d　gain　great　credit　for　yourself。〃
  〃I　shall　be　always　your　knight；〃　Walter　said　earnestly；　〃I　told　you　I　should；　and　I　never　break　my　word。　That　is；〃　he　went　on；　colouring；　〃if　Dame　Vernon　makes　no　objection；　as　she　well　might。〃
  〃If　I　did　not　object　before；　Walter；〃　she　said　smiling；　〃why　should　I　do　so　now？〃
  〃It　is　different；　my　lady；　before；　it　was　somewhat　of　a　jest；　a　sort　of　childish　play　on　the　part　of　Mistress　Edith；　though　so　far　as　I　was　concerned　it　was　no　play；　but　sober　earnest。
  〃It　needs　no　permission　from　me；〃　Dame　Vernon　replied；　〃for　you　to　wear　my　daughter's　colours。　Any　knight　may　proclaim　any　lady　he　chooses　the　mistress　of　his　heart；　and　a　reigning　beauty　will　often　have　a　dozen　young　knights　who　wear　her　colours。　However；　I　am　well　content　that　one　who　has　done　me　such　great　service　and　who　has　shown　such　high　promise　should　be　the　first　to　wear　the　gage　of　my　little　daughter；　and　if　in　after　years　your　life　fulfils　the　promise　of　your　youth；　and　you　remain　true　to　her　gage；　there　is　none　among　all　the　youths　of　the　court　whom　I　would　so　gladly　see　at　her　feet。　Remember；〃　she　said；　as　Walter　was　about　to　speak；　〃her　hand　will　not　be　at　my　disposal；　but　at　that　of　the　king。　His　majesty　is　wont　to　bestow　the　hands　of　his　wards　upon　those　who　most　distinguish　themselves　in　the　field。　You　have　already　attracted　his　royal　attention　and　commendation。　Under　Sir　Walter　Manny　you　will　be　sure　of　opportunities　of　distinguishing　yourself；　and　the　king　may　well　be　glad　some　day　at　once　to　reward　your　services　and　to　repair　a　cruel　injustice　by　bestowing　upon　you　the　hand　of　the　heiress　of　your　father's　lands。　If　I　mistake　not；　such　a　thought　has　even　now　crossed　his　majesty's　mind；　unless　I　misinterpreted　a　glance　which　yesterday　passed　between　him　and　our　sweet　queen。　I　need　not　tell　you　to　speak　of　your　hopes　to　none；　but　let　them　spur　you　to　higher　exertions　and　nobler　efforts。　Loving　my　little　Edith　as　I　do；　I　naturally　consider　the　prize　to　be　a　high　one。　I　have　often　been　troubled　by　the　thought　that　her　hand　may　be　some　day　given　to　one　by　years　or　temper　unsuited　for　her；　and　it　will　be　a　pleasure　to　me　henceforth　to　picture　her　future　connected　with　one　who　is；　I　am　sure；　by　heart　and　nature　fitted　for　her。　And　now；　farewell；　young　sir。　May　God　protect　you　in　the　field；　and　may　you　carry　in　the　battle　which　awaits　you　the　gage　of　my　daughter　as　fairly　and　successfully　as　you　did　in　the　mimic　fray　of　yesterday！〃
  CHAPTER　VIII：　OFF　TO　THE　WARS
  Two　days　later　Walter　started　with　Sir　Walter　Manny；　with　a　large　number　of　knights；　squires；　men…at…arms；　and　archers；　for　the　Orwell。　Walter　was　mounted；　as　were　the　other　squires　and　men…at…arms；　and　indeed　many　of　the　archers。　Ralph　Smith；　in　the　attire　of　a　man…at…arms；　rode　behind。
  Walter　was　in　the　highest　spirits。　A　brilliant　career　was　open　to　him　under　the　most　favourable　circumstances；　he　had　already　distinguished　himself；　and　had　gained　the　attention　of　the　highest　personages　in　the　realm；　his　immediate　lord　was　one　of　the　bravest　and　most　chivalrous　knights　in　Europe；　and　he　had　to　sustain　and　encourage　him　the　hopes　that　Lady　Vernon　had　given　him；　of　regaining　some　day　the　patrimony　of　his　father。　It　was　a　satisfaction　to　him　that　he　was　as　well　born　as　those　who　surrounded　him；　and　his　purse　was　well　lined　as　any　in　the　company。　Although　he　had　spent　the　largess　which　had　been　bestowed　upon　him　at　the　tournament　in　procuring　clothes　fitted　for　his　rank；　he　was　yet　abundantly　supplied　with　money；　for　both　Geoffrey　Ward　and　Giles　Fletcher；　having　no　children　of　their　own　and　being　both　well…to…do　men；　had　insisted　upon　his　accepting　a　sum　which　would　enable　him　to　make　a　good　appearance　with　the　best。
  A　large　number　of　squires　followed　the　banner　of　Sir　Walter　Manny。　The　records　of　the　time　show　that　the　barons　were　generally　accompanied　in　the　field　by　almost　as　many　squires　as　men…at…arms。　The　former　were　men　of　good　family；　sons　of　knights　and　nobles；　aspirants　for　the　honour　of　knighthood；　and　sons　of　the　smaller　gentry。　Many　were　there　from　pure　love　of　a　life　of　excitement　and　adventure；　others　in　fulfilment　of　the　feudal　tenure　by　which　all　land　was　then　held；　each　noble　and　landowner　being　obliged　to　furnish　so　many　knights；　squires；　men…at…arms；　and　archers；　in　accordance　with　the　size　of　his　holding。　　The　squires　fought　in　the　field　in　the　front　rank　of　the　men…at…arms；　save　those　who；　like　Walter；　were　attached　to　the　person　of　their　leader；　and　who　in　the　field　fought　behind　him　or　bore　his　orders　to　the　companies　under　his　banner。
  In　the　field　all　drew　pay；　and　it　may　be　interesting　in　the　present　day　to　know　what　were　the　rates　for　which　our　forefathers　risked　their　lives。　They　were　as　follows：　　each　horse　archer　received　6　deniers；　each　squire　12　deniers　or　1　sol；　each　knight　2　sols；　each　knight　banneret　4　sols。　20　sols　went　to　the　pound；　and　although　the　exact　value　of　money　in　those　days　relative　to　that　which　it　bears　at　the　present　time　is　doubtful；　it　may　be　placed　at　twelve　times　the　present　value。　Therefore　each　horse　archer　received　an　equivalent　to　6s。　a　day；　each　squire　12s。；　each　knight　24s。；　and　each　knight　banneret　48s。　per　day。
  Upon　their　arrival　at　the　Orwell；　where　many　troops　from　other　parts　had　been　gathered；　the　expedition　at　once　embarked　on　board　the　numerous　ships　which　had　been　collected。　As　that　in　which　Sir　Walter　sailed　also　carried　several　of　his　knights　there　was　not　room　for　all　his　young　esquires；　and　Walter　and　the　three　other　juniors　were　told　off　into　another　ship。　She　was　a　smaller　vessel　than　most　of　those　which　composed　the　expedition；　and　only　carried　twelve　men…at…arms　and　as　many　archers；　together　with　the　four　young　squires；　and　a　knight；　Sir　John　Powis；　who　was　in　command　of　the　whole。
  〃Your　craft　is　but　a　small　one；〃　the　knight　said　to　the　captain。
  〃She　is　small；　but　she　is　fast；〃　the　latter　answered。　〃She　would　sail　round　and　round　the　best　part　of　the　fleet。　I　had　her　built　according　to　my　own　fancy。　　Small　though　she　be；　I　warrant　you　she　will　be　one　of　the　first　to　arrive　at　Hennebon；　and　the　sooner　the　better　say　I；　since　I　am　but　paid　by　the　trip；　and　would　fain　be　back　again　at　my　regular　work。　It　pays　better　carrying　merchants'　goods　between　London　and　Holland　than　taking　his　majesty's　troops　over　to　France。〃
  〃Your　speed　will　not　be　of　much　avail；〃　Sir　John　Powis　said；　〃seeing　that　the　fleet　will　keep　together。〃
  〃Yes；　I　know　that　is　the　order；〃　the　captain　answered；　〃but　accidents　happen　sometimes；　you　know〃　…　and　his　eye　twinkled。　〃Vessels　get　separated　from　fleets。　　If　they　happen　to　be　slow　ones　so　much　the　worse　for　those　on　board；　if　they　happen　to　be　fast　ones　so　much　the　better；　seeing　that　those　they　carry　will　arrive　long　before　their　comrades；　and　may　be　enabled　to　gain　credit　and　renown　while　the　others　are　whistling　for　a　wind　in　mid…ocean。　However；　we　shall　see。
  The　next　morning　the　fleet　sailed　from　the　Orwell。　It　contained　620　men…at…arms；　among　whom　were　many　of　the　noblest　and　bravest　of　the　country；　and　6000　picked　archers　in　the　pay　of　the　king。　The　whole　were　commanded　by　Sir　Walter。　The　scene　was　a　very　gay　one。　The　banners　of　the　nobles　and　knights　floated　from　the　lofty　poops；　and　the　sun　shone　on　bright　armour　and　steel　weapons。　Walter；　who　had　never　seen　the　sea　before；　was　delighted。　The　wind　was　fair；　and　the　vessels　glided　smoothly　along　over　the　sea。　At　evening　the　knight　and　his　four　young　companions　gathered　in　the　little　cabin；　for　it　was　in　the　first　week　in　March；　and　the　night　was　cold。
  〃Will　you　please　tell　me；　Sir　John；〃　Walter　said　to　the　knight；　〃the　merits　of　this　quarrel　in　which　we　are　going　to　fight？　I　know　that　we　are　going　in　aid　of　the　Countess　of　Montford；　but　why　she　is　in　a　sore　strait　I　know　not。〃
  〃The　matter　is　a　mixed　one；　Walter；　and　it　requires　a　herald　to　tell　you　all　the　subtleties　of　it。　John　III；　Duke　of　Brittany；　was　present　with　his　liege　lord；　Phillip　of　Valois；　in　the　last　war　with　England；　on　the　border　of　the　low　country。　　When　the　English　retired　from　before　Tournay　Phillip　dismissed　his　nobles。　The　Duke　of　Burgundy　was　taken　ill；　and　died　at　Caen；　in　Normandy；　on　the　30th　of　April；　1341。　　Arthur　II；　his　father；　had　been　twice　married。　By　his　first　wife　he　had　three　sons；　John；　Guy；　and　Peter。　John　and　Peter　left　no　issue。　Guy；　who　is　also　dead；　left　a　daughter；　Joan。　　By　his　second　wife；　Jolande　de　Dieux；　Duke　Arthur　had　one　son；　John；　Count　of　Montford。　Thus　it　happened；　that　when　Duke　John　died；　his　half…brother；　the　Count　of　Montford；　and　Joan；　daughter　of　his　second　brother　Guy；　were　all　that　survived　of　the　family。　　These　were　the　rival　claimants　for　the　vacant　dukedom。　In　England　we　have　but　one　law　of　succession；　which　rules　through　the　whole　land。　In　France　it　is　different。　There　the　law　of　succession　depends　entirely　upon　the　custom　of　the　county；　dukedom；　or　lordship；　which　is　further　affected　both　by　the　form　of　grant　by　which　the　territory　was　conveyed　to　its　first　feudal　possessors　and　by　the　mode　in　which　the　province　had　been　acquired　by　the　kings　of　France。　This　is　important；　as　upon　these　circumstances　alone　it　depended　whether　the　son　or　the　granddaughter　of　Arthur　II