Saint George for England

eemed it possible that one of your age could have smitten such a blow, and right glad should I

er, my liege,"

l be a rare craftsman one of these days. 'Tis a rare pity so promising a swordsman should

, "and his grace the Prince of Wales has already promis

"how is this? Have you been alrea

this lad lead his play-fellows to the assault of an earthen castle held by others, and he fought so well and gallantly that assuredly no knight could have done better

ing l

gent which my good city of London furnishes me is ever one of the best in my army. We shall see the lad at work

e best Spanish steel, which was the prize given by the city to the

in purchasing

seen in London. Both to show them somewhat of the sieges which are taking place on the borders of France and the Low Countries, in which Sir Walter Manny and many other gallant knights have so greatly distinguished themselves, and as an exercise for the young nobles, he has determined that there shall be a castle erected. It will be built of wood, with battlements and towers, with a moat outside. As soon as the lists are over a large number of workmen will commence its erection; the pieces are all sawn and prepared. T

"if it be not contrary to the rules, in order that I

ere is a drawbridge defended by an outwork of palisades six feet high. The moat will be a dry one, seeing that we have no means of filling it with water, but it will be supposed to be

ake all this before m

ple. Here is a list of the various implements which will be provided, only it is understood that the mangonels and arblasts will not be provided with missiles, seeing that many would assuredly be killed by them. They will be employed, however, to show the nature of the work, and parties of men-at-arms will be told off to serve them. Crossbows and arrows will be used, but the weapons will be blunted. You will see that there are ladders, planks for making bridges, long hooks for hauling men down from the wall, beams for

armly congratulated him upon his success. He informed them of the spectacle

e rough, and we may expect many broken limbs, for it be no joke to be thrown down with a l

et," Walter said, "for so

g has erred somewhat in making the forces equal, for assuredly the besiegers should

ne that way than in the defence. When we get home, Geoffrey, we will

of some twenty feet back so as to give a postern gate behind each of the corner towers through which a sortie might b

ng nobles will know but little of that weapon; therefore your shooting will be far straighter and truer, and even a blunt-he

de his way to Ludgate, where he found his late antagonist, whose he

ween us, I hope," Walter

good-tempered-looking young giant, with closely-cropped ha

een hammering at the anvil for the last seven years; but strike as I would I could not beat down your guard, while mine went down, as if it had been a feather, before yours. I k

h, that is, if you will take me as such, seeing that you are just out of your apprenticeship, while I am not yet h

alking of nothing else. The news was published at t

bles are ready to be killed, we apprentices need not fear to hazard our lives. But now as to tomorrow. I, as the winner today, am to be the leader of the party, and yo

done, exclaimed admiringly: "Why, Walter, you seem to be made for a general.

alter said, "and the idea is his as

h said enthusiastically. "Th

-was quite impossible. At ten o'clock the king and his court arrived. After they had taken their places the two bands, headed by their leaders, advanced from the lower end of the lists, and drew up in front of the royal pavilion. The leaders took their places in front. Behind them stood ten chosen followers, all of whom, as well as their chiefs, were encased in full armour. Behind, on one side, were 100 apprentices, on the other 100 esquires, all attired as men-at-arms. The court party were led by Clarence Aylmer, son of the Earl of Pembroke. His companions were all young men of noble family, aspirants for the order of knighthood. They were, for the most part, somewhat older than the apprentices, but

d urged. "I shall not spare myself, you kno

n use. You may be sure that young Pembroke and his band will fight their hardest rath

ned in the front of his helmet a tiny gold bracelet. Upon taking their places before the pavilion the

ometimes to our cost, in Scotland, that footmen can repulse even the bravest chivalry. Today each party will fight his best. Remember that, even in the heat of conflict, matters must not be carried to an extreme. Those cut off from their friends will be accounted prisoners, as will those who, being overpowered, throw down their arms. Any wounded on either side will not be accounted as prisoners, but may retire with honour from the field. You," he s

"I would fain take the assault. Methinks that, with

ked somewhat

ar than your party, and occupying so superior a position. However," he went on, seeing that Walter made no sign of changing his mind, "as you have chosen, so be it; and now it is for

pprentice lad; and they thought that he would be sorely puzzled at such a duty. Walter, however, did not hesitat

on," he said, "I choose, as queen of

the king's order, made her way forward to the front, and took her seat in a chair placed between the king and queen. The girl coloured brightly; but she had heard so much of tourneys and jousts that s

iers. Methinks that, as queen of the tourney, I should be neutral between you, but as one of you carries my gage in his helm

ed her seat with a p

nows your name, and how is it that he wears your gage, for I know that

said, "and I told him he should be my true knight, and

nd will question my Lady Vernon further anon; but s

in the outwork beyond the drawbridge. The rest took their station on the walls, and towers, where a platform had been erected, running along three feet below the battlements. The real men-at-arms with the machines of war now advanced, and for a time

e the shafts but pointed! Even as it is the knocks must be no child's play, for the arrows, although

ntly upon the superiority of shooting of the London lads, and, indeed, I know not that I ought not in fairness to order some of the defenders off the walls,

ehind the parapet. The assailants now gathered thickly round each tower, as if they intended to attempt to cross by the bridges, which could be let down from a

said, "he will make a strong sally now a

re struck down by the blows dealt them by the defenders, but others caught up the axes and in less than a minute several of the palisades were cut down and the assailants poured in. The defenders fought gallantly, but they were ov

er part in the contest. Walter and Ralph the smith, fought in front of their men, and hard as Pembroke and his followers struggled, they could not drive them back a foot. The court party were galled by the heavy fire of arrows kept up by the apprentices along the side of the moat, and find

earthwork be carried. The boards were soon splintered, and the drawbridge was pronounced by the Earl of Talbot, who was acting as judge, to be destroyed. The

more cleverly. You see, by placing his forces at the ends of the wall he drew all the garrison thither to withstand the assaults from them, and thus by his sudden movement he was able to carry the o

glad to see it. He will make a gallant knight, sir, one of these days, and remember he is engaged to follow my

since the tower defends it, and the ladders are but long enough to reach the lower wall. No, their leader has changed his mind, they are taki

arty prepared to throw a bridge of planks across the moat. The bridge from the tower was now lowered; but a shout of triumph rose from the def

s of this kind will happen, and give an opportunity to a leader to show his resources.

ladders against the wall and strove to climb. They strove in vain, however. The ladders were thrown down as fast as the

ader of the assailan

been shorn off," the king said. "Look,

oat fell upon the stormers. These, however, received them with great steadiness, and while some continued

"One would have thought that they had reckoned

g the pressure of the apprentices, who drove them back step by step to the sall