He visited them privately; he gave them a part of the spoils
allotted to himself; by every act of valour and courtesy he strove to
engage those hearts that hated, envied, and maligned him: But where
hatred arises from envy of superior qualities, every display of those
qualities increases the cause from whence it arises.

[Another pause ensues here.]

The young nobles and gentlemen who distinguished Edmund were prevented
from raising him to preferment by the insinuations of Wenlock and his
associates, who never failed to set before them his low descent, and his
pride and arrogance in presuming to rank with gentlemen.

[Here the manuscript is not legible for several pages. There is mention,
about this time, of the death of the Lady Fitz-Owen, but not the cause.]

Wenlock rejoiced to find that his schemes took effect, and that they
should be recalled at the approach of winter. The Baron was glad of
a pretence to send for them home; for he could no longer endure the
absence of his children, after the loss of their mother.

[The manuscript is again defaced for many leaves; at length the letters
become more legible, and the remainder of it is quite perfect.]

From the time the young men returned from France, the enemies of Edmund
employed their utmost abilities to ruin him in the Baron's opinion, and
get him dismissed from the family. They insinuated a thousand things
against him, that happened, as they said, during his residence in
France, and therefore could not be known to his master; but when the
Baron privately enquired of his two elder sons, he found there was no
truth in their reports. Sir Robert, though he did not love him, scorned
to join in untruths against him. Mr. William spoke of him with the
warmth of fraternal affection. The Baron perceived that his kinsmen
disliked Edmund; but his own good heart hindered him from seeing the
baseness of theirs. It is said, that continual dropping will wear away a
stone; so did their incessant reports, by insensible degrees, produce a
coolness in his patron's behaviour towards him. If he behaved with manly
spirit, it was misconstrued into pride and arrogance; his generosity
was imprudence; his humility was hypocrisy, the better to cover his
ambition. Edmund bore patiently all the indignities that were thrown
upon him; and, though he felt them severely in his bosom, scorned to
justify his conduct at the expence even of his enemies. Perhaps his
gentle spirit