accoutred
could scarce have weighed more than twelve stone, had a light bay
Spanish jennet, of great speed and spirit. This mare he named Chloe,
'after a godly maiden of his acquaintance,' though, as my father
remarked, there was a somewhat ungodly and heathenish smack about the
appellation. These horses and their harness were bought and held ready
without my father appearing in the matter in any way.

This important point having been settled, there was the further question
of arms to be discussed, which gave rise to much weighty controversy
between Decimus Saxon and my father, each citing many instances from
their own experiences where the presence or absence of some taslet
or arm-guard had been of the deepest import to the wearer. Your
great-grandfather had set his heart upon my wearing the breastplate
which still bore the dints of the Scottish spears at Dunbar, but on
trying it on we found it was too small for me. I confess that this was a
surprise, for when I looked back at the awe with which I had regarded
my father's huge proportions, it was marvellous to me to have
this convincing proof that I had outgrown him. By ripping down the
side-leather and piercing holes through which a lace could be passed, my
mother managed to arrange it so that I could wear it without discomfort.
A pair of taslets or thigh-pieces, with guards for the upper arm and
gauntlets, were all borrowed from the old Parliamentary equipment,
together with the heavy straight sword and pair of horse pistols which
formed the usual weapons of a cavalier. My father had chosen me a
head-piece in Portsmouth, fluted, with good barrets, padded inside with
soft leather, very light and yet very strong. When fully equipped,
both Saxon and my father agreed that I had all that was requisite for
a well-appointed soldier. Saxon had purchased a buff-coat, a steel cap,
and a pair of jack-boots, so that with the rapier and pistols which my
father had presented him with, he was ready to take the field at any
time.

There would, we hoped, be no great difficulty in our reaching Monmouth's
forces when the hour came. In those troublous times the main roads were
so infested by highwaymen and footpads, that it was usual for travellers
to carry weapons and even armour for their protection. There was no
reason therefore why our appearance should excite suspicion. Should
questions be asked, Saxon had a long story prepared, to the effect that
we were travelling to join Henr