Men of Iron

by Howard Pyle

  CHAPTER 26

  And now, at last, had come the day of days for Myles Falworth; the daywhen he was to put to the test all that he had acquired in the threeyears of his training, the day that was to disclose what promise offuture greatness there was in his strong young body. And it was a nobleday; one of those of late September, when the air seems sweeter andfresher than at other times; the sun bright and as yellow as gold, thewind lusty and strong, before which the great white clouds go sailingmajestically across the bright blueness of the sky above, while theirdusky shadows skim across the brown face of the rusty earth beneath.

  As was said before, the lists had been set up in the great quadrangleof the castle, than which, level and smooth as a floor, no more fittingplace could be chosen. The course was of the usual size--sixty paceslong--and separated along its whole length by a barrier about five feethigh. Upon the west side of the course and about twenty paces distantfrom it, a scaffolding had been built facing towards the east so as toavoid the glare of the afternoon sun. In the centre was a raised dais,hung round with cloth of blue embroidered with lions rampant. Upon thedais stood a cushioned throne for the King, and upon the steps below,ranged in the order of their dignity, were seats for the Earl, hisguests, the family, the ladies, knights, and gentlemen of the castle.In front, the scaffolding was covered with the gayest tapestries andbrightest-colored hangings that the castle could afford. And above,parti-colored pennants and streamers, surmounted by the royal ensign ofEngland, waved and fluttered in the brisk wind.

  At either end of the lists stood the pavilions of the knights. That ofMyles was at the southern extremity and was hung, by the Earl's desire,with cloth of the Beaumont colors (black and yellow), while a woodenshield bearing three goshawks spread (the crest of the house) was nailedto the roof, and a long streamer of black and yellow trailed out in thewind from the staff above. Myles, partly armed, stood at the door-way ofthe pavilion, watching the folk gathering at the scaffolding. The ladiesof the house were already seated, and the ushers were bustling hitherand thither, assigning the others their places. A considerable crowdof common folk and burghers from the town had already gathered atthe barriers opposite, and as he looked at the restless and growingmultitude he felt his heart beat quickly and his flesh grow cold with anervous trepidation--just such as the lad of to-day feels when he seesthe auditorium filling with friends and strangers who are to listenby-and-by to the reading of his prize poem.

  Suddenly there came a loud blast of trumpets. A great gate at thefarther extremity of the lists was thrown open, and the King appeared,riding upon a white horse, preceded by the King-at-arms and the heralds,attended by the Earl and the Comte de Vermoise, and followed by a crowdof attendants. Just then Gascoyne, who, with Wilkes, was busied lacingsome of the armor plates with new thongs, called Myles, and he turnedand entered the pavilion.

  As the two squires were adjusting these last pieces, strapping them inplace and tying the thongs, Lord George and Sir James Lee enteredthe pavilion. Lord George took the young man by the hand, and with apleasant smile wished him success in the coming encounter.

  Sir James seemed anxious and disturbed. He said nothing, and afterGascoyne had placed the open bascinet that supports the tilting helmin its place, he came forward and examined the armor piece by piece,carefully and critically, testing the various straps and leather pointsand thongs to make sure of their strength.

  "Sir," said Gascoyne, who stood by watching him anxiously, "I do trustthat I have done all meetly and well."

  "I see nothing amiss, sirrah," said the old knight, half grudgingly. "Sofar as I may know, he is ready to mount."

  Just then a messenger entered, saying that the King was seated, and LordGeorge bade Myles make haste to meet the challenger.

  "Francis," said Myles, "prithee give me my pouch yonder."

  Gascoyne handed him the velvet bag, and he opened it, and took out thenecklace that the Lady Alice had given him the day before.

  "Tie me this around my arm," said he. He looked down, keeping his eyesstudiously fixed on Gascoyne's fingers, as they twined the thin goldenchain around the iron plates of his right arm, knowing that LordGeorge's eyes were upon him, and blushing fiery red at the knowledge.

  Sir James was at that moment examining the great tilting helm, and LordGeorge watched him, smiling amusedly. "And hast thou then already chosenthee a lady?" he said, presently.

  "Aye, my Lord," answered Myles, simply.

  "Marry, I trust we be so honored that she is one of our castle folk,"said the Earl's brother.

  For a moment Myles did not reply; then he looked up. "My Lord," said he,"the favor was given to me by the Lady Alice."

  Lord George looked grave for the moment; then he laughed. "Marry, thouart a bold archer to shoot for such high game."

  Myles did not answer, and at that moment two grooms led his horse up tothe door of the pavilion. Gascoyne and Wilkes helped him to his saddle,and then, Gascoyne holding his horse by the bridle-rein, he rode slowlyacross the lists to the little open space in front of the scaffoldingand the King's seat just as the Sieur de la Montaigne approached fromthe opposite direction.

  As soon as the two knights champion had reached each his appointedstation in front of the scaffolding, the Marshal bade the speaker readthe challenge, which, unrolling the parchment, he began to do in a loud,clear voice, so that all might hear. It was a quaint document, wrappedup in the tangled heraldic verbiage of the time.

  The pith of the matter was that the Sieur Brian Philip Francis de laMontaigne proclaimed before all men the greater chivalry and skill atarms of the knights of France and of Dauphiny, and likewise the greaterfairness of the ladies of France and Dauphiny, and would there defendthose sayings with his body without fear or attaint as to the truth ofthe same. As soon as the speaker had ended, the Marshal bade him callthe defendant of the other side.

  Then Myles spoke his part, with a voice trembling somewhat with theexcitement of the moment, but loudly and clearly enough: "I, MylesEdward Falworth, knight, so created by the hand and by the grace ofhis Majesty King Henry IV of England, do take upon me the gage of thisbattle, and will defend with my body the chivalry of the knights ofEngland and the fairness of the ladies thereof!"

  Then, after the speaker ended his proclamation and had retired to hisplace, the ceremony of claiming and redeeming the helmet, to whichall young knights were subjected upon first entering the lists, wasperformed.

  One of the heralds cried in a loud voice, "I, Gilles Hamerton, herald tothe most noble Clarencieux King-at-arms, do claim the helm of Sir MylesEdward Falworth by this reason, that he hath never yet entered joust ortourney."

  To which Myles answered, "I do acknowledge the right of that claim, andherewith proffer thee in ransom for the same this purse of one hundredmarks in gold."

  As he spoke, Gascoyne stepped forward and delivered the purse, with themoney, to the Herald. It was a more than usually considerable ransom,and had been made up by the Earl and Lord George that morning.

  "Right nobly hast thou redeemed thy helm," said the Herald, "andhereafter be thou free to enter any jousting whatsoever, and in whateverplace."

  So, all being ended, both knights bowed to the King, and then, escortedeach by his squire, returned to his pavilion, saluted by the spectatorswith a loud clapping of hands.

  Sir James Lee met Myles in front of his tent. Coming up to the side ofthe horse, the old man laid his hand upon the saddle, looking up intothe young man's face.

  "Thou wilt not fail in this venture and bring shame upon me?" said he.

  "Nay, my dear master," said Myles; "I will do my best."

  "I doubt it not," said the old man; "and I believe me thou wilt come offright well. From what he did say this morning, methinks the Sieur de laMontaigne meaneth only to break three lances with thee, and will contenthimself therewith, without seeking to unhorse thee. Ne'theless, be thoubold and watchful, and if thou find that he endeavor to cast thee, dothy best to unhorse him. Remember also those things whi
ch I have toldthee ten thousand times before: hold thy toes well down and grip thestirrup hard, more especially at the moment of meeting; bend thy bodyforward, and keep thine elbow close to thy side. Bear thy lance pointone foot above thine adversary's helm until within two lengths ofmeeting, and strike thou in the very middle of his shield. So, Myles,thou mayst hold thine own, and come off with glory."

  As he ended speaking he drew back, and Gascoyne, mounting upon a stool,covered his friend's head and bascinet with the great jousting helm,making fast the leathern points that held it to the iron collar.

  As he was tying the last thong a messenger came from the Herald, sayingthat the challenger was ready, and then Myles knew the time had come,and reaching down and giving Sir James a grip of the hand, he drew onhis gauntlet, took the jousting lance that Wilkes handed him, and turnedhis horse's head towards his end of the lists.