The White Company

scrip in the other, with springy step and floating locks, he raced along the forest path, as active and as graceful as a young deer. He had not far to go, however;

front of the cottage, each holding out a round stick in their left hands, with their arms stiff and straight from the shoulder, as silent and sti

eat delight. "This is the proper way to raise children. By my hilt! I

. "They stand very stiff, and I trus

bow. So my own father trained me, and six days a week I held out his walking-sta

e great lime-tree, good m

be, then? Woodm

," they cried

e are whelps of the true breed. W

," they answered. "Daddy wil

sh galleys no further away than Southampton, but I doubt that it

he elder; "for it was the Scots who cut o

a gaunt, big-boned man, with sunken cheeks and a sallow face, who had come up behind them. He held up his t

ylward. "Who hath served th

and," quoth the stranger, with a bitter smile. "North of Humber there is no

ou into his han

r marksman than Robin Heathcot. Yet, as you see, he hath left me, as he hath left many another poor border archer, with no grip for bill or bow. Yet the king hath given

lives," they an

r the f

a sc

o take service under Johnny Copeland, the Lord of the Marches and Governor of Carlisle. By

with his mantlet raised when you cannot hope to do him scathe unless your shaft fall straight upon him from the clouds. I have not drawn string for two weeks, but I may be able to show ye how such shots should be made." He loosened his long-bow, slung his quiver round to the front, and then glanced keenly round for a fitting mark. There was a yellow and withered stump some way off, seen under th

ken to him lads! He is a master bowman. Y

a man-at-arm's harness, from the clasp of his bassinet to the hinge of his greave. But, with your favor, friend, I must gather my arrows again, for while a shaft costs a penny a poor man can scarce leave the

s. The woods about this point fall away to the left and the right, while the road curves upwards and the wind sweeps keenly over the swelling uplands. The broad strips of bracken glowed red and yellow against the black peaty soil, and a queenly doe who grazed among the

ienne, we should have a fresh haunch for our none-meat

hat comes of it. In our own township of Hordle two have lost their eyes and one his skin for this very thing. On my troth, I felt no great

cher; but none the less he thrust his quiver ove

wood-pigeons flapped thickly overhead, while ever and anon the measured tapping of Nature's carpenter, the great green woodpecker, sounded from each wayside grove. On either side, as the path mounted, the long sweep of country broadened and expanded, sloping down on the one side through yellow forest and brown moor to the distant smoke of Lymington and the blue misty channel which lay alongside the sky-line, while to the north the woods rolled away, grove topping grove, to where in the furthest distance the whit

hath good power of hatred. Couldst see by his cheek and eye that he is

ould it not be better if he

a man love the sex. Pasques Dieu! they are made to be loved, les petites, from whimple down to shoe-st

rather that his heart should soften

their Galloway nags, or you would not speak of loving them. I would as soon take Beelzebub himself to my arms. I fear, mon gar., that they have taught thee but badly at Beaulieu, for surely a bishop knows more of what

ded an opinion on the part of a high dignitary of the Chur

ord Mowbray. Later, I served under the Warden of Berwick, that very John Copeland of whom our friend spake, the same who held t

Scots are good men of

one fist and brown bill in the other. On the other hand, they are the sorriest archers that I have ever seen, and cannot so much as aim with the arbalest, to say nought of the long-bow. Again, they are mostly poor folk, even the nobles among them, so that there are few who can buy as good a bri

cher's light gossip had all the relish that the

orays, bushments, sallies, outfalls, and knightly spear-runnings. Their knights and squires, lad, are every whit as good as ours, and I could pick out a score of those who ride behind Du Guesclin who would hold the lists with sharpened lances against the best men in the army of England. On the other hand, their common folk are so crushed down with gabell

r commoner of England myself, and yet I know something of charters, liberties, franchises, usages, priv

from the ink-pot of the one than from the iron of the other. There is ever some cursed sheepskin in their strong boxes to prove th

leyne Edricson. His young mind hungered for plain facts of life, after the

of a minstrel's string, like the hotter blood of the south. But ma foi! lay hand on his wool-bales, or trifle with his velvet of Bruges, and out buzzes every stout burgher, like bees from the

e men o

t upon the cliffs looking down at us, as if it had been joust or tourney. By my hilt! it was a sight that was worth the seeing, for all that was best in England was out on the water that day. We went forth in little ships and came back in great galleys-for of fifty tall ships of Spain, over two score flew the Cross of St. George ere the sun had set. But now, youngs

outside of the cloisters; but, indeed, it may not be, for my duty is towards my brother, seeing that father and mother are dead, and he my elder. Besides, when ye talk of taking me to

else might please the eye of a learned clerk, there are a good hundred to our one. At the spoiling of Carcasonne I have seen chambers stored with writing, though not one man in our Company could read them. Again, in Arles and Nimes, and other towns that I could name, there are the gre

d; "but I have come from Beaulieu for a purpose, and I mu

ace for them, and yet the Virgin knows that there was never a set of men who were in more need of it. Sickerly the one duty may balance the other. Your brother hath d

ugh the forest, from Bramshaw Hill to Holmesley Walk. He is a d

to France, and it would be a joy to me if I could go with you. But indeed and indeed it cannot be, so here I take my leave of you, for yon

ressing Alleyne to his heart. "I am quick to love,

see what manner of greeting you have from your brother. You may

"ye must not bide for m

e Christchurch road, and so onwards, hoping to-night to reach the castle of Sir William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, of which Sir Nigel Loring is c

runks that he cast a glance backwards, when he found that he could still see them through the branches on the road above him. The archer was standing with folded arms, his bow jutting from over his shoulder, and the sun gleaming brightly upon his head-piece and the links of his