In a glade of the forest of Windsor situated near to the castle andmeasuring some twenty-five score yards of open level ground, stoodGrey Dick, a strange, uncouth figure, at whom the archers of the guardlaughed, nudging each other. In his bony hand, however, he held thatat which they did not laugh, namely, the great black bow, six feetsix inches long, which he said had come to him "from the sea," and wasfashioned, not of yew, but of some heavy, close-grained wood, grownperhaps in Southern or even in far Eastern lands. Still, one of them,who had tried to draw this bow to his ear and could not, said aloud that"the Suffolk man would do naught with that clumsy pole." Whereat, GreyDick, who heard him, grinning, showing his white teeth like an angrydog.
Near by, on horseback and on foot, were the King, the young PrinceEdward, and many knights and ladies; while on the other side stoodscores of soldiers and other folk from the castle, who came to see thisugly fellow well beaten at his own game.
"Dick," whispered Hugh, "shoot now as you never shot before. Teach thema lesson for the honour of Suffolk."
"Let me be, master," he grumbled. "I told you I would do my best."
Then he sat himself down on the grass and began to examine his arrowsone by one, to all appearance taking no heed of anything else.
Presently came the first test. At a distance of five score yards wasset a little "clout," or target, of white wood, not more than two feetsquare. This clout had a red mark, or eye, three inches across, paintedin its centre, and stood not very high above the sward.
"Now, Richard," said the King, "three of the best archers that we haveabout us have been chosen to shoot against you and each other by theirfellows. Say, will you draw first or last?"
"Last, Sire," he answered, "that I may know their mettle."
Then a man stepped forward, a strong and gallant looking fellow, andloosed his three arrows. The first missed the clout, the second piercedthe white wood, and the third hit the red eye.
The clout having been changed, and the old one brought to the King withthe arrows in it, the second man took his turn. This time all threeof the arrows hit the mark, one of them being in the red. Again itwas changed, and forth came the great archer of the guard, a tall andclear-eyed man named Jack Green, and whom, it was said, none had everbeaten. He drew, and the arrow went home in the red on its left edge.He drew again, and the arrow went home in the red on its right edge. Hedrew a third time, and the arrow went home straight in the very centreof the red, where was a little black spot.
Now a great laugh went up, since clearly the Suffolk man was beaten ereever he began.
"Your Dick may do as well; he can do no better," said the King, when thetarget was brought to him.
Grey Dick looked at it.
"A boon, your Grace," said Dick. "Grant that this clout may be set upagain with the arrows fast. Any may know them from mine since they aregrey, whereas those I make are black, for I am a fletcher in my sparehours, and love my own handiwork."
"So be it," said the King, wondering; and the clout was replaced uponits stand.
Now Grey Dick stretched himself, looked at the clout, looked at his bow,and set a black-winged arrow on the string. Then he drew, it seemed butlightly and carelessly, as though he thought the distance small. Awayflew the shaft, and sank into the red a good inch within the leftmostarrow of Jack Green.
"Ah," said the onlookers, "a lucky shot indeed!"
Again he drew, and again the arrow sank into the red, a good inch withinthe rightmost shot of Jack Green.
"Oh!" said the onlookers, "this man is an archer; but Jack's last hecannot best, let the devil help him how he will."
"In the devil's name, then, be silent!" wheezed Grey Dick, with a flashof his half-opened eye.
"Ay, be silent--be silent!" said the King. "We do not see such shootingevery day."
Now Dick set his foot apart and, arrow on string, thrice he lifted hisbow and thrice let it sink again, perhaps because he felt some breathof wind stir the still air. A fourth time he lifted, and drew, not as hehad before, but straight to the ear, then loosed at once.
Away rushed the yard-long shaft, and folk noted that it scarcely seemedto rise as arrows do, or at least not half so high. It rushed, it smote,and there was silence, for none could see exactly what had happened.Then he who stood near the target to mark ran forward, and screamed out:
"By God's name, he has shattered Jack Green's centre arrow, and shot_clean through the clout!_"
Then from all sides rose the old archer cry, "_He, He! He, He!_" whilethe young Prince threw his cap on high, and the King said:
"Would that there were more such men as this in England! Jack Green, itseems that you are beaten."
"Nay," said Grey Dick, seating himself again upon the grass, "there isnaught to choose between us in this round. What next, your Grace?"
Only Hugh, who watched him, saw the big veins swell beneath the paleskin of his forehead, as they ever did when he was moved.
"The war game," said the King; "that is, if you will, for here roughknocks may be going. Set it out, one of you."
Then a captain of the archers explained this sport. In short it wasthat man should stand against man clad in leather jerkins, and wearinga vizor to protect the face, and shoot at each other with blunt arrowsrubbed with chalk, he who first took what would have been a mortal woundto be held worsted.
"I like not blunted arrows," said Grey Dick; "or, for the matter ofthat, any other arrows save my own. Against how many must I play? Thethree?"
The captain nodded.
"Then, by your leave, I will take them all at once."
Now some said that this was not fair, but in the end Dick won his point,and those archers whom he had beaten, among them Jack Green, were placedagainst him, standing five yards apart, and blunted arrows served outto all. Dick set one of them on the string, and laid the two others infront of them. Then a knight rode to halfway between them, but a littleto one side, and shouted: "Loose!"
As the word struck his ear Dick shot with wonderful swiftness, andalmost as the arrow left the bow flung himself down, grasping anotheras he fell. Next instant, three shafts whistled over where he had stood.But his found its mark on the body of him at whom he had aimed, causingthe man to stagger backward and throw down his bow, as he was bound todo, if hit.
Next instant Dick was up again and his second arrow flew, striking fulland fair before ever he at whom it was aimed had drawn.
Now there remained Jack Green alone, and, as Dick set the third arrow,but before he could draw, Jack Green shot.
"Beat!" said Dick, and stood quite still.
At him rushed the swift shaft, and passed over his shoulder within ahairbreadth of his ear. Then came Dick's turn. On Jack Green's cap wasan archer's plume.
"Mark the plume, lords," he said, and lo! the feather leapt from thatcap.
Now there was silence. No one spoke, but Dick drew out three morearrows.
"Tell me, captain," he said, "is your ground marked out in scores; andwhat is the farthest that any one of you has sent a flighting shot?"
"Ay," answered the officer, "and twenty score and one yard is thefarthest, nor has that been done for many a day."
Dick steadied himself, and seemed to fill his lungs with air. Then,stretching his long arms to the full, he drew the great bow till thehorns looked as though they came quite close together, and loosed. Highand far flew that shaft; men's eyes could scarcely follow it, and allmust wait long before a man came running to say where it had fallen.
"Twenty score and two yards!" he cried.
"Not much to win by," grunted Dick, "though enough. I have done twentyand one score once, but that was somewhat downhill."
Then, while the silence still reigned, he set the second arrow on thestring, and waited, as though he knew not what to do. Presently, aboutfifty paces from him, a wood dove flew from out a tree and, as suchbirds do at the first breath of spring, for the day was mild and sunny,hovered a moment in the air ere it dipped toward a great fir wheredoubtless it h
ad built for years. Never, poor fowl, was it destined tobuild again, for as it turned its beak downward Dick's shaft pierced itthrough and through and bore it onward to the earth.
Still in the midst of a great silence, Dick took up his quiver andemptied it on the ground, then gave it to the captain of the archers,saying:
"And you will, step sixty, nay, seventy paces, and set this mouth upwardin the grass where a man may see it well."
The captain did so, propping the quiver straight with stones and abit of wood. Then, having studied all things with his eyes, Dick shotupward, but softly. Making a gentle curve, the arrow turned in the airas it drew near the quiver, and fell into its mouth, striking it flat.
"Ill done," grumbled Dick; "had I shot well, it should have been pinnedto earth. Well, yon shadow baulked me, and it might have been worse."
Then he unstrung his bow, and slipped it into its case.
Now, at length, the silence was broken, and in good earnest. Men,especially those of Dunwich, screamed and shouted, hurling up theircaps. Jack Green, for all jealousy was forgotten at the sight of thiswondrous skill, ran to Dick, clasped him in his arms, and, dragging thebadge from off his breast, tried to pin it to his rough doublet. Theyoung Prince came and clapped him on the shoulder, saying:
"Be my man! Be my man!"
But Dick only growled, "Paws off! What have I done that I have not donea score of times before with no fine folk to watch me? I shot to pleasemy master and for the honour of Suffolk, not for you, and because somedogs keep their tails too tightly curled."
"A sulky fellow," said the Prince, "but, by heaven, I like him!"
Then the King pushed his horse through the throng, and all fell backbefore his Grace.
"Richard Archer," he said, "never has such marksmanship as yoursbeen seen in England since we sat upon the throne, nor shall it gounrewarded. The twenty angels that you said you would stake last nightshall be paid to you by the treasurer of our household. Moreover, hereis a gift from Edward of England, the friend of archers, that you may bepleased to wear," and taking his velvet cap from off his head, the Kingunpinned from it a golden arrow of which the barbed head was cut from aruby, and gave it to him.
"I thank you, Sire," said Dick, his pale skin flushing with pride andpleasure. "I'll wear it while I live, and may the sight of it mean deathto many of your enemies."
"Without doubt it will, and that ere long, Richard, for know you thatsoon we sail again for France, whence the tempest held us back, and itis my pleasure that you sail with us. Therefore I name you one of ourfletchers, with place about our person in our bodyguard of archers. JackGreen will show you your quarters, and instruct you in your duties, andsoon you shall match your skill against his again, but next time withFrenchmen for your targets."
"Sire," said Dick, very slowly, "take back your arrow, for I cannot doas you will."
"Why, man? Are you a Frenchman?" asked the King, angrily, for he was notwont to have his favours thus refused.
"My mother never told me so, Sire, although I don't know for certain whomy father may have been. Still, I think not, since I hate the sightof that breed as a farmer's dog hates rats. But, Sire, I have a goodmaster, and do not wish to change him for one who, saving your presence,may prove a worse, since King's favour on Monday has been known to meanKing's halter on Tuesday. Did you not promise to whip me round yourwalls last night unless I shot as well as I thought I could, and now doyou not change your face and give me golden arrows?"
At these bold words a roar of laughter went up from all who heard them,in which the King himself joined heartily enough.
"Silence!" he cried presently. "This yeoman's tongue is as sharp as hisshafts. I am pierced. Let us hear whom he will hit next."
"You again, Sire, I think," went on Dick, "because, after the fashion ofkings, you are unjust. You praise me for my shooting, whereas you shouldpraise God, seeing that it is no merit of mine, but a gift He gave me atmy birth in place of much which He withheld. Moreover, my master there,"and he pointed to Hugh, "who has just done you better service thanhitting a clout in the red and a dow beneath the wing, you forgetaltogether, though I tell you he can shoot almost as well as I, for Itaught him."
"Dick, Dick!" broke in Hugh in an agony of shame. Taking no heed, Dickwent on imperturbably: "And is the best man with a sword in Suffolk, asthe ghost of John Clavering knows to-day. Lastly, Sire, you send thismaster of mine upon a certain business where straight arrows may bewanted as well as sharp swords, and yet you'd keep me here whittlingthem out of ashwood, who, if I could have had my will, would have beenon the road these two hours gone. Is that a king's wisdom?"
"By St. George!" exclaimed Edward, "I think that I should make youcouncillor as well as fletcher, since without doubt, man, you have abitter wit, and, what is more rare, do not fear to speak the truth asyou see it. Moreover, in this matter, you see it well. Go with Hugh deCressi on the business which I have given him to do, and, when it isfinished, should both or either of you live, neglect not our commandto rejoin us here, or--if we have crossed the sea--in France. Edward ofEngland needs the service of such a sword and such a bow."
"You shall have them both, Sire," broke in Hugh, "for what they areworth. Moreover, I pray your Grace be not angry with Grey Dick's words,for if God gave him a quick eye, He also gave him a rough tongue."
"Not I, Hugh de Cressi, for know, we love what is rough if it be alsohonest. It is smooth, false words of treachery that we hate, such wordsas are ever on the lips of one whom we send you forth to bring to hisaccount. Now to your duty. Farewell till we meet again, whether it behere or where all men, true or traitors, must foot their bill at last."