The Geste of Duke Jocelyn | Page 7

we been at great expense o'
breath and time and all to no purpose. Come, Friar, beseech thee, let us
haste to begone."
So Friar John got slowly to his feet
Complaining loud of hurry and of
heat,
But paused behind the hasteful Reeve to linger,
And to plump
nose he slyly laid plump finger.
Now stood Sir Pertinax thoughtful, chin on fist, insomuch that Jocelyn,
thrumming his lute, questioned him:
"Good Pertinax, how now
What pond'rest thou
With furrowed brow?

Thy care, Sir Knight, avow!"
Saith Pertinax: "I meditate the way wondrous of woman, the
frowardness of creatures feminine. For mark me, sir, here is one hath
guardians ten, yet despite them she is fled away and they ten!"
"Why truly, Pertinax, they are ten, so is she fled."
"Aye, but if they be ten that ward her and she one that would flee, how
shall this one flee these ten?"
"For that they be ten."
"Nay, lord, here be twenty eyes to watch one young maid and twenty
legs to pursue the same, yet doth she evade them one and all, and here's
the wonder on't--she's but one maid."
"Nay, there's the reason on't, Pertinax--she is a maid."

"The which is great matter for wonder, lord!"
"Spoke like a very Pertinax, my Pertinax, for here's no wonder at all.
For perceive, the lady is young, her wardens ten grave seniors, worthy
wights --solemn, sober and sedate, Pertinax, wise and wearisome, grave
yet garrulous, and therefore they suffice not."
"Aye, prithee and wherefore not?"
"For their divers worthy attributes and because they be--ten. Now had
these ten been one and this one a very man--the man--here had been no
running away on part of the lady, I 'll warrant me?"
"Stay, my lord," said Pertinax, in deep perplexity, "how judge ye
so--and wherefore--why and by what manner o' reasoning?"
"Ha, Pertinax!" laughed the Duke, "my lovely, loveless numskull!" So
saying, he kicked the good Knight full joyously and so they trudged on
again.
Till presently, beyond the green of trees,
They saw afar the town of
Canalise,
A city fair, couched on a gentle height,
With walls
embattled and strong towers bedight.
Now seeing that the sun was
getting low,
Our travellers at quicker pace did go.
Thus as in haste
near to the gate they came,
Before them limped a bent and hag-like
dame,
With long, sharp nose that downward curved as though
It
beak-like wished to peck sharp chin below.
Humbly she crept in
cloak all torn and rent,
And o'er a staff her tottering limbs were bent.

So came she to the gate, then cried in fear,
And started back from
sudden-levelled spear;
For 'neath the gate lounged lusty fellows three

Who seldom spake yet spat right frequently.
"Kind sirs, good sirs," the ancient dame did cry,
"In mercy's name I
pray ye let me by--"
But, as she spoke, a black-jowled fellow laughed,

And, spitting, tripped her with out-thrust pike-shaft,

That down she fell and wailed most piteously,
Whereat the brawny
fellows laughed all three.
"Ha, witch!" they cried, as thus she helpless
lay,
"Shalt know the fire and roasted be one day!"
Now as the aged
creature wailed and wept,
Forth to her side Duke Joc'lyn lightly
stepped,
With quarter-staff a-twirl he blithely came.
Quoth he:
"Messires, harm not this ancient dame,
Bethink ye how e'en old and
weak as she,
Your wives and mothers all must one day be.
So here
then lies your mother, and 't were meeter
As ye are sons that as sons
ye entreat her.
Come, let her by and, fool-like to requite ye,
With
merry jape and quip I will delight ye,
Or with sweet song I 'll charm
those ass's ears,
And melt, belike, those bullish hearts to tears--"
Now the chief warder, big and black of jowl,
Upon the Duke most
scurvily did scowl.
"How now," quoth he, "we want no fool's-heads
here--"
"Sooth," laughed the Duke, "you're fools enow 't is clear, Yet
there be fools and fools, ye must allow,
Gay fools as I and surly
fools--as thou."
"Ha, look 'ee, Fool, Black Lewin e'en am I,
And, by my head, an ill
man to defy.
Now, motley rogue, wilt call me fool?" he roared,
And
roaring fierce, clapped hairy fist on sword.
"Aye, that will I," Duke Joc'lyn soft replied,
And black-avised, swart,
knavish rogue beside."
But now, while thus our ducal jester spoke,
Black Lewin sprang and
fetched him such a stroke
That Jocelyn saw flash before his eyes,
More stars that e'er he'd
noticed in the skies.
Whereat Sir Pertinax did gaping stare,
Then
ground his teeth and mighty oaths did swear,
And in an instant bared
his trusty blade,
But then the Duke his fiery onslaught stayed.
"Ha!" cried the Knight, "and wilt thou smitten be
By such base knave,
such filthy rogue as he?"

"Nay," smiled the Duke, "stand back and watch, good brother, A Rogue
and Fool at buffets with each other."
And speaking thus, he leapt on Black Lewin,
And smote him twice
full hard upon the chin,
Two goodly blows upon that big, black jowl,

Whereat