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.