Our lord had a hundred of us with him to fight for the king at
Shrewsbury. Nigh thirty never came back again. That is worse than the
French wars, dame."
"Don't I know it, for wasn't my second boy one of those who never came
back. Ay, ay, they had better be fighting in France, perhaps, for that
lets out the hot blood that might otherwise bring on fighting at home."
"That is so, dame, things are all for the best, though one does not always
see it."
A week later all the tenantry gathered in front of the castle to wish God-
speed to their lord and lady, and to watch the following by which they
were accompanied. First there passed half a dozen mounted men-at-arms, who
were to accompany the party but half a day's march and then to return with
Sir Aylmer. Next to these rode Sir Eustace and Lady Margaret, still a
beautiful woman, a worthy mate of her noble-looking husband. On her other
side rode Sir Aylmer; then came John Harpen, Sir Eustace's esquire; beside
whom trotted Agnes, a bright, merry-faced girl of twelve. Guy rode with
the two boys; then came twenty-four men-at-arms, many of whom had fought
well and stoutly at Shrewsbury; while Tom, the miller's son, or, as he was
generally called, Long Tom, strode along at the head of twenty-four
bowmen, each of whom carried the long English bow and quiver full of
cloth-yard arrows, and, in addition, a heavy axe at his leathern girdle.
Behind these were some servitors leading horses carrying provisions for
the journey, and valises with the clothes of Sir Eustace, his wife, and
children, and a heavy cart drawn by four strong horses with the bundles of
extra garments for the men-at-arms and archers, and several large sheaves
of spare arrows.
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