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264 while the stranger sat as firm and rigid as ever upon his charger the Englishman was bent back to his horse's cropper by the weight of the blow and had galloped half-way down the lists ere he could recover himself. Sir Thomas Wake was beaten to the ground with a battle-axe—that being the weapon which he had selected—and had to be carried to his pavilion. These rapid successes, gained one after the other over four celebrated warriors, worked the crowd up to a pitch of wonder and admiration. Thunders of applause from the English soldiers, as well as from the citizens and peasants, showed how far the love of brave and knightly deeds could rise above the rivalries of race.

'By my soul! John,' cried the prince, with his cheek flushed and his eyes shining, 'this is a man of good courage and great hardiness. I could not have thought that there was any single arm upon earth which could have overthrown these four champions.'

'He is indeed, as I have said, sire, a knight from whom much honour is to be gained. But the lower edge of the sun is wet, and it will be beneath the sea ere long.'

'Here is Sir Nigel Loring, on foot and with his sword,' said the prince. 'I have heard that he is a fine swordsman.'

'The finest in your army, sire,' Chandos answered. 'Yet I doubt not that he will need all his skill this day.'

As he spoke, the two combatants advanced from either end in full armour with their two-handed swords sloping over their shoulders. The stranger walked heavily and with a measured stride, while the English knight advanced as briskly as though there was no iron shell to weigh down the freedom of his limbs. At four paces distance they stopped, eyed each other for a moment, and then in an instant fell to work with a clatter and clang as though two sturdy smiths were busy upon their anvils. Up and down went the long shining blades, round and round they circled in curves of glimmering light, crossing, meeting, disengaging, with flash of sparks at every parry. Here and there bounded Sir Nigel, his head erect, his jaunty plume fluttering in the air, while