reeted the rival

herald, who, advancing from the other end of the lists, rolled

forth the well-known titles of the five famous warriors who had

accepted the defiance.

"faith, john," said the prince, "it sounds as though you were

right. "ha! my grace d'armagnac, it seems that our friends on

this side will not grieve if our english champions lose the day."

"it may be so, sire," the gascon nobleman answered. "i have

little doubt that in smithfield or at windsor an english crowd

would favor their own countrymen."

"by my faith! that's easily seen," said the prince, laughing,

"for a few score english archers at yonder end are bellowing as

though they would out-shout the mighty multitude. i fear that

they will have little to shout over this journey, for my gold

vase has small prospect of crossing the water. what are the

conditions, john?"

"they are to tilt singly not less than three courses, sire, and

the victory to rest with that party which shall have won the

greater number of courses, each pair continuing till one or other

have the vantage. he who carries himself best of the victors

hath the prize, and he who is judged best of the other party hath

a jewelled clasp. shall i order that the nakirs sound, sire?"

the prince nodded, and the trumpets rang out, while the champions

rode forth one after the other, each meeting his opponent in the

centre of the lists. sir william beauchamp went down before the

practiced lance of the captal de buch. sir thomas percy won the

vantage over the lord of mucident, and the lord audley struck sir

perducas d'albert from the saddle. the burly de clisson,

however, restored the hopes of the attackers by beating to the

ground sir thomas wake of yorkshire. so far, there was little to

choose betwixt challengers and challenged.

"by saint james of santiago!" cried don pedro, with a tinge of

color upon his pale cheeks, "win who will, this has been a most

notable contest."

"who comes next for england, john?" asked the prince in a voice

which quivered with excitement.

"sir nigel loring of hampshire, sire."

"ha! he is a man of good courage, and skilled in the use of all

weapons."

"he is indeed, sire. but his eyes, like my own, are the worse

for wars. yet he can tilt or play his part at hand-strokes as

merrily as ever. it was he, sire, who won the golden crown which

queen philippa, your royal mother, gave to be jousted for by all

the knights of england after the harrying of calais. i have

heard that at twynham castle there is a buffet which groans

beneath the weight of his prizes."

"i pray that my vase may join them," said the prince. "but here

is the cavalier of germany, and by my soul! he looks like a man

of great valor and hardiness. let them run their full three

courses, for the issue is over-great to hang upon one."

as the prince spoke, amid a loud flourish of trumpets and the

shouting of the gascon party, the last of the assailants rode

gallantly into the lists. he was a man of great size, clad in

black armor without blazonry or ornament of any kind, for all

worldly display was forbidden by the rules of the military

brotherhood to which he belonged. no plume or nobloy fluttered

from his plain tilting salade, and even his lance was devoid of

the customary banderole. a white mantle fluttered behind him,

upon the left side of which was marked the broad black cross

picked out with silver which was the well-known badge of the

teutonic order. mounted upon a horse as large, as black, and as

forbidding as himself, he cantered slowly forward, with none of

those prancings and gambades with which a cavalier was accustomed

to show his command over his charger. gravely and sternly he

inclined his head to the prince, and took his place ar the

further end of the arena.

he had scarce done so before sir nigel rode out from the holders'

enclosure, and galloping at full speed down the lists, drew his

charger up before the prince's stand with a jerk which threw it

back upon its haunches. with white armor, blazoned shield, and

plume of ostrich-feathers from his helmet, he carried himself in

so jaunty and joyous a fashion, with tossing pennon and

curvetting charger, that a shout of applause ran the full circle

of the arena. with the air of a man who hastes to a joyous

festival, he waved his lance in salute, and reining the pawing-

horse round without permitting its fore-feet to touch the ground,

he hastened back to his station.

a great hush fell over the huge multitude as the two last

champions faced each other. a double issue seemed to rest upon

their contest, for their personal fame was at stake as well as

their party's honor. both were famous warriors, but as their

exploits had been performed in widely sundered countries, they

had never before been able to cross lances. a course