it had been some miraculous wood that moved towards him. But they as
soon as he came within hearing cast away their boughs from them, and
at the sound of a trumpet bewraied their weapons, and withall
despatched towards him a messenger, which spake unto him in this
manner:--'The Commons of Kent, most noble Duke, are ready to offer
thee either peace or war, at thy own choice and election; Peace with
their faithfull obedience if thou wilt permit them to enjoy their
ancient liberties; Warr, and that most deadly, if thou deny it
them.'"

They prevailed according to the legend and this as some say is the
difference between the Men of Kent and the Kentish Men, for the former
retained their old liberties and were never conquered, and these dwelt
in the valley of Holmsdale; but the rest were merely _victi_. As the
old rhyme has it--

The vale of Holmsdale
Never conquered, never shall.


It is pleasing with the memory of all this in one's heart--and upon it
there is a famous song--to come upon Swanscombe church, in which much
would seem to be of Saxon times, as parts of the walls of both nave and
chancel, and the lower part of the tower, where one may see signs of
Roman brick. The nave, however, at least within, is late Norman if not
Transitional, and the windows in the chancel are Norman and Early
English. Here, too, is the tomb of Sir Anthony Weldon, the malicious
gossip [Footnote: He was the author of "The Secret History of the first
Two Stuart Kings" and of "A Catt may look at a King, or a Briefe
Chronicle and Character of the Kings of England..."] of the time of