The White Company

y the weather, with harsh, well-marked features, which were not improved by a long white scar which stretched from the corner of his left nostril to the angle of the jaw. His eyes were

ed steel cap showed that he was no holiday soldier, but one who was even now fresh from the wars. A white surcoat with the lion of St. George in red upon the ce

t and was kissing her violently. His eye happening to wander upon the maid, however, he instantly abandoned the mistress and danced off after the other, who scurried in conf

in my body, and I am a true English bowman, Samkin Aylward by name; and I tell you, mes amis, that it warms my very heart-roots to set my feet on the dear old land once more. When I came off the galley at Hythe, this very day,

each bearing a huge bundle upon his head. They formed in military line, while the

bed with the two counter-pane

first of the bearers, laying a

prythee give each of these men a bottrine of wine or a jack of ale. Three-a full piece of white Genoan velvet with

the carrier, shrinking away fr

ch blood! Four-an incense-boat, a ewer of silver, a gold buckle and a cope worked in pearls. I found them, camarades, at the Church of St. Denis in the harrying of Narbonne, and I took them away with me lest they fall into the hands of the wicked. Five-a cloak of fur turned up with minever, a

hy sir?" asked on

brawn, or what you will, with a flask or two of the right Gascony. I have crowns in my pouch, my sweet, and I mean t

p and his brigandine, and had placed them with his sword, his quiver and his painted long-bow, on the top of his varied heap of plunder in the corner. Now, with his thick and somewhat bowed legs stretched in front of the blaze, his green jerkin thrown open, and a great quart pot held in his corded fist, he looked the picture of comfort and of good-fellowship. His hard-set face had softened, and the thick crop of crisp brown curls which had been hidden by his helmet grew low upon his massi

glance which the young clerk threw upon him. He raised his f

ast surely never seen a man-at-ar

frankly, "though I have oft

bees at a tee-hole. Couldst not shoot a bolt down any street of Bordeaux, I warrant, but you would p

ty things?" asked Hordle John, po

no man as his paymaster, but just reach his hand out and help himself. Aye, it is a goodly and a proper life. And here I drink to mine old com

e Company!" shouted the travell

, since you have drained them to my dear lads of the white jerk

ink all

ray goos

where the gra

e, and ended with a shout of laughter. "I trust th

over the strings. "Hoping that it will give thee no offence, most holy sir"-with a vicio

d finger beating in time to the music, and the huge sprawling figure of Hordle John, all thrown into red light and black shadow by the flickering fire in the centre-memory was to come often lovingly back to it. At the time he was los

of th

as made i

wood, of

of Engl

who a

e old y

where the y

of th

was made

ord, a to

hat bowm

drain o

Engli

where the h

f the

was cut

aft, a st

nd trim

drink all

ray goos

where the gra

of th

ere bred

man-the

of dale

o you-an

arts that

where the tru

ch would lead the stave, and four hundred of the best bowmen that ever drew string would come roaring in upon the chorus. I have seen old John Hawkwood, the same who has led half the Company in

fe, the spoon, the salt, the tranchoir of bread, and finally the smoking dish which held the savory supper. The archer settle

the seas. Look at me-what have I to do? It is but the eye to the cord, the cord to the shaft, and the shaft to the mark. The

age?" aske

back. Never a knight's lady shall be better betrimmed and betrinketed. How of all that, mon garcon? And how of the heap of trifles that you can see for yourselves in

e a goodly service,"

r knight. Peter Karsdale, who was but a common country lout newly brought over, with the English fleas still hopping under his doublet, laid his great hands upon the Sieur Amaury de Chatonville, who owns half Picardy, and had five thousand crowns out of him

ring wealth and kindly customs into the country," quoth Dame Eliza,

Hola! there is la petite peeping from behind the door. A toi

tand it, there was peace made at the town of Bretigny some six years back between our most gracious monarch and the King of the French. This be

" said the archer, l

ed rara, which means in the Latin tongue that archers are all honorab

he rest of them. When every man's grip is on his neighbor's throat, and every five-sous-piece of a baron is marching with tuck of drum to fight whom he will, it would be a strange thing if five hundred brave English boys could not pick up a living. Now that Sir John Hawkwood hath gone with the East Anglian lads and the Nottingham woodmen into the service of the Marquis of Montferrat to fight against the Lord

said that, setting aside the prince, and mayhap good old Sir John Ch

om the sailing from Orwell down to the foray to Paris, and that is clear twenty years, there was not a skirmish, onfall, sally, bushment, escalado or battle, but Sir Nigel was in the heart of it. I go now to Christchurch with a letter to him fro

e and child at Emery Down," quoth he; "I

oung sir?" as

said Alleyne Edricson. "Besi

ing by the fireside, like crows round a dead horse, when there is man's work to be done within a few short leagues of ye? Out upon you all, as a set of laggards and hang-

d more than twice; for which, and also because I see much in

han I take you for if you can lay me on my back, mon garcon. I have won the ram more times than there are t

ing and throwing off his doublet. "I will show you that there ar

, my red-headed friend, I should be right sorry to exchange buffets with you; and I will allow that there is no man in the Company who would pull against you on a rope; so let that be a salve to your pri

saw the face yet of the man that I was afeard of.

the w

Come out for the love a

nch feather-bed there, which I have been at pains to keep these years back. I had it at the sacking of Issodun, and the King himself hath not such a bed. If you throw me,

moving back their benches and trestles,

well to your bed, sold

your teeth, and you shall live to thank me for it. How shall it be, t

hn, opening and shutting his great red h

m his waist upwards, and his huge body, with his great muscles swelling out like the gnarled roots of an oak, towered high above the soldier. The other, however, though near a foot shorter, was a man of great strength; and there was a gloss upon his white skin which was wanting in the heavier limbs of

and hands advanced. Then with a sudden dash, so swift and fierce that the eye could scarce follow it, he flew in upon his man and locked his leg round him. It was a grip that, betwee

curls, "you were not far from the feather-bed then, mon gar.

was, he dropped upon his feet and kept his balance, though it sent a jar through his frame which set every joint a-creaking. He bounded back from his perilous foeman; but the other, heated by the bout, rushed madly after him, and so gave the practised wrestler the very vantage for which he had planned. As big John flung himself upon him, the archer ducked under the great red hands that clutched for him, and, catching his man round the thighs, hurled him over his shoulder-helped as much by his own mad rush as by the trained strength of the heave. To Alleyne's eye, it was as if John had taken

the saints!" he cried

s, "I have come well out of the business. I woul

trick,"

! it is a trick that will add a pro

myself a good hour ago that I should go with thee, since the life seems

ard. "Here is to thee, lad, and may we be good comrades to each oth

arse whisper, shaking a warning finger at the company. "Oh, holy Virgin, 'ware the ale!" and slapping his hands to his injury, he flitted off into the darkness, amid a shout of laughter, in which the vanquished joined as merrily as the victor. The remaining forester and the two laborers were also ready for the road, and the rest of