CHAPTER XXII. HOW THE BOWMEN HELD WASSAIL AT THE “ROSE DE GUIENNE.”

eebettermen,Aylward.” “Bymyhilt!no.TherewaslittleRobbyWithstaff,andAndrewSalblaster,andWatAlspaye,whobroketheneckoftheGerman.MonDieu!whatmentheywere!Takethemhowyouwould,atlongbuttsorshort,hoyles,rounds,orrovers,betterbowmennevertwirledashaftovertheirthumb-nails.” “Butthefight,Aylward,thefight!”criedseveralimpatiently. “Letmefillmyjackfirst,boys,foritisathirstytale.Itwasatthefirstfalloftheleafthattheprincesetforth,andhepassedthroughAuvergne,andBerry,andAnjou,andTouraine.InAuvergnethemaidsarekind,butthewinesaresour.InBerryitisthewomenthataresour,butthewinesarerich.Anjou,however,isaverygoodlandforbowmen,forwineandwomenareallthatheartcouldwish.InTouraineIgotnothingsaveabrokenpate,butatVierzonIhadagreatgoodfortune,forIhadagoldenpyxfromtheminster,forwhichIafterwardsgotnineGenoanjanesfromthegoldsmithintheRueMontOlive.FromthencewewenttoBourges,whereIhadatunicofflame-coloredsilkandaveryfinepairofshoeswithtasselsofsilkanddropsofsilver.” “Fromastall,Aylward?”askedoneoftheyoungarchers. “Nay,fromaman'sfeet,lad.Ihadreasontothinkthathemightnotneedthemagain,seeingthatathirty-inchshafthadfeatheredinhisback.” “Andwhatthen,Aylward?” “Onwewent,coz,somesixthousandofus,untilwecametoIssodun,andthereagainaverygreatthingbefell.” “Abattle,Aylward?” “Nay,nayagreaterthingthanthat.Thereislittletobegainedoutofabattle,unlessonehavethefortunetowinaransom.AtIssodunIandthreeWelshmencameuponahousewhichallothershadpassed,andwehadtheprofitofittoourselves.Formyself,Ihadafinefeather-bed—athingwhichyouwillnotseeinalongday'sjourneyinEngland.Youhaveseenit,Alleyne,andyou,John.Youwillbearmeoutthatitisanoblebed.Weputitonasutler'smule,andboreitafterthearmy.ItwasonmymindthatIwouldlayitbyuntilIcametostarthouseofmineown,andIhaveitnowinaverysafeplacenearLyndhurst.” “Andwhatthen,master-bowman?”askedHawtayne.“BySt.Christopher!itisindeedafairandgoodlylifewhichyouhavechosen,foryougatherupthespoilasaWarsashmangatherslobsters,withoutgraceorfavorfromanyman.” “Youareright,master-shipman,”saidanotheroftheolderarchers.“Itisanoldbowyer'sredethatthesecondfeatherofafennygooseisbetterthanthepinionofatameone.Drawonoldlad,forIhavecomebetweenyouandtheclout.” “Onwewentthen,”saidAylward,afteralongpullathisblackjack.“Thereweresomesixthousandofus,withtheprinceandhisknights,andthefeather-beduponasutler'smuleinthecentre.WemadegreathavocinTouraine,unt