Longshaw and of the Hosting of the Barons'
League

But when the aforesaid Michaelmas market was, great recourse was there
of far-travelled and wise men, and the Carline set herself diligently
to learn all she might of such-like folk. And she had wherewithal to
buy wares of likely chapmen, and to treat men-at-arms and others to
wine and banquet. For she had brought away with her a marvellous
collar of gems, which the Maiden owned, and which, as she said, was
the gift of the Dwarfs; and the Maiden consenting thereto, the Carline
had sold three gems from the said collar, so that they lacked not
money.

Now as to the tidings the Carline heard of, they had for the most part
to do with the deeds and uprising of Sir Godrick of Longshaw, and how
that the Barons of the lands that lay about would not endure his ways
and his pride, and were levying war against him; and they said they
knew for certain that, when spring came next year, they would be on
him, and that they had made a League into which they looked to draw
the King of the City of the Sundering Flood, and that meanwhile the
League was already most mightily manned, and so far-reaching that it
was a sure thing that the Lord of Brookside had come into it, yea and
even others further west and north than he. Now all were in one tale
about this; but one man there was with whom the Carline spoke, and he
neither the youngest nor least wise, who said: "And yet, dame, I look
for it that the Knight of Longshaw will yet give this league a
troublous hank to unwind, so wise a man as he is, and so well
accompanies by wise and lucky men; and now hath he gotten a new
captain, a young man from far away up-country; and though there has
since his coming been no great war afoot, yet hath this newcomer been
one of certain adventures, wherein he hath proved himself. And by all
I could see and hear, for I was dwelling seven days at Longshaw, he
will be the right hand of Sir Godrick, and that means that the Knight
deems of him as no mere man-at-arms, but a wise man also. Moreover, I
myself have seen the young man, and this I seem to see in him, that he
has the lucky look in his eyes; and I am deemed cunning in the judging
of men." All this and more did the Carline hear tell of, and she
weighed it heedfully, and thought that a change of days was coming.

A month after this, and ere the winter had set in, came riding to
Brookside a knight and two squires, and had a special message to the
Blue