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1、IvanhoebySirWalterScottCHAPTERIThuscommunedthese;whiletotheirlowlydome,Thefull-fedswinereturn'dwitheveninghome;Compell'd,reluctant,totheseveralsties,Withdinobstreperous,andungratefulcries.Pope's_Odyssey_.InthatpleasantdistrictofmerryEnglandwhichiswateredbytherive
2、rDon,thereextendedinancienttimesalargeforest,coveringthegreaterpartofthebeautifulhillsandvalleyswhichliebetweenSheffieldandthepleasanttownofDoncaster.TheremainsofthisextensivewoodarestilltobeseenatthenobleseatsofWentworth,ofWarncliffePark,andaroundRotherham.Hereh
3、auntedofyorethefabulousDragonofWantley;herewerefoughtmanyofthemostdesperatebattlesduringtheCivilWarsoftheRoses;andherealsoflourishedinancienttimesthosebandsofgallantoutlaws,whosedeedshavebeenrenderedsopopularinEnglishsong.Suchbeingourchiefscene,thedateofourstoryr
4、eferstoaperiodtowardstheendofthereignofRichardI.,whenhisreturnfromhislongcaptivityhadbecomeaneventratherwishedthanhopedforbyhisdespairingsubjects,whowereinthemeantimesubjectedtoeveryspeciesofsubordinateoppression.Thenobles,whosepowerhadbecomeexorbitantduringthere
5、ignofStephen,andwhomtheprudenceofHenrytheSecondhadscarcereducedtosomedegreeofsubjectiontothecrown,hadnowresumedtheirancientlicenseinitsutmostextent;despisingthefeebleinterferenceoftheEnglishCouncilofState,fortifyingtheircastles,increasingthenumberoftheirdependant
6、s,reducingallaroundthemtoastateofvassalage,andstrivingbyeverymeansintheirpower,toplacethemselveseachattheheadofsuchforcesasmightenablehimtomakeafigureinthenationalconvulsionswhichappearedtobeimpending.Thesituationoftheinferiorgentry,orFranklins,astheywerecalled,w
7、ho,bythelawandspiritoftheEnglishconstitution,wereentitledtoholdthemselvesindependentoffeudaltyranny,becamenowunusuallyprecarious.If,aswasmostgenerallythecase,theyplacedthemselvesundertheprotectionofanyofthepettykingsintheirvicinity,acceptedoffeudalofficesinhishou
8、sehold,orboundthemselvesbymutualtreatiesofallianceandprotection,tosupporthiminhisenterprises,theymightindeedpurchasetemporaryrepose;butitmustbewiththesacrifice
