CHAPTER IX
DEATH OF THE TYLER
"What befell the king, my lord?" said Edgar.
"As far as he was concerned all went well. A multitude accompanied himto Mile End Fields, and then, on his demanding that they should franklytell him what were their grievances, they handed to him a parchmentcontaining the four points that have from the first been asked for, andall of which are reasonable enough. The king, after reading them, toldthem in a loud voice that he was willing to grant their desires, andwould forthwith issue a charter bestowing these four points on thepeople. The rebels set up a great shout, and forthwith marched away intheir companies, the men of Herts, Cambridge, and Suffolk, and allthose of Essex who were there. Nothing could have been better. We knewnot that the Kentish men and some of the Essex bands, together with therabble of the city, had remained at the Tower, and it was only as werode back, believing that the trouble was all over, that we heard whathad happened."
"Will the king still grant the charter, father?" Albert asked.
"I know not. Everything has been changed by the conduct of thesefellows, and the murder of the archbishop, the lord treasurer, andothers, to say nothing of the insults to the king's mother, and theinsolence of the mob in making themselves masters of the Tower. But,indeed, the king could not himself grant such a charter. It is a matterthat must be done both by king and parliament, and when the knights ofthe shires and the representatives of the great towns meet, they willbe equally indisposed to grant concessions to men who have burnedpalaces, destroyed all deeds and titles wheresoever they could findthem, killed every man of law on whom they could lay hands, andthroughout all England have risen against the lords of the soil.
"If the rabble could, whenever they had the fancy, rise in arms andenforce any claim that they chose to propose, they would soon bemasters of all. It may be that erelong serfdom will cease, and I seenot why all men should not have the right of buying and selling in openmarket. As to fixing the price of land, I think not that that can bedone, seeing that some land is vastly more fertile than others, andthat the land towns is of much greater value than elsewhere. But evenin my time there have been great changes, and the condition of theserfs is very greatly improved, while the hardships they complain of,and the heavy taxation, are not felt by serfs only, but are common toall.
"However, although for a time I believe that these unlawful and riotousdoings will do harm rather than good, and assuredly all those who havetaken a leading part in them will be punished, yet in the end it willbe seen that it were best that these things that they now ask forshould be granted, and that England should be content, and all classesstand together. Undoubtedly these fellows have shown that they can biteas well as growl, and though they would always be put down in the end,it might be only after great effort and much heavy fighting, and afterterrible misfortunes befalling, not only towns, but all throughout thecountry who dwell in houses incapable of making a long defence.
"At present we may be sure that whatever the king may promise thesevarlets, parliament will grant no such charter. I myself would not thatthey should do so. It would be fatal to the peace of the land for thecommons, as they call themselves, to think that they have but to risein arms to frighten the king and government into granting whatsoeverthey may demand. And now let us eat and drink, for indeed I am bothhungry and thirsty, and I doubt not that 'tis the same with you. I toldJenkin, as I came in, to give us something to eat, it mattered notwhat, so that it were done speedily. 'Tis well that I left the two menhere, otherwise we should have found an empty larder."
"That might well have been, father," Albert said, "for our hostess andher servants all went away yesterday, thinking that it would be saferin the city than here, but we told Hob and Jenkin always to keep astore of food, since there was no saying when you would all return, andthat, at any rate, even were we out all day, Edgar and I might wantsupper on our return, and a good meal before leaving in the morning."
"What have you both been doing since I saw you last?" the knight asked,when the meal was finished.
Albert told how they had seen the mayor constrained to open the bridgegates; how the Duke of Lancaster's palace at the Savoy had been burned,and the houses in the Temple pillaged and fired; and how the Flemingshad been murdered in great numbers, and their houses sacked and in somecases burned.
"In faith, I am glad I was not there," Sir Ralph said, "for I think notthat I could have kept my sword in its sheath, even though it had costme my life."
"You charged us to take no part in broils, father," Albert said, with asmile, "and we felt, therefore, constrained to do nothing save on oneoccasion."
"Ah! ah!" the knight exclaimed in evident satisfaction, "then you diddo something. I hope that you gave a lesson to one or more of thesevillains. Now that I look at you closely, it seems to me that you useyour left arm but stiffly, Albert; and you have your hair cut away inone place, Edgar, and a strip of plaster on it. I thought it was theresult of the fray in the Tower."
"No, sir, it was in the other matter. We each got some blows--some ofthem pretty hard ones--but they were of no great consequence."
"How did it come about, Albert?"
Albert gave a full account of the fray, from the time they came to theassistance of the Flemish girl until they escaped by the secret passage.
"By St. George, wife!" the knight said, "but these young esquires shameus altogether. While the king's knights and courtiers, his garrison ofthe Tower, and the worshipful citizens of London have not among themstruck one blow at this rabbledom, they must have disposed of fully ascore between them--seven, you say, in the Tower, and, I doubt not, agood thirteen at the door and on the stair of this Fleming's house--andto think that we considered this boy of ours fit for nothing else thanto become a priest. This is the second time since we came up here, afortnight since, that they have rescued a fair lady, to say nothing oftheir fathers, and without counting the saving of yourself and Aline;the sooner they are shipped off to France the better, or they will becausing a dearth of his Majesty's subjects. I am proud of you, lads.Who is this Fleming? Did you learn his name?"
"Yes, sir; it was Van Voorden."
"Say you so. It seems to me that you make choice of useful men uponwhom to bestow benefits. Master Robert Gaiton is, as I learn, one ofthe leading citizens of London, a wealthy man, and one who in a fewyears is like to be mayor; and now you have befriended Van Voorden, whois the richest and most influential of the Flemish merchants in London.It is to him that the chancellor goes when he desires to raise a loanamong the Flemings, and he always manages it without difficulty, hehimself, as they say, contributing no small share of it. He is one whomay be a good friend to you indeed, and who, should fortune take you tothe Low Country, could recommend you to the greatest merchants there."
"He will be out there himself, father. He told us that he had for somelittle time been thinking of returning to Flanders, and that now heshould do so at once. How was it, father, that the men-at-arms did notdefend the Tower?"
"It was not altogether their fault. When it was determined that theking should ride out and meet the mob, the most stringent orders weregiven that on no account should the archers draw a bow upon the rabble.It is true that there were doubts whether many of them were not atheart with the people, which was not altogether unnatural, seeing thatthey were drawn from the same class and from the same counties. Still,doubtless, most of them would have proved true, and so long as they didtheir duty the others could hardly have held back; but, in truth, thishad naught to do with the order, which was simply given to prevent abroil between the garrison and the mob, for had some of the latter beenkilled, it might have cost the king his life and the lives of all withhim.
"No one, however, thought for a moment that the rabble would haveattacked the Tower. We supposed, of course, that the drawbridge wouldbe raised as soon as we had passed over it, but whether the order wasnot given for it or whether it was misunderstood I know not, but theblunder has cost the lives of the archbishop, th
e lord treasurer, andothers, the insult to the princess, and the disgrace of the Towerhaving been in the hands of this rascaldom. Well, I must be off thereand see what is going to be done."
The knight found that the king had already gone to visit his mother,who had, after landing, been conveyed to a house called the RoyalWardrobe, in Bayard's Castle Ward by the Thames, where he remaineduntil the next morning. While there he learned that Wat the Tyler and aportion of the Kentish men had rejected contemptuously the charter withwhich the men from the counties north of the Thames had been perfectlysatisfied, and which was all that they themselves had at firstdemanded. Another was drawn up craving further concessions. This wasalso rejected, as was a third.
"The king is going to mass at Westminster," the knight said, "and afterthat he will ride round the city. I shall go myself to Westminster withhim, and you can both ride with me, for it may be that the king on hisway may be met by the rabble, which is composed of the worst and mostdangerous of all who have been out, for in addition to Tyler's ownfollowing, there will be the prisoners released from all of the jailsand the scum of the city. We will ride in our armour. They say thereare still 20,000 of them, but even if the worst happens we may be ableto carry the king safely through them."
In the morning they took horse. The knight was in full armour; Edgarand Albert were in body armour with steel caps. He skirted the walls ofthe city and rode to Westminster. At the Abbey they found the lordmayor and many of the leading citizens also in armour, they having cometo form an escort for the king. Richard arrived by water with severalknights and gentlemen who had accompanied him on his visit to hismother. Mass was celebrated, and the king then paid his devotionsbefore a statue of the Virgin, which had the reputation of performingmany miracles, particularly in favour of English kings. After this hemounted his horse and rode off with the barons, knights, andcitizens--in all some sixty persons.
"There they are," Sir Ralph said, as a great crowd were seen gatheredin West Smithfield. "I have some curiosity to see this knave Tyler. Ihear from one of the knights with the king that he had the insolence todemand, in addition to all the concessions offered, that all forestlaws should be abolished, and that all warrens, waters, parks, andwoods should be made common land, so that all might fish in all waters,hunt the deer in forests and parks, and the hare wherever they chose."
When they approached the rioters, the king checked his horse, and madea sign that he would speak with them. Wat the Tyler at once rodeforward, telling his followers to stand fast until he gave the signal.
"The insolent varlet!" Sir Ralph muttered, grasping the hilt of hissword; "see, he lifts not his cap to the king, but rides up as if hewere his equal!"
The Tyler, indeed, rode up until his horse's head touched the flank ofthe king's horse, and he and Richard were knee to knee. Nothing couldexceed the insolence of his demeanour.
"King," he said, "do you see all these men here?"
"I see them," Richard replied. "Why dost thou ask?"
"Because," the Tyler said, "they are all at my will, sworn to dowhatsoever I shall bid them."
So threatening and insolent was his manner as he spoke, keeping hishand on his sword, that the lord mayor, who was riding next to theking, believed that he intended to do Richard harm, and drawing a shortsword, stabbed him in the throat. Wat the Tyler reeled on his horse,and Ralph Standish, one of the king's esquires, thrust him through thebody, and he fell dead. A great shout arose from his followers, andfitting their arrows to the strings of their bows they ran forward withcries of vengeance. The knights and gentlemen drew their swords, butRichard, signing to them not to advance, rode forward.
"What are you doing, my lieges?" he cried. "Wat the Tyler was atraitor. I am your king, and I will be your captain and guide."
The mob stood irresolute. Although they had declared war against hiscouncillors, they had always professed loyalty to the boy king himself.The king then rode back to his party.
"What had we best do now?" he asked the lord mayor.
"We had best make for the fields, sire," the latter said; "if they seeus attempt to retreat they will gain heart and courage and will rushupon us, while if we advance we may gain a little time. Sir RobertKnowles is gathering a force in the city, and I have issued an orderfor all loyal citizens to join him; they will soon be with us, then weshall put an end to the matter."
THE LORD MAYOR STABS WAT THE TYLER, IN PRESENCE OF THEBOY-KING.]
Slowly the party proceeded onwards; the mob, silent and sullen, openeda way for them to pass, and then followed close behind them. Deprivedof their leader they knew not what to do; and as no one else cameforward to take the command, they did nothing until the king reachedthe open fields by Islington. As he did so, Sir Robert Knowles, with afollowing of upwards of a thousand men, rode up from the city andjoined him. The mob at once took to flight, some running through thecorn-fields, while others threw away their bows and other weapons,dropping upon their knees and crying for mercy.
"Shall I charge them, your Majesty? We will speedily make an end of theaffair altogether."
"No," Richard replied; "many of them are but poor varlets who have beenled astray. They are no longer dangerous, and we shall have time todeal with their leaders later on."
It was with the greatest difficulty that Sir Robert and the citizens,who were burning with a desire to avenge the dishonour thrown upon thecity by the doings of the rioters, were restrained from taking theirrevenge upon them.
"Nay, nay, gentlemen," the king said, "they are unarmed anddefenceless, and it would be an ill deed to slay them unresistingly.Rest content, I will see that due punishment is dealt out."
"The king is right," Sir Ralph said, as he sheathed his sword. "As longas they stood in arms I would gladly have gone at them, but to cut themdown without resistance is a deed for which I have no stomach. It was acourageous action of the young king, lads, thus to ride alone to thatangry crowd armed with bills and bows. Had one of them loosed an arrowat him all would have shot, and naught could have saved his life, whilewe ourselves would all have been in a perilous position. Well, there isan end of the matter. The knaves will scarce cease running until theyreach their homes."
In the meantime the insurgents throughout the country had done butlittle. The nobles shut themselves up in their castles, but the youngBishop of Norwich armed his retainers, collected his friends, andmarched against the insurgents in Norfolk, Cambridge, and Huntingdon.He surprised several bodies of peasants and utterly defeated them. Theprisoners taken were brought before him, and putting off the completearmour which he wore, he heard the confession of his captives, gavethem absolution, and then sent them straight to the gibbet. With thereturn of the peasants to their homes the gentlemen from the countrywere able to come with their retainers to town, and Richard foundhimself at the head of forty thousand men.
He at once annulled the charters that had been wrung from him, whilecommissioners were sent throughout the country to arrest and try theleaders of the insurrection, and some fifteen hundred men, includingall the leaders, were executed. The men of Essex alone took up armsagain, but were defeated with great loss, as was to be expected. Whenparliament met they not only approved the annulment of the charters,but declared that such charters were invalid without their consent, andpassed several stringent laws to deter the people from venturing uponany repetition of the late acts. Later on, the commons presentedpetitions calling for the redress of abuses in administration,attributing this insurrection to the extortions of the tax-collectors,and the venality and rapacity of judges and officers of the courts oflaw.
On the day following the death of Wat the Tyler Sir Ralph told the ladsthat the king desired to see them.
"He was good enough to ask me this morning how you had fared, and Itold him how you had rescued my dame and daughter, and also how you hadbefriended Mynheer Van Voorden, and he at once asked me to bring youagain to him."
The king received them in private. "By St. George, gentlemen," he said,"had all my knights an
d followers proved themselves as valiant as you,we should have had no difficulty in dealing with these knaves. It seemsto me strange, indeed, that, while you are but a year older thanmyself, you should have fought so valiantly, and killed so many ofthese rioters."
"Your Majesty should hardly think that strange," Edgar said,courteously, "seeing how you yourself performed a far more valiantaction, by riding up to twenty thousand angry men with bows drawn andpikes pointed. I trembled, and felt well-nigh sick when I saw you thusexpose yourself to what seemed certain death. In our case the risk wasbut small, for in the fray here we had to deal with men flushed withwine, and knowing naught of the use of their weapons, and it was thesame thing in the house of the Fleming, where, moreover, we had theadvantage of ground."
The young king was evidently pleased at the compliment. "It seemed tome that it was the only thing to do," he said, "and I had no time tothink of the danger. I have told Sir Ralph De Courcy that I wouldgladly knight you both, in proof of my admiration for your courage; buthe has pointed out to me that you are as yet young, and that he wouldprefer--and believed that you also would do so--to wait until you hadan opportunity of winning your spurs in combat with a foreign foe.However, it is but deferred, and I promise you that as soon as you aretwo years older, I will bestow knighthood upon you. I myself wouldwillingly," he added, with a smile, "have laid Van Voorden under anobligation. He is a very Croesus, and I regard him as my banker, for heis ever ready to open his money-bags, and to make me advances upon anytax that may have been ordered. Have you seen him since the fray?"
"No, sire, we are going to him when we leave you, to tell him thatorder is restored, and that he may now without danger leave hishiding-place."
"Van Voorden is not the only merchant in London that my son and MasterOrmskirk have had the good fortune to aid since their arrival here,your Majesty, for they rescued from an attack by robbers outsideAldersgate Master Robert Gaiton, who is an alderman and a foreignmerchant. He had his daughter with him, and had the lads arrived aminute later, the two would have been killed."
"I know him," the king said; "he was one of those who rode with thelord mayor from Westminster with me. Please tell me all about it. Ilove to hear of brave deeds."
Albert told the story of the rescue.
"It was well done indeed," the king said. "I would that I could rambleabout and act the knight-errant as you do. 'Tis tiresome to be in thehands of councillors, who are ever impressing upon me that I must notdo this or that, as if I were a child. I would gladly have you hereabout my person, but, as Sir Ralph has told me, you would fain, at anyrate for the present, devote yourselves to arms, I did not press thematter, but be assured that at any time you will find in me a friend.You have but to ask a boon, and whatsoever it is, if it be in my power,I will grant it, and I hope that some day I shall find you settled atCourt, where," and he laughed, "it seems to me, that honours, if nothonour, are much more easily gained than in the battle-field."
Leaving the king's presence, the lads went into the city. Van Voordenhad showed them how the sliding panel might be opened from the outside.Already the city had resumed its usual appearance, and the people weregoing about their business. They therefore found the door of the houseopposite Van Voorden's standing open. Waiting until they saw that noone was near, they entered, opened the sliding panel, and, closing itcarefully behind them, descended the stairs. On reaching the iron doorEdgar gave three knocks, the signal that they had arranged with theFleming. It was opened at once.
"Welcome, my friends," Van Voorden said, as they entered. "I have notventured out, thinking that it would be better to remain quiet for atleast a week, rather than run any risk. What news do you bring me?"
"Good news, sir," Edgar replied; "the insurrection is at an end, themen of the northern counties have marched away, the Tyler has beenkilled and his followers have fled, loyal gentlemen with theirretainers are coming in fast, all is quiet here, the shops are open,and save for the ruins of burnt houses there are no signs of the evildays that we have passed through."
"That is good news, indeed. My dame is better, but I shall be glad toget her out into the light and air. I will sally out with you at onceand look for a lodging, where we may bestow ourselves until I havewound up my affairs and am ready to start for Flanders."
This business was soon settled. The Fleming found a compatriot whosehouse had escaped sack, but who had been so alarmed that he intended toreturn home at once, until order was completely restored throughout thecountry, and he decided to let his house as it stood to Van Voorden. Asa vessel was sailing that evening, he arranged to give up possession atonce.
"I will, with your permission," said Van Voorden, "fetch my wife anddaughter here forthwith. The former has so far recovered from hermalady that she will not need to be carried hither, but I want to gether out from the hiding-place where she now is, for, in truth, in spiteof the precautions that were taken when it was built, the air is closeand heavy."
"By all means do so at once," the Fleming said. "There is plenty ofroom in the house, for I embarked my wife and family ten days since,and there is no one but myself and the servants here."
On the way Van Voorden had been warmly greeted by many acquaintances,all of whom had believed him to have been killed by the rioters beforethey fired his house, and on issuing out now he met Robert Gaiton.
"I am glad, indeed, to see you, Mynheer," the latter said. "I fearedthat you and yours had all perished."
"That we did not do so was owing to the valour of these gentlemen,Master Robert; let me introduce them to you."
"I need no introduction," the merchant said, smiling, "for it is totheir valour also that I owe it that you see me here alive. If you canspare time to come and take your meal with me, which should be ready bythis time, I will tell you about it, and will hear from you also, howthey have done you a like service."
"I will do so gladly," Van Voorden said, "for they will not beexpecting me back for some time, as they would not deem that I could sosoon find a house for them to go to."
"Of course you will come too?" said Gaiton.
"With your permission we will decline your offer," Albert said. "Myfather is detained at the Tower, and my mother and sister are alone,and will be expecting us."
"Well, I will not press you. I do not suppose that you care abouthaving your good actions talked about."
"Truly, Master Robert, these young gentlemen have rendered us both rareservice," Van Voorden said, after he and Gaiton had both told theirstories. "I see not how I am to discharge any of my obligations tothem. If they had taken us both captives in war they would have put usto ransom and we could have paid whatever was demanded, but in thiscase we do not stand so."
"I feel that myself, Mynheer. A knight considers himself in no wayslowered by taking ransom from a captive, or by receiving a purse ofgold from his sovereign. But his notions of honour will scarce admit ofhis taking money for a service rendered. I have promised to fit themout with arms, armour, and a war-horse when they go on service; butbeyond that, which is after all but a trifle to me, I see not what todo."
"I am sorry that you have forestalled me," Van Voorden said, "for I hadthought of doing that myself. I may do them a service if they shouldchance at any time to go to Flanders; but beyond that I see not that Ican do aught at present. Later on, when they become knights, and takewives for themselves, I shall step in and buy estates for them tosupport their rank, and methinks that they will not refuse the gift."
"I shall claim to take part with you in that matter," Robert Gaitonsaid. "I cannot count guineas with you, but I am a flourishing man, andas I have but one daughter to marry, I have no need for my money beyondwhat is engaged in trade."
"Well, we won't quarrel over that," the Fleming replied. "However, forthe present it were best to say naught of our intentions. They arenoble lads. Edgar is the leading spirit, and, indeed, the other toldme, when they were waiting till it was safe for them to leave thehiding-place, that he had been a very weakly lad, and h
ad been intendedfor the Church, but that Edgar had been a great friend of his, hadurged him to practise in arms, which so increased his strength that hewas, to his father's delight, able to abandon the idea. He said thatall he knew of arms he had acquired from Edgar, and that, while he wasstill but an indifferent swordsman, his friend was wonderfully skilledwith his weapon, and fully a match for most men."
"That he has proved for both of our benefits," Robert Gaiton said. "Intruth, they are in all ways worthy youths. I have seen much of themduring the last few days, and like them greatly, irrespective of mygratitude for what they did for me."
On the following day the king knighted the lord mayor, WilliamWalworth, Robert Gaiton, and five other aldermen who had ridden withhim, and granted an augmentation to the arms of the city, introducing ashort sword or dagger in the right quarter of the shield, inremembrance of the deed by which the lord mayor had freed him from theleader of the rioters.
Van Voorden called with Robert Gaiton upon Sir Ralph to thank him forthe services his son and Edgar had rendered him, and heard for thefirst time how they had saved Dame Agatha and Aline from insult, andhad slain the seven rioters, of whom five had fallen to Edgar's sword.
"Truly a brave deed, and a prudent one," Sir Robert Gaiton said. "Oncebegun, it was a matter of life and death that the business should becarried out to the end."
"His Majesty has highly commended them," Sir Ralph said, "and wouldfain have knighted them had they been a year or two older."
"I see not that age should have stood in the way," Van Voorden brokein. "Of a surety no men could have done better, and as they havebehaved as true knights in all respects, methinks they deserve therank."
"I cannot say you nay there, though I am the father of one of them;nevertheless, they can well wait for a couple of years. They have notyet learned that the first duty of a knight is to obey, and it werewell they served under some brave captain, and learned how to receiveas well as give orders. To-morrow, gentlemen, I ride to St. Alwyth, fornews has come in that the Kentish rebels, as well as those of Essex,are burning and slaying on their way to their homes, and I must go andsee to the safety of my castle. A force will march to-morrow morning todeal with the Essex men."
"Then, Sir Ralph, I will ride with you," Sir Robert said. "I haveraised a troop of fifty men from my ward to join those the city isgathering for the king's aid. They are stout fellows, and will, Iwarrant, fight well; and they will do as good service for the king inKent as they would do in Essex."
"Nay; while thanking you for your offer, I cannot so trouble you, SirRobert."
"'Tis no trouble. On the contrary, after what your son did for me, itwill be a pleasure to lift some small share of the burden of obligationfrom my shoulders, and if you will not let me ride with you, I shall godown on my own account."
"I thank you heartily, Sir Robert, and assuredly will not refuse sogood an offer, for my men in the castle are scarce numerous enough tomake defence against a strong attack. I doubt not that all the serfs onthe estate have been in the Tyler's following, and my vassals wouldscarce be enough, even if I could gather them, to make head against acrowd."
"When do you start, Sir Ralph?"
"As soon as the gate at Aldgate is open I shall ride through it."
"Then I will be at the head of the bridge, awaiting you with my men."
"I am afraid that I cannot send a contingent, sir knight," Van Voordensaid, "for so many of my countrymen have been slaughtered that we couldscarce gather a company."
"Nay; I shall have enough with those our good friend will bring me.With him by my side, and my son, and that stout swordsman, young Edgar,and with fifty sturdy Londoners, who have always in their wars provedthemselves to be as good fighters as any in our armies, I would ridethrough a host of the rabble."
"Will you be returning, Sir Ralph?"
"Yes; I leave my wife and daughter here, and as soon as matters aresettled, come back to fetch them."
"Then may I beg you to leave them with me?" the Fleming said,earnestly. "They will hardly wish to go back to the Tower at present,after their late experience of it. My wife and daughter will do theirbest to make them comfortable."
"I accept your invitation for them thankfully," the knight replied."The Tower is already crowded, so many ladies and gentlemen have comein during the last few days; nor do I like to leave them here withoutprotection."
"I thank you most heartily, sir knight. It will be a pleasure, indeed,to my wife and daughter to have ladies with them, for indeed both aresomewhat shaken from what they have gone through. I will, if it pleasesyou, be at the gate to-morrow if they will accompany you so far, andwill escort them to my house; or, should you prefer it, my wife willcome thither with me to take them back after they have had theirmorning meal."
"Thanks, sir; but I will escort them myself and hand them over to you.Will you kindly bring a servant with you to carry their valises, for Ihad yesterday all their things removed from that room in the Tower, andat the same time had the dead bodies of the rioters carried down andthrown into the Thames."
"I wish that there was more that I could do," Van Voorden said to SirRobert Gaiton as they walked back to the city.
"I will tell you what you can do, Master Van Voorden. I had theintention of doing it myself; but if you wish it I will relinquish itto you. I marked as we rode two days since to Smithfield that ourfriend's son and Master Edgar Ormskirk had but body armour and woresteel caps, and I intended to buy this afternoon two complete suits forthem."
"I thank you greatly for your offer; it would be a relief to me to dosomething for them. Know you about their size?"
"To within an inch, for I fitted them on two citizen suits. If you likeI will go with you to Master Armstrong's. He is accounted the bestarmourer in the county, and provides no small share of the armour forour knights and nobles."
"I know his name well," the Fleming said. "I shall be glad if you willaccompany me to choose them, for indeed I am but a poor judge of suchmatters."
"I would fain have two suits of the best armour in your store, MasterArmstrong," Van Voorden said, as he entered the armourer's shop. "Thecost is a matter of no account, but I want the best, and I know that noone can supply better than yourself. My friend, Sir Robert Gaiton, willdo the choosing for me."
The armourer bowed to the wealthy Fleming, who was well known toeveryone in the city.
"'Tis but a matter of size that I have to decide upon," the aldermansaid, "See and get the suits somewhat large, for the gentlemen for whomMynheer Van Voorden intends them have not yet come to their fullstature."
The armourer led them to an inner room. "These are my best suits," hesaid, pointing to a score of lay figures in armour ranged along thewall. "They would soon get tarnished were they exposed to the fogs ofLondon. They are all of foreign make save these two, which, as you see,are less ornamented than the rest. The others are all of Spanish orMilanese workmanship. These two suits are my own make. Our craftsmenare not so skilled in inlaying or ornamenting as the foreigners, but Iwill guarantee the temper of the steel and its strength to keep out alance thrust, a cross-bow bolt, or a cloth-yard arrow against the bestof them."
"Methinks, Mynheer," the alderman said, "that if these suits are of theright size they were better than the Italian or Spanish suits. In thefirst place, these others would scarce be in keeping with two young menwho are not yet knights, seeing that they are such as would be worn bywealthy nobles; in the next place, there is no saying how much the ladsmay grow; and lastly, I have myself promised their father to presentthem with a suit of armour when they obtain the rank of knighthood."
"So be it, then," the Fleming said. "If Master Armstrong guarantees thesuits equal in strength to the others I care not, and indeed there isreason in what you say as to their fitness for the youths."
"Will you run a yard measure round the shoulders?" Sir Robert said. Onewas forty inches, the other thirty-six.
"That will do well; one is bigger than the other, and the measurementwill
give them an inch or two to spare. And now as to heights. The oneis five feet ten, the other an inch less; but this matters little,seeing that another strip of steel can be added or one taken away fromthe leg pieces without difficulty. I think that they will doexcellently well. And now, what is the price?"
It was a heavy one, for the armour was of exceptional make and strengthby reason of its temper, but was still light, the excellence of thesteel rendering it unnecessary to get anything like the weight ofordinary armour.
Van Voorden made no attempt to bargain, but merely said, "Please sendthem round at once to the Golden Fleece, in the Poultry, which was tillyesterday the abode of Master Nicholas Leyd, and also furnish me withthe bill by your messenger."
"My son will come," said the armourer, "with two men to carry thearmour, and in a quarter of an hour the suits shall be at your door."
"Send also, I pray you, swords and daggers of the finest temper witheach suit, and add the charge to the account."