ll know nought of their nature and use, lord?"

"Nought, Giles. Ne'er have I seen their like until now."

"Say ye so, brother?" cried Giles full eager, his brown eyes a-kindle,
"say ye so in very truth? Then--an it be so thy wish--I might instruct
thee vastly, for there is no man in the world to-day shall discourse
you more fluent and learned upon siege-craft, engines and various
tormenta than I. So--an it be thy wish, lord--?"

"It is my wish: say on, Giles."

"Why then firstly, lord, firstly we have the great Mangon or mangonel,
_fundis fundibula_, that some do also term _catapultum_, the which
worketh by torsion and shall heave you great stones of the bigness of a
man fully two hundred yards an it be dry weather; next is the
Trebuchet, like to the mangon save that it swingeth by counterpoise;
next cometh the Balista or Springald that worketh by tension--a pretty
weapon! and shall shoot you dart or javelin so strong as shall
transpierce you six lusty fellows at a time, hauberk and shield, like
so many fowl upon a spit--very sweet to behold, brother! Then have we
the Bore or Cat that some again do name _musculus_ or mouse for that it
gnaweth through thick walls--and some do call this hog, sow, _scrofa_
or _sus_, brother, and some again, _vulpes_.

"And this Cat is a massy pole that beareth a great and sharp steel
point, the which, being mounted within a pent-house, swingeth merrily
to and fro, much like to a ram, brother, and shall blithely pick you a
hole through stone and mortar very pleasing to behold. Then we have
the Ram, _cancer testudo_, that battereth; next we have the Tower or
Beffroi that goeth on wheels--yonder you shall see them a-building. And
these towers, moving forward against your city, shall o'ertop the walls
and from them archers and cross-bowmen may shoot into your town what
time their comrades fill up and dam your moat until the tower may come
close unto your walls. And these towers, being come against the wall,
do let fall drawbridges over which the besiegers may rush amain and
carry your walls by assault. Lastly, there be Mantlets--stakes wattled
together and covered with raw-hide--by the which means the besiegers
make their first approaches. Then might I descant at goodly length upon
the Mine and Furnace, with divers and sundry other stratagems, devices,
engines and tormenta, but methinks this shall mayhap suffice thee for
the nonce?"

"Aye, verily--'twill suffice!" said Beltane, rising. "