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