of the chain which hangs round your neck what the chain cried the other in horror the ancient chain of the of this is but a sorry jest sir what the plague did you ask me for then said but if it is sir with whom you would speak that is he upon the black horse the mayor of gazed with amazement on the mild face and slender frame of the famous warrior your pardon my very gracious lord he cried you see in me the mayor and chief magistrate of the ancient and powerful town of i bid you very heartily welcome and the more so as you are come at a moment when we are sore put to it for defence ha cried sir up his ears yes my lord for the town being very and the walls as old as the town it follows that they are very ancient too but there is a certain and who with a called commonly known as beard hath been a mighty upon these indeed my lord they are very cruel and black hearted men and and if they should come to the ancient and powerful town of then then good bye to the ancient and powerful town of ford whose lightness of tongue could at times rise above his awe of sir the knight however was too much intent upon the matter in hand to give heed to the of his squire have you then cause he asked to think that these men are about to venture an attempt upon you they have come in two great answered the mayor with two bank of oars on either side and great store of engines of war and of men at arms at and at they have murdered and yesterday morning they were at and we saw the smoke from the burning to day they lie at their ease near and we fear much lest they come upon us and do us a mischief we cannot said sir riding toward the town with the mayor upon his left side the prince us at and we may not be behind the general muster yet i will promise you that on our way we shall find time to pass and to prevail upon these to leave you in peace we are much to you cried the mayor but i cannot see my lord how without a war ship you may venture against these men with your however you might well hold the town and do them great if they attempt to land there is a very proper out yonder said sir it would be a very strange thing if any ship were not a war ship when it had such men as these upon her decks m we shall do as i say and that no later than this very day my lord said a rough haired dark man who walked by the knight s other with his head to catch all that he was saying by your leave i have no doubt that you are skilled in fighting and the of but by my soul you will find it another thing upon the sea i am the master of this yellow and my name is gk i have sailed since i was as high as this staff and i have fought against these and against the as well as the scotch the the spanish and the i tell you sir that my ship is over light and for such work and it will but end in our having our throats cut or being sold as slaves to the heathen i also have experienced one or two gentle and honorable upon the sea sir and i am right to have so fair a task before us i think good master that you and i may win great in this matter and i can see very readily that you are a brave and stout man i like it not said the other in ood s name i like it not and yet is not the man to stand back when his fellows are for pressing forward by my soul be it sink or swim i shall turn her into bay and if good master of like not my handling of his ship then he may find another master they were dose by the old north gate of the little town and half turning in his saddle looked back at the crowd who followed the and men had broken their ranks and were with the and citizens whose laughing faces and hearty gestures the weight of care from which this welcome arrival had relieved them here and there among the moving throng of dark and of white were scattered of scarlet or blue tb or of the women with a fishing on either arm was constancy alternately to her on the right and her on the left while big john in the rear with a little maiden upon his great shoulder her soft white arm curled round his shining so the throng moved on until at the yery gate it was brought to a stand by a fat man who came darting forth from the town with rage in feature of his face how now sir mayor he roared in a voice like a bull how now sir mayor how of the and the by our lady my sweet sir cried the mayor i have had so much to think of with these wicked so close upon us that it had quite gone out of my head words words i shouted the other furiously am i to be put off with words i say to you again how of the my fair sir you flutter me cried the mayor i am a peaceful and i am not wont to be so shouted at upon so small a matter small shrieked the other small i and ask me to your table to partake of the dainty of 