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260 squire, however, took no notice of their angry faces, but continued with his master's message.

'He is now ready, sire,' he said, 'albeit his destrier has travelled many miles this day, and fast, for we were in fear lest we come too late for the jousting.'

'Ye have indeed come too late,' said the prince, 'seeing that the prize is about to be awarded; yet I doubt not that one of these gentlemen will run a course for the sake of honour with this cavalier of France.'

'And as to the prize, sire,' quoth Sir Nigel, 'I am sure that I speak for all when I say this French knight hath our leave to bear it away with him if he can fairly win it.'

'Bear word of this to your master,' said the prince, 'and ask him which of these five Englishmen he would desire to meet. But stay; your master bears no coat-armour, and we have not yet heard his name.'

'My master, sire, is under vow to the Virgin neither to reveal his name nor to open his vizor until he is back upon French ground once more.'

'Yet what assurance have we,' said the prince, 'that this is not some varlet masquerading in his master's harness, or some caitiff knight, the very touch of whose lance might bring infamy upon an honourable gentleman?'

'It is not so, sire,' cried the squire earnestly. 'There is no man upon earth who would demean himself by breaking a lance with my master.'

'You speak out boldly, squire,' the prince answered; 'but unless I have some further assurance of your master's noble birth and gentle name I cannot match the choicest lances of my court against him.'

'You refuse, sire?'

'I do refuse.'

'Then, sire, I was bidden to ask you from my master whether you would consent if Sir John Chandos, upon hearing my master's name, should assure you that he was indeed a man with whom you might yourself cross swords without indignity.'