. "The Priory at Christ church was a
noble pile, but it was cold and bare, methinks, by one of these, with
their frettings, and their carvings, and their traceries, as though some
great ivy-plant of stone had curled and wantoned over the walls."

"And hark to the speech of the folk!" said Ford. "Was ever such a
hissing and clacking? I wonder that they have not wit to learn English
now that they have come under the English crown. By Richard of Hampole!
there are fair faces amongst them. See the wench with the brown whimple!
Out on you, Alleyne, that you would rather gaze upon dead stone than on
living flesh!"

It was little wonder that the richness and ornament, not only of church
and of stall, but of every private house as well, should have impressed
itself upon the young squires. The town was now at the height of its
fortunes. Besides its trade and its armorers, other causes had combined
to pour wealth into it. War, which had wrought evil upon so many fair
cities around, had brought nought but good to this one. As her French
sisters decayed she increased, for here, from north, and from east,
and from south, came the plunder to be sold and the ransom money to be
spent. Through all her sixteen landward gates there had set for many
years a double tide of empty-handed soldiers hurrying Francewards, and
of enriched and laden bands who brought their spoils home. The prince's
court, too, with its swarm of noble barons and wealthy knights, many of
whom, in imitation of their master, had brought their ladies and their
children from England, all helped to swell the coffers of the burghers.
Now, with this fresh influx of noblemen and cavaliers, food and lodging
were scarce to be had, and the prince was hurrying forward his forces to
Dax in Gascony to relieve the overcrowding of his capital.

In front of the minster and abbey of St. Andrew's was a large square
crowded with priests, soldiers, women, friars, and burghers, who made it
their common centre for sight-seeing and gossip. Amid the knot of noisy
and gesticulating townsfolk, many small parties of mounted knights and
squires threaded their way towards the prince's quarters, where the
huge iron-clamped doors were thrown back to show that he held audience
within. Two-score archers stood about the gateway, and beat back from
time to time with their bow-staves the inquisitive and chattering crowd
who swarmed round the portal. Two knights in full armor, with lances
raised and cl