So the summer wears with nought to tell of, and autumn and winter in
like manner, and spring was come again, and it was hard on two years
since those twain had first met, and Osberne was fifteen years old and
Elfhild but a month and a half less, and still they met happily as
aforetime. Wethermel throve in all wise this while, and there was deep
peace on the Eastern Dale, and never had the edges of Boardcleaver
looked on the light of day since the fall of Hardcastle.
But in early May of this year came riders into the Dale, friends,
though they rode all-armed, to wit the men-at-arms of Eastcheaping,
even such as Osberne had seen riding down from the Castle the last
time of his going thither; and the errand they came on was this, that
war and strife were at hand for the good town, for the Baron of
Deepdale had sent the Porte his challenge for some matter of truage,
wherein the town deemed it had a clear right, and seeing that it was
nought feeble, it had a settled mind to fight it out. Wherefore it had
sent a knight of its service and a company of men-at-arms to see what
help its friends of the Dale would give it at the pinch: for it was
well known that the dalesmen were stalwarth carles if need were, both
a-foot and on horseback, though they were no stirrers up of strife.
With this errand on hand came the men into the Dale, and the very
first stead they came to was Wethermel, for it lay first on their
road. And now was Wethermel a well-manned stead, for besides Stephen
the Eater, there were twelve carles defensible dwelling there, whereof
five were sons of men of estate.
So when the said men-at-arms rode into the garth of a bright May
evening, and they all glittering like so many heaps of sunlit ice, all
folk came out a-doors, and Osberne stood before them all, clad in
scarlet raiment, for Nicholas the goodman hung back somewhat, as was
his wont when he deemed he saw peril at hand. Then Osberne hailed the
newcomers, and asked no questions of them, and made no words save to
welcome them and bid them in; and they got off their horses and
entered the house, one score and five all told. And there they unarmed
them, and all service was done them, and then meat and drink were set
on the board and all folk fared to supper, and it was soon seen that
both sides were friendly and sweet together. And Osberne set the
Knight who was their captain at his right hand, and they talked
merrily together. But when supper was done the Knight spake unto
Osberne and Nicholas and said: "Sirs, is it free for me to tell out
our errand into the Dale?" Osberne answered: "We should not have asked
it, fair sir, if ye had not offered to tell it, but would rather have
prayed ye to drink a cup or two; but so it is that we be eager to hear
your tale, whereas we see that ye are of our friends of Eastcheaping."
Then the Knight began, and told them of their quarrel from point to
point, and the right they deemed they had therein. And from time to
time Osberne put in a question when he would have the matter made
clearer to him, and the Knight deemed his questions handy and wise.
And at last he said: "Now so it is, neighbours, that we ask help of
you; and the help we need is not so much of money or beasts or weapons
as of the bodies and souls of stark & stout-hearted men. What say ye,
who be here, have ye will to ward your cheaping and the place where we
have done good to each other, or will ye let all go down the wind as
for you?"
"Fair sir," said Osberne, "we will first ask you one question: Ye bid
us to ride to battle with you in your quarrel; but do ye bid and
command us this service as of right, or do ye crave our help as
neighbours, and because there is love and dealings betwixt us? And
this I ask because we dalesmen deem that we be free men, owing no
service to any lord, or earl, or king."
Said the Knight: "We claim no service of you of right or by custom,
but crave your help as bold and free neighbours who for love's sake
may be fain of helping friends in need."
Spake Osberne: "Then there is no more to be said but this, that there
is one who will ride with you, and that is my own self. And though I
be but a lad I have a stroke of work in me, as some hereby can
witness; and if thou wilt, I will ride down the Dale with you and give
you my furtherance with the goodmen there. But as for these good
fellows--which of you will ride with this Knight against the good
town's foemen and ours?" They all cried aye to this and rose up and
shouted. But Osberne said: "Well, lads, but someone must be left
behind to look to the goodman and the women, and husband field and
fold. I will take with me but six and Stephen the Eater, my man." And
he named them one after the other.
Who were joyous now save the Knight and his men-at-arms, and they all
drank a cup to the young master; but sooth to say, some of them
wondered how so young a lad would bear him in the fight. But others
said, Let-a-be, no man so well beloved as this shall be a dastard.
So merry were they in the hall and drank a bout, but not for long,
whereas the captain would not have his men so drunk that they might
not ride fast and far upon the morrow. So the voidee cup was drunk,
and Osberne led the Knight to his bed and gave him good-night. But ere
he was asleep came Stephen to his bedside and asked was he fain of a
tale; and the Knight yeasaid it; so Stephen told much about the Dale
and its folk, and about the Dwarfs and the Land-wights. And at last he
fell to talk about his master, the young one, and told much of him and
his valiancy and kindness and prowess; and he told at length all the
tale how Hardcastle had sped at his hands. And the captain marvelled
and said: "I am in luck to see this lad and be his fellow then; for
such marvels come not to hand more than once or twice in a ten score
years, and this is one of them."