alsouponthepersonsofcertainfreebornmen，their_cnichts_；alsouponcertainserfs，theirbornbondsmen；alsouponacertainJew，namedIsaacofYork，togetherwithhisdaughter，aJewess，andcertainhorsesandmules：Whichnoblepersons，withtheir_cnichts_andslaves，andalsowiththehorsesandmules，JewandJewessbeforesaid，wereallinpeacewithhismajesty，andtravellingasliegesubjectsupontheking’shighway；thereforewerequireanddemandthatthesaidnoblepersons，namely，CedricofRotherwood，RowenaofHargottstandstede，AthelstaneofConingsburgh，withtheirservants，_cnichts_，andfollowers，alsothehorsesandmules，JewandJewessaforesaid，togetherwithallgoodsandchattelstothempertaining，be，withinanhourafterthedeliveryhereof，deliveredtous，ortothosewhomweshallappointtoreceivethesame，andthatuntouchedandunharmedinbodyandgoods。Failingofwhich，wedopronouncetoyou，thatweholdyeasrobbersandtraitors，andwillwagerourbodiesagainstyeinbattle，siege，orotherwise，anddoourutmosttoyourannoyanceanddestruction。WhereforemayGodhaveyouinhiskeeping——SignedbyusupontheeveofStWithold’sday，underthegreattrystingoakintheHart-hillWalk，theabovebeingwrittenbyaholyman，ClerktoGod，ourLady，andStDunstan，intheChapelofCopmanhurst。’’
Atthebottomofthisdocumentwasscrawled，inthefirstplace，arudesketchofacock’sheadandcomb，withalegendexpressingthishieroglyphictobethesign-manualofWamba，sonofWitless。
Underthisrespectableemblemstoodacross，statedtobethemarkofGurth，thesonofBeowulph。
Thenwaswritten，inroughboldcharacters，thewords，_LeNoirFaineant_。And，toconcludethewhole，anarrow，neatlyenoughdrawn，wasdescribedasthemarkoftheyeomanLocksley。
Theknightsheardthisuncommondocumentreadfromendtoend，andthengazeduponeachotherinsilentamazement，asbeingutterlyatalosstoknowwhatitcouldportend。DeBracywasthefirsttobreaksilencebyanuncontrollablefitoflaughter，whereinhewasjoined，thoughwithmoremoderation，bytheTemplar。Front-de-Buf，onthecontrary，seemedimpatientoftheirill-timedjocularity。
``Igiveyouplainwarning，’’hesaid，``fairsirs，thatyouhadbetterconsulthowtobearyourselvesunderthesecircumstances，thangivewaytosuchmisplacedmerriment。’’
``Front-de-Bufhasnotrecoveredhistempersincehislateoverthrow，’’saidDeBracytotheTemplar；``heiscowedattheveryideaofacartel，thoughitcomebutfromafoolandaswineherd。’’
``ByStMichael，’’answeredFront-de-Buf，``I
wouldthoucouldststandthewholebruntofthisadventurethyself，DeBracy。Thesefellowsdarednothaveactedwithsuchinconceivableimpudence，hadtheynotbeensupportedbysomestrongbands。
Thereareenoughofoutlawsinthisforesttoresentmyprotectingthedeer。Ididbuttieonefellow，whowastakenredhandedandinthefact，tothehornsofawildstag，whichgoredhimtodeathinfiveminutes，andIhadasmanyarrowsshotatmeastherewerelaunchedagainstyondertargetatAshby——Here，fellow，’’headded，tooneofhisattendants，``hastthousentouttoseebywhatforcethispreciouschallengeistobesupported?’’
``Thereareatleasttwohundredmenassembledinthewoods，’’answeredasquirewhowasinattendance。
``Hereisapropermatter！’’saidFront-de-Buf，``thiscomesoflendingyoutheuseofmycastle，thatcannotmanageyourundertakingquietly，butyoumustbringthisnestofhornetsaboutmyears！’’
``Ofhornets?’’saidDeBracy；``ofstinglessdronesrather；abandoflazyknaves，whotaketothewood，anddestroythevenisonratherthanlabourfortheirmaintenance。’’
``Stingless！’’repliedFront-de-Buf；``fork-headedshaftsofacloth-yardinlength，andtheseshotwithinthebreadthofaFrenchcrown，arestingenough。’’
``Forshame，SirKnight！’’saidtheTemplar。
``Letussummonourpeople，andsallyforthuponthem。Oneknight——ay，oneman-at-arms，wereenoughfortwentysuchpeasants。’’
``Enough，andtoomuch，’’saidDeBracy；``I
shouldonlybeashamedtocouchlanceagainstthem。’’
``True，’’answeredFront-de-Buf；``weretheyblackTurksorMoors，SirTemplar，orthecravenpeasantsofFrance，mostvaliantDeBracy；buttheseareEnglishyeomen，overwhomweshallhavenoadvantage，savewhatwemayderivefromourarmsandhorses，whichwillavailuslittleinthegladesoftheforest。Sally，saidstthou?wehavescarcemenenoughtodefendthecastle。ThebestofmineareatYork；soisallyourband，DeBracy；andwehavescarcelytwenty，besidesthehandfulthatwereengagedinthismadbusiness。’’
``Thoudostnotfear，’’saidtheTemplar，``thattheycanassembleinforcesufficienttoattemptthecastle?’’
``Notso，SirBrian，’’answeredFront-de-Buf。
``Theseoutlawshaveindeedadaringcaptain；butwithoutmachines，scalingladders，andexperiencedleaders，mycastlemaydefythem。’’
``Sendtothyneighbours，’’saidtheTemplar，``letthemassembletheirpeople，andcometotherescueofthreeknights，besiegedbyajesterandaswineherdinthebaronialcastleofReginaldFront-de-Buf！’’
``Youjest，SirKnight，’’answeredthebaron；
``buttowhomshouldIsend?——MalvoisinisbythistimeatYorkwithhisretainers，andsoaremyotherallies；andsoshouldIhavebeen，butforthisinfernalenterprise。’’
``ThensendtoYork，andrecallourpeople，’’
saidDeBracy。``Iftheyabidetheshakingofmystandard，orthesightofmyFreeCompanions，I
willgivethemcreditfortheboldestoutlawseverbentbowingreen-wood。’’
``Andwhoshallbearsuchamessage?’’saidFront-de-Buf；``theywillbeseteverypath，andriptheerrandoutofhisbosom——Ihaveit，’’headded，afterpausingforamoment——``SirTemplar，thoucanstwriteaswellasread，andifwecanbutfindthewritingmaterialsofmychaplain，whodiedatwelvemonthsinceinthemidstofhisChristmascarousals——’’
``Sopleaseye，’’saidthesquire，whowasstillinattendance，``IthinkoldUrfriedhasthemsomewhereinkeeping，forloveoftheconfessor。Hewasthelastman，Ihaveheardhertell，whoeversaidaughttoher，whichmanoughtincourtesytoaddresstomaidormatron。’’
``Go，searchthemout，Engelred，’’saidFront-de-Buf；
``andthen，SirTemplar，thoushaltreturnananswertothisboldchallenge。’’
``Iwouldratherdoitatthesword’spointthanatthatofthepen，’’saidBois-Guilbert；``butbeitasyouwill。’’
Hesatdownaccordingly，andindited，intheFrenchlanguage，anepistleofthefollowingtenor：——
``SirReginaldFront-de-Buf，withhisnobleandknightlyalliesandconfederates，receivenodefiancesatthebandsofslaves，bondsmen，orfugitives。
IfthepersoncallinghimselftheBlackKnighthaveindeedaclaimtothehonoursofchivalry，heoughttoknowthathestandsdegradedbyhispresentassociation，andhasnorighttoaskreckoningatthehandsofgoodmenofnobleblood。
Touchingtheprisonerswehavemade，wedoinChristiancharityrequireyoutosendamanofreligion，toreceivetheirconfession，andreconcilethemwithGod；sinceitisourfixedintentiontoexecutethemthismorningbeforenoon，sothattheirheadsbeingplacedonthebattlements，shallshowtoallmenhowlightlyweesteemthosewhohavebestirredthemselvesintheirrescue。Wherefore，asabove，werequireyoutosendapriesttoreconcilethemtoGod，indoingwhichyoushallrenderthemthelastearthlyservice。’’
Thisletterbeingfolded，wasdeliveredtothesquire，andbyhimtothemessengerwhowaitedwithout，astheanswertothatwhichbehadbrought。
Theyeomanhavingthusaccomplishedhismission，returnedtothehead-quartersoftheallies，whichwereforthepresentestablishedunderavenerableoak-tree，aboutthreearrow-flightsdistantfromthecastle。HereWambaandGurth，withtheiralliestheBlackKnightandLocksley，andthejovialhermit，awaitedwithimpatienceananswertotheirsummons。Around，andatadistancefromthem，wereseenmanyaboldyeoman，whosesilvandressandweatherbeatencountenancesshowedtheordinarynatureoftheiroccupation。Morethantwohundredhadalreadyassembled，andotherswerefastcomingin。Thosewhomtheyobeyedasleaderswereonlydistinguishedfromtheothersbyafeatherinthecap，theirdress，arms，andequipmentsbeinginallotherrespectsthesame。
Besidesthesebands，alessorderlyandaworsearmedforce，consistingoftheSaxoninhabitantsoftheneighbouringtownship，aswellasmanybondsmenandservantsfromCedric’sextensiveestate，hadalreadyarrived，forthepurposeofassistinginhisrescue。Fewofthesewerearmedotherwisethanwithsuchrusticweaponsasnecessitysometimesconvertstomilitarypurposes。Boar-spears，scythes，flails，andthelike，weretheirchiefarms；
fortheNormans，withtheusualpolicyofconquerors，werejealousofpermittingtothevanquishedSaxonsthepossessionortheuseofswordsandspears。ThesecircumstancesrenderedtheassistanceoftheSaxonsfarfrombeingsoformidabletothebesieged，asthestrengthofthementhemselves，theirsuperiornumbers，andtheanimationinspiredbyajustcause，mightotherwisewellhavemadethem。ItwastotheleadersofthismotleyarmythattheletteroftheTemplarwasnowdelivered。
Referencewasatfirstmadetothechaplainforanexpositionofitscontents。
``BythecrookofStDunstan，’’saidthatworthyecclesiastic，``whichhathbroughtmoresheepwithinthesheepfoldthanthecrookofe’eranothersaintinParadise，IswearthatIcannotexpounduntoyouthisjargon，which，whetheritbeFrenchorArabic，isbeyondmyguess。’’
HethengavethelettertoGurth，whoshookhisheadgruffly，andpassedittoWamba。TheJesterlookedateachofthefourcornersofthepaperwithsuchagrinofaffectedintelligenceasamonkeyisapttoassumeuponsimilaroccasions，thencutacaper，andgavethelettertoLocksley。