A March on London

any more influential than I am, but for that very reason I can be friends with all. The king's mother is always most courteous to me, because I was the friend of the Black Prince,

seldom as may be; besides, I hold myself aloof from both parties in th

like to rule in the name of the king. He has a powerful party, having with him the Duke of Gloucester, his brother, and other great nobles. On the other hand, he is ill-liked by the people, and they say

ho, being for the most part of obscure birth, have no sympat

r in his own hands, for the people love not king's favourites, and although the rabble at present talk much of all men being equal, and rail against the nobles, yet at bottom the English people are inclined towards those of good birth, and a king's favourite is all the more detested if he lacks this quality.

shman of royal blood rather than by favourites, whose only merits are a fair face, a gallant manner, and a smooth tongue, and who are sure not only to become unpopular themselves, but to render the king himself unpopular. It is for this reason that I journey so seldo

iendship for the Black Prince I, of course, know John of Gaunt well, and should there be, as seems likely, fierce fighting in France or in Spain-for, as you know, the duke has a claim to the crown of Castile-I will cross the water with you and p

deed, they kept in the main thoroughfares where the better class of citizens were to be seen, and knew little of those who live

of the tide, and so returned against it. It was therefore eight o'clock when they reached the Stairs, and already growing dark. They knew that orders

. The moon was shining brightly, and it seemed to them as they started that it would be a pleasant walk. They followed the Strand, where on the right stood man

hough in some places fields still stretched up to the foot of the walls, in others, especially where the roads led from the gates, a large population had established themselves. These

h from Aldersgate when they heard a scream an

main road. A short distance down it a number of men were engaged in conflict; two of these, hearing the footsteps, turned round, and with a savage oath, seeing that the new-comers were but lads, fell upon them, thinking to c

Albert?" Edgar crie

ping over a prostrate figure, with his dagger raised, paused for a moment to look round on hearing the howl of his comrade, and as he did so Edgar's sword fell on his wrist with such force that hand and dagger both f

o your companion. I trust that he is unharmed, and that we have arrived in time to prevent those villains from carrying out their intentions."

struck lay across him. Edgar at once hauled the moaning wretch off him, and held out his hand to the ot

daughter?"

ENT EDGAR'S SWORD FELL O

eased her and ran off, and I saw her figure sway, and ran forward j

thank you at present for the service that you have rendered me, but of t

d surely be some hostelry near where tr

neighbours, and on inquiry Edgar ascertained t

, Albert. Her weight w

ead weight hanging on his arms was already try

have shorn off his hand, and he would very speedily bleed to death. If you staunch the wound he may last till his comrades come back, as they doubtless will after we

the man and placed his hand on his heart. "He must h

d," Edgar replied, as he

," their companion said, "of

fs going down the road as we ran along; but I paid small attention to them

said. "But," and his voice faltered, "give me your arm, I pr

nt more heavily upon him. The door was shut, but the light from the casement showed that those w

it that

th his daughter, have been beset by kna

, and a man appeared, having a sword in his han

tioning. Suffice that there is a wounded man who is spent from

seeing that he had to do with persons of quality, murmured e

, or female servants; they will know what to do to bring the young maid to herself. But tell her to let th

came out from a room behind. Her husb

ay you," the woman said. "I w

en, and laid her down on a settle. Two maids who were standing there

ater, and do you, Elizabeth, help me to unlace the young lady's bodice," for th

of. In a parlour in front he found Albert and the landlord cutting off the doublet of the wounded man, so as to get at his shoulder, where a great patch of blood showed the location of the wound. He was some forty years old; his dress was quiet

id not speak again until the landlord, with

low your collar-bone. An inch or two lower and it would have gone hard wi

o his assistance, and I thought that the end had come, when he sprung suddenly up. The other attempted more furiously than before to finish me, but striking almost blindly he twice missed me altogether, and the third time, by a sudden twist, I took a blow on my shoulder

lord said. "I have rooms fortunately vacant,

en me something to eat, landlord. Anyth

on in the house,"

ee, for doubtless these gentlem

will have become alarmed; therefore, with your leave, we will, as

ur daughter has recovered, sir, and would come to you, but I be

to see how you are getting on," and without waiting for further wo

been cooler than you were. You spoke as quietly as if it were a lesson that you had to finish be

ll. He knew naught of swordsmanship, as I felt directly our blades crossed. I knew that I had but to guard a sweeping blo

and ran him through with my return. Then I had just time to chop the other villain's hand off as he was about to repeat his stroke. The ruffian you wounded caused the other to look round and pause for a moment. Had it been other

minutes, but it was nigh half-p

ious about you for the last two hours, and I myself was beginning to think that some ill mu

boat at Westminster and row to Richmond. This we did, but the tide was against us coming back, and though the men rowed hard, the Abbey bell

r. But what about the blood with which, as I see, Edgar is ev

ming, and as it turned out rightly, that some traveller like ourselves was being attacked by cut-throats, we ran on, and presently came up to the spot where four ruffians were attacking a single man who had

share of it?" his f

he answered, as quietly as he is now speaking, 'No, I think that I can manage him.' I had no time to say more, for I saw that a moment's delay would endanger the life of the traveller. Just as I reached him I heard a yell of pain, and knew that Albert h

e, but had you been nervous and flurried the first time you were called upon to play the part of a man, it would have seemed to me but natural; now it gladdens me indeed to know that even in your first essay you should have thus shown that you possess nerve and coolness as well as courage. Anyone can rush i

but it was hard to tell, for by the time we got him to the hostelry he

wounde

hen he was struck down he struggled so hard that in spite of the efforts of two of his assailants they failed to slay him. As soon as his wounds were bandaged we le

ecame of th

ll was over, and Edgar ca

ure worthy of knights. Now to bed. Your mother retired long ago, but I know that she will not s

ight's commendation, the l

in my first encounter. I thought of that as I ran forward with you, but as soon as the ruffian advanced against me, I felt with joy that my hand was as steady as when I stood opposite you. It was a good cause in which I was to fight, and as soon as our swords crossed I felt how di

own in the morning she

ng a priest; but now that all that has changed, and you have shown that you will be a brave and gallant knight, I can tell you that it gives me as great a joy as it does your father. The Church is a high and holy profession, but at present, as the preaching of Wickliffe has made manifest to all-although I do not hold with all he says, and deem that he carries it too far-I feel that until

er, and that he would be lost to her as a priest had been a source of sor

visions, and with many travellers and foot passengers of all sorts passing along, presented a very different appearance to that which it had worn on the evening before. People were going

a good cure. His daughter is with him. They have but lately risen, and are breaking their fast. He wil

s wound and the suddenness of the affray. 'Tis not strange that he should not have thought of it;

at things were going well with the wounded

come, and that I can now thank you for the great service you rendered last night

ervice to you and to your daughter. We hope some day to become knights, and it is a real pleasure to us to have been able to draw a sword in earnest for the first time, in so good a c

e that two dead bodies were found this morning, and they are those of well-known cut-throats and law-breakers, who would have long since been brought to justice, had it not been that there was no means of proving they were responsible for the many murders that have been committed duri

slain him had he so chosen, but being as yet unused to strife and g

two fall to your sw

n to your aid. Before I reached you, Albert had struck his blow, and the howl that the villain gave did more towards the saving of your life than my swor

and belong to the Guild of Mercers. I carry on trade with Venice

ll you how grateful I am for your succour. When you came running up it appeared to me tha

n the clashing of swords, that bro

She is the daughter of a plain citizen, and all

id, "did not stop her screams with a dagger-thrust. He

days before I left London, three weeks since, that I hired a new man. He had papers which showed that he came from Chelmsford, was an honest fellow, and accustomed to the care of horses. I doubt not his credentials were stolen. However, I engaged him, seeing that he appeared j

o hours to go five miles into St. Albans. As we went, I thought that, putting the first delay with the horse falling lame, this might be a plot to keep me from reaching London before the gates were shut, and while the horse's shoe was being taken off I slipped the bags of gold into my pouch, and going into the hostelry to get refreshments for Ursula and myself

e horse?' I ask

a nail on the road, master, or be

city, but the men at the gate were ignorant of it, and said that without an order from the lord mayor or one of the sheriffs they could open the gate to no man, for that since the country troubles had began, the orders were most strict. It happened that I had not been out through Alders

rade will show your man the way.' 'We may as well alight here, Ursula,' I said. It had been a long ride for her, and she was tired with sitting so long on the pillion behind me. ''Tis but three houses down; we may as well walk that distance. Reuben, do you bring rou

n the shadow of a doorway opposite, ran out, sword in hand. Seeing that I had been trapped, I pushed Ursula into the doorway and stood on my guard. For a short time I kept them at bay, Ursula screaming wildly the while. Then two of them rushed together at me. One struck down my guard, and then smote me on the head, a

my daughter's, there was naught in them. I should like to have seen the villain's face when he opened the money bags and found the trick that I had played him. He had best never show his face in London, for if I catch him he will dance at the end of a rope. And now, sirs, with your permission, I will repair to my home, for my wound smarts sorely, and I must have it dressed by a leech, who will pour in some unguents to allay the pain

en him directions by which their lodgings could be fou