to
accommodate his pace to that of his men. Cnut and the archers had
grumbled much at the change of the color of the cross upon their
jerkins; and, as Cnut said, would have been willing to run greater
perils under their true colors than to affect to belong to any other
nationality. On their way they passed through Padua, and there stopped a
few days. Cuthbert could but feel, in looking at the splendor of this
Italian city, the courteous manner of its people, and the university,
which was even then famous, how far in advance were those stately cities
of Italy to Western Europe. His followers were as much surprised as
himself at the splendors of the city. Here they experienced no trouble
or annoyance whatever, for to the cities of Italy knights of all
nations resorted, learned men came to study, philosophers to dispute,
and as these brought their attendants with them, you might in the
streets of Padua and its sister cities hear every language in Europe
spoken.

From Padua they journeyed to Verona, marveling greatly at the richness
of the country. The footmen, however, grumbled at the flatness of the
plain, and said that it was as bad as marching in the Holy Land. On
their right, however, the slopes of the Alps, thickly clad with forests,
reached down nearly to the road, and Cuthbert assured them that they
would have plenty of climbing before they had done. At Verona they
tarried again, and wondered much at the great amphitheater, then almost
perfect. Cuthbert related to Cnut and the archers how men had there been
set to fight while the great stone benches round were thronged with men
and women looking on at their death struggles, and said that not
unfrequently British captives were brought hither and made to contend in
the arena. The honest fellows were full of indignation and horror at the
thought of men killing themselves to give sport to others. They were
used to hard knocks, and thought but little of their life, and would
have betaken themselves to their bows and bills without hesitation in
case of a quarrel. But to fight in cold blood for amusement seemed to
them very terrible.

Cuthbert would then have traveled on to Milan, at that time next to Rome
the richest city in Europe, but he longed to be back in England, and was
the more anxious as he knew that King Richard would be passing through
great dangers, and he hoped to meet him at the court of Saxony. His
money, too, was fast running out, and he found that it wo