The Breckenridge news., 1906-07-18
CHAPTER TX.

tenscore drunken archers VINO IolioWeu
for your fair lady mother will be here
anon, and there is no need that she
from the provost-marshal this journey;
Away to your chamber. sweeting, and
keep blithe face, for she who con-
fesses is shriven. And now, fair moth
err, he continued, when his daughter ter
had gone, "sit you here by the nre, for
your blood runs colder than 1t did;
Alleyne Edricson, would have word
with you, for / would fain that you
should take service under me. Ana
here in good time comes my lady, with.
out whose counsel IL is not my wont
to decide aught to import; but, indeed;
1t was her own thought that you should
'For 1 have formed a good opinion
of you, and can see that you are one
who may be trusted" said the Lady
lord hath need of such a one by his
side, for he recks so little OF himsei1
that there should be one there to look
have seen the cloister; Ii were well
that you should see the world, too, ere
you make choice for life between them, hem,
you can ride?" asked Sir Niger,
looking at the youth with puckered
eyes; hoo. r,ado, r,ucb at the ab-
SYet there is a difference. betwixt a
friars hack and a warriors destrier'
You can sing and playY
ION citole. flute and rebeck."
Good! You can read blazonryT
indifferent wcll.'
,'T trust that you ere lowly and SER
4 have served a Il ny life, my lord"
"Canst carve toog so.
the brethren."
A model truly! wilt make a squire
of squires, But toll me, pray canst
NO, @'r my lord, but could learn" >
1T is of import" said he. for l
love to keep my hair well ordered, see
In haf weight of nv helmet 1OT
thirty years hath in some degree trayed
it upon the top" .,
ut is for you also to bear the purse,
said the lady; "for my sweet lord is OF
so free and gracious temper that ne
would give y gayly to, the first who who
with some knowledge of venerie, and
of the management of horse, hawk, and
hound, with the, grace and hardihood
and courtesy which are proper TO your
age. will make you f1t squire Tor SIT
Nigel LorinF ar
know well the great honor that you
have done me i'm deeming me worthy
to wait upon so renowned knight,
yet am so conscious of my own weak
which l might be so i'll fitted to dulhl;
"Modesty and a humble mind, said
in page or squire. Your words prove
that you have these, and all the rest
is hut the work of use and OF time.
"to have all ready for our start before
the feast of ST. Luke, for there is much
10 he done in the time, You VIII nave
take service under me, in Whlch 10
learn your deVoir."
"And / have one favor to crave from
YOU" added the lady of the castle. as
AUeyne turned to leave their presence.
You have, as l understand, much
learning, which you have acquired at
Reaulieu 1 would have you give an
hour or two day whilst you are with
us in discoursing with my daughter,
backward, 1 fear, and hath no love for
letters, save for. these poor FOND ro-
mances, which do but NIL her empty
head with dreams OF enchanted maid
ems and of errant cavalier. Father
Christopher comes over after hOnes
from the Priory, but he is stricken WIN
years and slow of speech, so that she
gets small profit from his teaching. L
would have you do what you can with
her. and with Agatha my pyiernng5t yTIng tire
And so Alleyne found himself not
only chosen as squire to knight, put
also as squire to three damozels, which
was even further from the part which
he had thought to play in the world;
And now there came time OF STIR
ciang of hammer from all the south
land counties. Fast spread the tldlngs,
from thorpe to thorpe and from castle sdas
once more, and the lions and lilies to
be in the field with the early spring;
Great news this for that nnera,S neree 0I1
bod been war her exports archers and
her imports prisoners. FOR SIX years
her sons had chafed under an unWonted
neace. Now they flew to their arms as
10 their birthright. The old soldiers
OF Crecy. of Nogent, and OF Polctlers
were glad to think that they mlght
hear the war-trumpet once more, ana
bladder still were the hot youth VINO
had chafred for years under the mar
tal tales Of their sires res TO pierce to 9bt 9he
The tanners of the fiery Moors, to fol-
low the greatest captain of the age, 10
When the marches of Picardy and Nor
mandy were as bare and bleak as the
Jedburgh forests-here was golden
nrospects for a race of warriors. FROM
Sea 10 sea there was stringing or bows
in the cottage and clang OF steel In the
Nor did 1t take long for every strong.
hold to pour forth Its cavalry, ana
every hamlet its footmen. Ihrouen tne
late autumn and the early wlnter every
road and country lane resounded with
nakir and trumpet, with the neigh or
the war-horse and the clatter OF march
ing men. .,,. o,,-.,,
OF Hampshire there was no lack OF
leaders or of soldiers for a service
Greetest Gnse of ali the musters, however,
was that at Twynham Castle, for the
name and the fame of Sir Nigel Loring
drew toward him the keenest and bold
est spirits, ali eager to serve under so
valiant leader. Archers from the
New Forest and the Forest or Bere.
billmen from the pleasant country
which is watered by the Stour, the
Avon, and the Itchen. young cavaliers
from the ancient Hampshire houses, all
were pushing for Christchurch TO take
service under the banner of the hve
scarlet roses.
And now, could Sir Nigel have shown
the bachelles of land which the laws
OF rank required. he might well have
cut his forked pennon into square
banner. and taken such following INTO
the field as would have supported the
dignity of a banneret. But poverty
was heavy upon him; his land was
scant, his Golfers empty, and the very
castle which covered him the holding
of another. Sore was his heart when
he saw rare bowmen and war-hardened
spearmen turned away from his gates
for the lack of the money which might
eduip and pay them. Yet the letter
which Awkward had brought him gave
him powers which he was not slow 70
use. In II Sir Claude Latour. the Gas
con lieutenant of the White Company,
assured him that there remained in his
keeping enough to fit out hundred
archers and twenty men-at- arms,
which. ioined 10 the three hundred vet
eran companions already in France.
would make force which any leader
might be proud to command. Care