``Front-de-BufmustpreparetorestorehisfiefofIvanhoe，’’saidDeBracy，who，havingdischargedhisparthonourablyinthetournament，hadlaidhisshieldandhelmetaside，andagainmingledwiththePrince’sretinue。
``Ay，’’answeredWaldemarFitzurse，``thisgallantislikelytoreclaimthecastleandmanorwhichRichardassignedtohim，andwhichyourHighness’sgenerosityhassincegiventoFront-de-Buf。’’
``Front-de-Buf，’’repliedJohn，``isamanmorewillingtoswallowthreemanorssuchasIvanhoe，thantodisgorgeoneofthem。Fortherest，sirs，I
hopenoneherewilldenymyrighttoconferthefiefsofthecrownuponthefaithfulfollowerswhoarearoundme，andreadytoperformtheusualmilitaryservice，intheroomofthosewhohavewanderedtoforeignCountries，andcanneitherrenderhomagenorservicewhencalledupon。’’
TheaudienceweretoomuchinterestedinthequestionnottopronouncethePrince’sassumedrightaltogetherindubitable。``AgenerousPrince！——
amostnobleLord，whothustakesuponhimselfthetaskofrewardinghisfaithfulfollowers！’’
Suchwerethewordswhichburstfromthetrain，expectantsallofthemofsimilargrantsattheexpenseofKingRichard’sfollowersandfavourites，ifindeedtheyhadnotasyetreceivedsuch。PriorAymeralsoassentedtothegeneralproposition，observing，however，``ThattheblessedJerusalemcouldnotindeedbetermedaforeigncountry。Shewas_communismater_——themotherofallChristians。
Buthesawnot，’’hedeclared，``howtheKnightofIvanhoecouldpleadanyadvantagefromthis，sincehe’’thePrior``wasassuredthatthecrusaders，underRichard，hadneverproceededmuchfartherthanAskalon，which，asalltheworldknew，wasatownofthePhilistines，andentitledtononeoftheprivilegesoftheHolyCity。’’
Waldemar，whosecuriosityhadledhimtowardstheplacewhereIvanhoehadfallentotheground，nowreturned。``Thegallant，’’saidhe，``islikelytogiveyourHighnesslittledisturbance，andtoleaveFront-de-Bufinthequietpossessionofhisgains——heisseverelywounded。’’
``Whateverbecomesofhim，’’saidPrinceJohn，``heisvictoroftheday；andwerehetenfoldourenemy，orthedevotedfriendofourbrother，whichisperhapsthesame，hiswoundsmustbelookedto——ourownphysicianshallattendhim。’’
AsternsmilecurledthePrince’slipashespoke。
WaldemarFitzursehastenedtoreply，thatIvanhoewasalreadyremovedfromthelists，andinthecustodyofhisfriends。
``Iwassomewhatafflicted，’’hesaid，``toseethegriefoftheQueenofLoveandBeauty，whosesovereigntyofadaythiseventhaschangedintomourning。
Iamnotamantobemovedbyawoman’slamentforherlover，butthissameLadyRowenasuppressedhersorrowwithsuchdignityofmanner，thatitcouldonlybediscoveredbyherfoldedhands，andhertearlesseye，whichtrembledasitremainedfixedonthelifelessformbeforeher。’’
``WhoisthisLadyRowena，’’saidPrinceJohn，``ofwhomwehaveheardsomuch?’’
``ASaxonheiressoflargepossessions，’’repliedthePriorAymer；``aroseofloveliness，andajewelofwealth；thefairestamongathousand，abundleofmyrrh，andaclusterofcamphire。’’
``Weshallcheerhersorrows，’’saidPrinceJohn，``andamendherblood，byweddinghertoaNorman。
Sheseemsaminor，andmustthereforebeatourroyaldisposalinmarriage——Howsaystthou，DeBracy?Whatthinkstthouofgainingfairlandsandlivings，byweddingaSaxon，afterthefashionofthefollowersoftheConqueror?’’
``Ifthelandsaretomyliking，mylord，’’answeredDeBracy，``itwillbehardtodispleasemewithabride；anddeeplywillIholdmyselfboundtoyourhighnessforagooddeed，whichwillfulfilallpromisesmadeinfavourofyourservantandvassal。’’
``Wewillnotforgetit，’’saidPrinceJohn；
``andthatwemayinstantlygotowork，commandourseneschalpresentlytoordertheattendanceoftheLadyRowenaandhercompany——thatis，therudechurlherguardian，andtheSaxonoxwhomtheBlackKnightstruckdowninthetournament，uponthisevening’sbanquet——DeBigot，’’headdedtohisseneschal，``thouwiltwordthisoursecondsummonssocourteously，astogratifytheprideoftheseSaxons，andmakeitimpossibleforthemagaintorefuse；although，bythebonesofBecket，courtesytothemiscastingpearlsbeforeswine。’’
PrinceJohnhadproceededthusfar，andwasabouttogivethesignalforretiringfromthelists，whenasmallbilletwasputintohishand。
``Fromwhence?’’saidPrinceJohn，lookingatthepersonbywhomitwasdelivered。
``Fromforeignparts，mylord，butfromwhenceIknownot’’repliedhisattendant。``AFrenchmanbroughtithither，whosaid，hehadriddennightanddaytoputitintothehandsofyourhighness。’’
ThePrincelookednarrowlyatthesuperscription，andthenattheseal，placedsoastosecuretheflex-silkwithwhichthebilletwassurrounded，andwhichboretheimpressionofthreefleurs-de-lis。
Johnthenopenedthebilletwithapparentagitation，whichvisiblyandgreatlyincreasedwhenhehadperusedthecontents，whichwereexpressedinthesewords——
``_TakeheedtoyourselffortheDevilisunchained！_’’
ThePrinceturnedaspaleasdeath，lookedfirstontheearth，andthenuptoheaven，likeamanwhohasreceivednewsthatsentenceofexecutionhasbeenpasseduponhim。Recoveringfromthefirsteffectsofhissurprise，hetookWaldemarFitzurseandDeBracyaside，andputthebilletintotheirhandssuccessively。``Itmeans，’’headded，inafalteringvoice，``thatmybrotherRichardhasobtainedhisfreedom。’’
``Thismaybeafalsealarm，oraforgedletter，’’
saidDeBracy。
``ItisFrance’sownhandandseal，’’repliedPrinceJohn。
``Itistime，then，’’saidFitzurse，``todrawourpartytoahead，eitheratYork，orsomeothercentricalplace。Afewdayslater，anditwillbeindeedtoolate。Yourhighnessmustbreakshortthispresentmummery。’’
``Theyeomenandcommons，’’saidDeBracy，``mustnotbedismisseddiscontented，forlackoftheirshareinthesports。’’
``Theday，’’saidWaldemar，``isnotyetveryfarspent——letthearcher’sshootafewroundsatthetarget，andtheprizebeadjudged。ThiswillbeanabundantfulfilmentofthePrince’spromises，sofarasthisherdofSaxonserfsisconcerned。’’
``Ithankthee，Waldemar，’’saidthePrince；
``thouremindestme，too，thatIhaveadebttopaytothatinsolentpeasantwhoyesterdayinsultedourperson。Ourbanquetalsoshallgoforwardto-nightasweproposed。Werethismylasthourofpower，itshouldbeanhoursacredtorevengeandtopleasure——
letnewcarescomewithto-morrow’snewday。’’
Thesoundofthetrumpetssoonrecalledthosespectatorswhohadalreadybeguntoleavethefield；
andproclamationwasmadethatPrinceJohn，suddenlycalledbyhighandperemptorypublicduties，heldhimselfobligedtodiscontinuetheentertainmentsofto-morrow’sfestival：Nevertheless，that，unwillingsomanygoodyeomanshoulddepartwithoutatrialofskill，hewaspleasedtoappointthem，beforeleavingtheground，presentlytoexecutethecompetitionofarcheryintendedforthemorrow。Tothebestarcheraprizewastobeawarded，beingabugle-horn，mountedwithsilver，andasilkenbaldricrichlyornamentedwithamedallionofStHubert，thepatronofsilvansport。
Morethanthirtyyeomenatfirstpresentedthemselvesascompetitors，severalofwhomwererangersandunder-keepersintheroyalforestsofNeedwoodandCharnwood。When，however，thearchersunderstoodwithwhomtheyweretobematched，upwardsoftwentywithdrewthemselvesfromthecontest，unwillingtoencounterthedishonourofalmostcertaindefeat。Forinthosedaystheskillofeachcelebratedmarksmanwasaswellknownformanymilesroundhim，asthequalitiesofahorsetrainedatNewmarketarefamiliartothosewhofrequentthatwell-knownmeeting。
Thediminishedlistofcompetitorsforsilvanfamestillamountedtoeight。PrinceJohnsteppedfromhisroyalseattoviewmorenearlythepersonsofthesechosenyeomen，severalofwhomworetheroyallivery。Havingsatisfiedhiscuriositybythisinvestigation，helookedfortheobjectofhisresentment，whomheobservedstandingonthesamespot，andwiththesamecomposedcountenancewhichhehadexhibitedupontheprecedingday。
``Fellow，’’saidPrinceJohn，``Iguessedbythyinsolentbabblethatthouwertnotrueloverofthelongbow，andIseethoudarestnotadventurethyskillamongsuchmerry-menasstandyonder。’’
``Underfavour，sir，’’repliedtheyeoman，``I
haveanotherreasonforrefrainingtoshoot，besidesthefearingdiscomfitureanddisgrace。’’
``Andwhatisthyotherreason?’’saidPrinceJohn，who，forsomecausewhichperhapshecouldnothimselfhaveexplained，feltapainfulcuriosityrespectingthisindividual。
``Because，’’repliedthewoodsman，``IknownotiftheseyeomenandIareusedtoshootatthesamemarks；andbecause，moreover，IknownothowyourGracemightrelishthewinningofathirdprizebyonewhohasunwittinglyfallenunderyourdispleasure。’’
PrinceJohncolouredasheputthequestion，``Whatisthyname，yeoman?’’
``Locksley，’’answeredtheyeoman。
``Then，Locksley，’’saidPrinceJohn，``thoushaltshootinthyturn，whentheseyeomenhavedisplayedtheirskill。Ifthoucarriesttheprize，I
willaddtoittwentynobles；butifthoulosestit，thoushaltbestriptofthyLincolngreen，andscourgedoutofthelistswithbowstrings，forawordyandinsolentbraggart。’’
``AndhowifIrefusetoshootonsuchawager?’’
saidtheyeoman——``YourGrace’spower，supported，asitis，bysomanymen-at-arms，mayindeedeasilystripandscourgeme，butcannotcompelmetobendortodrawmybow。’’
``Ifthourefusestmyfairproffer，’’saidthePrince，``theProvostofthelistsshallcutthybowstring，breakthybowandarrows，andexpeltheefromthepresenceasafaint-heartedcraven。’’
``Thisisnofairchanceyouputonme，proudPrince，’’saidtheyeoman，``tocompelmetoperilmyselfagainstthebestarchersofLeicesterAndStaffordshire，underthepenaltyofinfamyiftheyshouldovershootme。Nevertheless，Iwillobeyyourpleasure。’’
``Looktohimclose，men-at-arms，’’saidPrinceJohn，``hisheartissinking；Iamjealouslestheattempttoescapethetrial——Anddoyou，goodfellows，shootboldlyround；abuckandabuttofwinearereadyforyourrefreshmentinyondertent，whentheprizeiswon。’’
Atargetwasplacedattheupperendofthesouthernavenuewhichledtothelists。Thecontendingarcherstooktheirstationinturn，atthebottomofthesouthernaccess，thedistancebetweenthatstationandthemarkallowingfulldistanceforwhatwascalledashotatrovers。Thearchers，havingpreviouslydeterminedbylottheirorderofprecedence，weretoshooteachthreeshaftsinsuccession。
Thesportswereregulatedbyanofficerofinferiorrank，termedtheProvostoftheGames；
forthehighrankofthemarshalsofthelistswouldhavebeenhelddegraded，hadtheycondescendedtosuperintendthesportsoftheyeomanry。