y word for it that no scath shall come to
his people, nor to their houses or gear. if, however, we have
not his leave, i shall come close at the heels of this message
without his leave, and bearing a key with me which shall open all
that he may close." he stooped and whispered to sir robert
knolles and sir huge calverley, who smiled as men well pleased,
and hastened from the room.
"our cousin charles has had experience of our friendship," the
prince continued, "and now, by the saints! he shall feel a touch
of our displeasure. i send now a message to our cousin charles
which his whole kingdom may read. let him take heed lest worse
befall him. where is my lord chandos? ha, sir john, i commend
this worthy knight to your care. you will see that he hath
refection, and such a purse of gold as may defray his charges,
for indeed it is great honor to any court to have within it so
noble and gentle a cavalier. how say you, sire?" he asked,
turning to the spanish refugee, while the herald of navarre was
conducted from the chamber by the old warrior.
"it is not our custom in spain to reward pertness in a
messenger," don pedro answered, patting the head of his
greyhound. "yet we have all heard the lengths to which your
royal generosity runs."
"in sooth, yes," cried the king of majorca.
"who should know it better than we?" said don pedro bitterly,
"since we have had to fly to you in our trouble as to the natural
protector of all who are weak."
"nay, nay, as brothers to a brother," cried the prince, with
sparkling eyes. "we doubt not, with the help of god, to see you
very soon restored to those thrones from which you have been so
traitorously thrust."
"when that happy day comes," said pedro, "then spain shall be to
you as aquitaine, and, be your project what it may, you may ever
count on every troop and every ship over which flies the banner
of castile."
"and," added the other, "upon every aid which the wealth and
power of majorca can bestow."
"touching the hundred thousand crowns in which i stand your
debtor," continued pedro carelessly, "it can no doubt----"
"not a word, sire, not a word!" cried the prince. "it is not now
when you are in grief that i would vex your mind with such base
and sordid matters. i have said once and forever that i am yours
with every bow-string of my army and every florin in my coffers."
"ah! here is indeed a mirror of chivalry," said don pedro. "i
think, sir fernando, since the prince's bounty is stretched so
far, that we may make further use of his gracious goodness to the
extent of fifty thousand crowns. good sir william felton, here,
will doubtless settle the matter with you."
the stout old english counsellor looked somewhat blank at this
prompt acceptance of his master's bounty.
"if it please you, sire," he said, "the public funds are at their
lowest, seeing that i have paid twelve thousand men of the
companies, and the new taxes--the hearth-tax and the wine-tax--
not yet come in. if you could wait until the promised help from
england comes----"
"nay, nay, my sweet cousin," cried don pedro. "had we known that
your own coffers were so low, or that this sorry sum could have
weighed one way or the other, we had been loth indeed----"
"enough, sire, enough!" said the prince, flushing with vexation.
"if the public funds be, indeed, so backward, sir william, there
is still, i trust, my own private credit, which hath never been
drawn upon for my own uses, but is now ready in the cause of a
friend in adversity. go, raise this money upon our own jewels,
if nought else may serve, and see that it be paid over to don
fernando."
"in security i offer----" cried don pedro.
"tush! tush!" said the prince. "i am not a lombard, sire. your
kingly pledge is my security, without bond or seal. but i have
tidings for you, my lords and lieges, that our brother of
lancaster is on his way for our capital with four hundred lances
and as many archers to aid us in our venture. when he hath come,
and when our fair consort is recovered in her health, which i
trust by the grace of god may be ere many weeks be past, we shall
then join the army at dax, and set our banners to the breeze once
more."
a buzz of joy at the prospect of immediate action rose up from
the group of warriors. the prince smiled at the martial ardor
which shone upon every face around him.
"it will hearten you to know," he continued, "that i have sure
advices that this henry is a very valiant leader, and that he has
it in his power to make such a stand against us as promises to
give us much honor and pleasure. of his own people he hath
brought together, as i learn, some fifty thousand, with twelve
thousand of the french free companies, who are, as you know very
valiant and expert men-at-arms. it is certain also, that
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