A March on London

rtford threatens to be more serious than I expected. I was on the point of starting for home when I heard of the trouble, and should have done so had not the king asked me to remain h

of Kent was in a blaze, I sent out a messenger to you

seeing that he was himself yesterday in Dartf

what he had seen and

tfo

hing towards Rochester; a panic prevails in that town, and the wise heads have sent off this messenger, as

would fain see what people are wearing, for the fashions change so rapidly that if one is away

he fashions both of men and women in the last year. The young king is fond of brave attire, and loves to see those around him brightly arrayed, and indeed it seems to me that money is spent over-lavishly, and that it wer

women,

s thoughts are too much occupied by these troubles in Essex and Kent to think much of feasting and ente

f trouble in the city,

sacked, were bands of rioters to obtain possession of the town, they will doubtless give us any aid in their power. But the matter does not depend upon them; there are ever in great towns a majority composed of the craftsmen, the butchers, and others, together with all the lower rab

neither the young lords of the Court nor the citizens would pay any heed to my orders; moreover, I am not one of those whose head is good to plan matters. I would die in your Majesty's service, and would warrant that many of your enemies would go down before I did. I could set a host in

were I in your place I would issue a proclamation to these knaves saying that you would hold no parley with men having arms in their hands, but that if they would peacefully disperse you would order that a commission be appo

homes. I pray you, take no heed of my words, but refer the matter to those accustomed to deal with affairs of state. The noble prince, your father, knew that he could lay his orders on me, and that I would carry them out to the utmost of my strength. If he said to me, "Lead a party, Sir Ralph, to attack that bridge," I gave no thought as to whether the def

d his Majesty

and my son and daughter, as I misliked leaving you in the centre of these troubles, he offered apartments in the Tower, but I said that, with his permission, I would remain lodged here, for that, seeing his la

n the Tower Aline could never venture from my side

ourt, while others had been built by citizens who let them to persons of degree, who only came occasionally to Court on business or pleasure. The house in which Sir Ralph had taken up his lodging was the property of a trader who, when the house was not let to

is to take the lads to a tailor's to obtain

ough to do so, Sir Ralph," Edgar said. "My fath

t if he had not done so, for I had intended that you and Albert should ha

me to the king and offering to present me to him; indeed, I am ashamed that what was a pleasure to me, and

the full as much as the boys; besides, this is Aline's first visit to town. We saw but little as

I had not intended that

als of sober hues, and Dame Matilda noted that a great change had taken place since she had last been in London, not only in the fashion, but in the costliness of the material; for with the death of the old king and the accession of a young one fond of gaiety and rich dresses, the spirit of extravagance had spread rapidly among all classes. With these were cit

crowd, or exchanging saucy remarks with each other, for which they were sometimes sharply rebuked by their elders. From East Chepe the party passed on through Chepe to St. Pa

erve you with

ir Ralph said. "I desire clothes befitting a presentation to the k

ices showed numerous samples, most

provision of garments, but they would show every spot and stain, and would soon be past wearing; besides, although doubtless such

plexion and light golden hair. While they were choosing, the mercer had sent into his neighbour, a tailor, who now measured them. The goods were of satin, and both suits were to be made in precisely similar fashion, namely,

, resembling in shape those still worn in Spain. As the matter was pressing,

odice, which was to be tight fitting, in the fashion, and trimmed round the bottom and neck with white fur, while the skirt was of lilac and of the same material. For herself, she had chosen a purple

ady," Sir Ralph laughed. "'Tis we

t the last time you were in London, and have not worn it from then till now, an

ad been bought for the lads, Edgar's being embr

to compete with some of those young peacocks of the Court, but you will ma

which Sir Ralph went to the Tower, while his wife and daughter, fatigued by their day's journey, spe

or me so light a coloured suit, instead of a graver hue like that which

ut natural that he should regard a life in the Church as one that was best fitted for you, and that you yourself would be perfectly willing to follow that profession, but now it is wholly different; besides, even if at present you may not wish,

are all for a quiet life in the country, and you know I could be very happy living at home as I have done from my childhood. But if I am to be in the world I must bear my part, and if needs be follow the king to battle, and unless I could do my duty manfully I would rather follow out the life I thought must be mine, an

le, which is so close to St. Alwyth that we can ride over and visit each other daily when I am there, which mayhap would not be very often, for when England and France are at peace, and there is no tr

nd skill in arms, but it may be that even there I may

ust soon be coming when we should be separated, and for ever. It was with some faint hope that exercise might bring more colour to your cheeks, and that with strength and skill in arms might come thoughts of another life than

went into the Church it would no longer appear in the roll of the knights of England. It would be ill indeed that a line of knight

it seemed there was no other place for me. Of late, since I have gained health and strength, I have seen that possibly it might be otherwise. At first I struggled against the idea and deemed it the suggestion of t

d moreover, although stronger than of old, I thought that I might never attain such health and strength as might render me a worthy knight, and feared that when tried I should be found wanting. Thus I have wavered, and knew not which way my inclinations drew me most strongly, but I never thought of what you have just said, that if I were to enter the Church our line would come to an end. However, there is no o

that there is no reason to doubt that you will continu

ccompany him into the garden, and there detailed to him th

ourcys on the battle-roll of England since our ancestor fought at Hastings; and I might well feel grieved at the thought that it might possibly appear there no more, and the pleasure that you have given me is more than I can expres

no better instructor than your friend. I myself will train you in knightly exercises on horseback-to vault into the saddle and to throw yourself off when a horse is going at full speed, to use your lance and carry off a ring; but I will take care not to press you beyond your strength, and not to weary you with over-long work. My effort will

n when the morning meal w

d there for non-payment of taxes, but malefactors; that they had been joined by the rabble of the town, had slain several notaries and lawyers, and torn up all parchments, deeds, and registers

give us time for pre

have no effect. The men know well enough that they have rendered themselves liable to punishment, and as they were ready to run that risk when they first took up arms, it is not likely that they will be frightened at the threat now when they find none to oppose them, and that their numbers grow from day to day

before they had arrived. There they committed many excesses, executed three rich citizens, opened the prisons, killed all lawyers, and burned all deeds and regis

awyers, and why should they destroy dee

rent, claiming the land for themselves, and defying those from whom they hold it to show their titles as lords of the soil. There must be some shrewd knaves among them. This Wat the Tyler and the men of the towns can care naught for such matters; but they suffer those who

re and the feudal lords to hasten hither with their levies and retainers

ve no such hope. Is it likely that they will quietly go home, having once worked themselves up to fight for what they call their rights, and with the thought of taking vengeance on those they consider their enemies, and of unlimited drinking and fe

n they returned they might find their houses burned and their families slain. You see we know not how far this fire may spread. We hear that both in Suffolk and Hertfordshire men are assemblin

re were as many as that, Sir Ral

armed, this rascaldom may fight sturdily. The French peasant has no rights, and is a chattel, that his lord may dispose of as he chooses. As long as they met with no opposition all who fell into their hands were destroyed, and the castles ravaged and plundered, the peasants behaving like a pack of mad wolves. Our

don will be with them, and we shall have these to keep in order, as well as cope with those in the field. Besides, one must remember that in a matter like this we cannot fully depend on any force that we may gather. The archers and men-at-arms would be drawn largely from the same class as the better portion of these rioters, and would be slack in fighting against them. Certainly, those of the home counties

er and sister into the Tower, fa

ntil I see the temper of the garr

ew clothes arrived, Si

le and presented

ill some day be able to follow you to battle as I followed the noble prince your father; f

ike yourself, Sir Ralph, than that of the Church, excellent though that may be for those who have inclinat

sed through our own university at Oxford, and those of Padua and Pisa. He is one of my most esteemed friends. Master Edgar, as I told you, is greatly skilled for his years in the use of the sword, to which he has long devoted himself with great ardour. It is to

said, pleasantly, "and I trust that although your father cares not for kn

at 'tis his opinion that if given merely for possession of land 'tis but an accident of birth, but that if the reward of bravery, 'tis an honour that is of the highe

d a knight, such being the term of military command; but now that many are allowed to provide substitutes, methinks that it is an error to give the title to stay-at-homes. I shall be glad, y

m; but in truth two years ago I studied at the convent of St. Alwyth, and my spare time then and most of my time since has been so occupied by my exercises in arms tha

dolefully. "Our royal mother is absent, and our talk is all o

ole, who held high office; Robert de Vere, one of the king's special favourites; an