TILT A L'OUTUANCE. 63 



the champions to the field are directed to send back their horses on 

 pain of incurring the penalty aforesaid. Further, the King our Sire, 

 commands and enjoins all persons of every condition to be seated on 

 the scaffolds, cars, benches, or barrels, in order that every one may 

 see the champions at their pleasure, and this under penalty of having 

 the hand cut off. Further, the King our Lord commands and pro- 

 hibits all persons from speaking, crying, or making sign or motion, 

 on pain of being condemned to lose both life and goods. I have 

 said !" The marshal of the field having received the order from the 

 king, commanded the appellant and his pledge to be called into the 

 lists, and from the eastern barrier appeared the knight bearing or, a 

 lion spotted and langued, and advanced towards the marshal, who 

 demanded of him who he was ? " Jean de Carrouges," replied the 

 knight. " What seek you here, and what do you desire ?" " I wish 

 to perform and execute this day my appeal to arms against Jacques 

 Legris !" te Who is the knight who stands beside you ?" " The 

 Baron de Ners, my hostage and security, who stands my godfather 

 in this day's combat!" At this answer the marshal of the field 

 drew near, and himself opened the helmet of the Sire de Carrouges, 

 whose face was seen by every one present to be as pale as the marble 

 effigies of the knights which are sculptured on the tombs of the abbey 

 of St. Denis. A poursuivant performed the same office for the Baron 

 de Ners, but no sooner was his casque opened than Sebastian Quim- 

 bel observed to his friend Marcoquet, " Ah ! that is he !" " Who ?" 

 inquired the latter. " The traveller of last night, my patron of the 

 last two days 1" " By Saint Maclou, you speak sooth," replied Mar- 

 coquet, " he came and concealed himself in my hotel with the lady 

 his cousin, for fear of being discovered in other quarters and being 

 slain by the people of the Oomte d'Alei^on. But silence ! let us hold 

 our tongues unless we wish to lose our ears. We had better keep 

 them to hear what the king-at-arms is going to say." And as he 

 spoke, Montjoye exclaimed, " Let the defendant appear !" and from 

 the western barrier appeared the knight who bore quarterly, sinople, 

 a cross gules, and in like manner presented himself before the mar-r 

 shal. " Who are you ?" " Jacques Legris !" te What seek you, 

 and what do you demand ?" "I seek to reply this day to the appeal 

 of Jean de Carrouges." " Who is the knight that stands beside 

 you ?" " The Sire Ambrose de Lore, my surety, who stands my god- 

 father in this day's fight." The marshal now in like manner opened 

 the casque of Jacques Legris, whom all the ladies looked on with 

 admiration, for he was a young and handsome knight. At this mo- 

 ment the Sire de Carrouges approached the spot where the lady his 

 wife knelt in prayer before the crucifix. " Marie/' he said, " at 

 your instigation, and on your quarrel, I this day put my body and 

 soul in peril; tell me once more, is the cause loyal and just?" " My 

 lord," answered his wife, in a tremulous voice, and in so low a tone 

 that she could scarcely be heard by those who stood beside her, " it 



" roturiers," which in some instances might however be compounded for on the 

 payment of a sum of money. 



