four other leading men of the
archers, together with Goodwin Hawtayne, the master-shipman, who had
left his yellow cog in the river to have a last rouse with his friends
of the Company. Ford and Alleyne took their seats between Aylward and
Black Simon, without their entrance checking in any degree the hubbub
which was going on.

"Ale, mes camarades?" cried the bowman, "or shall it be wine? Nay,
but ye must have the one or the other. Here, Jacques, thou limb of the
devil, bring a bottrine of the oldest vernage, and see that you do not
shake it. Hast heard the news?"

"Nay," cried both the squires.

"That we are to have a brave tourney."

"A tourney?"

"Aye, lads. For the Captal du Buch hath sworn that he will find
five knights from this side of the water who will ride over any five
Englishmen who ever threw leg over saddle; and Chandos hath taken up the
challenge, and the prince hath promised a golden vase for the man who
carries himself best, and all the court is in a buzz over it."

"Why should the knights have all the sport?" growled Hordle John. "Could
they not set up five archers for the honor of Aquitaine and of Gascony?"

"Or five men-at-arms," said Black Simon.

"But who are the English knights?" asked Hawtayne.

"There are three hundred and forty-one in the town," said Aylward, "and
I hear that three hundred and forty cartels and defiances have already
been sent in, the only one missing being Sir John Ravensholme, who is in
his bed with the sweating sickness, and cannot set foot to ground."

"I have heard of it from one of the archers of the guard," cried a
bowman from among the straw; "I hear that the prince wished to break a
lance, but that Chandos would not hear of it, for the game is likely to
be a rough one."

"Then there is Chandos."

"Nay, the prince would not permit it. He is to be marshal of the lists,
with Sir William Felton and the Duc d'Armagnac. The English will be the
Lord Audley, Sir Thomas Percy, Sir Thomas Wake, Sir William Beauchamp,
and our own very good lord and leader."

"Hurrah for him, and God be with him!" cried several. "It is honor to
draw string in his service."

"So you may well say," said Aylward. "By my ten finger-bones! if you
march behind the pennon of the five roses you are like to see all that a
good bowman would wish to see. Ha! yes, mes garcons, you laugh, but, by
my hilt! you may not laugh when you find yourselves where he will take
you, for you can never te