n and country folk stood
packed as close together as dried herring in a box, so that the Sheriffs
men, halberds in hands, could hardly press them back to leave space for
the King's riding.

"Take care whom thou pushest against!" cried a great, burly friar to one
of these men. "Wouldst thou dig thine elbows into me, sirrah? By'r Lady
of the Fountain, an thou dost not treat me with more deference I will
crack thy knave's pate for thee, even though thou be one of the mighty
Sheriff's men."

At this a great shout of laughter arose from a number of tall yeomen in
Lincoln green that were scattered through the crowd thereabouts; but one
that seemed of more authority than the others nudged the holy man with
his elbow. "Peace, Tuck," said he, "didst thou not promise me, ere thou
camest here, that thou wouldst put a check upon thy tongue?"

"Ay, marry," grumbled the other, "but 'a did not think to have a
hard-footed knave trample all over my poor toes as though they were no
more than so many acorns in the forest."

But of a sudden all this bickering ceased, for a clear sound of many
bugle horns came winding down the street. Then all the people craned
their necks and gazed in the direction whence the sound came, and the
crowding and the pushing and the swaying grew greater than ever. And now
a gallant array of men came gleaming into sight, and the cheering of the
people ran down the crowd as the fire runs in dry grass.

Eight and twenty heralds in velvet and cloth of gold came riding
forward. Over their heads fluttered a cloud of snow-white feathers,
and each herald bore in his hand a long silver trumpet, which he blew
musically. From each trumpet hung a heavy banner of velvet and cloth
of gold, with the royal arms of England emblazoned thereon. After these
came riding fivescore noble knights, two by two, all fully armed, saving
that their heads were uncovered. In their hands they bore tall lances,
from the tops of which fluttered pennons of many colors and devices. By
the side of each knight walked a page clad in rich clothes of silk and
velvet, and each page bore in his hands his master's helmet, from which
waved long, floating plumes of feathers. Never had Nottingham seen a
fairer sight than those fivescore noble knights, from whose armor the
sun blazed in dazzling light as they came riding on their great war
horses, with clashing of arms and jingling of chains. Behind the knights
came the barons and the nobles of the mid-