The manuscript is the sole surviving documentary witness for this piece of DGR's juvenilia. The text here follows the order of transcription, but the narrative order proceeds thus: pages 1-3, 7, 4-6, 8-9, 15, 14, 13, 10-12.
It was a dark and stormy night in the
month of December, when a figure, closely
wrap=
-ped in the sable folds of his cloak, was seen
and mounted on a jaded steed, was seen hur=
-rying across a bleak common
towards a state=
ly castle in the distance, whose lofty towers
and timeworn
battlements frowned over
the wide expanse beneath. In this noble Without the elements were at
war
site King
Stephen at that time held his
[court?].
with one another; within there was feasting
and merriment, which the bursts
of thunder
and the apalling [sic] sound mournful sound of the
wind,
as it went moaning by the castle,
could not disturb. But there was one
among
that joyous throng, whose lofty brow was
clouded and [?]
[?]
[?]
trothed had the night
before, set out on a
pilgrimage to the shrine of our Lady, to
offer up thanks
for the safety of her lover,
who had returned victorious from a re
=cent attack
upon the [?]
an=
his anxietyRo=
=salba,[?]
[?]shade over his handsome coun=
-tenance. He was surrounded by
the
noblest knights of his time and [?].
these
who seemed
not to rejoice at their re=
cent victory: the wassial-bowl passed
unheeded by,
and his thoughts were
far away, when the page, kneeling
humbly at his feet,
presented to him
the cup of gold, crowned with ruddy
wine. On a sudden he was
roused from
his reverie by the blast of a bugle, and
the challenge of the warder
from the tur=
-rets. The drawbridge was lowered and
after a few minutes suspense
a figure
entered
in which he was
enveloped, discovered
to the astonished gaze of Sir Roderick
the features of the esquire who had accom=
panied his lady
on her pilgrimage: the
perspiration ran down his face, and his
armour was
stained with blood.
So
Roderick
-dered towards his rapier, rushing
for=
-ward, he exclaimed wildly:
“Villain, where is thy lady? Tell
me
quickly, hast thou left her to die?
Speak, wretch! Quick, or I strike
thee
dead!”
The man recoiled a few paces, and then
said, rather warmly,
—
“Thou hast a worse opinion of me than
I thought; I am not a coward, Sir
Ro=
After they had journeyed for the space
of two days, they put up for the
night
at a hostelrie, where the soldiers, ha=
-ving ordered their horses to
the stables,
seated themselves round a blazing
fire, and called for some
refreshments.
After the [?] Having satisfied them=
=selves with the rude fare
placed be=
-fore them, the men began to grow
talkative, and one of them
informed
the host of the reason of their journey.
“An' thy master would win back his
lady,” said mine host, smiling, “I
would
advise him to temper his ar=
=-mour and sharpen his sword, for
the free-lances
are good archers, and
few breast plates can stand their
shots. Moreover, I
would advise
him to be speedy, as the governour
of the fortress intends to
espouse the
Lady at noon to morrow, and” —
“Fine news for our master,”
exclaimed one
of the soldiers, starting to his feet.
“I shall go and inform
Sir Roderick
of this new disaster.”
He was about to retire in order to put his
design in execution, when his
steps
were arrested by the angry voice of one
of his companions.
“Hold, fool, knowest thou not the love
our master bears this lady? He
would
cause us to arm at a mo=
=ment's notice, and issue forth
against these
marauding dogs.”
Having concluded this laudable speech,
he drew his sword, and placing
himself
at the entrance of the chamber, de=
clared his determination of
keeping
the pass against all opposition. His
companions, thinking he was in
jest,
endeavoured to seize the hilt of his
sword, but the other, who was
some=
=what inflamed by the wine which
he had drunk, made a hearty
thrust
at the breast of his [?] com=
=rade, which had it not been
for
his steel corslet would have proved
fatal. As it was, it sent him
reeling
backwards, but soon recovering him=
=self, and findng that it was no
joke,
he was about to draw his sword, when
a second blow from his adversary
sent
him bleeding to the ground.
The unfortunate man now lay at the
mercy of his intoxicated comrade,
whose
arm was raised to give the fatal blow,
when a third weapon
interposing,
struck the sword from the hand of the
victor, who, raising his
head perceived the
stalwart figure of [?]
in a
posture of defence, over the pros=
-strate trooper.
After a few minutes' silence, during
which the soldier, who was now
per-
-fectly sobered, kept his eyes fixed upon
the ground, without once
raising
them, Aymerie lifted his companion
from the floor, and after
laying
him carefully upon a bench, and
staunching the blood that
issued
from the wound, he ordered the crest=
-fallen victor, who had retired to his
seat, to go himself to Sir Roderick,
and
inform him of what they had just as=
certained from the host.
After sundry grumblings and murmur=
=ings the soldier departed but
not
until [?]
to Sir Roderick
effects of the quarrel: then he
did de=
part and soon returned, bringing
with him Sir Roderick, his
master,
who having well rewarded the host
for his information, continued
his
journey together with Sir Palinore
and the troops. The wounded man
was
delivered up by [?]
care of the host, with money to
provide
for his maintenance till their re=
turn.
After a toilsome march passshall pass over,
and their retainers
arrived at the borders
of a forest through which when they had
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
-derick.”
The knight put up his sword, and said
in a milder tone, “Pardon me,
I own that I was hasty but pray thee,
tell me, where is
thy Lady?”
to the further end of
the room.
“As we were travelling onward,” said
the esquire, “we were assaulted by
a
party of borderers
the lady Rosalba, while the rest
attack=
ed me all in a body. Drawing my
sword, I cut a passage through
my
assailants, and slew three of them,I effected a hasty retreat
but seeing another [?]
advan-
cing to the aid of their companions,
and perceiving that it was
[?]
[?],
I rode hither at the
top of my speed
fortunate event.”
[?]
[?]but as he could no longer prevent an
[?]evil which had already ocurred he
[?]determined at least to have ample
[?]vengeance on the agressor [sic]. He therefore
[?]lost no time in useless lamentations
[?]but having hastily assembled his retainers
[?]and hastily explained to [?]
[?]the cause of his abrupt departure,
[?]he set out accompanied by his friend
[?]brother in arms Sir Eustace [?] who was
[?]bound by his vows of chivalry to accompany assist
“My noble friend wilt thou assist mehim in every quest so long as it
in my endeavour to free my belovedwas just and honorable.
Rosalba from the injurious marauders?”
The knight assented, and they
immedi-
ately set out as the head of their res=
spective followers.
enterprise
They soon arrived with [?] of
the castle, where Sir Roderick
a halt in order that he might ascertain
what advantage might be taken in
the attack. But scarcely had he begun
his rounds, when an arrow,
whizzing
through the air, glanced against his
breastplate, but was, however,
repelled
by the well-tempered steel. Looking up
he perceived an archer, dressed
after
the fashion of the borderers
period, who was deliberately putting
another arrow
to his bow.
Sir Roderick
put
noble
steed
where he had left his
companions.
He hastily informed his friend of
what had happened, for there
was
no time to lose, since the wall was
now lined with soldiers, who
had
learnt from
-stances of
our hero's arrival.
Sir Palinore Lionel
his soldiers, throwing up
scaling
ladders, with which they were well
provided, began to ascend,
accompa=
-nied by their master, leaving Sir Ro=
-derick Eustace
case of need.
The marauders were soon overpowered,
and the knight and his followers
were
consulting what course to pursue,
when they heard a loud shout,
and
looking in the direction whence it
proceeded, perceived a large body of
ruf=
fians armed from head to foot, ad=
=vancing hastily towards them.
To draw their swords, and place them=
-selves on the defensive was the
work
of a moment; the rest found them
engaged in a fearful struggle
wtih
their assailants, who, being three times
their number, had a decided
advan=
tage over Sir Palinore
men.
Both sides
the [?]
[?] knight performed [?] of va-
-lour. His voice was heard above the
din of battle, encouraging his
soldiers,
and commanding them to give no
quarter. With his bloody sword
upraised,
he cut a passage through the thickest of
his adversaries; death
attended every
blow: the borderers The leader
him
in astonishment: he followed,
shouting his war-cry.
of the
troop stood in his path. Sir
Palinore'sLionel's sword
laid him lifeless on the
ground.
In a moment the knight found him=
=self surrounded by [?] fifty
men, with their lances pointed at his
breast. He saw that resistance
was
vain, his followers having all been
either killed or wounded, but
he
scorned to yield, so, grasping his bat=
-tle-axe, for his sword had been
struck
from his hand, and recommending
himself to the protection of the
Vir=
-gin, he placed his back against a
turret, and struck down the
first
who approached to seize him.
A second followed, and shared the
on his soldiers to assist him,
the knight made a furious rush at
the door,
which, yielding to the shock,
he entered the chapel at the head of
his men, but
it was only to per=
ceive the governor
back door, bearing in his arms the
fainting
figure of a lady, whose
lovely feature, and auburn locks
proclaimed her to be Rosalba
[?]
[?].
Sir Roderick
Eustace
Joselyn
=pressed rage, and his sword
once
more gleamed in the air, as, bearing
down all before him, he rushed
franticly [sic] after the castellan.
He pressed him along dreary pas=
sages and deserted corridors till
he
arrived once more in the great hall
of the castle, where, at length,
he
overtook him.
“Turn, [?], & fight!” Cried Sir Pa=
linoreEustace, “if thou wilt not instantly
render up that lady or my sword
passes through thy breast.
The man turned round, and re=
=vealed to view, a face pale and
haggard but not
altogether un=
=handsome. A quantity of dark
short brown curls fell over his
lofty forehead, almost concealing
his bushy
eyebrows, from under
which darted two singularly bright
eyes,
[?]
as if the blackness of his
own soul prevented him
from imagining for a moment that any good
thoughts
could dwell in the hearts of others.
A thick moustache graced his upper
lip, and his beard, long and
grisly,
formed a striking contrast with
the palid [sic] hue of his countenance.
He placed the lady gently on
the
ground, and, casting a scornful and
indignant glance at Sir Roderick
he drew his sword, and threw him=
=self furiously upon the knight, [?]
[?] his life dearly.
our hero Montmorency
Our hero defended himself with great
courage and stress, till he perceived
that the castellan was
somewhat
spent with his exertions: then it
was that he attacked him
with
redoubled vigour, compelling him
to give way as every step he took.
His
antagonist retreated, defending
himself wtih the same determined
valour as
before, until they came
to the grand entrance of the fort=
=ress. No sooner was
he arrived here,
than, loosening the chain which sup=
ported the drawbridge, he
sprang
upon it, and was soon lost to
sight, in the forest which
surrounded
the castle.
the progress of
the combat (as the reader
may readily suppose) with
now rushed enraptured (as ladies always do
in
romances)
into the arms of her victorious lover who having brought
together to
make use of Byron's words the remnant
of his gallant band and a very small remnant
it was
went forth
somewhat
more
less gaily than he went in.
joyful in heart and more
jaded in appearance than he
went in.
with redoubled vigour.
As it was, he rallied his soldiers to
the attack, and rushed upon
the
enemy, who, had stretched themselves
out on both sides of the
door.
They were all soon either killed or
dispersed, and the knight
was
consulting with his followers what
expedient to try to gain
admission,
when the sound of voices struck
upon his ear. He listened atten=
=tively, and perceived that the
mar=
=riage service was being performed
within. And between whom?—
Could it
be between his beloved Rosal=
=ba, and the suspicious marauder
freelance
The thought was maddening: the
words of
the host flashed like light=
=ning across his brain.— At noon
tomorrow! . . .
And now it was noon!
He seized his battle-axe, and struck
at the door with the fury inspired
by
despair, but the iron resisted all
his efforts.
The knight ground his teeth with rage,
his eyes seemed about to start from He
their sockets.ard heard
a con=
=fused sound within: he feared that
the master of the castle
free-lance
ry off the lady in triumph, and
he standing
there, unable to
strike a blow in her defence.
In a fit of desparation [sic],
he
His eyes were closing; he felt that
he was in his last agonies, when
his ears
were greeted by the sound
of “A De Malvon! A De Malvon!”
Lindsay
Lindsay
Sir Roderick
Eustace
-ers on the spot where Sir
Palinore
had fallen, the ruffians
=bers had been considerably thinned
in the
recent encounter) fled, lea=
=ving the knight in quiet possession was
of the body of his friend,
recovered from his swoon,left in
the care of [L?]
Rode=
rick
descended a flight of steps, and
ar
-rived in the castle hall.
The knight & his followers
on without further opposition, till
they
arrived at a strong iron door,
bolted on the inside. Before the door
was
stationed a line of soldiers
armed from head to foot, and
ready
for the attack. This door was the
entrance to the castle chapel,
in
which the inhabitants of the
castle were assembled in order
to perform
the marriage ceremony.
Sir Roderick
he
known it, he would have fought
same fate, a third met with no
better fortune, and the fourth,
who
advanced with the intent of putting
the knight to death, had his
head
severed from his body.
was not destined to continue
long
for at the
very moment when he had surely reached the [ramparte?]
with the intent of
descending one of the
ladders which had been thrown up
an arrow sped like lightning
through the air, and lodged in his
breast. He
fell to the earth, with a
heavy groan, his battle-axe dropped
from his hand, and
his armour rang
against the ground. His enemies
rushed forward with a
savage
shout, whirling their swords around
their heads. Their countenances
ex=
=pressed rage mingled with fear,
and the [?] advanced to
seize the
knight.
Sir Palinore
his
from loss of blood, soon
raised his
head from the ground, and, reco=
=vering his battle-axe, lent
the
ruffian such a blow, that it stretch=
ed him bleeding by the side of
his
companions. But the knight felt
that this could not last long:
strength was fast declining, he
began to grow giddy, the objects
before
him spun round as in a dream,
and his fingers convulsively grasped and his fingers con=
the weapon the weapon again fell
from
his hand,
-vulsively grasped the arrow, which
was
planted in his breast, as he
[?] was sunkrolled over upon the ground.
This tale, Roderick + Rosalba, was written by Gabriel in 1840 - He afterwards (must
have been towards 1843) changed the title to The Free Companions, + made the
alterations freely marked in the ms.
W.M.R. [William Rossetti]
1905