retreated in good order, while their rear suffered severely from the elated cavaliers: this took place down a gentle slope, at the bottom of which the parliamentarians endeavoured to come to their original front, but the cavaliers bore them in hand so roughly for a considerable distance, before they could effect that manœuvre, that it brought them under the fire of Basing-house. It was by Norton's order that Whitehead and Miller, who commanded the horse, had fallen back, but they had not calculated on being forced to such an unfortunate distance beyond the point he had marked out, for at the moment they succeeded in facing their opponents, the fire of the garrison was given on their rear with such precision and effect, that it threw them into confusion, and before they could recover, the Marquess dashed out at the head of his whole force, and fell upon them. Norton now moved to their assistance, and at that moment De Lacy advanced from the wood. This diverted Norton's purpose-he changed his front and attacked him. As the parliament's troops advanced firing as they closed, De Lacy slowly fell back into the wood, and as the opposing party entered they were received with a heavy and well-directed fire which staggered them for the moment; they pressed forward, however, determinately, and a desperate conflict raged in the wood, which was carried and regained seve ral times. The rout of the horse was by this time complete, and they were vigorously pursued by the Marquis and Bunckley; but Webb, more cool and collected, rallied his small force, and returned to the assistance of De Lacy.

Like a crusader of old, no man fought with a more desperate courage than the Rev. Caleb Rousewell, mounted on a strong but small horse; he led the left wing of the foot, and exposed