which followed on this occasion, and which
are given at length in the Wardour Manuscript, it appears that Maurice de Bracy
escaped beyond seas, and went into the service of Philip of France; while Philip
de Malvoisin, and his brother Albert, the Preceptor of Templestowe, were
executed, although Waldemar Fitzurse, the soul of the conspiracy, escaped with
banishment; and Prince John, for whose behoof it was undertaken, was not even
censured by his good-natured brother. No one, however, pitied the fate of the
two Malvoisins, who only suffered the death which they had both well deserved,
by many acts of falsehood, cruelty, and oppression.
    Briefly after the judicial combat, Cedric the Saxon was summoned to the
court of Richard, which, for the purpose of quieting the counties that had been
disturbed by the ambition of his brother, was then held at York. Cedric tushed
and pshawed more than once at the message - but he refused not obedience. In
fact, the return of Richard had quenched every hope that he had entertained of
restoring a Saxon dynasty in England; for, whatever head the Saxons might have
made in the event of a civil war, it was plain that nothing could be done under
the undisputed dominion of Richard, popular as he was by his personal good
qualities and military fame, although his administration was wilfully careless,
now too indulgent, and now allied to despotism.
    But, moreover, it could not escape even Cedric's reluctant observation, that
his project for an absolute union among the Saxons, by the marriage of Rowena
and Athelstane, was now completely at an end, by the mutual dissent of both
parties concerned. This was, indeed, an event which, in his ardour for the Saxon
cause, he could not have anticipated; and even when the disinclination of both
was broadly and plainly manifested, he could scarce bring himself to believe
that two Saxons of royal descent should scruple, on personal grounds, at an
alliance so necessary for the public weal of the nation. But it was not the less
certain: Rowena had always expressed her repugnance to Athelstane, and now
Athelstane was no less plain and positive in proclaiming his resolution never to
pursue his addresses to the Lady Rowena. Even the natural obstinacy of Cedric
sunk beneath these obstacles, where he, remaining on the point of junction, had
the task of dragging a reluctant pair up to it, one with each hand. He made,
however, a last vigorous attack on Athelstane, and he found that resuscitated
sprout of Saxon royalty engaged, like country squires of our own day,