anddrawingforthhiswritingmaterialsinhaste，asiftostoptheconversation，hebegantowriteuponapieceofpaperwhichhesupportedonthetopofhisyellowcap，withoutdismountingfromhismule。Whenhehadfinished，hedeliveredthescroll，whichwasintheHebrewcharacter，tothePilgrim，saying，``InthetownofLeicesterallmenknowtherichJew，KirjathJairamofLombardy；
givehimthisscroll——hehathonsalesixMilanharnesses，theworstwouldsuitacrownedhead——tengoodlysteeds，theworstmightmountaking，werehetodobattleforhisthrone。Ofthesehewillgivetheethychoice，witheverythingelsethatcanfurnishtheeforthforthetournament：whenitisover，thouwiltreturnthemsafely——unlessthoushouldsthavewherewithtopaytheirvaluetotheowner。’’
``But，Isaac，’’saidthePilgrim，smiling，``dostthouknowthatinthesesports，thearmsandsteedoftheknightwhoisunhorsedareforfeittohisvictor?
NowImaybeunfortunate，andsolosewhatIcannotreplaceorrepay。’’
TheJewlookedsomewhatastoundedatthispossibility；butcollectinghiscourage，herepliedhastily。``No——no——no——Itisimpossible——Iwillnotthinkso。TheblessingofOurFatherwillbeuponthee。ThylancewillbepowerfulastherodofMoses。’’
Sosaying，hewasturninghismule’sheadaway，whenthePalmer，inhisturn，tookholdofhisgaberdine。
``Nay，butIsaac，thouknowestnotalltherisk。Thesteedmaybeslain，thearmourinjured——
forIwillspareneitherhorsenorman。Besides，thoseofthytribegivenothingfornothing；
somethingtheremustbepaidfortheiruse。’’
TheJewtwistedhimselfinthesaddle，likeamaninafitofthecolic；buthisbetterfeelingspredominatedoverthosewhichweremostfamiliartohim。``Icarenot，’’hesaid，``Icarenot——letmego。Ifthereisdamage，itwillcostyounothing——
ifthereisusagemoney，KirjathJairamwillforgiveitforthesakeofhiskinsmanIsaac。
Faretheewell！——Yetharkthee，goodyouth，’’saidhe，turningabout，``thrustthyselfnottooforwardintothisvainhurly-burly——Ispeaknotforendangeringthesteed，andcoatofarmour，butforthesakeofthineownlifeandlimbs。’’
``Gramercyforthycaution，’’saidthePalmer，againsmiling；``Iwillusethycourtesyfrankly，anditwillgohardwithmebutIwillrequiteit。’’
Theyparted，andtookdifferentroadsforthetownofSheffield。
CHAPTERVII
Knights，withalongretinueoftheirsquires，Ingaudyliveriesmarchandquaintattires；
Onelacedthehelm，anotherheldthelance，Athirdtheshiningbucklerdidadvance。
Thecourserpaw’dthegroundwithrestlessfeet，Andsnortingfoam’dandchamp’dthegoldenbit。
Thesmithsandarmourersonpalfreysride，Filesintheirhands，andhammersattheirside；
Andnailsforloosen’dspears，andthongsforshieldsprovide。
Theyeomenguardthestreetsinseemlybands；
Andclownscomecrowdingon，withcudgelsintheirhands。
_PalamonandArcite_。
TheconditionoftheEnglishnationwasatthistimesufficientlymiserable。KingRichardwasabsentaprisoner，andinthepoweroftheperfidiousandcruelDukeofAustria。Eventheveryplaceofhiscaptivitywasuncertain，andhisfatebutveryimperfectlyknowntothegeneralityofhissubjects，whowere，inthemeantime，apreytoeveryspeciesofsubalternoppression。
PrinceJohn，inleaguewithPhilipofFrance，Cur-de-Lion’smortalenemy，wasusingeveryspeciesofinfluencewiththeDukeofAustria，toprolongthecaptivityofhisbrotherRichard，towhomhestoodindebtedforsomanyfavours。Inthemeantime，hewasstrengtheninghisownfactioninthekingdom，ofwhichheproposedtodisputethesuccession，incaseoftheKing’sdeath，withthelegitimateheir，ArthurDukeofBrittany，sonofGeoffreyPlantagenet，theelderbrotherofJohn。Thisusurpation，itiswellknown，heafterwardseffected。Hisowncharacterbeinglight，profligate，andperfidious，Johneasilyattachedtohispersonandfaction，notonlyallwhohadreasontodreadtheresentmentofRichardforcriminalproceedingsduringhisabsence，butalsothenumerousclassof``lawlessresolutes，’’whomthecrusadeshadturnedbackontheircountry，accomplishedinthevicesoftheEast，impoverishedinsubstance，andhardenedincharacter，andwhoplacedtheirhopesofharvestincivilcommotion。
Tothesecausesofpublicdistressandapprehension，mustbeadded，themultitudeofoutlaws，who，driventodespairbytheoppressionofthefeudalnobility，andthesevereexerciseoftheforestlaws，bandedtogetherinlargegangs，and，keepingpossessionoftheforestsandthewastes，setatdefiancethejusticeandmagistracyofthecountry。Thenoblesthemselves，eachfortifiedwithinhisowncastle，andplayingthepettysovereignoverhisowndominions，weretheleadersofbandsscarcelesslawlessandoppressivethanthoseoftheavoweddepredators。Tomaintaintheseretainers，andtosupporttheextravaganceandmagnificencewhichtheirprideinducedthemtoaffect，thenobilityborrowedsumsofmoneyfromtheJewsatthemostusuriousinterest，whichgnawedintotheirestateslikeconsumingcankers，scarcetobecuredunlesswhencircumstancesgavethemanopportunityofgettingfree，byexercisingupontheircreditorssomeactofunprincipledviolence。
Underthevariousburdensimposedbythisunhappystateofaffairs，thepeopleofEnglandsuffereddeeplyforthepresent，andhadyetmoredreadfulcausetofearforthefuture。Toaugmenttheirmisery，acontagiousdisorderofadangerousnaturespreadthroughtheland；and，renderedmorevirulentbytheuncleanness，theindifferentfood，andthewretchedlodgingofthelowerclasses，sweptoffmanywhosefatethesurvivorsweretemptedtoenvy，asexemptingthemfromtheevilswhichweretocome。
Yetamidtheseaccumulateddistresses，thepooraswellastherich，thevulgaraswellasthenoble，intheeventofatournament，whichwasthegrandspectacleofthatage，feltasmuchinterestedasthehalf-starvedcitizenofMadrid，whohasnotareallefttobuyprovisionsforhisfamily，feelsintheissueofabull-feast。Neitherdutynorinfirmitycouldkeepyouthoragefromsuchexhibitions。
ThePassageofArms，asitwascalled，whichwastotakeplaceatAshby，inthecountyofLeicester，aschampionsofthefirstrenownweretotakethefieldinthepresenceofPrinceJohnhimself，whowasexpectedtogracethelists，hadattracteduniversalattention，andanimmenseconfluenceofpersonsofallrankshastenedupontheappointedmorningtotheplaceofcombat。
Thescenewassingularlyromantic。Onthevergeofawood，whichapproachedtowithinamileofthetownofAshby，wasanextensivemeadow，ofthefinestandmostbeautifulgreenturf，surroundedononesidebytheforest，andfringedontheotherbystragglingoak-trees，someofwhichhadgrowntoanimmensesize。Theground，asiffashionedonpurposeforthemartialdisplaywhichwasintended，slopedgraduallydownonallsidestoalevelbottom，whichwasenclosedforthelistswithstrongpalisades，formingaspaceofaquarterofamileinlength，andabouthalfasbroad。Theformoftheenclosurewasanoblongsquare，savethatthecornerswereconsiderablyroundedoff，inordertoaffordmoreconvenienceforthespectators。
Theopeningsfortheentryofthecombatantswereatthenorthernandsouthernextremitiesofthelists，accessiblebystrongwoodengates，eachwideenoughtoadmittwohorsemenridingabreast。Ateachoftheseportalswerestationedtwoheralds，attendedbysixtrumpets，asmanypursuivants，andastrongbodyofmen-at-armsformaintainingorder，andascertainingthequalityoftheknightswhoproposedtoengageinthismartialgame。
Onaplatformbeyondthesouthernentrance，formedbyanaturalelevationoftheground，werepitchedfivemagnificentpavilions，adornedwithpennonsofrussetandblack，thechosencoloursofthefiveknightschallengers。Thecordsofthetentswereofthesamecolour。Beforeeachpavilionwassuspendedtheshieldoftheknightbywhomitwasoccupied，andbesideitstoodhissquire，quaintlydisguisedasasalvageorsilvanman，orinsomeotherfantasticdress，accordingtothetasteofhismaster，andthecharacterhewaspleasedtoassumedaringthegame。*Thecentralpavilion，asthe*Thissortofmasqueradeissupposedtohaveoccasionedthe*introductionofsupportersintothescienceofheraldry。
placeofhonour，hadbeenassignedtoBrianbeBois-Guilbert，whoserenowninallgamesofchivalry，nolessthanhisconnexionswiththeknightswhohadundertakenthisPassageofArms，hadoccasionedhimtobeeagerlyreceivedintothecompanyofthechallengers，andevenadoptedastheirchiefandleader，thoughhehadsorecentlyjoinedthem。
OnonesideofhistentwerepitchedthoseofReginaldFront-de-BufandRicharddeMalvoisin，andontheotherwasthepavilionofHughdeGrantmesnil，anoblebaroninthevicinity，whoseancestorhadbeenLordHighStewardofEnglandinthetimeoftheConqueror，andhissonWilliamRufus。RalphdeVipont，aknightofStJohnofJerusalem，whohadsomeancientpossessionsataplacecalledHeather，nearAshby-de-la-Zouche，occupiedthefifthpavilion。Fromtheentranceintothelists，agentlyslopingpassage，tenyardsinbreadth，leduptotheplatformonwhichthetentswerepitched。Itwasstronglysecuredbyapalisadeoneachside，aswastheesplanadeinfrontofthepavilions，andthewholewasguardedbymen-at-arms。
Thenorthernaccesstotheliststerminatedinasimilarentranceofthirtyfeetinbreadth，attheextremityofwhichwasalargeenclosedspaceforsuchknightsasmightbedisposedtoenterthelistswiththechallengers，behindwhichwereplacedtentscontainingrefreshmentsofeverykindfortheiraccommodation，witharmourers，tarriers，andotherattendants，inreadinesstogivetheirserviceswherevertheymightbenecessary。
Theexteriorofthelistswasinpartoccupiedbytemporarygalleries，spreadwithtapestryandcarpets，andaccommodatedwithcushionsfortheconvenienceofthoseladiesandnobleswhowereexpectedtoattendthetournament。Anarrowspace，betwixtthesegalleriesandthelists，gaveaccommodationforyeomanryandspectatorsofabetterdegreethanthemerevulgar，andmightbecomparedtothepitofatheatre。Thepromiscuousmultitudearrangedthemselvesuponlargebanksofturfpreparedforthepurpose，which，aidedbythenaturalelevationoftheground，enabledthemtooverlookthegalleries，andobtainafairviewintothelists。Besidestheaccommodationwhichthesestationsafforded，manyhundredshadperchedthemselvesonthebranchesofthetreeswhichsurroundedthemeadow；andeventhesteepleofacountrychurch，atsomedistance，wascrowdedwithspectators。
Itonlyremainstonoticerespectingthegeneralarrangement，thatonegalleryintheverycentreoftheeasternsideofthelists，andconsequentlyexactlyoppositetothespotwheretheshockofthecombatwastotakeplace，wasraisedhigherthantheothers，morerichlydecorated，andgracedbyasortofthroneandcanopy，onwhichtheroyalarmswereemblazoned。Squires，pages，andyeomeninrichliveries，waitedaroundthisplaceofhonour，whichwasdesignedforPrinceJohnandhisattendants。
Oppositetothisroyalgallerywasanother，elevatedtothesameheight，onthewesternsideofthelists；andmoregaily，iflesssumptuouslydecorated，thanthatdestinedforthePrincehimself。
Atrainofpagesandofyoungmaidens，themostbeautifulwhocouldbeselected，gailydressedinfancyhabitsofgreenandpink，surroundedathronedecoratedinthesamecolours。Amongpennonsandflagsbearingwoundedhearts，burninghearts，bleedinghearts，bowsandquivers，andallthecommonplaceemblemsofthetriumphsofCupid，ablazonedinscriptioninformedthespectators，thatthisseatofhonourwasdesignedfor_LaRoynedelaBeaultetdesAmours_。ButwhowastorepresenttheQueenofBeautyandofLoveonthepresentoccasionnoonewaspreparedtoguess。
Meanwhile，spectatorsofeverydescriptionthrongedforwardtooccupytheirrespectivestations，andnotwithoutmanyquarrelsconcerningthosewhichtheywereentitledtohold。Someoftheseweresettledbythemen-at-armswithbriefceremony；theshaftsoftheirbattle-axes，andpummelsoftheirswords，beingreadilyemployedasargumentstoconvincethemorerefractory。Others，whichinvolvedtherivalclaimsofmoreelevatedpersons，weredeterminedbytheheralds，orbythetwomarshalsofthefield，WilliamdeWyvil，andStephendeMartival，who，armedatallpoints，rodeupanddowntheliststoenforceandpreservegoodorderamongthespectators。