to maintain that this Jewish maiden, by name Rebecca, hath justly
deserved the doom passed upon her in a Chapter of this most Holy Order
of the Temple of Zion, condemning her to die as a sorceress;--here, I
say, he standeth, such battle to do, knightly and honourable, if such be
your noble and sanctified pleasure."

"Hath he made oath," said the Grand Master, "that his quarrel is just
and honourable? Bring forward the Crucifix and the 'Te igitur'."

"Sir, and most reverend father," answered Malvoisin, readily, "our
brother here present hath already sworn to the truth of his accusation
in the hand of the good Knight Conrade de Mont-Fitchet; and otherwise he
ought not to be sworn, seeing that his adversary is an unbeliever, and
may take no oath."

This explanation was satisfactory, to Albert's great joy; for the wily
knight had foreseen the great difficulty, or rather impossibility, of
prevailing upon Brian de Bois-Guilbert to take such an oath before the
assembly, and had invented this excuse to escape the necessity of his
doing so.

The Grand Master, having allowed the apology of Albert Malvoisin,
commanded the herald to stand forth and do his devoir. The trumpets
then again flourished, and a herald, stepping forward, proclaimed
aloud,--"Oyez, oyez, oyez.--Here standeth the good Knight, Sir Brian
de Bois-Guilbert, ready to do battle with any knight of free blood, who
will sustain the quarrel allowed and allotted to the Jewess Rebecca, to
try by champion, in respect of lawful essoine of her own body; and to
such champion the reverend and valorous Grand Master here present allows
a fair field, and equal partition of sun and wind, and whatever else
appertains to a fair combat." The trumpets again sounded, and there was
a dead pause of many minutes.

"No champion appears for the appellant," said the Grand Master. "Go,
herald, and ask her whether she expects any one to do battle for her
in this her cause." The herald went to the chair in which Rebecca was
seated, and Bois-Guilbert suddenly turning his horse's head toward that
end of the lists, in spite of hints on either side from Malvoisin and
Mont-Fitchet, was by the side of Rebecca's chair as soon as the herald.

"Is this regular, and according to the law of combat?" said Malvoisin,
looking to the Grand Master.

"Albert de Malvoisin, it is," answered Beaumanoir; "for in this appeal
to the judgment of God, we may not prohibit parties from having that
communication