第 27 页

pursuit by the Germans. Without much difficulty Cuthbert engaged one of

the young men of the village to act as their guide to Basle, and here,

after four days' travelling, they arrived safely. Asking for the

residence of the Burgomaster, Cuthbert at once proceeded thither, and

stated that he was an English knight on the return from the Crusades;

that he had been foully entreated by the Lord of Fussen, who had been

killed in a fray by his followers; and that he besought hospitality and

refuge from the authorities of Basle.

"We care little," the Burgomaster said, "what quarrel you may have had

with your neighbours. All who come hither are free to come and go as they

list, and you, as a knight on the return from the Holy Land, have a claim

beyond that of an ordinary traveller."

The Burgomaster was himself able to speak French, and summoning several

of the councillors of the town, he requested Cuthbert to give a narrative

of his adventures; which he did. The councillors agreed with the

Burgomaster that Cuthbert must be received hospitably; but the latter saw

that there was among many of them considerable doubt as to the expediency

of quarrelling with a powerful neighbour. He therefore said to the

Burgomaster,--

"I have no intention, honourable sir, of taking up any prolonged

residence here. I only ask to be furnished with a charger and arms, and

in payment of these I will leave this gold chain, the gift of King

Richard himself, as a gage, and will on my return to my country forward

to you the value of the arms and horse, trusting that you will return the

chain to me."

The Burgomaster, however, said that the city of Basle was not so poor

that it need take the gage of an honourable knight, but that the arms

and charger he required should be given him in a few hours, and that he

might pay the value in London to a Jew merchant there who had relations

with one at Basle. Full instructions were given to him, and he resolved

to travel down upon the left bank of the Rhine, until he reached

Lorraine, and thence to cross into Saxony. The same afternoon the

promised horse and arms were provided, and Cuthbert, delighted again to

be in harness, and thanking courteously the Burgomaster and council for

their kindness, started with his followers on his journey north. These

latter had been provided with doublets and other garments suitable to

the retinue of a knight, and made a better show than they had done since

they first left England.

Leaving Basle, they travelled along the left side of the Rhine by easy

stages. The country was much disturbed, owing to the return and

disbandment of so many of the troops employed in the Crusades. These,

their occupation being gone, scattered over the country, and France and

Germany alike were harassed by bands of military robbers. The wild

country between the borders of Switzerland and Lorraine was specially

vexed, as the mountains of the Vosges afforded shelter, into which the

freebooters could not be followed by the troops of the duke.

Upon the evening of the third day they reached a small inn standing in a

lonely position near the foot of the mountains.

"I like not the look of this place," Cuthbert said; "but as we hear that

there is no other within a distance of another ten miles, we must e'en

make the best of it."

The host received them with extreme and even fawning civility, which by

no means raised him in the estimation of Cuthbert or Cnut. A rough meal

was taken, and they then ascended to the rude accommodation which had

been provided. It was one large room, barely furnished. Upon one side

straw was thickly littered down--for in those days beds among the common

people were unknown. In a sort of alcove at the end was a couch with a

rough mattress and coverlet. This Cuthbert took possession of, while his

followers stretched themselves upon the straw.

"Methinks," Cnut said, "that it were well that one should keep watch at

the door. I like not the look of our host, and we are near the spot where

the bands of the robbers are said to be busy."

Towards morning the archer on guard reported that he could hear the sound

of many approaching footsteps. All at once sprang to their feet, and

betook themselves to their arms. Looking from the window they saw a large

party of rough men, whose appearance at once betokened that they were

disbanded soldiers--a title almost synonymous in those days with that of

robber. With the united strength of the party the truckle bed was

carried from the alcove and placed against the door. Cuthbert then threw

open the window, and asked in French what they wanted. One of the party,

who appeared to be the leader, said that the party had better surrender

immediately. He promised them good treatment, and said that the knight

would be put to ransom, should it be found that the valuables upon his

person were not sufficient to pay the worshipful company present for the

trouble which they had taken in waiting upon him. This sally was received

with shouts of laughter. Cuthbert replied quietly that he had no

valuables upon his person; that if they took him there were none would

pay as much as a silver mark for the ransom of them all; and that the

only things that they had to give were sharp arrows and heavy blows.

"You talk bravely, young sir," the man said. "But you have to do with men

versed in fight, and caring but little either for knocks or for arrows.

We have gone through the Crusades, and are therefore held to be absolved

from all sin, even that so great as would be incurred in the cutting of

your knightly throat."

"But we have gone through the Crusades also," Cuthbert said, "and our

persons are sacred. The sin of slitting our weazands, which you speak of,

would therefore be so great that even the absolution on which you rely

would barely extend to it."

"We know most of those who have served in the Holy Land," the man said

more respectfully than he had yet spoken, "and would fain know with whom

we speak."

"I am an Englishman, and a follower of King Richard," Cuthbert said, "and

am known as Sir Cuthbert of Evesham. As I was the youngest among the

knights who fought for the holy sepulchre, it may be that my appearance

is known to you?"

"Ah," the other said, "you are he whom they called the Boy Knight, and

who was often in the thick of the fray, near to Richard himself. How

comes it, Sir Cuthbert, that you are here?"

"The fleet was scattered on its return," Cuthbert replied, "and I landed

with my followers, well-nigh penniless, at Zara, and have since made my

way across the Tyrol. I have, then, as you may well suppose, neither

silver nor gold about my person; and assuredly neither Philip of France

nor John of Austria would give a noble for my ransom; and it would be

long, methinks, to wait ere John of England would care to ransom one of

King Richard's followers."

The brigands spoke for awhile among themselves, and then the

leader said,--

"You speak frankly and fairly, Sir Knight, and as you have proved

yourself indeed a doughty giver of hard blows, and as I doubt not that

the archers with you can shoot as straight and as fast as the rest of the

Saxon breed, we will e'en let you go on your way, for your position is

but little better than ours, and dog should not rob dog."

"Thanks, good fellow," Cuthbert said. "We trust that in any case we

might have made a strong defence against you; but it would be hard if

those who have fought together in the Holy Land, should slay each other

in this lonely corner of Lorraine."

"Are you seeking adventures or employment, Sir Knight? For if so, myself

and comrades here would gladly take service with you; and it may be that

with a clump of spears you might obtain engagement, either under the Duke

of Lorraine or he of Cleves."

"Thanks for your offer," Cuthbert replied; "but at present my face is

turned towards England. King Richard needs all his friends; and there is

so little chance of sack or spoil, even should we have--which God

forfend--civil war, that I fear I could ill reward the services which you

offer me."

The leader and his men shouted an adieu to Cuthbert, and departed for the

mountains, leaving the latter well pleased with his escape from a fight

of which the result was doubtful.

Journeying on without further adventure, they came to Nancy, and were

there kindly received by the duke, who was not at that time upon good

terms with Phillip of France, and was therefore well disposed towards the

English. Cuthbert inquired from him whether any news had been heard of

King Richard? but received as a reply that the duke had heard nothing of

him since he sailed from Palestine.

"This is strange," Cuthbert said, "for I myself have journeyed but

slowly, and have met with many delays. King Richard should long ere this

have reached Saxony; and I fear much that some foul treatment has

befallen him. On our way, we found how bitter was the feeling among those

related to Conrad of Montferat against him; and the Archduke John is

still smarting from the blow which King Richard struck him at Ascalon.

But surely they would not be so unknightly as to hinder so great a

champion of Christendom as King Richard on his homeward way?"

"The Archduke John is crafty and treacherous," the duke said; "and the

emperor himself would, I think, be not sorry Conrad of Montferat, who

falsely allege that the death of their kinsman was caused by King

Richard. The Archduke John, too, owes him no good-will; and even the

emperor is evilly disposed towards him. The king travelled under an

assumed name; but it might well be that he would be recognized upon the

way. His face was known to all who fought in the East; and his lordly

manner and majestic stature could ill be concealed beneath a merchant's

garb. Still, lady, as I have been so long in making my way across, it may

be that King Richard has been similarly delayed without danger befalling

him, and it could hardly be that so important a man as the King of

England would be detained, or come to any misfortune, without the news

being bruited abroad."

In spite of Cuthbert's reassuring words, the duke and duchess were

greatly alarmed at the news of King Richard's disappearance, although

indeed consoled to find that their previous fears, that he had been

drowned in the storm or captured by the Moorish corsairs, were unfounded.

They now requested from Cuthbert the story of what had befallen him since

he left the king; and this he related at some length. The duke was

greatly interested, and begged Cuthbert at least to remain at his court

until some news might arrive of King Richard.

For a month Cuthbert tarried at the castle of the Duke of Saxony, where

he was nobly entertained, and treated as a guest of much honour. Cnut and

the archers were delighted at the treatment they received, for never in

their lives had they been so royally entertained. Their Saxon tongue was

nigh enough akin to the language spoken here to be understood; and their

tales of adventure in the Holy Land rendered them as popular among the

retainers of the duke as their master became with the duke and duchess.

CHAPTER XX.

UNDER THE GREENWOOD.

At the end of a month, news came from England that Sir Baldwin of B,thune

had returned there, bearing the news that the King had been arrested at

Gortz, only two days' journey north of the Adriatic--that he had been

recognized, and at once captured. He had offered no resistance, finding

indeed that it would be hopeless so to do. Sir Baldwin had been permitted

to depart without molestation. He believed that the folk into whose hands

he had fallen were retainers of the Archduke John. This news, although

sad in itself, was yet in some degree reassuring to the duke and his

wife; for they felt that while the followers of Conrad of Montferat would

not hesitate to put King Richard to death should he fall into their

hands, the Archduke John would not dare to bring upon himself the

indignation of Europe by such treatment of his royal captive. Cuthbert at

once determined to return to England to see Sir Baldwin, and to ascertain

what steps were being taken for the discovery of the prison in which King

Richard was confined, and for his release therefrom; and also to

establish himself in his new dignity as Earl of Evesham. Therefore,

bidding adieu to the duke and duchess, he started north. The duke

furnished him with letters of introduction to the princes through whose

countries he would travel; and again crossing the Rhine, he journeyed

through the territories of the Dukes of Cleves and Brabant, and reached

the mouth of the Scheldt without interruption. There taking ship, he

sailed for London.

It was a long and stormy passage between the mouth of the Scheldt and

London. The vessel in which Cuthbert had shipped was old and somewhat

unseaworthy, and several times in the force of the gale all on board gave

up hope for their lives. At last, however, they reached the mouth of the

Thames, and dropping up with the tide, reached London eight days after

their embarcation. The noble charger which the King of Saxony had

presented to Cuthbert, had suffered greatly, and he feared at one time,

that the poor animal would succumb to the effects of the tempest.

However, after entering into smooth water it recovered itself, and on

landing near the Tower he found that it was able to support his weight.

Cnut and the archers were, like Cuthbert, delighted to have their feet

again upon English soil; and although London did not now strike them with

the same wonder which it would have done had they first visited it before

starting on their journey--for in many respects it was greatly behind

some of the continental cities--yet the feeling of home, and the pleasure

of being able to understand the conversation of those around them, made

the poor fellows almost beside themselves with joy. Beyond the main