that I
may hold counsel about weighty matters with the Porte and the
Burgreve. Moreover, I would have thee, Sir Degore, and a five of my
counsellors and a half score of my servants, come hither to me to
abide with me for my aid and service while I tarry in Eastcheaping.
Now this is my will and pleasure, and I shall be no wiser later on;
wherefore do thou, Sir Degore, go straightway and tell my will to the
captains and sergeants and the knights, so that the hosts may
presently break up."

Ye may deem how Sir Degore and the other Deepdalers were abashed when
they knew that their lord was a captive in the hands of the foemen;
yet they seemed to think that the terms of the good town were not so
hard as might have been looked for, since they had gotten this so
great advantage.

Now Sir Degore spake and said: "Sir Medard, wilt thou suffer me to
come to thee, so that I may speak with my lord privily?" "To what
end," said Sir Medard, "since thou hast heard thy lord's commandment?
wilt thou not obey him?" "Yea," said Degore, "if I have heard his last
word; nevertheless were I fain to come up and speak with him." "Come
up then," said Sir Medard; "yet I must warn thee that it may be easier
for thee to come in to Eastcheaping today than to go out therefrom.
Moreover, bethink ye if ye dally how it would be were we to open our
gates and fall upon you with all ours, and ye disarrayed and
leaderless."

Therewith he gave word to open the postern to Sir Degore, who entered
and was brought to the top of the tower, and there he went up to the
Baron and bent the knee to him and might not refrain his tears; but
the Baron laughed, yet somewhat hardly. So they two went aside into an
ingle of the tower toward the town, while sir Medard and his stood
aloof a while. Then turned back Sir Degore to them of Eastcheaping,
and said: "Sir Medard, I pray thee leave to depart to my host, that I
may do after the bidding of my lord."

"Yea, go," said Sir Medard; "yet I would have thee remember that I
pray for a long life for the Baron of Deepdale, since he hath become
so good a friend to our town, and that thou wilt be in the wrong if
thou do aught to shorten it."

So Degore went his ways, and he and those counsellors and leaders went
back sadly to the leaguer, and fell to work to undo all they had done
the six months past. And it was no long time ere the stout men-at-arms
of Deepdale began to flow away from before Eastcheaping, and the men
of the