The workmen, seeing the reinforcements, beat a retreat, carrying their sadly pommeled comrades with them, but their insulting language was not restricted until they had passed out of hearing.

1835 "Bombastes kept the devil's bird, Shut in the pommel of his sword, And taught him all the cunning pranks, Of past and future mountebanks.

" To this the Sheriff answered never a word, but all the blood left his cheeks, and he caught at the pommel of his saddle to keep himself from falling; for he also saw the fellow that so shouted, and knew him to be Friar Tuck; and, moreover, behind Friar Tuck he saw the faces of Robin Hood and Little John and Will Scarlet and Will Stutely and Allan a Dale and others of the band.

Maude was swaying in her saddle, in which she could only keep herself by clutching at the pommel; it seemed every moment as if she must fall, as if the horse itself must fall and throw her like a stone down the steep hill.

He took it in both hands, like a young knight receiving the pommel of his sword from him who has just given the accolade, and stared down at it until the creaking of the opened French windows startled him to his feet.

" As he spoke, he seized the hilt of his sword and began to tug at it; but it would not leave its sheath, and all the while he was kicking at his horse's ribs with his heels, with the result that the stout cob gave a kick and a plunge, lowered its head, and dashed off at a gallop, with David holding on to the pommel.

[Illustration: The stout cob dashed of at a gallop, with David holding on to the pommel.]

So all this day, while on horseback, I have been preparing for the surgical operation by sharpening my penknife on the leathern pommel of my saddle as I rode along.

But Charlemaign the king, who had risen by night To look upon memorials, or at ease To read and sign an ordinance of the realm, The Fanolehen or Cunigosteura For tithing corn, so to confirm the same And stamp it with the pommel of his sword, Hearing their voices in the court below, Looked from his window, and beheld the pair.

He sat his saddle loosely, one hand falling heavily on the pommel, and his head bent.

The pommel had struck a branchand Red Perris was still in place.

He put a sixth cartridge into the chamber of his rifle, and carried the weapon across the pommel of his saddle.

He is said to have kept a small devil prisoner in the pommel of his sword.

Bombastus kept a devil's bird Shut in the pommel of his sword, That taught him all the cunning pranks Of past and future mountebanks.

An old chief and a couple of warriors rode forrad, Winchester to pommel, but, seein' we was alone, they sheathed their guns, and we invited 'em to eat.

"Pommeled, beaten, bruised; having pommels, as a sword or dagger."Webster and Chalmers.

Other of the Arcadians were ready to shield him from any harm which might rise of that nakedness; but little needed it, for his chief enemy kneeled down, offering to deliver the pommel of his sword, in token of yielding, withal saying aloud that he thought it more liberty to be his prisoner than any other's general.

He swore one great oath, for he saw, at least, that the meeting boded him 110 good; then he sat motionless in his saddle, his left hand on the pommel, his right held stiffly by his side.

The TEMPORAL SCEPTRE of Queen Victoria is of gold, 2 feet 9 inch in length; the staff is very plain, but the pommel is ornamented with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds.

George and Leon were eagerly fingering a long coil of rope thrown on the pommel of one saddle, when a deep voice from behind them ejaculated, "Guess you ain't ever seen the likes of that before.

" "Only in speech, sir," he replied, lazily swinging one huge leg over the pommel of his saddle.

" I glanced at the beautiful Spanish weapon resting across my pommel.

The handsome, headlong, terrible boy swayed forward, rolled slowly over the pommel of his saddle, and fell to the ground motionless.

"Miss Van Diemen, it shall all turn out well," he said, striking his fist on the pommel of his saddle.

" The weary lady had no response ready for words of cheer; she leaned heavily over the pommel of her saddle and rode on in silence.