The first step therinne will be thy first step to the grave . RIC . SHELTON . BOOK III -- MY LORD FOXHAM CHAPTER I -- THE HOUSE BY THE SHORE Months had passed away since Richard Shelton made his escape from the hands of his guardian . These months had been eventful for England . The party of Lancaster , which was then in the very article of death , had once more raised its head . The Yorkists defeated and dispersed , their leader butchered on the field , it seemed , -- for a very brief season in the winter following upon the events already recorded , as if the House of Lancaster had finally triumphed over its foes . The small town of Shoreby-on-the-Till was full of the Lancastrian nobles of the neighbourhood . Earl Risingham was there , with three hundred men-at-arms ; Lord Shoreby , with two hundred ; Sir Daniel himself , high in favour and once more growing rich on confiscations , lay in a house of his own , on the main street , with three-score men . The world had changed indeed . It was a black , bitter cold evening in the first week of January , with a hard frost , a high wind , and every likelihood of snow before the morning . In an obscure alehouse in a by-street near the harbour , three or four men sat drinking ale and eating a hasty mess of eggs . They were all likely , lusty , weather-beaten fellows , hard of hand , bold of eye ; and though they wore plain tabards , like country ploughmen , even a drunken soldier might have looked twice before he sought a quarrel in such company . A little apart before the huge fire sat a younger man , almost a boy , dressed in much the same fashion , though it was easy to see by his looks that he was better born , and might have worn a sword , had the time suited . `` Nay , '' said one of the men at the table , `` I like it not . Ill will come of it . This is no place for jolly fellows . A jolly fellow loveth open country , good cover , and scarce foes ; but here we are shut in a town , girt about with enemies ; and , for the bull 's - eye of misfortune , see if it snow not ere the morning . '' '' 'T is for Master Shelton there , '' said another , nodding his head towards the lad before the fire . `` I will do much for Master Shelton , '' returned the first ; `` but to come to the gallows for any man -- nay , brothers , not that ! ''
The door of the inn opened , and another man entered hastily and approached the youth before the XXXXX .
FOXHAM Lancastrian RIC Yorkists by-street confiscations escape fire first morning