CHAPTER 31
It was not until the end of July that the High Court of Chivalryrendered its judgment. There were many unusual points in the case, someof which bore heavily against Lord Falworth, some of which were inhis favor. He was very ably defended by the lawyers whom the Earlof Mackworth had engaged upon his side; nevertheless, under ordinarycircumstances, the judgment, no doubt, would have been quickly renderedagainst him. As it was, however, the circumstances were not ordinary,and it was rendered in his favor. The Court besought the King to grantthe ordeal by battle, to accept Lord Falworth's champion, and to appointthe time and place for the meeting.
The decision must have been a most bitter, galling one for the sickKing. He was naturally of a generous, forgiving nature, but LordFalworth in his time of power had been an unrelenting and fearlessopponent, and his Majesty who, like most generous men, could onoccasions be very cruel and intolerant, had never forgiven him. He hadsteadily thrown the might of his influence with the Court against theFalworths' case, but that influence was no longer all-powerful for goodor ill. He was failing in health, and it could only be a matter of a fewyears, probably of only a few months, before his successor sat upon thethrone.
Upon the other hand, the Prince of Wales's faction had been steadily,and of late rapidly, increasing in power, and in the Earl of Mackworth,its virtual head, it possessed one of the most capable politicians andastute intriguers in Europe. So, as the outcome of all the plotting andcounter-plotting, scheming and counter-scheming, the case was decided inLord Falworth's favor. The knowledge of the ultimate result was knownto the Prince of Wales's circle almost a week before it was finallydecided. Indeed, the Earl of Mackworth had made pretty sure of thatresult before he had summoned Myles from France, but upon the King itfell like the shock of a sudden blow. All that day he kept himself inmoody seclusion, nursing his silent, bitter anger, and making onlyone outbreak, in which he swore by the Holy Rood that should Myles beworsted in the encounter, he would not take the battle into his ownhands, but would suffer him to be slain, and furthermore, that shouldthe Earl show signs of failing at any time, he would do all in his powerto save him. One of the courtiers who had been present, and who wassecretly inclined to the Prince of Wales's faction, had repeated thisspeech at Scotland Yard, and the Prince had said, "That meaneth, Myles,that thou must either win or die."
"And so I would have it to be, my Lord," Myles had answered.
It was not until nearly a fortnight after the decision of the Court ofChivalry had been rendered that the King announced the time and placeof battle--the time to be the 3d of September, the place to beSmithfield--a spot much used for such encounters.
During the three weeks or so that intervened between this announcementand the time of combat, Myles went nearly every day to visit the listsin course of erection. Often the Prince went with him; always two orthree of his friends of the Scotland Yard court accompanied him.
The lists were laid out in the usual form. The true or principal list inwhich the combatants were to engage was sixty yards long and forty yardswide; this rectangular space being surrounded by a fence about six feethigh, painted vermilion. Between the fence and the stand where the Kingand the spectators sat, and surrounding the central space, was theouter or false list, also surrounded by a fence. In the false list theConstable and the Marshal and their followers and attendants were to bestationed at the time of battle to preserve the general peace during thecontest between the principals.
One day as Myles, his princely patron, and his friends entered thebarriers, leaving their horses at the outer gate, they met the Earl ofAlban and his followers, who were just quitting the lists, which theyalso were in the habit of visiting nearly every day. As the two partiespassed one another, the Earl spoke to a gentleman walking beside him andin a voice loud enough to be clearly overheard by the others: "Yonderis the young sprig of Falworth," said he. "His father, my Lords, isnot content with forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must,forsooth, throw away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many abetter knight than that boy."
Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to hearit; but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at the Prince'sside. The Prince had also overheard it, and after a little space ofsilence asked, "Dost thou not feel anxiety for thy coming battle,Myles?"
"Yea, my Lord," said Myles; "sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not suchas my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the speech that hespake anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and my mother's sake thatI feel, for truly there are great matters for them pending upon thisfight. Ne'theless, I do know that God will not desert me in my cause,for verily my father is no traitor."
"But the Earl of Alban," said the Prince, gravely, "is reputed one ofthe best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is merciless andwithout generosity, so that an he gain aught advantage over thee, hewill surely slay thee."
"I am not afraid, my Lord," said Myles, still calmly and composedly.
"Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles," said the Prince, heartily, puttinghis arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; "for truly, wertthou a knight of forty years, instead of one of twenty, thou couldst notbear thyself with more courage."
As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag themselvesalong upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came and went, as alldays do, bringing with them, at last, the fateful 3d of September.
Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the Princehimself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the outer room ofwhich Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging the armor piece bypiece; renewing straps and thongs, but not whistling over his work as heusually did. The Prince nodded to him, and then passed silently throughto the inner chamber. Myles was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose,the Prince's chaplain, was beside him. The Prince stood silently at thedoor, until Myles, having told his last bead, rose and turned towardshim.
"My dear Lord," said the young knight, "I give you gramercy for thegreat honor you do me in coming so early for to visit me."
"Nay, Myles, give me no thanks," said the Prince, frankly reaching himhis hand, which Myles took and set to his lips. "I lay bethinking me ofthee this morning, while yet in bed, and so, as I could not sleep anymore, I was moved to come hither to see thee."
Quite a number of the Prince's faction were at the breakfast at ScotlandYard that morning; among others, the Earl of Mackworth. All were more orless oppressed with anxiety, for nearly all of them had staked much uponthe coming battle. If Alban conquered, he would be more powerful to harmthem and to revenge himself upon them than ever, and Myles was a veryyoung champion upon whom to depend. Myles himself, perhaps, showed aslittle anxiety as any; he certainly ate more heartily of his breakfastthat morning than many of the others.
After the meal was ended, the Prince rose. "The boat is ready at thestairs," said he; "if thou wouldst go to the Tower to visit thy father,Myles, before hearing mass, I and Cholmondeley and Vere and Poins willgo with thee, if ye, Lords and gentlemen, will grant me your pardonfor leaving you. Are there any others that thou wouldst have accompanythee?"
"I would have Sir James Lee and my squire, Master Gascoyne, if thou artso pleased to give them leave to go," answered Myles.
"So be it," said the Prince. "We will stop at Mackworth stairs for theknight."
The barge landed at the west stairs of the Tower wharf, and the wholeparty were received with more than usual civilities by the Governor, whoconducted them at once to the Tower where Lord Falworth was lodged. LadyFalworth met them at the head of the stairs; her eyes were very red andher face pale, and as Myles raised her hand and set a long kiss upon it,her lips trembled, and she turned her face quickly away, pressingher handkerchief for one moment to her eyes. Poor lady! What agony ofanxiety and dread did she not suffer for her boy's sake that day! Myleshad not hidden both from her and his father that he must either win ordie.
As Myles turned from his mother, Prior Edward came out fro
m the innerchamber, and was greeted warmly by him. The old priest had arrived inLondon only the day before, having come down from Crosbey Priory to bewith his friend's family during this their time of terrible anxiety.
After a little while of general talk, the Prince and his attendantsretired, leaving the family together, only Sir James Lee and Gascoyneremaining behind.
Many matters that had been discussed before were now finally settled,the chief of which was the disposition of Lady Falworth in case thebattle should go against them. Then Myles took his leave, kissing hismother, who began crying, and comforting her with brave assurances.Prior Edward accompanied him as far as the head of the Tower stairs,where Myles kneeled upon the stone steps, while the good priest blessedhim and signed the cross upon his forehead. The Prince was waiting inthe walled garden adjoining, and as they rowed back again up the riverto Scotland Yard, all were thoughtful and serious, even Poins' andVere's merry tongues being stilled from their usual quips and jesting.
It was about the quarter of the hour before eleven o'clock when Myles,with Gascoyne, set forth for the lists. The Prince of Wales, togetherwith most of his court, had already gone on to Smithfield, leavingbehind him six young knights of his household to act as escort to theyoung champion. Then at last the order to horse was given; the greatgate swung open, and out they rode, clattering and jingling, thesunlight gleaming and flaming and flashing upon their polished armor.They drew rein to the right, and so rode in a little cloud of dust alongthe Strand Street towards London town, with the breeze blowing merrily,and the sunlight shining as sweetly and blithesomely as though they wereriding to a wedding rather than to a grim and dreadful ordeal that meanteither victory or death.