uld my Lady could see thee thus; surely
the sight of thee should gladden her heart. And withal thou art not
ill clad otherwise."

Indeed his raiment was goodly, for his surcoat was new, and it was of
fine green cloth, and the coat-armour of Upmead was beaten on it, to
wit, on a gold ground an apple-tree fruited, standing by a river-side.

Now he laughed somewhat uneasily at her words, and so went forth from
the castle again, and made straight for the hay-making folk on the
other side of the water; for all this side was being fed by beasts and
sheep; but at the point where he crossed, the winding of the stream
brought it near to the castle gate. So he came up with the country
folk and greeted them, and they did as much by him in courteous words:
they were goodly and well-shapen, both men and women, gay and joyous of
demeanour and well clad as for folk who work afield. So Ralph went
from one to another and gave them a word or two, and was well pleased
to watch them at their work awhile; but yet he would fain speak
somewhat more with one or other of them. At last under the shade of a
tall elm-tree he saw an old man sitting heeding the outer raiment of
the haymakers and their victual and bottles of drink; and he came up to
him and gave him the sele of the day; and the old man blessed him and
said: "Art thou dwelling in my lady's castle, fair lord?" "A while at
least," said Ralph. Said the old man: "We thank thee for coming to see
us; and meseemeth from the look of thee thou art worthy to dwell in my
Lady's House."

"What sayest thou?" said Ralph. "Is she a good lady and a gracious?"
"O yea, yea," said the carle. Said Ralph: "Thou meanest, I suppose,
that she is fair to look on, and soft-spoken when she is pleased?"

"I mean far more than that," said the carle; "surely is she most
heavenly fair, and her voice is like the music of heaven: but withal
her deeds, and the kindness of her to us poor men and husbandmen, are
no worse than should flow forth from that loveliness."

"Will you be her servants?" said Ralph, "or what are ye?" Said the
carle: "We be yeomen and her vavassors; there is no thralldom in our
land." "Do ye live in good peace for the more part?" said Ralph. Said
the carle: "Time has been when cruel battles were fought in these
wood-lawns, and many poor people were destroyed therein: but that was
before the coming of the Lady of Abundance."

"And when was that?" said Ralph. "I wot not," said the