Evening star., 1905-10-06
CHAPTER V-Continued.

Dame Eliza looked doubtfully at him, as
though fearing some other stratagem, butt
as he made no demand for ale. she finally
brought the paints and watched him as he
smesred on his background, talking the
while about the folk round the fire. The
four forest lads must be jogging soon, she
said. They bide at Emery down, mile
more from here. Yeomen prickers they
are, who tend to the kings hunt The
gleeman is called Floyting Will Ee comes
from the north country. but for many years
he hath gone the round of the forest from
Southampton to Christchurch He drinks
much and pays little; but it would make
your ribs crackle to hear him sing the
Jest of Hendy Tobias Mayhap he will
sing it when the ale has warmed him.
who are those next to him?" asked AL
leyne, much interested. He of the fur
mantle has a wise and reverent face
He is a seller of pills and salves. very
learned In humors and rheums and fiuxes.
and all manner of ailments. He wears. as
you perceive, the yernicle of Sainted Luke,
the first physician, upon his sleeve. May
good st. Thomas of Kent grant that 1t may
be long before either l or mine need his
help! He is here tonight for herbergage.
as are the others, except the foresters. His
neighbor is a tooth-drawer. That bag at
his girdle is full OF teeth that he drew at
Winchester fair. warrant that there are
more sound ones than sorry, for he Is
quick at his work and trife dim in the
eye. The lusty man next him with the red
head l have not seen before. The four on
this side are all workers three of them In
the service of the bailiff Of Sir BALDWIN
Redvers. and the other. he with the sheep
skin, Is, as l hear, a villain from the mid
lands who hath run from his master. His
year and day are well-nigh up, when he
will be a free man.
And the other. asked Alleyne in
whisper He Is surely some very great
man, for he looks as though he scorned
those who were about him.
The landlady looked at Inn in mother
ly way and shook her head.
You have had no great truck with the
word, she said, or you would have
learned that It Is the small men, and not
the great, who hold their noses in the
air Look at those shields upon my wall
and under my caves. Each of them is the
device of some noble lord or gallant
knight who hath slept under my roof at one
time or another. Yet milder men or easier
10 please L have never seen; eating my
bacon and drinking my wine with merry
race, and paying my score with some
courteous word or Jest which was dearer
to me than my profit. Those are the true
gehtIes. But your chapman or your bear
ward will swear that there Is a lime in the
wine, and water in the ale, and fling off at
the last with curse instead of blessip
Ihls youth Is a scholar from Cambrig,
Where men are wont to be blown out by a
nttle knowledge. and lose the use of their
hands in learning the laws of the Romans.
sut must away to lay down the beds
30 may the saints keep you and prosper
you in your undertaking."
Ihus left to himself AIleyne drew his
panei of wood where the light of one of the
ariles 1o1rhes would strike full upon 1t, and
trained craftsman, listening the while to
the talk which went on round the fire The
peasant IN the sheepskins. who had sat
gum ana Silent all evening, mad been so
heated by his fagon of ale that he was
taking loudly and angrily. with clinched
hands and flashing eyes
Sir Humphrey Tenant of Ashby NAV TIL
ba tod strrl..
castle has thrown It's shadow upon the
cottage over long. For three hundred vears
my ioik nave swinked and sweated, day
In and day out, to keep the wine on
the lords table and the harness IN the
lords back. Let him take off his nIataS
ana deiye @ himself. If delving must be done"
"A proper spirit, my fair son." said one
OF the free laborers; 'I would that ali n,an
were of thy way of thinking
de would have sold me with his acres"
hoarse sheF With 6riea IN yolee which was
woman, and their litter'-so ran the words
OF the dotard's bailiff. Never a bullock on
Inc, nne rarm arr n was sold more lightly. Hal he
may wake some black night to and the
names licking about his ears-for fire is q
GOOD friend TO the poor man. and I have
seen shocking heap of ashes where over
hIght there stood just such another CASTLE
wick as Ashby."
This is lad of metalr' shouted another
o. ue laoorers He dares to give tongue
10 Wnat all men think. Are we not all
from Adams loins all with flesh and blood
ana with the same mouth that must needs
nave food and drink? Where all this differ
ehce then. between the ermIne cloak and
the leather tunic, IL what they cover is The
same?' 20 'he
''Ay, Jenkin," said another "our foen,an
IS under the stole and the vestment as
much as under the helmet and plate OF
proof. We have as much to fear from the
tonsure as from the hauberk Strike at the
noble. and the priest shrieks. strike at the
priest, and the noble lays his hand unon
glaive They are twin thieves who live
upon our labor A'S0
1T would take a clever man to live upon
foresters, seeing that the half of thy time
Is spent in swilling mead at the Pied Mer-
Better that than stealing the deer that
know" van
If you dare open that swines mouth
against me-, shouted the woodman .'In
crop your ears for you before the hangrnan
brainl''
Nay, gentles, gentIesr' cried Dame Eliza
in a sing-song. needless voice, which showed
that such chickering's We're nightly things
among her guests. mo brawling or brah
bling sentles! Take heed to the good name
Besides, If 1t comes to the cropping of
ears, ears, there are other folk who may say
their say quoth the third Iaborer. I'VE
are all freemen, and 1 trow that a ven
mans cudgel Is good as foresfer's
knife. BY st. Anselm! 1t would be an evil
uay IL we had 10 bend TO our masters serv-
ants as well as to our masters"
No man Is my master. save the king"
the woodman answered. who is there
save false traitor. who would refuse TO
serve the English kIng?'
Il know not about the English king" said
the man Jenkin. What sort of English
king is IT who can not lay his tongue 10 n
word OF English? You mind last year when
he came down 10 Malwood with his inner
marshal and his outer marshal his iustI-
elar, his seneschal. and his four-and-twen-
" gunrdSmen. One no0n-tide [ was by
FRANKLIN Swtnton's gate, when up he rides
with yeoman pricker at his heels 'Ouvre >
he cried-'ouvre, or some such word max
ing sign for me to open the gate; and then
Merci, as though ne were adrad of me,
And you talk of an English kngY"
l do not marvel at it," cried the Cam
brig scholar, speaking in the high, drawl-
Ing voice which was common among his
class. 1t is not tongue for men of sweet
birth and delicate up-brlnging. II is a fonl
snarhng manner Of speech. For myself 1
swear. by the learned Polycarp that /
have most ease with Hebrew and after
that, perchance, with Arabian