The La Jara chronicle., 1906-08-03

across tue bIOdu- hlueelsn.
ssream-men, horses, and baggage in the
Hat ferry barges-and so Journeyed on
through the fresh morning air past Ex-
bury to Lepe. Topping the heathy down,
they came of sudden full in sight of the
old seaport. Some way out from the
other small craft were rolling lazily on
the gentle swell. Further out still lay
a great merchant ship. high-ended, deep
WASTED, painted of a canary yellow. and
towering above the fishing boats like a
swan among ducklings.
"By St Paul. said the knight, "our
good merchant of Southampton hath not
played US false, for methinks | can see
our ship down yonder. He said that she
would be of great size and of n yellow
shade"
"By my hilt, yes" muttered Aylward; !;
'she is yellow as a kites claw, and would
carry ns many men as there are pips in n
pomegranate.
at is well,' remarked Terlake; "for
methinks, my fair lord, that we are not
he only ones who are waiting a passage
to Gascony. Mine eye catches at times
n fash and sparkle from among yonder
houses which assuredly never came from
shipman's jacket or the gaberdine of a
burgher."
ing his eyes with his hand. And l can
see men-at-arms in yonder boats which
ply betwixt the vessel and the shore
But methinks that we are very welcome
here, for already they come forth to meet
U.S."
A tumultuous crowd of fishermen. citi-
zens, and women had indeed swarmed
out from the northern gate, approached
them up the side of the moor, waving
their hands and dancing with Joy. as
though n great fear had been rolled back
from their minds. At their head rode a
la and solemn with n long
chin and dropping lip. He wore fur
tippet round his neck and a heavy gold
chain over it, with a medallion which
dangled In front of him.
welcome, most puissant and noble
lord !" he cried, dofIing his bonnet You
see in me the mayor and chief magistrate
OF the ancient and powerful town of Lepe,
/ bid you very heartily welcome, and the
more 80 as you are come at a moment
when we are sore put to 1t for defence.
"Ha - cried Sir Nigel, pricking up his
ears.
Yes, my lord, for the town being very
ancient, and the walls as old as the town,
it follows that they are very ancient too.
But there is a certain villianous and blood
thirsty Norman pirate knight Tete-noire,
who, with a Genoan called Tito Caracci,
commonly known as Spade-beard, hath
been mighty scourge upon these
coasts. Indeed, my lord, they are very
cruel and black-hearted men, graceless
ana ruthless. lney nave come III Two
great galleys, with two banks of oars on
either side, and great store of engines of
war and of men-at-arms. At Weymouth
and at Portland they have murdered and
rayished. Yesterday morning they were
at Cowes, and we saw the smoke from the
burning crofts. To-day they lie at their
ease near Freshwater, and we fear much
lest they come upon us and do us mis-
chief"
1--WE cannot tarry." said Sir Nigel,
riding toward the town, with the mayor
upon his left side; "the Prince awaits US
at Bordeaux, and we may not be behind
the general muster. Yet / Will promise
you that on our way We shall find time to
pass Freshwater and to prevail upon
these rovers to leave you in peace.
I'VE are much beholden 10 you.
CIied the mayor. But i cannot see, my
lord, how, without a warship, you may
venture against these men. With your
archers, however, you might well hold the
town and do them great scath If they
attempt to land.
"There is very proper cog out yon-
DER" said Sir Nigel: "it would be n very
strange thing if any ship We're not n war
ship when it had such men as these upon
her decks. Certes, we shall do as / say,
and that no later than this very day"
"Aiy lord" said rough-haired, dark
faced man, who walked by the knights
other stirrup, with his head slopcl to
catch all that he was saying, by your
leave, have no doubt that you are skilled
in land fighting and the marshnling of
lances, but, by my soul you will lind II
another thing upon the sea. l am master
shipman of this yellow cog, and my name
is Goodwin Hawtayne. | have sailed
since | was as high this staff. and
have fought against these Normans aAd
against the Genoese, as well as th"
Scotch, the Bretons, the Spanish, ana 1l, the ne
overnight and over-frail for such work,
and 1t will but end in our having our
throats cut, or being sold as slaves to
the Barbary heathen.'
II also have experienced one or two
gentle and honorable ventures upon the
sea-" quoth Sir Nigel, "and l am right
blithe to have so fair task before MS.
| think, good master-shipman, that you
and l may win great honor in this matter,
and can see very readily that you are
q brave and stout man.
II like it not" said the other stur..
dily. "In Gods name, like it not!
And yet Goodwin Hawtayne is not the
man to stand back when his fellows are
for pressing forward. By my soul be 1t
sink or swim, shall turn her beak into
Freshwater Bay, and if good Master
Witherton of Southampton like not my
handling of his ship, then he may hnd
another MASTER
The throng moved on. until at the very
rate il was brought to n stand by
wond:ously stout man, VINO came uaruhs
forth from the town with rage in every
feature of his rubicund face.
"How now, Sir Mayori' he roared, in
n voice like bull. "IIow now, Sir
Mayor? How of the clans and the
scallopsf" -,
"By ou- Lady, my sweet Sir Oliver,
cried the mayor, 81 have had SO much to
think of, with these wicked Williams, so
close upon us, that it had quite gone out
of my head"
Nay, Sir Oliver, Sir Oliver!' cried
Sir Nigel laughing Let your anger be