第13章

anddrawingforthhiswritingmaterialsinhaste，asiftostoptheconversation，hebegantowriteuponapieceofpaperwhichhesupportedonthetopofhisyellowcap，withoutdismountingfromhismule。Whenhehadfinished，hedeliveredthescroll，whichwasintheHebrewcharacter，tothePilgrim，saying，``InthetownofLeicesterallmenknowtherichJew，KirjathJairamofLombardy；

givehimthisscroll——hehathonsalesixMilanharnesses，theworstwouldsuitacrownedhead——tengoodlysteeds，theworstmightmountaking，werehetodobattleforhisthrone。Ofthesehewillgivetheethychoice，witheverythingelsethatcanfurnishtheeforthforthetournament：whenitisover，thouwiltreturnthemsafely——unlessthoushouldsthavewherewithtopaytheirvaluetotheowner。’’

``But，Isaac，’’saidthePilgrim，smiling，``dostthouknowthatinthesesports，thearmsandsteedoftheknightwhoisunhorsedareforfeittohisvictor?

NowImaybeunfortunate，andsolosewhatIcannotreplaceorrepay。’’

TheJewlookedsomewhatastoundedatthispossibility；butcollectinghiscourage，herepliedhastily。``No——no——no——Itisimpossible——Iwillnotthinkso。TheblessingofOurFatherwillbeuponthee。ThylancewillbepowerfulastherodofMoses。’’

Sosaying，hewasturninghismule’sheadaway，whenthePalmer，inhisturn，tookholdofhisgaberdine。

``Nay，butIsaac，thouknowestnotalltherisk。Thesteedmaybeslain，thearmourinjured——

forIwillspareneitherhorsenorman。Besides，thoseofthytribegivenothingfornothing；

somethingtheremustbepaidfortheiruse。’’

TheJewtwistedhimselfinthesaddle，likeamaninafitofthecolic；buthisbetterfeelingspredominatedoverthosewhichweremostfamiliartohim。``Icarenot，’’hesaid，``Icarenot——letmego。Ifthereisdamage，itwillcostyounothing——

ifthereisusagemoney，KirjathJairamwillforgiveitforthesakeofhiskinsmanIsaac。

Faretheewell！——Yetharkthee，goodyouth，’’saidhe，turningabout，``thrustthyselfnottooforwardintothisvainhurly-burly——Ispeaknotforendangeringthesteed，andcoatofarmour，butforthesakeofthineownlifeandlimbs。’’

``Gramercyforthycaution，’’saidthePalmer，againsmiling；``Iwillusethycourtesyfrankly，anditwillgohardwithmebutIwillrequiteit。’’

Theyparted，andtookdifferentroadsforthetownofSheffield。

CHAPTERVII

Knights，withalongretinueoftheirsquires，Ingaudyliveriesmarchandquaintattires；

Onelacedthehelm，anotherheldthelance，Athirdtheshiningbucklerdidadvance。

Thecourserpaw’dthegroundwithrestlessfeet，Andsnortingfoam’dandchamp’dthegoldenbit。

Thesmithsandarmourersonpalfreysride，Filesintheirhands，andhammersattheirside；

Andnailsforloosen’dspears，andthongsforshieldsprovide。

Theyeomenguardthestreetsinseemlybands；

Andclownscomecrowdingon，withcudgelsintheirhands。

_PalamonandArcite_。

TheconditionoftheEnglishnationwasatthistimesufficientlymiserable。KingRichardwasabsentaprisoner，andinthepoweroftheperfidiousandcruelDukeofAustria。Eventheveryplaceofhiscaptivitywasuncertain，andhisfatebutveryimperfectlyknowntothegeneralityofhissubjects，whowere，inthemeantime，apreytoeveryspeciesofsubalternoppression。

PrinceJohn，inleaguewithPhilipofFrance，Cur-de-Lion’smortalenemy，wasusingeveryspeciesofinfluencewiththeDukeofAustria，toprolongthecaptivityofhisbrotherRichard，towhomhestoodindebtedforsomanyfavours。Inthemeantime，hewasstrengtheninghisownfactioninthekingdom，ofwhichheproposedtodisputethesuccession，incaseoftheKing’sdeath，withthelegitimateheir，ArthurDukeofBrittany，sonofGeoffreyPlantagenet，theelderbrotherofJohn。Thisusurpation，itiswellknown，heafterwardseffected。Hisowncharacterbeinglight，profligate，andperfidious，Johneasilyattachedtohispersonandfaction，notonlyallwhohadreasontodreadtheresentmentofRichardforcriminalproceedingsduringhisabsence，butalsothenumerousclassof``lawlessresolutes，’’whomthecrusadeshadturnedbackontheircountry，accomplishedinthevicesoftheEast，impoverishedinsubstance，andhardenedincharacter，andwhoplacedtheirhopesofharvestincivilcommotion。

Tothesecausesofpublicdistressandapprehension，mustbeadded，themultitudeofoutlaws，who，driventodespairbytheoppressionofthefeudalnobility，andthesevereexerciseoftheforestlaws，bandedtogetherinlargegangs，and，keepingpossessionoftheforestsandthewastes，setatdefiancethejusticeandmagistracyofthecountry。Thenoblesthemselves，eachfortifiedwithinhisowncastle，andplayingthepettysovereignoverhisowndominions，weretheleadersofbandsscarcelesslawlessandoppressivethanthoseoftheavoweddepredators。Tomaintaintheseretainers，andtosupporttheextravaganceandmagnificencewhichtheirprideinducedthemtoaffect，thenobilityborrowedsumsofmoneyfromtheJewsatthemostusuriousinterest，whichgnawedintotheirestateslikeconsumingcankers，scarcetobecuredunlesswhencircumstancesgavethemanopportunityofgettingfree，byexercisingupontheircreditorssomeactofunprincipledviolence。

Underthevariousburdensimposedbythisunhappystateofaffairs，thepeopleofEnglandsuffereddeeplyforthepresent，andhadyetmoredreadfulcausetofearforthefuture。Toaugmenttheirmisery，acontagiousdisorderofadangerousnaturespreadthroughtheland；and，renderedmorevirulentbytheuncleanness，theindifferentfood，andthewretchedlodgingofthelowerclasses，sweptoffmanywhosefatethesurvivorsweretemptedtoenvy，asexemptingthemfromtheevilswhichweretocome。

Yetamidtheseaccumulateddistresses，thepooraswellastherich，thevulgaraswellasthenoble，intheeventofatournament，whichwasthegrandspectacleofthatage，feltasmuchinterestedasthehalf-starvedcitizenofMadrid，whohasnotareallefttobuyprovisionsforhisfamily，feelsintheissueofabull-feast。Neitherdutynorinfirmitycouldkeepyouthoragefromsuchexhibitions。

ThePassageofArms，asitwascalled，whichwastotakeplaceatAshby，inthecountyofLeicester，aschampionsofthefirstrenownweretotakethefieldinthepresenceofPrinceJohnhimself，whowasexpectedtogracethelists，hadattracteduniversalattention，andanimmenseconfluenceofpersonsofallrankshastenedupontheappointedmorningtotheplaceofcombat。

Thescenewassingularlyromantic。Onthevergeofawood，whichapproachedtowithinamileofthetownofAshby，wasanextensivemeadow，ofthefinestandmostbeautifulgreenturf，surroundedononesidebytheforest，andfringedontheotherbystragglingoak-trees，someofwhichhadgrowntoanimmensesize。Theground，asiffashionedonpurposeforthemartialdisplaywhichwasintended，slopedgraduallydownonallsidestoalevelbottom，whichwasenclosedforthelistswithstrongpalisades，formingaspaceofaquarterofamileinlength，andabouthalfasbroad。Theformoftheenclosurewasanoblongsquare，savethatthecornerswereconsiderablyroundedoff，inordertoaffordmoreconvenienceforthespectators。

Theopeningsfortheentryofthecombatantswereatthenorthernandsouthernextremitiesofthelists，accessiblebystrongwoodengates，eachwideenoughtoadmittwohorsemenridingabreast。Ateachoftheseportalswerestationedtwoheralds，attendedbysixtrumpets，asmanypursuivants，andastrongbodyofmen-at-armsformaintainingorder，andascertainingthequalityoftheknightswhoproposedtoengageinthismartialgame。

Onaplatformbeyondthesouthernentrance，formedbyanaturalelevationoftheground，werepitchedfivemagnificentpavilions，adornedwithpennonsofrussetandblack，thechosencoloursofthefiveknightschallengers。Thecordsofthetentswereofthesamecolour。Beforeeachpavilionwassuspendedtheshieldoftheknightbywhomitwasoccupied，andbesideitstoodhissquire，quaintlydisguisedasasalvageorsilvanman，orinsomeotherfantasticdress，accordingtothetasteofhismaster，andthecharacterhewaspleasedtoassumedaringthegame。*Thecentralpavilion，asthe*Thissortofmasqueradeissupposedtohaveoccasionedthe*introductionofsupportersintothescienceofheraldry。

placeofhonour，hadbeenassignedtoBrianbeBois-Guilbert，whoserenowninallgamesofchivalry，nolessthanhisconnexionswiththeknightswhohadundertakenthisPassageofArms，hadoccasionedhimtobeeagerlyreceivedintothecompanyofthechallengers，andevenadoptedastheirchiefandleader，thoughhehadsorecentlyjoinedthem。

OnonesideofhistentwerepitchedthoseofReginaldFront-de-BufandRicharddeMalvoisin，andontheotherwasthepavilionofHughdeGrantmesnil，anoblebaroninthevicinity，whoseancestorhadbeenLordHighStewardofEnglandinthetimeoftheConqueror，andhissonWilliamRufus。RalphdeVipont，aknightofStJohnofJerusalem，whohadsomeancientpossessionsataplacecalledHeather，nearAshby-de-la-Zouche，occupiedthefifthpavilion。Fromtheentranceintothelists，agentlyslopingpassage，tenyardsinbreadth，leduptotheplatformonwhichthetentswerepitched。Itwasstronglysecuredbyapalisadeoneachside，aswastheesplanadeinfrontofthepavilions，andthewholewasguardedbymen-at-arms。

Thenorthernaccesstotheliststerminatedinasimilarentranceofthirtyfeetinbreadth，attheextremityofwhichwasalargeenclosedspaceforsuchknightsasmightbedisposedtoenterthelistswiththechallengers，behindwhichwereplacedtentscontainingrefreshmentsofeverykindfortheiraccommodation，witharmourers，tarriers，andotherattendants，inreadinesstogivetheirserviceswherevertheymightbenecessary。

Theexteriorofthelistswasinpartoccupiedbytemporarygalleries，spreadwithtapestryandcarpets，andaccommodatedwithcushionsfortheconvenienceofthoseladiesandnobleswhowereexpectedtoattendthetournament。Anarrowspace，betwixtthesegalleriesandthelists，gaveaccommodationforyeomanryandspectatorsofabetterdegreethanthemerevulgar，andmightbecomparedtothepitofatheatre。Thepromiscuousmultitudearrangedthemselvesuponlargebanksofturfpreparedforthepurpose，which，aidedbythenaturalelevationoftheground，enabledthemtooverlookthegalleries，andobtainafairviewintothelists。Besidestheaccommodationwhichthesestationsafforded，manyhundredshadperchedthemselvesonthebranchesofthetreeswhichsurroundedthemeadow；andeventhesteepleofacountrychurch，atsomedistance，wascrowdedwithspectators。

Itonlyremainstonoticerespectingthegeneralarrangement，thatonegalleryintheverycentreoftheeasternsideofthelists，andconsequentlyexactlyoppositetothespotwheretheshockofthecombatwastotakeplace，wasraisedhigherthantheothers，morerichlydecorated，andgracedbyasortofthroneandcanopy，onwhichtheroyalarmswereemblazoned。Squires，pages，andyeomeninrichliveries，waitedaroundthisplaceofhonour，whichwasdesignedforPrinceJohnandhisattendants。

Oppositetothisroyalgallerywasanother，elevatedtothesameheight，onthewesternsideofthelists；andmoregaily，iflesssumptuouslydecorated，thanthatdestinedforthePrincehimself。

Atrainofpagesandofyoungmaidens，themostbeautifulwhocouldbeselected，gailydressedinfancyhabitsofgreenandpink，surroundedathronedecoratedinthesamecolours。Amongpennonsandflagsbearingwoundedhearts，burninghearts，bleedinghearts，bowsandquivers，andallthecommonplaceemblemsofthetriumphsofCupid，ablazonedinscriptioninformedthespectators，thatthisseatofhonourwasdesignedfor_LaRoynedelaBeaultetdesAmours_。ButwhowastorepresenttheQueenofBeautyandofLoveonthepresentoccasionnoonewaspreparedtoguess。

Meanwhile，spectatorsofeverydescriptionthrongedforwardtooccupytheirrespectivestations，andnotwithoutmanyquarrelsconcerningthosewhichtheywereentitledtohold。Someoftheseweresettledbythemen-at-armswithbriefceremony；theshaftsoftheirbattle-axes，andpummelsoftheirswords，beingreadilyemployedasargumentstoconvincethemorerefractory。Others，whichinvolvedtherivalclaimsofmoreelevatedpersons，weredeterminedbytheheralds，orbythetwomarshalsofthefield，WilliamdeWyvil，andStephendeMartival，who，armedatallpoints，rodeupanddowntheliststoenforceandpreservegoodorderamongthespectators。