read them,
and caused them to be read also by one of his secretaries before many
knights and squires and others of his followers.

Thereupon he flew into a great rage, for he was hot-tempered and
irritable, and brooked not to be disobeyed, and especially in matters of
war; and to question his safe-conduct made him very angry.

To shorten the story, he caused to be brought before him both the
Frenchman and the Englishman, and told the Frenchman to tell his tale.

He told how he had been taken prisoner by one of Lord Talbot's people,
and put to ransom;

"And under your safe-conduct, my lord, I was on my way to my friends to
procure my ransom. I met this gentleman here, who is also one of
your followers, who asked me whither I was going, and if I had a
safe-conduct? I told him, yes, and showed it to him. And when he had
read it he told me that I had broken it, and I replied that I had not,
and that he could not prove it. But he would not listen to me, and I was
forced, if I would not be killed on the spot, to surrender. I know of no
cause why he should have detained me, and I ask justice of you."

Lord Talbot, when he had heard the Frenchman, was not well content,
nevertheless when the latter had finished, my Lord turned to the
Englishman and asked,

"What have you to reply to this?"

"My lord," said he, "it is quite true, as he has said, that I met him
and would see his safe-conduct, which when I had read from end to end, I
soon perceived that he had broken and violated; otherwise I should never
have arrested him."

"How had he broken it?" asked Lord Talbot. "Tell me quickly!"

"My Lord, because in his safe-conduct he is forbidden all implements of
war, and he had, and has still, real implements of war; that is to say
he has on his doublet, buckle-straps, which are real implements of war,
for without them a man cannot be armed."

"Ah!" said Lord Talbot, "and so buckle-straps are implements of war
are they? Do you know of any other way in which he had broken his
safe-conduct?"

"Truly, my lord, I do not," replied the Englishman.

"What, you villain!" said Lord Talbot. "Have you stopped a gentleman
under my safe-conduct for his buckle-straps? By St. George, I will show
you whether they are implements of war."

Then, hot with anger and indignation, he went up to the Frenchman, and
tore from his doublet the two straps, and gave them to the Englishman;
then he put a sword in the Frenchman's hand, and drawing h