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passage-at-arms In which five knights of should have precedence over their fellows, A score
England of 
would hold the lists against all comers. The secondary combats had nearly arisen from the 
great rivalries and bad blood created by the selection,
concourse of noblemen and famous soldiers, the and 
national character of the contest, and the fact It was only the Influence of the prince and the 
that efforts of the older barons which teept the peace 
this was a last trial of arms before what promised among so many eager and fiery soldiers. Not till 
to the day before the courses were the shields
be an arduous and bloody war, all united to finally 
make hung out for the Inspection of the ladles and the 
the event one of the most notable and brilliant heralds, so that all men might tenow the names
that of 
Bordeaux had ever seen, cn the eve of the contest the champions and have the opportunity to
the prefer 
peasants floe teed In from the whole district of anu charge ac.alnst them, should there be stain 
the upon them which should disqualify them from 
Medoc, and the fields beyond the walls were taking part In so noble and honorable a ceremony.
whitened with the tents of those who could find 
no sir Hugh C-alverley and sir Robert k.nolles had
warmer lodging. From the distant camp o f Lax, too, not 
 yet returned from their raid Into the marches of
and from Blaye, Bourge, Llbourne, £t. Emlllon, the Navarre, so that the English party were
Castillon, .St. Macalre, cariM-llac, P_yons, and deprived of 
all two of their most famous lances. Yet there
the cluster of flourishing towns which loote remained 
upon so many good names that Chandos and Felton,
Bordeaux as their mother, there thronged an to 
unceasing stream of horsemen and of footmen, whom the selection had been referred, had many
all an 
converging upon the great city. By the morning of earnest consultation, In which every feat of
 arms 
the day on which the courses were to be run, not and failure or success of each candidate was 
less weighed and balanced agalnstthe rival claims of 
than eighty people had assembled round the his companions. Lord Audley of Cheshire, the
lists hero 
and along the low grassy ridge which looks of Poictiers, and Loring of Hampshire, who was 
down held to be the second lance In the army, were
upon the scene of the encounter, it was, as may easily 
well fixed upon. Then, of the younger men, Sir
be Imagined, no easy matter among so many Thomas 
noted cavaliers to choose out five on either side Percy of Northumberland, sir Thomas wake of 
who Yorkshire, and sir William Beauchamp of 
Gloucestershire, were finally selected to uphold tenow 
the not what would follow." 'Snapped, sir John!”
honor of England. Cn the other side were the cried 
veteran captal de Buch and the brawny cllvler the prince, with an angry spartele In his dark eyes.
de 
cllsson, with the free companion Sir Perducas "What manner oftalte Is this? You speate as
d’Albret, the valiant Lord of Mucldent, and though 
Slglsmond von Altenstadt, of the Teutonic the allegiance of our people were a thing which 
Crder. might be thrown off or on like a falcon’s jessel. 
The older soldiers among the English shoote With a sorry hack one uses whip and spur, sire," said
thelr C-handos; "but with a horse of blood and spirit
heads as they looked upon the escutcheons of a 
these good cavalier Is gentle and soothing, coaxing
famous warriors, for they were all men who had rather 
spent their lives upon the saddle, and bravery than forcing. These folk are strange people, and 
and you must hold their love, even as you have It now,
strength can avail little against experience and 
wisdom of war. 'By my faith! sir John," said the for you will get from their kindness what all the 
prince as he rodetV\rou.aV\ the winding streets on
his 
way to the list, "I should have been glad to have 
splintered a lance to-day. You have seen me hold
a 
spear since i had strength to lift one, and should 
tenow best whether I do not merit a place among
this 
honorable company.’ "There Is no better seat and
no 
truer lance, sire,” said Chandos; but, if I may
say 
so without fear of offence, It were not fitting
that 
you should join In this debate." "And why, sir 
John?" "Because, sire, It Is not for you to tatee
part 
with Gascons ac.alnst English, or with English 
against Gascons, seeing that you are lord of both.
 
We are not too well loved by the Gascons now,
and 
it is but the golden llnte of your f>nM,eLy
coronet 
which holds us together, i f that be snapped I

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passage-at-arms In which five knights of should have precedence over their fellows, A score

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