Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/144

 East Cheaping came thrusting among the fleers, and with the first of the chasers was Medard himself bareheaded, so that all might know him, and after him his banner of a Tower and an Eagle sitting therein; and then came the banner of the good town, to wit, three Wool-packs on a red ground; and then the rest of the riders. And all that went by in a minute or two; and thereafter came the bowmen, all bemired with the marish waters, but talking high and singing for joy. Said Osberne: Come ye now, fellows, and join ourselves to these, for they will not run away like to the horses. Now belike has Sir Medard done the business, so we may follow him fair and softly. He may yet have somewhat to do, quoth a man who was of that country; for in a while this marish ends, and the causeway comes out on to fair and soft meadows, and there we may look yet again to come on the Baron and his. Sooth is that, quoth the sergeant from amongst the bowmen on the causeway; yet is not the good Knight so hare-brained as not to abide ere he falls on, save he see no defence in what is left of the Baron's array. Ye shall see; but come thou up, Master Osberne, with thy Dalesmen, and let us get on to the said sunny meads out of this frog-city.

So Osberne and his Dalesmen scrambled up, and they all went on together at a pretty pace; and Osberne had not yet sheathed Board-cleaver, but bore him on his shoulder all bloody as he was. So in an half hour they saw the hard meads be-