The Lances of Lynwood | Page 8

with Sir Reginald, whose stirring life in camp
and court had left him but few and short intervals for enjoying his
home and the society of his wife; with Eleanor, who, relieved from
long anxiety, began to recover the spirits and health which had nearly
failed her; and with Eustace, to whom the arrival of his brother and his
followers brought a continued course of novelty and delight; but less
joyously with the Knight's followers, who regretted more and more the

gay court of Bordeaux, and grew impatient at the prospect of spending
a tedious winter in a peaceful English castle.
Their anticipation of weariness, and the contrary expectations of Sir
Reginald, were destined to be equally disappointed: for two months had
not passed since his return before a summons arrived, or, more properly
speaking, an invitation to the trusty and well- beloved Sir Reginald
Lynwood to join the forces which the Duke of Lancaster was
assembling at Southampton, the Prince of Wales having promised to
assist King Pedro of Castile in recovering the kingdom from which he
had been driven by his brother Enrique of Trastamare.
Sir Reginald could not do otherwise than prepare with alacrity to obey
the call of his beloved Prince, though he marvelled that Edward should
draw his sword in the cause of such a monster of cruelty, and he was
more reluctant than ever before to leave his home. He even promised
his sorrowful Eleanor that this should be the last time he would leave
her. "I will but bestow Eustace in some honourable household, where
he may be trained in knightly lore--that of Chandos, perchance, or some
other of the leaders who hold the good old strict rule; find good masters
for my honest men- at-arms; break one more lance with Du Guesclin;
and take to rule my vassals, till my fields, and be the honest old country
Knight my father was before me. Said I well, Dame Eleanor?"
Eleanor smiled, but the next moment sighed and drooped her head,
while a tear fell on the blue silk with which she was embroidering the
crosslet on his pennon. Sir Reginald might have said somewhat to cheer
her, but at that instant little Arthur darted into the hall with news that
the armourer was come from Taunton, with two mules, loaded with a
store of goodly helmets, swords, and corselets, which he was
displaying in the court.
The Knight immediately walked forth into the court, where all had been
activity and eagerness ever since the arrival of the summons, the smith
hammering ceaselessly in his forge, yet without fulfilling half the order
continually shouted in his ears; Gaston d'Aubricour and Ralph Penrose
directing from morning to night, in contradiction of each other, the one
always laughing, the other always grumbling; the men-at-arms and
retainers some obeying orders, others being scolded, the steel clanging,
hammers ringing without intermission. Most of the party, such at least
as could leave their employment without a sharp reprimand from one or

the other of the contending authorities, the Seneschal and the Squire,
were gathered round the steps, where the armourer was displaying, with
many an encomium, his bundles of lances, his real Toledo blades, and
his helmets of the choicest fashion. Gaston d'Aubricour and Ralph were
disputing respecting a certain suit of armour, which the latter
disapproved, because it had no guards for the knees, while the former
contended that the only use for such protections was to disable a man
from walking, and nearly from standing when once unhorsed.
"In my day, Master d'Aubricour, it was not the custom for a brave
man-at-arms to look to being unhorsed; but times are changed."
"Ay, that they are, Master Penrose, for in our day we do not give
ourselves over the moment we are down, and lie closed up in our shells
like great land tortoises turned on their backs, waiting till some one is
good enough to find his way through our shell with the misericorde."
"Peace, peace, Gaston," said the Knight. "If we acquit ourselves as well
as our fathers, we shall have little to be ashamed of. What think you of
this man's gear?"
"That I could pick up a better suit for half the price at old Battista, the
Lombard's at Bordeaux; nevertheless, since young Eustace would be
the show of the camp if he appeared there provided in Ralph's fashion,
it may be as well to see whether there be any reasonableness in this old
knave."
Before the question was decided, the trampling of horses was heard,
and there rode into the court an elderly man, whose dress and bearing
showed him to be of consideration, accompanied by a youth of eighteen
or nineteen, and attended by two servants. Sir Reginald and his brother
immediately stepped forward