ck from
the river and hath a broad banner upon the summit. see the
rising sun flashes full upon it and sparkles on the golden
lions. 'tis the royal banner of england, crossed by the prince's
label. there he dwells in the abbey of st. andrew, where he hath
kept his court these years back. beside it is the minster of the
same saint, who hath the town under his very special care."
"and how of yon gray turret on the left?"
" 'tis the fane of st. michael, as that upon the right is of st.
remi. there, too, above the poop of yonder nief, you see the
towers of saint croix and of pey berland. mark also the mighty
ramparts which are pierced by the three water-gates, and sixteen
others to the landward side."
"and how is it, good aylward, that there comes so much music from
the town? i seem to hear a hundred trumpets, all calling in
chorus."
"it would be strange else, seeing that all the great lords of
england and of gascony are within the walls, and each would have
his trumpeter blow as loud as his neighbor, lest it might be
thought that his dignity had been abated. ma foi! they make as
much louster as a scotch army, where every man fills himself with
girdle-cakes, and sits up all night to blow upon the toodle-pipe.
see all along the banks how the pages water the horses, and there
beyond the town how they gallop them over the plain! for every
horse you see a belted knight hath herbergage in the town, for,
as i learn, the men-at-arms and archers have already gone forward
to dax."
"i trust, aylward," said sir nigel, coming upon deck, "that the
men are ready for the land. go tell them that the boats will be
for them within the hour."
the archer raised his hand in salute, and hastened forward. in
the meantime sir oliver had followed his brother knight, and the
two paced the poop together, sir nigel in his plum-colored velvet
suit with flat cap of the same, adorned in front with the lady
loring's glove and girt round with a curling ostrich feather.
the lusty knight, on the other hand, was clad in the very latest
mode, with cote-hardie, doublet, pourpoint, courtpie, and paltock
of olive-green, picked out with pink and jagged at the edges. a
red chaperon or cap, with long hanging cornette, sat daintily on
the back of his black-curled head, while his gold-hued shoes were
twisted up a la poulaine, as though the toes were shooting forth
a tendril which might hope in time to entwine itself around his
massive leg.
"once more, sir oliver," said sir nigel, looking shorewards with
sparkling eyes, "do we find ourselves at the gate of honor, the
door which hath so often led us to all that is knightly and
worthy. there flies the prince's banner, and it would be well
that we haste ashore and pay our obeisance to him. the boats
already swarm from the bank."
"there is a goodly hostel near the west gate, which is famed for
the stewing of spiced pullets," remarked sir oliver. "we might
take the edge of our hunger off ere we seek the prince, for
though his tables are gay with damask and silver he is no
trencherman himself, and hath no sympathy for those who are his
betters."
"his betters!"
"his betters before the tranchoir, lad. sniff not treason where
none is meant. i have seen him smile in his quiet way because i
had looked for the fourth time towards the carving squire. and
indeed to watch him dallying with a little gobbet of bread, or
sipping his cup of thrice-watered wine, is enough to make a man
feel shame at his own hunger. yet war and glory, my good friend,
though well enough in their way, will not serve to tighten such a
belt as clasps my waist."
"how read you that coat which hangs over yonder galley, alleyne?"
asked sir nigel.
"argent, a bend vert between cotises dancette gules."
"it is a northern coat. i have seen it in the train of the
percies. from the shields, there is not one of these vessels
which hath not knight or baron aboard. i would mine eyes were
better. how read you this upon the left?"
"argent and azure, a barry wavy of six."
"ha, it is the sign of the wiltshire stourtons! and there beyond
i see the red and silver of the worsleys of apuldercombe, who
like myself are of hampshire lineage, close behind us is the
moline cross of the gallant william molyneux, and beside it the
bloody chevrons of the norfork woodhouses, with the amulets of
the musgraves of westmoreland. by st. paul! it would be a very
strange thing if so noble a company were to gather without some
notable deed of arms arising from it. and here is our boat, sir
oliver, so it seems best to me that we should go to the abbey
with our squires, leaving master hawtayne to have his own way in
the unloading."
the horses both of knights and squires were speedily lowered into
a broad lighter, and reached the shore almost as soon
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