Ovingdean Grange by W. Harrison Ainsworth

Ovingdean Grange by W. Harrison Ainsworth

Ovingdean Grange by W. Harrison Ainsworth

Contents

BOOK I

JOHN HABERGEON

A View from an Old Barrow on the South Downs

Ovingdean grange in the Year Sixteen Hundred and Fifty-One

Showing What Befel Clavering Maunsel after the Battle of Worcester

BOOK II

INCREASE MICKLEGIFT

Showing that a Chimney may Serve for other Purposes than as a Passage for Smoke

What passed between the Independent Minister and Dulcia in the Churchyard

Some of the Vexations Experienced by a Royalist Gentleman at the Time of the Commonwealth

BOOK III

Hawking on the Downs

The Ostreger and His Son

The Proclamation

The Tartaret and the Heron

Captain Stelfax

BOOK IV

THE SEARCH BY THE IRONSIDES

The Priory Ruins

Mock-Beggar Hall and its Inmate

How Ninian Delivered his Message

In What Manner the Cpatain of the Ironsides Employed his Time at the Grange

Showing How Increase Micklegift did a Good Turn to Clavering

BOOK V

FOX AND WOLF

How Clavering Came Down the Chimney; and How Mickelgift Lent him Aid for the Second Time

How Micklegift was Ignominiously Expelles from the Grange

How the Captain of the Ironsides took Possession of the Colonel’s Chamber

Of the Message sent by Micklegift to Stelfax; and of the Plan for Ensnaring the Fugitives Devised by the Latter

How the Captain of the Ironsides Inspected the Village Church, and Made Another Capture

BOOK VI

THE DEVIL’S DYKE

Showing how Ninian escaped; and How the other prisoners were taken to the Church Tower

The Chase of the Cavalier

Of the Guests at the Poynings’ Arms

The Legend of the Devil’s Dyke. As Related by Master Cisbury Oldfirle, Schoolmaster, of Poynings

How Stelfax took the Cavalier to the Grange; and What Happened by the Way

By What Means the Prisoners Escaped from the Church

BOOK VII

CAPTAIN TATTERSALL OF THE SWIFTSURE

How Sergeant Delves was Reprimanded by his Leader

In What Manner Colonel Gunter was Liberated

The Night Ride to Newhaven— The Brig and the Frigate

The “Star” at Alfriston

How Mr. Beard and Dulcia were taken as Hostages for Colonel Maunsel

The Shepherds on Mount Caburn

What happened at the “Dolphin” at Shoreham

BOOK VIII

CHARLES THE SECOND AT OVINGDEAN GRANGE

The Paper Bullet

A Royal Wandered

An Encounter with the Governor of Arundel Castle

The Blacksmith of Angmering

The Patriarch of the Downs

What happened at the “White Horse” At Steyning

Ditchling Beacon

Of the King’s Reception at the Grange

How the King was Shut Up in the Hiding-Place

The Puritan’s Daughter

In which the Tables are turned upon Stelfax

BOOK IX

BRIGHTELMSTONE IN 1651

A Glance at Brightelmstone in the Nineteenth Century

The “George” at Brightelmstone

Introducing Two of the Captain Tattersall’s Crew

Containing Particulars of the Conflict on Kingston Hill and of the Embarkation at Shoreman

Illustrations

Clavering Setting Out to Join the King

Micklegift and Dulcia

Hawking on the Downs

Mock-beggar Hall

Micklegift has his Mouth Stopped

Sergeant Delves Reprimanded

Charles II at Ovingdean Grange

Book I

John Habergeon

I

A VIEW FROM AN OLD BARROW ON THE SOUTH DOWNS

FAIRER spot than this cannot be found amidst the whole range of the South Downs—nor one commanding more delightful views.

Look at it and judge.

It is the rounded summit of a hill; or, to speak with greater precision, the mid-summit of a series of soft bosomy eminences, springing from a hilly ridge, that trends towards the coast, and rises and falls smoothly and gently in its course, like the waves of a slightly agitated sea. The lovely mount is covered with short elastic sward, redolent of thyme and other sweet-smelling herbs, and is crowned by an ancient bowl-shaped British barrow, on the bank of which we will seat ourselves, and look around.

How pleasing is the prospect! how fresh the air that visits us! No breeze so fine and invigorating as that of these Sussex downs; no turf so springy to the foot as their smooth greensward. A flock of larks flies past us, and a cloud of mingled rooks and starlings wheels overhead. Mark yon little T-shaped cuttings on the slope below us—those are the snares set by the shepherds for the delicious wheatear—our English ortolan. The fairies still haunt this spot, and hold their midnight revels upon it, as yon dark-green rings testify. The common folk hereabouts term the good people “Pharisees,” and style those emerald circles “hag-tracks:” why, we care not to inquire. Enough for us, the fairies are not altogether gone. A smooth, soft carpet is here spread out for Oberon and Titania and their attendant elves to dance upon by moonlight; and there is no lack of mushrooms to form tables for Puck’s banquets.