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themselves in a perilous state。 All through England the smaller
gentry were ruined； for they had no trade save war； and they drew
their living from the work of others。 On many a manor…house there
came evil times； and on none more than on the Manor of Tilford；
where for many generations the noble family of the Lorings had
held their home。
There was a time when the Lorings had held the country from the
North Downs to the Lakes of Frensham； and when their grim
castle…keep rising above the green meadows which border the River
Wey had been the strongest fortalice betwixt Guildford Castle in
the east and Winchester in the west。 But there came that Barons'
War； in which the King used his Saxon subjects as a whip with
which to scourge his Norman barons； and Castle Loring； like so
many other great strongholds； was swept from the face of the land。
》From that time the Lorings； with estates sadly curtailed； lived in
what had been the dower…house； with enough for splendor。
And then came their lawsuit with Waverley Abbey； and the
Cistercians laid claim to their richest land； with peccary；
turbary and feudal rights over the remainder。 It lingered on for
years； this great lawsuit； and when it was finished the men of the
Church and the men of the Law had divided all that was richest of
the estate between them。 There was still left the old manor…house
from which with each generation there came a soldier to uphold the
credit of the name and to show the five scarlet roses on the
silver shield where it had always been shown … in the van。 There
were twelve bronzes in the little chapel where Matthew the priest
said mass every morning； all of men of the house of Loring。 Two
lay with their legs crossed； as being from the Crusades。 Six
others rested their feet upon lions； as having died in war。 Four
only lay with the effigy of their hounds to show that they had
passed in peace。
Of this famous but impoverished family； doubly impoverished by law
and by pestilence； two members were living in the year of grace
1349 … Lady Ermyntrude Loring and her grandson Nigel。 Lady
Ermyntrude's husband had fallen before the Scottish spearsmen at
Stirling； and her son Eustace； Nigel's father； had found a
glorious death nine years before this chronicle opens upon the
poop of a Norman galley at the sea…fight of Sluys。 The lonely old
woman； fierce and brooding like the falcon mewed in her chamber；
was soft only toward the lad whom she had brought up。 All the
tenderness and love of her nature； so hidden from others that they
could not imagine their existence； were lavished upon him。 She
could not bear him away from her； and he； with that respect for
authority which the age demanded； would not go without her
blessing and consent。
So it came about that Nigel； with his lion heart and with the
blood of a hundred soldiers thrilling in his veins； still at the
age of two and twenty； wasted the weary days reclaiming his hawks
with leash and lure or training the alans and spaniels who shared
with the family the big earthen…floored hall of the manor…house。
Day by day the aged Lady Ermyntrude had seen him wax in strength
and in manhood； small of stature； it is true； but with muscles of
steel … and a soul of fire。 From all parts； from the warden of
Guildford Castle； from the tilt…yard of Farnham； tales of his
prowess were brought back to her； of his daring as a rider； of his
debonair courage； of his skill with all weapons； but still she；
who had both husband and son torn from her by a bloody death；
could not bear that this； the last of the Lorings； the final bud
of so famous an old tree； should share the same fate。 With a
weary heart； but with a smiling face； he bore with his uneventful
days； while she would ever put off the evil time until the harvest
was better； until the monks of Waverley should give up what they
had taken； until his uncle should die and leave money for his
outfit； or any other excuse with which she could hold him to her
side。
And indeed； there was need for a man at Tilford； for the strife
betwixt the Abbey and the manor…house had never been appeased； and
still on one pretext or another the monks would clip off yet one
more slice of their neighbor's land。 Over the winding river；
across the green meadows； rose the short square tower and the high
gray walls of the grim Abbey； with its bell tolling by day and
night； a voice of menace and of dread to the little household。
It is in the heart of the great Cistercian monastery that this
chronicle of old days must take its start； as we trace the feud
betwixt the monks and the house of Loring； with those events to
which it gave birth； ending with the coming of Chandos； the
strange spear…running of Tilford Bridge and the deeds with which
Nigel won fame in the wars。 Elsewhere； in the chronicle of the
White Company； it has been set forth what manner of man was Nigel
Loring。 Those who love him may read herein those things which
went to his making。 Let us go back together and gaze upon this
green stage of England； the scenery； hill； plain and river even as
now； the actors in much our very selves； in much also so changed
in thought and act that they might be dwellers in another world to
ours。
II。 HOW THE DEVIL CAME TO WAVERLEY
The day was the first of May； which was the Festival of the
Blessed Apostles Philip and James。 The year was the 1；349th from
man's salvation。
》From tierce to sext； and then again from sext to nones； Abbot John
of the House of Waverley had been seated in his study while he
conducted the many high duties of his office。 All around for many
a mile on every side stretched the fertile and flourishing estate
of which he was the master。 In the center lay the broad Abbey
buildings； with church and cloisters； hospitium； chapter…house and
frater…house； all buzzing with a busy life。 Through the open
window came the low hum of the voices of the brethren as they
walked in pious converse in the ambulatory below。 From across the
cloister there rolled the distant rise and fall of a Gregorian
chant； where the precentor was hard at work upon the choir； while
down in the chapter…house sounded the strident voice of Brother
Peter； expounding the rule of Saint Bernard to the novices。
Abbot John rose to stretch his cramped limbs。 He looked out at
the greensward of the cloister； and at the graceful line of open
Gothic arches which skirted a covered walk for the brethren
within。 Two and two in their black…and…white garb with slow step
and heads inclined； they paced round and round。 Several of the
more studious had brought their illuminating work from the
scriptorium； and sat in the warm sunshine with their little
platters of pigments and packets of gold…leaf before them； their
shoulders rounded and their faces sunk low over the white sheets
of vellum。 There too was the copper…worker with his burin and
graver。 Learning and art were not traditions with the Cistercians
as with the parent Order of the Benedictines； and yet the library
of Waverley was well filled both with precious books and with
pious students。
But the true glory of the Cistercian lay in his outdoor work； and
so ever and anon there passed through the cloister some sunburned
monk； soiled mattock or shovel in hand； with his gown looped to
his knee； fresh from the fields or the garden。 The lush green
water…meadows speckled with the heavy…fleeced sheep； the acres of
corn…land reclaimed from heather and bracken； the vineyards on the
southern slope of Crooksbury Hill； the rows of Hankley fish…ponds；
the Frensham marshes drained and sown with vegetables； the
spacious pigeon…cotes； all circled the great Abbey round with the
visible labors of the Order。
The Abbot's full and florid face shone with a quiet content as he
looked out at his huge but well…ordered household。 Like every
head of a prosperous Abbey； Abbot John； the fourth of the name；
was a man of various accomplishments。 Through his own chosen
instruments he had to minister a great estate and to keep order
and decorum among a large body of men living a celibate life。 He
was a rigid disciplinarian toward all beneath him； a supple
diplomatist to all above。 He held high debate with neighboring
abbots and lords； with bishops； with papal legates； and even on
occasion with the King's majesty himself。 Many were the subjects
with which he must be conversant。 Questions of doctrine；
questions of building； points of forestry； of agriculture； of
drainage； of feudal law； all came to the Abbot for settlement。 He
held the scales of justice in all the Abbey banlieue which
stretched over many a mile of Hampshire and of Surrey。 To the
monks his displeasure might mean fasting； exile to some sterner
community； or even imprisonment in chains。 Over the layman also
he could hold any punishment save only corporeal death； instead of
which he had in hand the far more dreadful weapon of spiritual
excommunication。
Such were the powers of the Abbot； and it is no wonder that there
were masterful lines in the ruddy features of Abbot John； or that
the brethren； glancing up； should put on an even meeker carriage
and more demure expression as they