"i am with you, edward, as true as hilt to blade. but, by st.
james! we shall not let these moors make mock at us from over the
sea. we must take ship and thrust them from africa."
"by heaven, yes!" cried the prince. "and it is the dream of my
heart that our english pennons shall wave upon the mount of
olives, and the lions and lilies float over the holy city."
"and why not, dear coz? your bowmen have cleared a path to
paris, and why not to jerusalem? once there, your arms might
rest."
"nay, there is more to be done," cried the prince, carried away
by the ambitious dream. "there is still the city of constantine
to be taken, and war to be waged against the soldan of damascus.
and beyond him again there is tribute to be levied from the cham
of tartary and from the kingdom of cathay. ha! john, what say
you? can we not go as far eastward as richard of the lion
heart?"
"old john will bide at home, sire," said the rugged soldier. "by
my soul! as long as i am seneschal of aquitaine i will find
enough to do in guarding the marches which you have entrusted to
me. it would be a blithe day for the king of france when he
heard that the seas lay between him and us."
"by my soul! john," said the prince, "i have never known you turn
laggard before."
"the babbling hound, sire, is not always the first at the mort,"
the old knight answered.
"nay, my true-heart! i have tried you too often not to know.
but, by my soul! i have not seen so dense a throng since the day
that we brought king john down cheapside."
it was indeed an enormous crowd which covered the whole vast
plain from the line of vineyards to the river bank. from the
northern gate the prince and his companions looked down at a dark
sea of heads, brightened here and there by the colored hoods of
the women, or by the sparkling head-pieces of archers and men-at-
arms. in the centre of this vast assemblage the lists seemed but
a narrow strip of green marked out with banners and streamers,
while a gleam of white with a flutter of pennons at either end
showed where the marquees were pitched which served as the
dressing-rooms of the combatants. a path had been staked off
from the city gate to the stands which had been erected for the
court and the nobility. down this, amid the shouts of the
enormous multitude, the prince cantered with his two attendant
kings, his high officers of state, and his long train of lords
and ladies, courtiers, counsellors, and soldiers, with toss of
plume and flash of jewel, sheen of silk and glint of gold--as
rich and gallant a show as heart could wish. the head of the
cavalcade had reached the lists ere the rear had come clear of
the city gate, for the fairest and the bravest had assembled from
all the broad lands which are watered by the dordogne and the
garonne. here rode dark-browed cavaliers from the sunny south,
fiery soldiers from gascony, graceful courtiers of limousin or
saintonge, and gallant young englishmen from beyond the seas.
here too were the beautiful brunettes of the gironde, with eyes
which out-flashed their jewels, while beside them rode their
blonde sisters of england, clear cut and aquiline, swathed in
swans'-down and in ermine, for the air was biting though the sun
was bright. slowly the long and glittering train wound into the
lists, until every horse had been tethered by the varlets in
waiting, and every lord and lady seated in the long stands which
stretched, rich in tapestry and velvet and blazoned arms, on
either side of the centre of the arena.
the holders of the lists occupied the end which was nearest to
the city gate. there, in front of their respective pavilions,
flew the martlets of audley, the roses of loring, the scarlet
bars of wake. the lion of the percies and the silver wings of
the beauchamps, each supported by a squire clad in hanging green
stuff to represent so many tritons, and bearing a huge conch-
shell in their left hands. behind the tents the great war-
horses, armed at all points, champed and reared, while their
masters sat at the doors of their pavilions, with their helmets
upon their knees, chatting as to the order of the day's doings.
the english archers and men-at-arms had mustered at that end of
the lists, but the vast majority of the spectators were in favor
of the attacking party, for the english had declined in
popularity ever since the bitter dispute as to the disposal of
the royal captive after the battle of poictiers. hence the
applause was by no means general when the herald-at-arms
proclaimed, after a flourish of trumpets, the names and styles of
the knights who were prepared, for the honor of their country
and for the love of their ladies, to hold the field against all
who might do them the favor to run a course with them. on the
other hand, a deafening burst of cheering g
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