The day had been sunny and warm: as the
evening closed in, a west wind rose, bringing
along troops of fleecy clouds, golden at sunset,
and then dun and grey, veiling with pervious
network the many stars. Three horsemen at
this hour passed through the open country between Hinckley and Welford in Leicestershire.
It was broad day when they descended from the
elevation on which the former stands, and the
villagers crowded to gaze upon the fugitives, and
to guess, from the ensigns they bore, to which
party they belonged, while the warders from
the near castle hastened out to stop them, thus
to curry favour with the conqueror; a design
wholly baffled. The good steeds of the knights,
for such their golden spurs attested them to be,
bore them fast and far along the Roman road,
which still exists in those parts to shame our
modern builders. It was dusk when, turning
from the direct route to avoid entering Welford,
they reached a ford of the Avon. Hitherto
silence had prevailed with the party-for until
now their anxiety to fly had solely occupied
their thoughts. Their appearance spoke of
Page:The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck - 1830 - Volume 1.djvu/14
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2
PERKIN WARBECK.