CHAPTER IV. THE MASTER OF THE HORSE.
What a wonderful experience it was for the twin brothers to findthemselves for the first time in their lives upon the great ocean ofwhich they had so many times heard! As the little vessel, with her cargoof wine, plunged merrily through the white-crested waves, bearing herfreight northward through the stormy Bay of Biscay to the white shoresof Albion, the brothers loved to stand in the pointed prow of the bravelittle craft, feeling the salt spray dashing in their faces, andlistening to the swirl of water round the ship's sides as she racedmerrily on her way. Now indeed, were they well embarked upon a career ofadventure and glory. Were they not habited like the servants of anEnglish knight -- their swords by their sides (if need be), theirmaster's badge upon their sleeves? Were they not bound for the greatKing's Court -- for the assembly of the Round Table, of which, as itseemed, all men were now talking? Would they not see their own kinsmen,feel their way perhaps to future friendship with those who bore theirown name? For the present they were dubbed Brook by the English servantswith whom they associated, though more frequently they went by theirChristian names alone.
It was the fashion in these times to think well of the Gascon race. TheKing set the example, knowing how useful such men were like to be to himin days to come; and these lads, who spoke English almost as theirmother tongue, and were so full of spirit, grace, and vivacity, rapidlyrose in favour both with Sir James himself and with his retinue. Noauspices could well have been more favourable for the lads upon theirfirst entrance into the great world, and they only wished that FatherAnselm could hear of their good fortune.
They had settled now to let the visit to Basildene stand over for atime. They had but the vaguest idea where to seek their mother's home.The priest could not help them to any information on this point, and theway to Windsor was open. Their kinsfolk there could possibly give themnews of Basildene, even did they decide to keep their own true name asecret for a time. There could be no doubt as to the wisdom of learningsomething of their mother's country and the ways of its sons before theylaunched themselves upon a difficult and possibly dangerous quest.
With what strange feelings did the brothers first set eyes upon theshores of England, as the little sloop slid merrily into the smootherSolent, after a rough but not unpleasant passage! How they gazed aboutthem as they neared the quays of Southampton, and wondered at thecontrast presented by this seaport with the stately and beautiful cityof Bordeaux, which they had seen a fortnight back! Certainly thisEnglish port could not compare with her a single moment, yet the boys'hearts bounded with joyful exhilaration as they first set foot onEnglish soil. Was not the first step of their wild dream safely andprosperously accomplished? Might they not augur from this a happy andprosperous career till their aim and object was accomplished?
Their master had some business to transact in and about Southamptonwhich detained him there many days; but the Gaston lads found no faultwith this arrangement, for everything they saw was new and full ofinterest; they were well lodged and well fed without cost to themselves,and had full license to go where they would and do what they would, astheir master had no present use for their services.
Gaston and Raymond had no desire to idle away their time without profitto themselves, and after taking counsel with honest Malcolm, who had agreat liking for the boys, they put themselves under the instruction ofa capable swordsman, who undertook to teach them the art of using thoseweapons with skill and grace. As their natural quickness of eye andstrength of hand made them quickly proficient in this exercise, theybecame anxious to try their skill at the more difficult sport oftilting, then so much in vogue with both knights and gentlemen -- asport which the King greatly encouraged as likely to be excellenttraining for those charges of his picked horsemen which so often turnedthe fortunes of the day in his favour in the sterner game of war.
Both the Gascon youths were good horsemen; not that they had ever owneda horse themselves, or had ridden upon a saddle after the fashion ofknights and their esquires, but they had lived amongst the droves ofhorses that were bred upon the wide pasture lands of their own country,and from childhood it had been their favourite pastime to get upon theback of one of these beautiful, unbroken creatures, and go careeringwildly over the sweeping plain. That kind of rough riding was as good atraining as they could have had, and when once they had grown used tothe feel of a saddle between their knees, and had learned the right useof rein and spur, they became almost at once excellent and fearlessriders, and enjoyed shivering a lance or carrying off a ring or ahandkerchief from a pole as well as any of their comrades. So that themonth they passed in the seaport town was by no means wasted on them,and when they took to horse once again to accompany Sir James on his wayto Windsor, they felt that they had made great strides, and were verydifferent from the country-bred Gascon youths of two months back.
There was one more halt made in London, that wonderful city of whichtime fails us to speak here; and in that place a new surprise awaitedthe young esquires, for they and their comrades who wore Sir JamesAudley's livery were all newly equipped in two new suits of clothes, andthese of such a sumptuous description as set the boys agape with wonder.
Truly as we read of the bravery in which knights and dames and theirservants of old days were attired, one marvels where the money came fromto clothe them all. It could have been no light thing to be a great manin such times, and small wonder was it that those who lived in and aboutthe Court, whose duty it was to make a brave show in the eyes ofroyalty, were so often rewarded for trifling services by the gifts ofManors, benefices, or wardships; for the cost of keeping up such stateas was required was great indeed, and could not have been done withoutsome adequate compensation.
Sir James had always been a favourite with the King, as he was with thePrince of Wales -- the Black Prince of the days to come. He had atvarious times received marks of the royal favour by substantial grants,and was resolved to appear at this festival of the Round Table in suchguise as should be fitting to his rank and revenues.
Thus it came about that the Gascon youths found themselves furnishedwith tunics of blue and silver, richly embroidered with their master'scognizances, and trimmed with costly fur, with long mantles of bluecloth fastened with golden clasps, with rich girdles, furnished withgipciere and anelace, and hose and long embroidered shoes, such as theybegan to see were the fashion of the day in England. Their stout nags,which had carried them bravely thus far, were now exchanged for handsomeanimals of a better breed, horses trained to knightly exercises, andcapable of carrying their masters bravely through any game of battle ortourney such as the King loved to organize when he had his knights roundhim. It was often that the esquires as well as the knights competed inthese contests of skill and strength, or followed their masters intosome great melee, and it was a point of honour with the latter thattheir followers should be well and suitably equipped for the sport.
"By my faith, but I wish good Margot and the holy Father could see usnow," quoth Gaston, laughing, as Sir James and his followers salliedforth one bright December morning to take their last stage on thejourney to Windsor.
They had traversed the main distance the day previously, for Sir Jameshad no wish to arrive weary and travel stained at the King's Court.Orders had been given for every man to don his best riding dress andlook well to the trappings of his steed, and it was a gallant-lookingcompany indeed that sallied out from the door of the wayside hostelryand took the road towards the great Castle, glimpses of which began fromtime to time to be visible through the trees.
"I trow they would scarce know us! There be moments, Raymond, when Iscarce know myself for the same. It seems as though years had passedsince we left the old home, and by the Mass I feel as though I were anew being since then!"
"Yea, verily, and I also," answered Raymond, looking round him witheager eyes. "Gaston, look well about thee; for by what Malcolm says,these very woods through which we shall pass, and the Manor of oldWindsor hard by, are the property of our uncle
Sir John de Brocas, theKing's Master of the Horse; and by what I hear, methinks we shall seehim in the flesh ere the day has passed."
"Ha!" exclaimed Gaston, with interest; "if that be so let us heed himwell, for much of our future may hang on him. He is in the King'sfavour, they say, and if he did but plead our cause with the RoyOutremer, we might well look to call Basildene our home ere long."
"We must call him no longer the Roy Outremer," said Raymond, with asmile. "If we are to be the brothers of Basildene, we must be Englishsubjects and he our liege lord."
"True," answered Gaston readily; "and methinks, if he be what all mensay, it will be no hardship to own ourselves his subjects. I would tenthousand times sooner call myself so than be servant to yon weak andtreacherous King of France."
At that moment an interruption occurred to delay the little cavalcadefor a few moments. The road they were traversing led them past a solidgateway, which showed that upon one side at least the property was thatof a private individual; and just as they were approaching this gatewaythe portal swung open, and out of it rode a fine-looking man of middleage and imposing aspect, followed by three youths richly attired, and bysome dozen mounted attendants. The leader of the party wore a dress thatwas evidently the livery of some office -- a tunic of blue and a cape ofwhite Brussels cloth. His cap was of white and blue, and the King'sbadge of a silver swan was fastened in the front.
As he rode out, the esquires round Gaston and Raymond drew rein andwhispered one to another:
"It is the King's Master of the Horse!"
Eagerly and curiously the two lads gazed at the face and figure of thekinsman now before them, whilst Sir James spurred his horse forward, asmile lighting up the grave face of the King's servant.
"Marry well met, good Sir James!" was the hearty greeting of the latter,as the two men grasped hands. "I warrant you will be welcome at theCastle, whither, I doubt not, your steps are bent. It was but two dayssince that his Majesty was asking news of you, no man knowing rightlywhither you had gone, nor upon what errand. There be fine musteringsalready at the Court, and every day brings some fresh faces to thegathering assembly. I trow that such a sight as will shortly bewitnessed within those walls has scarce been seen by England before."
"Nay, nor since the days of good King Arthur, if all be true that I haveheard," answered Sir James. "Be these gallant youths your sons, SirJohn? Verily time flies! I have not been in these parts for full threeyears. I scarce know them once again."
"Yes, these be my three sons," answered the father, with a proud glanceat the handsome youths, who came up at a sign from him to be presentedto the knight. "It may well be many long years since you saw them, forthey have often been away from my side, travelling in foreign parts withmy good brother, and learning the lessons of life as I have been able tosee occasion. This is John, my first born. Oliver and Bernard followafter him. I trust in years to come they will live to win their spurs inthe King's service. They are often about the Court, and the Prince haschosen them amongst his serviens. But they have not yet seen war, albeitI trow they will not be missing when the day for fighting shall come,which I verily believe will not be long now."
The youths made their salute to the knight, and then dropped behind. SirJames rode in advance, still in earnest converse with the Master of theHorse; whilst the attendants of the two bands, some of whom wereacquainted, mixed together indiscriminately, and rode after theirmasters in amicable converse.
Sir John's three sons rode a few paces behind the knights, and as itchanced the Gascon brothers were the next behind them, studying thesecousins of theirs with natural interest and curiosity. They had heardtheir names distinctly as their father had presented them to his friend,and gladly would they have fallen into converse with them had they feltcertain that the advance would be taken in good part. As it was, theywere rather fearful of committing breaches of good manners, andrestrained themselves, though their quick, eager glances towards eachother betrayed what they were feeling.
All of a sudden something unseen by the rider caused Gaston's horse totake fright. It was a very spirited and rather troublesome animal, whichhad been passed on by two or three riders as too restive for them, andhad been ridden more successfully by Gaston than by any of its formermasters. But the creature wanted close watching, and Gaston had been fora time off his guard. The knowing animal had doubtless discovered this,and had hoped to take advantage of this carelessness to get rid of hisrider and gain the freedom of the forest himself. With a sudden plungeand hound, which almost unseated Gaston, the horse made a dash for thewoodland aisles; and when he felt that his rider had regained his seatand was reining him in with a firm and steady hand, the fiery animalreared almost erect upon his hind legs, wildly pawing the air, anduttering fierce snorts of anger and defiance. But Gaston's blood was upnow, and he was not going to be mastered by his steed, least of all inpresence of so many witnesses. Shouting to Raymond, who had dismountedand appeared about to spring at the horse's head, to keep away, hebrought the angry creature down by throwing himself upon his neck; andthough there were still much plunging and fierce kicking and strugglingto be encountered before the day was won, Gaston showed himself fullyequal to the demands made upon his horsemanship; and before many momentshad passed, had the satisfaction of riding the horse quietly back to thelittle cavalcade, which had halted to witness the struggle.
"That was good riding, and a fine animal," remarked the Master of theHorse, whose eyes were well trained to note the points of any steed. "Itrow that lad will make a soldier yet. Who is he, good Sir James?"
"One Gaston Brook, a lad born and brought up in Gascony, together withhis twin brother who rides by his side. They came to my help in theforest round Castres; and as I was in need of service, and they werefaring forth to seek their fortunes, I bid them, an it pleased them,follow me. One parent was a native of Gascony, their mother I trow,since their name is English. I did hear somewhat of their simple tale,but it has fled my memory since."
"They are proper youths," said Sir John, not without a passing gleam ofinterest in any persons who hailed from his own country. "Half Gasconand half English makes a fine breed. The lads may live to do goodservice yet."
Meantime the three sons of Sir John had entered into conversation withthe two youthful esquires, and were making friends as fast ascircumstances would allow. They were some years older than the Gasconbrothers -- that is to say that John was close upon twenty, and Oliverand Bernard followed, each a year younger than his predecessor. They hadseen far more of the world than these country-bred lads, and had beenreared more or less in the atmosphere of the Court; still they werebright, high spirited, and unaffected youths, who were ready enough tomake advances to any comrades of their own standing across whose paththey might be thrown.
Gaston and Raymond had about them an air of breeding which won themnotice wherever they went. Their speech was refined for the times, andtheir handsome figures and faces gained them speedy and favourableattention. Very soon the five youths were chatting and laughing togetheras though they were old friends. The sons of Sir John heard all aboutthe encounter in the forest, and how the wolves had been scared away;whilst the Gascon brothers, on their side, heard about the vast roundtower built by the King for his Round Table to assemble at, and howbusily everybody had been employed in hastening on the work and gettingeverything in readiness for the great festival that was at hand.
"Shall we see the feast?" asked Gaston eagerly. "Men say it will be asight not to be forgotten."
"We shall see it like enough," answered John, "but only belted knightswill sit at the board. Why, even the Prince of Wales himself will notsit down at the table, but will only stand to serve his father; for hisspurs are not yet won, though he says he will not be long in winningthem if kind fortune will but give him the chance he craves. A greatassembly of esquires will be in attendance on their masters, and I trowye twain might well be amongst these, as we hope ourselves to be. Yourmaster is one of the bidden knights, and will sit not very
far from theKing himself. If you can make shift to steal in through the press andstand behind his chair, I doubt not but what ye will see all right well;and perchance the King himself may take note of you. He has a marvellousquick eye, and so has the Prince; and he is ever on the watch forknightly youths to serve him as valettus -- as we do."
"We are going to win our spurs together," cried Bernard, who in someways was the leading spirit amongst the brothers, as he was afterwardsthe most noted man of his house. "We have talked of it a thousand times,and the day will come ere long. The King has promised that when next heis called forth to fight the recreant King of France, he will take thePrince with him, and he has promised that we shall go with him. The daywill come when he will lay claim once more to that crown of France whichby rights is his to wear, and we shall all sally forth to drive thecoward Louis from the throne, and place the crown on Edward's royal brow."
Bernard's eyes flashed fire at the bare thought of the unchecked careerof victory he saw for England's arms when once she had set foot on thelong-talked-of expedition which was to make Edward king over the realmof France.
"And we will fight for him too!" cried Gaston and Raymond in a breath;"and so, I trow, will all Gascony. We love the English rule there. Welove the Roy Outremer, as he is called there. If he would but come toour land, instead of to treacherous Flanders or feeble, storm-tornBrittany, for his soldiers and for his starting place, I trow his armswould meet with naught but victory. The Sieur d'Albret, men whisper, hasbeen to the Court, and has looked with loving eyes upon one of theKing's daughters for his son. That hope would make him faithful to theEnglish cause, and he is the greatest Lord in Gascony, where all menfear his name."
"Thou shalt tell all that to the King or to the Prince," said John in alow tone to Raymond, as they fell a little behind, for the road grewrough and narrow. "I trow he will be glad to learn all he may from thosewho know what the people of the land speak and think -- the humblerfolks, of whom men are growing now to take more account, at least herein England, since it is they, men now say, who must be asked ere eventhe King himself may dare to go to war. For money must be found throughthem, and they will not always grant it unless they be pleased with whathas already been done. The great nobles say hard things of them theycall the 'Commons;' they say that England's doom will surely come if sheis to be answerable to churls and merchant folk for what her King andbarons choose to do. But for my part it seems but just that those whopay the heavy burden of these long wars should know somewhat about them,and should even have the power to check them did they think the countryoppressed beyond what she could bear. A bad king might not care for thesufferings of his people. A weak king might be but the tool of hisbarons -- as we have heard the King's father was -- and hear nothing butwhat they chose for him to know. For my own part, I think it right andjust enough that the people should have their voice in these things.They always grant the King a liberal supply; and if they demand from himthe redress of grievances and the granting of certain privileges inreturn, I can see in that naught that is unfair; nor would England behappier and more prosperous, methinks, were she governed by a tyrant whomight grind her down to the dust."
John de Brocas was a very thoughtful youth, very different in appearancefrom his younger brothers, who were fine stalwart young men, well versedin every kind of knightly exercise, and delighting in nothing so much asthe display of their energies and skill. John was cast in quite adifferent mould, and possibly it was something of a disappointment tothe father that his first born should be so unlike himself and his othersons. John had had weak health from his cradle, which might account inpart for his studious turn of mind; and the influence of his uncle'straining may have had still greater effect. As the damp air of Windsordid not appear to agree with the boy, he had been sent, when seven yearsold, to his uncle's Rectory of St. Nicholas, and brought up in the morehealthy and bracing air of Guildford. Master Bernard de Brocas, thoughby no means a man of exclusively scholarly tastes, was for the days helived in a learned man, and feeling sure that his eldest nephew wouldnever make a soldier, he tried to train him for a statesman and for anecclesiastic -- the two offices being in those days frequently combined.The great statesmen were nearly always men in the Church's employ, andthe scholarship and learning of the age were almost entirely in theirkeeping.
John showed no disposition to enter the Church -- probably the hope ofwinning his spurs was not yet dead within him; but he took very kindlyto book lore, and had often shown a shrewdness and aptness in diplomaticnegotiation which had made Master Bernard prophesy great things for him.
Raymond had never heard such matters discussed before, and knew littleenough about the art of government. He looked with respect at hiscompanion, and John, catching the glance, smiled pleasantly in reply.
"I trow thou wouldest sooner be with the rest, hearing of the King'sRound Table and the knightly jousts to follow. Let me not weary theewith my graver words. Go join the others an thou wilt."
"Nay, I will stay with thee," answered Raymond, who was greatlyattracted by John's pale and thoughtful face, and could not but pity himfor his manifest lack of strength and muscle. The youth was tall androde well, but he was slight to the verge of attenuation, and the hollowcheek and unnaturally bright eyes sunk in deep caverns told a tale thatwas not hard to read. Young De Brocas might make a student, a clerk, aman of letters, but he would never be a soldier; and that in itselfappeared to Raymond the greatest deprivation that could befall a man.But he liked his companion none the less for this sense of pity.
"I would fain hear more of England -- England's laws, England's ways. Ihave heard that in this land men may obtain justice better than in anyother. I have heard that justice is here administered to poor as well asrich. I would learn more of this. I would learn more of you. Tell mefirst of yourself. I know well the name of De Brocas. We come from thevery place where once you held sway. The village (as you would call it)of Brocas was not so very far away. Tell me of yourself, your father,your uncle. I know all their names right well. I would hear all that youcan tell."
John's face lighted with interest. He was willing enough to tell ofhimself, his two brothers, two sisters, and their many homes in andabout the Castle of Windsor. Besides his post as Master of the Horse,John explained to Raymond, his father held the office of Chief Foresterof Windsor Forest (equivalent to the modern Ranger), and besides theManor of Old Windsor, possessed property and Manors at Old and New Bray,Didworth and Clewer. He was high in the King's favour and confidence,and, as may well be believed, led a busy and responsible life. Upon himdevolved the care of all those famous studs of horses on which the Kingrelied when he sent his armies into the field; and if his expenditure inthese matters has been condemned in more recent days, the best answerwill be found in the disasters and the ruinous expenditure of the latercampaigns of the reign, when the King, thinking that he had reduced hisFrench possessions to complete order, and that his magnificent cavalrywould not longer be wanted to career over the plains of France, broke upand sold off his studs; so that when his calculation as to the futureproved mistaken, he had no longer any organized supply of war horses todraw upon.
Raymond's interest in John's talk so won the heart of that youth that awarm friendship sprang up rapidly between them, whilst the youngerbrothers appeared to take almost the same liking for Gaston. By-and-byit became known that the Castle was crowded almost beyond its capacityfor accommodation; and as much of the responsibility of seeing to thelodging of guests fell upon Sir John de Brocas, he gave up his house atClewer for the time being for the use of some of the guests of humblerrank, his son John acting as host there; and to this house the Gastonbrothers were asked, amongst many other youthful esquires of likedegree. Thus it came about that the merry yuletide season was spent bythem actually beneath their uncle's roof, although he had no idea thathe was entertaining kinsmen unawares.
Mindful of the good priest's warning, and knowing their ignorance of thenew life and the new people amongst whom their fortune
s had led them,the twins still carefully preserved the secret of their identity. Theyknew too little of the cause of estrangement between their father andhis brothers to have any confidence how his sons would be received. Theywere both of opinion that by far their wisest course was to wait quietlyand patiently, and watch what befell them; and the only question whichRaymond ever dared to put to John in the days that followed whichsavoured of their own affairs, was an inquiry as to whether he had everheard of a place called Basildene.
"Basildene?" repeated John slowly. "Yes, I have heard the name. It isthe name of a Manor not very many miles from my uncle's house inGuildford. Dost thou know aught of it?"
"Nay; I knew not rightly if there were such a spot. But I have heard thename. Knowest thou to whom it belongs?"
"Yes, I know that too. It belongs to one Peter Sanghurst, of whom no manspeaks aught but evil."
In the Days of Chivalry: A Tale of the Times of the Black Prince Page 4
