Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times
his six arrows at his side, and his short sword and buckler. Each, too,
had many acquaintances amongst the crowd; and, with others, to whom
they did not actually speak, a gay glance of recognition and familiar
nod were interchanged as they made their way up to the lists.
"What! Miller," said one of the farmers, as a yeoman in the gay green
passed him; "why have you brought your arrows with you? There are no
butts here!"
"There are butts everywhere, Winken," replied the person addressed.
"But you have no bow," rejoined the countryman.
"Bows wont be wanted, if we need them," answered the yeoman, and passed
on.
Scarcely was this conversation concluded, when, slowly riding down from
the side of Nottingham, was seen a gallant train of gentlemen, and many
a fair lady, too, it must be confessed, notwithstanding the bloody
nature of the scene about to be performed.
"The King!--the King!" shouted many voices; "the King and the Prince!
God bless Prince Edward!"
But few added the monarch's name to the benediction. All that Henry
heard, however, was the shout of gratulation; and fancying himself
popular, he bowed gracefully to the people, and rode on to the entrance
of the pavilion prepared for him, which was soon filled with the lords
and ladies of his court.
To the surprise of most there present, the Princess Eleanor was seen
upon the King's right hand, and many were the comments made upon her
appearing, for the first time, to witness a judicial combat.
In the meanwhile, Prince Edward, followed by several heralds in their
brilliant tabards, and accompanied by two knights unarmed, rode on to
the other end of the lists and entered the field. He himself was
clothed in a shining hauberk of steel rings, with a hood of the same,
but with his _chapel de fer_, shield, and lance, borne by esquires on
foot. His face was thus completely seen, and it was gay and smiling.
His princely carriage--his commanding height--his management of the
strong fiery horse that bore him--his frank and noble expression of
countenance--all had their effect upon the hearts of the people around;
and loud and reiterated shouts of gratulation rent the sky as he rode
along the lists.
After he had spoken for a few minutes with the heralds and pursuivants,
Edward turned to one of the knights who had accompanied him, saying,
"Go to the Earl of Ashby's tent, and tell him, he is too weak to fight
in this day's field.--The yeoman who first drank of the cup is dead,
you say?"
"He died very shortly after, my lord," replied the knight, "having
scarce time to make confession, and to acknowledge that, when Sir
Richard had left the Earl's lodging, he went into the chamber, and
finding the cup well-nigh full of wine, drank it off."
"It must have been a subtle poison, indeed," rejoined the Prince;
"Gadsden tells me it cost him all his skill to save the Earl. But go to
him, and say that he is too weak. If he will withdraw the charge,
well--if not, let him put off the combat for a week. No dishonour shall
follow in either case."
The knight rode away, and Edward, turning to the other who had
accompanied him, demanded--"They have not found him yet?"
"No, my lord," replied the other; "every place was searched in vain.
There lay the dead body in the room above. It is that of a man called
Dighton. I knew his face at once, having seen him often with Ellerby,
and other such scurvy cattle, hanging about London and Westminster."
"Sir John has got a short answer," said the Prince, as looking towards
a tent at the western corner of the lists he saw the knight he had sent
away remounting his horse to return. "I have seldom seen a man so
obstinate."
In two minutes the messenger was by the Prince's side again.
"He will not bear of it, my lord," exclaimed the knight as he rode up;
"he declares that men, indeed, would call him coward now, if for a few
hours' sickness he should shirk the conflict."
"Well, then, it must go on," replied the Prince, looking down; "he may
find himself mistaken yet. Go to the other tent, and speak With Sir
John Hardy; see what he says."
While the knight was absent, the Prince rode round the lists, and
approached the spot where Henry and Eleanor were seated. He spoke a few
words to each; but as he was about to turn away, Eleanor, whose look
displayed some small anxiety, bent her head forward and asked, in a low
voice, "Are you quite sure, dear lord?"
"I think so," answered the Prince; "but yet I see no one appears. It
will never be too late, however, to interpose myself.--The letter said
they would be here before the time.--Ha! here comes the challenger!"
At the moment that he spoke his eyes were fixed upon the tent or
pavilion of the young Earl of Ashby, from which was seen to issue forth
a figure clothed in a complete suit of armour--consisting of the
hauberk, or shirt of mail, the chausses of mail, and the casque of
steel, with a crest and a moving visor, or avantaille of bars. He wore
no pourpoint over his armour; and the only thing that distinguished him
from the ordinary man at arms were the poylins, or joints of steel
plates at the knees and arms of the hauberk, which were the first
approximation to the plate armour which soon after came into use.
All eyes were turned in that direction, as well as those of the Prince;
and every one remarked, that the young Earl leaned, as he walked from
the entrance of the tent to his horse's side, upon the arm of Sir Harry
Grey, who appeared in the field as his godfather. And as the rumour had
become by this time general, that an attempt had been made to poison
him on the preceding night, a loud murmur ran amongst the people
of--"He's not fit! he's not fit!--Don't let him fight!"
But Alured de Ashby put his foot into the stirrup, and mounted his
horse with apparent difficulty, but then sat firm and upright in the
saddle.
"Well, beast," he cried, patting the charger's neck, "thou canst bear
the arms that weary me." And moving onward to the other end of the
lists, his attendants following with his lance and shield, he saluted
the King and Princess as he passed, and bowed his head lowly to the
Prince.
"This is mere madness, my good lord," said Edward, riding up to his
side; "I really feel that, as judge of the field, I cannot let this go
on."
"I must do my devoir, fair sir," answered Alured de Ashby. "I am
neither craven nor recreant; and here I stand in arms to defend my
honour."
Edward was about to reply; but, at that moment, the knight he had sent
to the other pavilion approached at a quick pace, and whispered
something in the Prince's ear.
"That they are ready for the field!" said Edward, in a tone of
amazement. "What may this mean?--well, let the heralds make
proclamation, then; and we will part the sun and wind."
At a sign from the Prince's truncheon, or warder, the trumpet sounded
aloud, and a herald, spurring forward his horse, proclaimed that all
persons were to quit the field but the knight challenger and his
respondent, the heralds, and officers of arms, the judge of the combat,
and his esquires.
A momentary bustle and much confusion took place, for a number of
persons, upon one pretence or another, were at this time within the
lists. But all was soon clear, and Alured de Ashby being placed in the
spot adjudged by the heralds to the challenger, braced on his shield,
and took his lance in his hand, bearing it perpendicular with the steel
in the air, and the other end resting on his foot. An esquire unarmed
stood on each side, with two pages behind; and the field being clear,
Sir Harry Grey placed a purse of gold in the hands of the principal
herald, saying, "That for the good knight's casque."
The herald bowed his head, replying, "Largesse! noble sir. Is the
combat both of lance and sword?"
"That matters not," said Sir Harry Grey; "he pays for the lance, and
the lance covers the sword."
The herald then spurred forward some twenty steps, followed by his
pursuivants, and after a loud flourish of the trumpets, proclaimed that
there stood Alured, Earl of Ashby, ready to do battle against Hugh of
Monthermer, Lord of Amesbury, on certain charges brought by him,
Alured, against the said Hugh, having first made oath, according to the
law of arms, that his quarrel was just and righteous, and was ready to
wager his body on God's decision. "Now, if the said Hugh of
Monthermer," continued the herald, "will maintain that the said charge
is false and groundless, and venture his body in that behalf, let him
appear before the third sound of the trumpet, or if not, let him
surrender himself into the hands of our Lord the King, to be dealt with
according to his demerits!--Oyez! oyez! oyez! Let no man, on pain of
forfeiture of life or limb, according to the pleasure of the King, give
any comfort or encouragement to either the said Alured, Earl of Ashby,
or Hugh, Lord of Monthermer, by sign, word, or cry; and let God defend
the right!--Sound trumpets!"
A long loud call of the trumpet succeeded, and all looks turned towards
the other pavilion, before which appeared two horses fully caparisoned,
the banner of the house of Monthermer, and several pages and
attendants. The pavilions themselves, it must be remarked, were
encircled with rails, joining those of the lists, but separated from
the actual field of combat by a small movable barricade. Behind the
tent, on which every one was now looking, and at the side of it
farthest from the royal scaffolding, a good deal of bustle and
confusion seemed to be taking place; and the space of time allotted
after the first call of the trumpet passed away without any one
appearing to answer the challenge.
"Sound again!" cried the herald, and again the blast of the trumpet was
heard, upon which the hangings of the tent were almost immediately
drawn back, and Hugh de Monthermer, armed, but bare headed, advanced
towards the barrier.
"This is not right," murmured the Prince, when first his eyes fell upon
him; but the next instant he saw more. On the right hand of Hugh was
Sir John Hardy, and on the left his uncle, the old Earl of Monthermer.
Two esquires bore the knight's lance and shield, a page between them
carried his helmet; and in this guise the whole party advanced on foot
towards the barrier, which was raised to give them admission into the
lists. But close behind them came four men, bearing on their shoulders
something like a bier, covered with a little tilt and curtains formed
of some light cloth. A party of yeomen followed, guarding two men, who
walked between them, with their arms tied. Their hoods were turned
back, exposing the whole head and face; and, as they advanced, the
first of the two prisoners rolled his eyes fiercely round, with a look
like that of a maniac; while the second bent his gaze steadfastly upon
the ground, and never gave a glance on either side.
"Ha! What is this?" exclaimed Alured de Ashby. "What means all
this?--Ah! I see now!--'Tis Richard they have got--and the dead body in
the bier, most like.--My lord, I guess the rest!"
"And so do I," said Edward; "let us ride on and see."
Both spurred forward quickly at the same moment, and reached the spot
before the royal pavilion, just as Hugh de Monthermer paused there
also.
"Now, Hugh, now," cried the Prince; "What is all this? But first, my
good lord," he continued, extending his hand to the old Earl, "welcome
back to your duty, and to England. My lord the King, may not your son
promise this gentleman grace and pardon?"
It is probable that at any other time Henry would not have yielded
without much entreaty; but at this moment he was too eager for
explanations to hesitate, and bowing his head, he replied, "Well, be it
so.--What now?"
"My lord," said Hugh, "I come before your grace to prove my innocence