Graduallythegalleriesbecamefilledwithknightsandnobles，intheirrobesofpeace，whoselongandrich-tintedmantleswerecontrastedwiththegayerandmoresplendidhabitsoftheladies，who，inagreaterproportionthaneventhementhemselves，throngedtowitnessasport，whichonewouldhavethoughttoobloodyanddangeroustoaffordtheirsexmuchpleasure。Thelowerandinteriorspacewassoonfilledbysubstantialyeomenandburghers，andsuchofthelessergentry，as，frommodesty，poverty，ordubioustitle，durstnotassumeanyhigherplace。Itwasofcourseamongstthesethatthemostfrequentdisputesforprecedenceoccurred。
``Dogofanunbeliever，’’saidanoldman，whosethreadbaretunicborewitnesstohispoverty，ashissword，anddagger，andgoldenchainintimatedhispretensionstorank，——``whelpofashe-wolf！
darestthoupressuponaChristian，andaNormangentlemanofthebloodofMontdidier?’’
ThisroughexpostulationwasaddressedtonootherthanouracquaintanceIsaac，who，richlyandevenmagnificentlydressedinagaberdineornamentedwithlaceandlinedwithfur，wasendeavouringtomakeplaceintheforemostrowbeneaththegalleryforhisdaughter，thebeautifulRebecca，whohadjoinedhimatAshby，andwhowasnowhangingonherfather’sarm，notalittleterrifiedbythepopulardispleasurewhichseemedgenerallyexcitedbyherparent’spresumption。ButIsaac，thoughwehaveseenhimsufficientlytimidonotheroccasions，knewwellthatatpresenthehadnothingtofear。Itwasnotinplacesofgeneralresort，orwheretheirequalswereassembled，thatanyavariciousormalevolentnobledurstofferhiminjury。
AtsuchmeetingstheJewswereundertheprotectionofthegenerallaw；andifthatprovedaweakassurance，itusuallyhappenedthattherewereamongthepersonsassembledsomebarons，who，fortheirowninterestedmotives，werereadytoactastheirprotectors。Onthepresentoccasion，Isaacfeltmorethanusuallyconfident，beingawarethatPrinceJohnwaseventhenintheveryactofnegotiatingalargeloanfromtheJewsofYork，tobesecureduponcertainjewelsandlands。Isaac’sownshareinthistransactionwasconsiderable，andhewellknewthatthePrince’seagerdesiretobringittoaconclusionwouldensurehimhisprotectioninthedilemmainwhichhestood。
Emboldenedbytheseconsiderations，theJewpursuedhispoint，andjostledtheNormanChristian，withoutrespecteithertohisdescent，quality，orreligion。Thecomplaintsoftheoldman，however，excitedtheindignationofthebystanders。
Oneofthese，astoutwell-setyeoman，arrayedinLincolngreen，havingtwelvearrowsstuckinhisbelt，withabaldricandbadgeofsilver，andabowofsixfeetlengthinhishand，turnedshortround，andwhilehiscountenance，whichhisconstantexposuretoweatherhadrenderedbrownasahazelnut，grewdarkerwithanger，headvisedtheJewtorememberthatallthewealthhehadacquiredbysuckingthebloodofhismiserablevictimshadbutswelledhimlikeabloatedspider，whichmightbeoverlookedwhilehekeptinacomer，butwouldbecrushedifitventuredintothelight。Thisintimation，deliveredinNorman-Englishwithafirmvoiceandasternaspect，madetheJewshrinkback；
andhewouldhaveprobablywithdrawnhimselfaltogetherfromavicinitysodangerous，hadnottheattentionofeveryonebeencalledtothesuddenentranceofPrinceJohn，whoatthatmomententeredthelists，attendedbyanumerousandgaytrain，consistingpartlyoflaymen，partlyofchurchmen，aslightintheirdress，andasgayintheirdemeanour，astheircompanions。AmongthelatterwasthePriorofJorvaulx，inthemostgallanttrimwhichadignitaryofthechurchcouldventuretoexhibit。
Furandgoldwerenotsparedinhisgarments；
andthepointsofhisboots，out-herodingthepreposterousfashionofthetime，turnedupsoveryfar，astobeattached，nottohiskneesmerely，buttohisverygirdle，andeffectuallypreventedhimfromputtinghisfootintothestirrup。This，however，wasaslightinconveniencetothegallantAbbot，who，perhaps，evenrejoicingintheopportunitytodisplayhisaccomplishedhorsemanshipbeforesomanyspectators，especiallyofthefairsex，dispensedwiththeuseofthesesupportstoatimidrider。TherestofPrinceJohn’sretinueconsistedofthefavouriteleadersofhismercenarytroops，somemaraudingbaronsandprofligateattendantsuponthecourt，withseveralKnightsTemplarsandKnightsofStJohn。
Itmaybehereremarked，thattheknightsofthesetwoorderswereaccountedhostiletoKingRichard，havingadoptedthesideofPhilipofFranceinthelongtrainofdisputeswhichtookplaceinPalestinebetwixtthatmonarchandthelion-heartedKingofEngland。Itwasthewell-knownconsequenceofthisdiscordthatRichard’srepeatedvictorieshadbeenrenderedfruitless，hisromanticattemptstobesiegeJerusalemdisappointed，andthefruitofalltheglorywhichhehadacquiredhaddwindledintoanuncertaintrucewiththeSultanSaladin。WiththesamepolicywhichhaddictatedtheconductoftheirbrethrenintheHolyLand，theTemplarsandHospitallersinEnglandandNormandyattachedthemselvestothefactionofPrinceJohn，havinglittlereasontodesirethereturnofRichardtoEngland，orthesuccessionofArthur，hislegitimateheir。Fortheoppositereason，PrinceJohnhatedandcontemnedthefewSaxonfamiliesofconsequencewhichsubsistedinEngland，andomittednoopportunityofmortifyingandaffrontingthem；beingconsciousthathispersonandpretensionsweredislikedbythem，aswellasbythegreaterpartoftheEnglishcommons，whofearedfartherinnovationupontheirrightsandliberties，fromasovereignofJohn’slicentiousandtyrannicaldisposition。
Attendedbythisgallantequipage，himselfwellmounted，andsplendidlydressedincrimsonandingold，bearinguponhishandafalcon，andhavinghisheadcoveredbyarichfurbonnet，adornedwithacircleofpreciousstones，fromwhichhislongcurledhairescapedandoverspreadhisshoulders，PrinceJohn，uponagreyandhigh-mettledpalfrey，caracoledwithinthelistsattheheadofhisjovialparty，laughingloudwithhistrain，andeyeingwithalltheboldnessofroyalcriticismthebeautieswhoadornedtheloftygalleries。
ThosewhoremarkedinthephysiognomyofthePrinceadissoluteaudacity，mingledwithextremehaughtinessandindifferenceto，thefeelingsofotherscouldnotyetdenytohiscountenancethatsortofcomelinesswhichbelongstoanopensetoffeatures，wellformedbynature，modelledbyarttotheusualrulesofcourtesy，yetsofarfrankandhonest，thattheyseemedasiftheydisclaimedtoconcealthenaturalworkingsofthesoul。Suchanexpressionisoftenmistakenformanlyfrankness，whenintruthitarisesfromtherecklessindifferenceofalibertinedisposition，consciousofsuperiorityofbirth，ofwealth，orofsomeotheradventitiousadvantage，totallyunconnectedwithpersonalmerit。Tothosewhodidnotthinksodeeply，andtheywerethegreaternumberbyahundredtoone，thesplendourofPrinceJohn’s_rheno_，_i。e_。furtippet，
therichnessofhiscloak，linedwiththemostcostlysables，hismaroquinbootsandgoldenspurs，togetherwiththegracewithwhichhemanagedhispalfrey，weresufficienttomeritclamorousapplause。
Inhisjoyouscaracoleroundthelists，theattentionofthePrincewascalledbythecommotion，notyetsubsided，whichhadattendedtheambitiousmovementofIsaactowardsthehigherplacesoftheassembly。ThequickeyeofPrinceJohninstantlyrecognisedtheJew，butwasmuchmoreagreeablyattractedbythebeautifuldaughterofZion，who，terrifiedbythetumult，clungclosetothearmofheragedfather。
ThefigureofRebeccamightindeedhavecomparedwiththeproudestbeautiesofEngland，eventhoughithadbeenjudgedbyasshrewdaconnoisseurasPrinceJohn。Herformwasexquisitelysymmetrical，andwasshowntoadvantagebyasortofEasterndress，whichsheworeaccordingtothefashionofthefemalesofhernation。Herturbanofyellowsilksuitedwellwiththedarknessofhercomplexion。Thebrilliancyofhereyes，thesuperbarchofhereyebrows，herwell-formedaquilinenose，herteethaswhiteaspearl，andtheprofusionofhersabletresses，which，eacharrangedinitsownlittlespiraloftwistedcurls，felldownuponasmuchofalovelyneckandbosomasasimarreoftherichestPersiansilk，exhibitingflowersintheirnaturalcoloursembosseduponapurpleground，permittedtobevisible——alltheseconstitutedacombinationofloveliness，whichyieldednottothemostbeautifulofthemaidenswhosurroundedher。
Itistrue，thatofthegoldenandpearl-studdedclasps，whichclosedhervestfromthethroattothewaist，thethreeuppermostwereleftunfastenedonaccountoftheheat，whichsomethingenlargedtheprospecttowhichweallude。Adiamondnecklace，withpendantsofinestimablevalue，werebythismeansalsomademoreconspicuous。Thefeatherofanostrich，fastenedinherturbanbyanagraffesetwithbrilliants，wasanotherdistinctionofthebeautifulJewess，scoffedandsneeredatbytheprouddameswhosataboveher，butsecretlyenviedbythosewhoaffectedtoderidethem。
``BythebaldscalpofAbraham，’’saidPrinceJohn，``yonderJewessmustbetheverymodelofthatperfection，whosecharmsdrovefranticthewisestkingthateverlived！Whatsayestthou，PriorAymer?——BytheTempleofthatwiseking，whichourwiserbrotherRichardprovedunabletorecover，sheistheveryBrideoftheCanticles！’’
``TheRoseofSharonandtheLilyoftheValley，’’——
answeredthePrior，inasortofsnufflingtone；``butyourGracemustremembersheisstillbutaJewess。’’
``Ay！’’addedPrinceJohn，withoutheedinghim，``andthereismyMammonofunrighteousnesstoo——theMarquisofMarks，theBaronofByzants，contestingforplacewithpennilessdogs，whosethreadbarecloakshavenotasinglecrossintheirpouchestokeepthedevilfromdancingthere。BythebodyofStMark，myprinceofsupplies，withhislovelyJewess，shallhaveaplaceinthegallery！——Whatisshe，Isaac?Thywifeorthydaughter，thatEasternhourithatthoulockestunderthyarmasthouwouldstthytreasure-casket?’’
``MydaughterRebecca，sopleaseyourGrace，’’
answeredIsaac，withalowcongee，nothingembarrassedbythePrince’ssalutation，inwhich，however，therewasatleastasmuchmockeryascourtesy。
``Thewisermanthou，’’saidJohn，withapealoflaughter，inwhichhisgayfollowersobsequiouslyjoined。``But，daughterorwife，sheshouldbepreferredaccordingtoherbeautyandthymerits——
Whositsabovethere?’’hecontinued，bendinghiseyeonthegallery。``Saxonchurls，lollingattheirlazylength！——outuponthem！——letthemsitclose，andmakeroomformyprinceofusurersandhislovelydaughter。I’llmakethehindsknowtheymustsharethehighplacesofthesynagoguewiththosewhomthesynagogueproperlybelongsto。’’
Thosewhooccupiedthegallerytowhomthisinjuriousandunpolitespeechwasaddressed，werethefamilyofCedrictheSaxon，withthatofhisallyandkinsman，AthelstaneofConingsburgh，apersonage，who，onaccountofhisdescentfromthelastSaxonmonarchsofEngland，washeldinthehighestrespectbyalltheSaxonnativesofthenorthofEngland。Butwiththebloodofthisancientroyalrace，manyoftheirinfirmitieshaddescendedtoAthelstane。Hewascomelyincountenance，bulkyandstronginperson，andintheflowerofhisage——yetinanimateinexpression，dull-eyed，heavy-browed，inactiveandsluggishinallhismotions，andsoslowinresolution，thatthesoubriquetofoneofhisancestorswasconferreduponhim，andhewasverygenerallycalledAthelstanetheUnready。Hisfriends，andhehadmany，who，aswellasCedric，werepassionatelyattachedtohim，contendedthatthissluggishtemperarosenotfromwantofcourage，butfrommerewantofdecision；
othersallegedthathishereditaryviceofdrunkennesshadobscuredhisfaculties，neverofaveryacuteorder，andthatthepassivecourageandmeekgood-naturewhichremainedbehind，weremerelythedregsofacharacterthatmighthavebeendeservingofpraise，butofwhichallthevaluablepartshadflownoffintheprogressofalongcourseofbrutaldebauchery。
Itwastothisperson，suchaswehavedescribedhim，thatthePrinceaddressedhisimperiouscommandtomakeplaceforIsaacandRebecca。Athelstane，utterlyconfoundedatanorderwhichthemannersandfeelingsofthetimesrenderedsoinjuriouslyinsulting，unwillingtoobey，yetundeterminedhowtoresist，opposedonlythe_visinerti_
tothewillofJohn；and，withoutstirringormakinganymotionwhateverofobedience，openedhislargegreyeyes，andstaredatthePrincewithanastonishmentwhichhadinitsomethingextremelyludicrous。ButtheimpatientJohnregardeditinnosuchlight。
``TheSaxonporker，’’hesaid，``iseitherasleepormindsmenot——Prickhimwithyourlance，DeBracy，’’speakingtoaknightwhorodenearhim，theleaderofabandofFreeCompanions，orCondottieri；
thatis，ofmercenariesbelongingtonoparticularnation，butattachedforthetimetoanyprincebywhomtheywerepaid。TherewasamurmurevenamongtheattendantsofPrinceJohn；