e, like similar ministers to the
public amusement, the itinerant musicians, for instance, and strolling
comedians of our own day, led a life too irregular and precarious to
be accounted a creditable part of society. Indeed, among the stricter
Catholics, the profession was considered as unlawful.

Such was the damsel who, with viol in hand, and stationed on the slight
elevation we have mentioned, stepped forward to the bystanders and
announced herself as a mistress of the gay science, duly qualified by a
brief from a Court of Love and Music held at Aix, in Provence, under the
countenance of the flower of chivalry, the gallant Count Aymer; who now
prayed that the cavaliers of merry Scotland, who were known over the
wide world for bravery and courtesy, would permit a poor stranger to try
whether she could afford them any amusement by her art. The love of song
was like the love of fight, a common passion of the age, which all
at least affected, whether they were actually possessed by it or no;
therefore the acquiescence in Louise's proposal was universal. At
the same time, an aged, dark browed monk who was among the bystanders
thought it necessary to remind the glee maiden that, since she was
tolerated within these precincts, which was an unusual grace, he trusted
nothing would be sung or said inconsistent with the holy character of
the place.

The glee maiden bent her head low, shook her sable locks, and crossed
herself reverentially, as if she disclaimed the possibility of such a
transgression, and then began the song of "Poor Louise." which we gave
at length in the last chapter.

Just as she commenced, she was stopped by a cry of "Room--room--place
for the Duke of Rothsay!"

"Nay, hurry no man on my score," said a gallant young cavalier, who
entered on a noble Arabian horse, which he managed with exquisite grace,
though by such slight handling of the reins, such imperceptible pressure
of the limbs and sway of the body, that to any eye save that of an
experienced horseman the animal seemed to be putting forth his paces for
his own amusement, and thus gracefully bearing forward a rider who was
too indolent to give himself any trouble about the matter.

The Prince's apparel, which was very rich, was put on with slovenly
carelessness. His form, though his stature was low, and his limbs
extremely slight, was elegant in the extreme; and his features no less
handsome. But there was on his brow a haggard paleness, which see