CHAPTER 23
Of the Town of Cheaping Knowe
Now when it was evening they pitched their camp down in the plainfields amidst tall elmtrees, and had their banners still flying overthe tents to warn all comers of what they were. But the next morningthe chapmen and their folk were up betimes to rummage their loads, andto array their wares for the market; and they gat not to the roadbefore mid-morning. Meantime of their riding Ralph had more talk withBull, who said to him: "Fair lord, I rede thee when thou art in themarket of Cheaping Knowe, bid master Clement bring thee to thethrall-merchant, and trust me that if such a fair image as that we werespeaking of hath passed through his hands within these three months, hewill remember it; and then thou shalt have at least some tale of whathath befallen her but a little while ago."
That seemed good rede to Ralph, and when they went on their way he rodebeside Clement, and asked him many things concerning Cheaping Knowe;and at last about the thrall-market therein. And Clement said that,though he dealt not in such wares, he had often seen them sold, andknew the master of that market. And when Ralph asked if the saidmaster would answer questions concerning the selling of men and ofwomen, Clement smiled and said: "Yea, yea, he will answer; for as helives by selling thralls, and every time a thrall is sold by him hemaketh some gain by it, it is to his profit that they change masters asoften as may be; and when thou askest of the woman whom thou artseeking, he will be deeming that there will be some new chaffer ahead.I will bring thee to him, and thou shalt ask him of what thou wilt, andbelike he will tell thee quietly over the wine-cup."
Therewith was Ralph well content, and he grew eager to enter into thetown.
They came to the gates a little before sunset, after they had passedthrough much fair country; but nigh to the walls it was bare of treesand thickets, whereas, said Clement, they had been cut down lest theyshould serve as cover to strong-thieves or folk assailing the town.The walls were strong and tall, and a great castle stood high up on ahill, about which the town was builded; so that if the town were takenthere would yet be another town within it to be taken also. But thetown within, save for the said castle, was scarce so fairly builded asthe worst of the towns which Ralph had seen erst, though there were amany houses therein.
Much people was gathered about the gate to see the merchants enter withbanners displayed; and Ralph deemed many of the folk fair, such as weregoodly clad; for many had but foul clouts to cover their nakedness, andseemed needy and hunger-pinched. Withal there were many warriorsamongst the throng, and most of these bore a token on their sleeves, towit, a sword reddened with blood. And Clement, speaking softly inRalph's ear, did him to wit that this was the token of the lord who hadgotten the castle in those days, and was tyrant of the town; and howthat he had so many men-at-arms ready to do his bidding that none inthe town was safe from him if he deemed it more for his pleasure andprofit to rob or maim, or torment or slay, than to suffer them to livepeaceably. "But with us chapmen," said Clement, "he will not meddle,lest there be an end of chaffer in the town; and verily the market isgood."
Thus they rode through the streets into the market place, which waswide and great, and the best houses of the town were therein, and socame to the hostel of the Merchants, called the Fleece, which was a bighouse, and goodly enough.
The next morning Clement and the other chapmen went up into the Castle,bearing with them gifts out of their wares for the lord, and Clementbade Ralph keep close till he came back, and especially to keep hiswar-caught thrall, Bull Shockhead, safe at home, lest he be taken fromhim, and to clothe him in the guise of the chapman lads, and to dockhis hair; and even so Ralph did, though Bull were loath thereto.
About noon the chapmen came back again well pleased; and Clement gaveRalph a parchment from the lord, which bade all men help and let passRalph of Upmeads, as a sergeant of the chapmen's guard, and said withalthat now he was free to go about the town if he listed, so that he wereback at the hostel of the Fleece by nightfall.
So Ralph went in company with some of the sergeants and others, andlooked at this and that about the town without hindrance, save that theguard would not suffer them to pass further than the bailey of theCastle. And for the said bailey, forsooth, they had but littlestomach; for they saw thence, on the slopes of the Castle-hill, tokensof the cruel justice of the said lord; for there were men and womenthere, yea, and babes also, hanging on gibbets and thrust through withsharp pales, and when they asked of folk why these had suffered, theybut looked at them as if astonished, and passed on without a word.
So they went thence, and found the master-church, and deemed it notmuch fairer than it was great; and it was nowise great, albeit it wasstrange and uncouth of fashion.
Then they came to great gardens within the town, and they wereexceeding goodly, and had trees and flowers and fruits in them whichRalph had not seen hitherto, as lemons, and oranges, and pomegranates;and the waters were running through them in runnels of ashlar; and theweather was fair and hot; so they rested in those gardens till it wasevening, and then gat them home to Fleece, where they had goodentertainment.