Attempt > Volume 3

216 THE ATTEMPT.
desired, if any one of my acquaintance were going towards Chester or Wales, that I
woulde by them sende worde unto her father at home. Therefore, I doe sende this by
an especial messenger, who goeth to carry despatches and letters frome my lord Straf-
ford, and ye recorder of London, unto ye governor of Chester Castle ; for, as I am at
Whitehall, I do sometymes have small favours .shewed unto me in these small
matters.
And nowe, friende Eliot, which shall it be ? Wilt thou leave thy sister in my
care, and depute me to carrie her to Chester 1 or wilt thou come unto ye Silver Spur,
and fetch her home thyself ? Trust me, she shall be as safe under my overlooking as,
God ay ding me, I can mayke her ; let Him be praised that I did falle in with: her,
and soe be helped to preserve her frome ye manie and crying evills that mighte have
swallowed her iippe. True, I may have to crosse swordes with that brave king's
guarde ; but for that, beshrew me, I care but little.
Ah, Eliot, she is verilie a verie fayre maydeii to looke to, youre sister Lilian—
very fayre; yet she is but a childe, as hath becne before sayd. As for Hugh Shaw,
I fear me I shall not be able to finde aughte of him; for Lilian's sayke I am verilie
sorrie, but for mine owne sayke "
Here the rest of the manuscript is wanting, in the same way as the beginning ; I
doubt not that, had it been complete, we might have had one or two more interesting
particulars given us. As the matter stands at present, we are left quite in the dark
as to Hubert's movements ; and it must be left to mere conjecture whether he or Eliot
conducted the fair wanderer back to old Cestria's ancient walls. Possibly, we may
find some passing allusion to a visit to Chester in a letter of more recent date, but I
almost forget if I have noticed any mention of it or not. As to the duel, that might
or might not have taken place : but, as hostile encounters were such common occur¬
rences in the i^eriod under our notice, a scar more or k ss on a brown, hardy face
would not have been of very much moment. Of Hugh Shaw we hear nothing ; that
redoubted young cavalier not a]>peariug again for some time. As so very little of
his private character has yet come out, we can hardly judge whether or not he was
worthy of so much of the love of Lilian as he possessed.
Here then, for the present, our history stops, there being a space of about two
years between this letter and the next one, which is addressed by Hubert Willough-
bie to his friend and cousin, Bertram. This epistle we reserve for the next number.
Mas Alta.