Men of Iron
Page 32
CHAPTER 32
In the days of King Edward III a code of laws relating to trial bybattle had been compiled for one of his sons, Thomas of Woodstock. Inthis work each and every detail, to the most minute, had been arrangedand fixed, and from that time judicial combats had been regulated inaccordance with its mandates.
It was in obedience to this code that Myles Falworth appeared at theeast gate of the lists (the east gate being assigned by law to thechallenger), clad in full armor of proof, attended by Gascoyne, andaccompanied by two of the young knights who had acted as his escort fromScotland Yard.
At the barriers he was met by the attorney Willingwood, the chief lawyerwho had conducted the Falworth case before the High Court of Chivalry,and who was to attend him during the administration of the oaths beforethe King.
As Myles presented himself at the gate he was met by the Constable, theMarshal, and their immediate attendants. The Constable, laying his handupon the bridle-rein, said, in a loud voice: "Stand, Sir Knight, andtell me why thou art come thus armed to the gates of the lists. What isthy name? Wherefore art thou come?"
Myles answered, "I am Myles Falworth, a Knight of the Bath by grace ofhis Majesty King Henry IV and by his creation, and do come hither todefend my challenge upon the body of William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl ofAlban, proclaiming him an unknightly knight and a false and perjuredliar, in that he hath accused Gilbert Reginald, Lord Falworth, oftreason against our beloved Lord, his Majesty the King, and may Goddefend the right!"
As he ended speaking, the Constable advanced close to his side, andformally raising the umbril of the helmet, looked him in the face.Thereupon, having approved his identity, he ordered the gates to beopened, and bade Myles enter the lists with his squire and his friends.
At the south side of the lists a raised scaffolding had been built forthe King and those who looked on. It was not unlike that which hadbeen erected at Devlen Castle when Myles had first jousted as beltedknight--here were the same raised seat for the King, the tapestries, thehangings, the fluttering pennons, and the royal standard floating above;only here were no fair-faced ladies looking down upon him, but instead,stern-browed Lords and knights in armor and squires, and here were nomerry laughing and buzz of talk and flutter of fans and kerchiefs, butall was very quiet and serious.
Myles riding upon his horse, with Gascoyne holding the bridle-rein,and his attorney walking beside him with his hand upon the stirrups,followed the Constable across the lists to an open space in front of theseat where the King sat. Then, having reached his appointed station, hestopped, and the Constable, advancing to the foot of the stair-way thatled to the dais above, announced in a loud voice that the challenger hadentered the lists.
"Then called the defendant straightway," said the King, "for noondraweth nigh."
The day was very warm, and the sun, bright and unclouded, shone fiercelydown upon the open lists. Perhaps few men nowadays could bear thescorching heat of iron plates such as Myles wore, from which the bodywas only protected by a leathern jacket and hose. But men's bodies inthose days were tougher and more seasoned to hardships of weather thanthey are in these our times. Myles thought no more of the burningiron plates that incased him than a modern soldier thinks of his dressuniform in warm weather. Nevertheless, he raised the umbril of hishelmet to cool his face as he waited the coming of his opponent. Heturned his eyes upward to the row of seats on the scaffolding above,and even in the restless, bewildering multitude of strange faces turnedtowards him recognized those that he knew: the Prince of Wales, hiscompanions of the Scotland Yard household, the Duke of Clarence,the Bishop of Winchester, and some of the noblemen of the Earl ofMackworth's party, who had been buzzing about the Prince for the pastmonth or so. But his glance swept over all these, rather perceivingthan seeing them, and then rested upon a square box-like compartment notunlike a prisoner's dock in the courtroom of our day, for in the box sathis father, with the Earl of Mackworth upon one side and Sir James Leeupon the other. The blind man's face was very pale, but still wore itsusual expression of calm serenity--the calm serenity of a blind face.The Earl was also very pale, and he kept his eyes fixed steadfastly uponMyles with a keen and searching look, as though to pierce to the verybottom of the young man's heart, and discover if indeed not one littlefragment of dryrot of fear or uncertainty tainted the solid courage ofhis knighthood.
Then he heard the criers calling the defendant at the four corners ofthe list: "Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! William Bushy Brookhurst, Earl of Alban,come to this combat, in which you be enterprised this day to dischargeyour sureties before the King, the Constable, and the Marshal, and toencounter in your defence Myles Falworth, knight, the accepted championupon behalf of Gilbert Reginald Falworth, the challenger! Oyez! Oyez!Oyez! Let the defendant come!"
So they continued calling, until, by the sudden turning of all faces,Myles knew that his enemy was at hand.
Then presently he saw the Earl and his attendants enter the outer gateat the west end of the barrier; he saw the Constable and Marshal meethim; he saw the formal words of greeting pass; he saw the Constableraise the umbril of the helmet. Then the gate opened, and the Earl ofAlban entered, clad cap-a-pie in a full suit of magnificent Milan armorwithout juppon or adornment of any kind. As he approached across thelists, Myles closed the umbril of his helmet, and then sat quite stilland motionless, for the time was come.
So he sat, erect and motionless as a statue of iron, half hearing thereading of the long intricately-worded bills, absorbed in many thoughtsof past and present things. At last the reading ended, and then hecalmly and composedly obeyed, under the direction of his attorney,the several forms and ceremonies that followed; answered the variousofficial questions, took the various oaths. Then Gascoyne, leading thehorse by the bridle-rein, conducted him back to his station at the eastend of the lists.
As the faithful friend and squire made one last and searchingexamination of arms and armor, the Marshal and the clerk came to theyoung champion and administered the final oath by which he swore that hecarried no concealed weapons.
The weapons allowed by the High Court were then measured and attested.They consisted of the long sword, the short sword, the dagger, the mace,and a weapon known as the hand-gisarm, or glave-lot--a heavy swordlikeblade eight palms long, a palm in breadth, and riveted to a stout handleof wood three feet long.
The usual lance had not been included in the list of arms, thehand-gisarm being substituted in its place. It was a fearful andmurderous weapon, though cumbersome, Unhandy, and ill adapted for quickor dexterous stroke; nevertheless, the Earl of Alban had petitionedthe King to have it included in the list, and in answer to the King'sexpressed desire the Court had adopted it in the stead of the lance,yielding thus much to the royal wishes. Nor was it a small concession.The hand-gisarm had been a weapon very much in vogue in King Richard'sday, and was now nearly if not entirely out of fashion with the youngergeneration of warriors. The Earl of Alban was, of course, well used tothe blade; with Myles it was strange and new, either for attack or indefence.
With the administration of the final oath and the examination of theweapons, the preliminary ceremonies came to an end, and presently Mylesheard the criers calling to clear the lists. As those around him movedto withdraw, the young knight drew off his mailed gauntlet, and gaveGascoyne's hand one last final clasp, strong, earnest, and intense withthe close friendship of young manhood, and poor Gascoyne looked up athim with a face ghastly white.
Then all were gone; the gates of the principal list and that of thefalse list were closed clashing, and Myles was alone, face to face, withhis mortal enemy.