ir homes; being released
from service, when it was seen that no opposition was to be looked for
from the adherents of Richard. The followings of the various nobles and
knights of the northern counties had left the main body on the way
home, and Northumberland had brought with him, to Alnwick, only the
men-at-arms who formed the regular force retained under his standard.

Oswald was greatly struck with the splendid appearance, and
appointments, of the earl and the knights who attended him, and with
the martial array of his followers. Hitherto, he had seen but the
roughest side of war; the arms and armour carried not for show, but for
use, and valued for their strength, without any reference to their
appearance. On the border there was not the smallest attempt at
uniformity in appearance, polished armour was regarded with disfavour,
and that worn was of the roughest nature, the local armourer's only
object being to furnish breast and back pieces that would resist the
strongest spear thrust. Of missiles they made little account, for the
Scots had but few archers, and their bows were so inferior in strength,
to those carried by the English archers, that armour strong enough to
resist a spear thrust was amply sufficient to keep out a Scottish
arrow.

There was not, even in the array of the Earl of Northumberland's
men-at-arms, any approach to the uniformity that now prevails among
bodies of soldiers. The helmets, breast and back pieces, were, however,
of similar form, as the men engaged for continued service were
furnished with armour by the earl; but there was a great variety in the
garments worn under them, these being of all colours, according to the
fancy of their wearers. All, however, carried spears of the same
length, while some had swords, and others heavy axes at their girdles.
The helmets and armour were all brightly polished, and as the lights of
the torches flashed from them and from the spearheads; Oswald, for the
first time, witnessed something of the pomp of war.

His uncle, as captain of the men-at-arms left in the castle, was
invited to the banquet held after the arrival of the force. Oswald,
therefore, was free to wander about among the soldiers, listening to
their talk of what they had seen in London, and of the entertainments
there in honour of the new king; exciting, thereby, no small amount of
envy among those who had been left behind in garrison.

Oswald already knew that the earl had been appointe