ere they gaily clad, though their raiment, like the houses, was stout
and well wrought. But here and there he came on a woman taller and
whiter than the others, as though she were of another blood; all such
of these as he saw were clad otherwise than the darker women: their
heads uncoifed, uncovered save for some garland or silken band: their
gowns yellow like wheat-straw, but gaily embroidered; sleeveless withal
and short, scarce reaching to the ancles, and whiles so thin that they
were rather clad with the embroidery than the cloth; shoes they had
not, but sandals bound on their naked feet with white thongs, and each
bore an iron ring about her right arm.

The more part of the men wore weapons at their sides and had staves in
hand, and were clad in short jerkins brown or blue of colour, and
looked ready for battle if any moment should call them thereto; but
among them were men of different favour and stature from these, taller
for the most part, unarmed, and clad in long gowns of fair colours with
cloths of thin and gay-coloured web twisted about their heads. These
he took for merchants, as they were oftenest standing in and about the
booths and shops, whereof there were some in all the streets, though
the market for victuals and such like he found over for that day, and
but scantily peopled.

Out of one of these markets, which was the fish and fowl market, he
came into a long street that led him down to a gate right over against
that whereby he had entered the Burg; and as he came thereto he saw
that there was a wide way clear of all houses inside of the wall, so
that men-at-arms might go freely from one part to the other; and he had
also noted that a wide way led from each port out of the great place,
and each ended not but in a gate. But as to any castle in the town, he
saw none; and when he asked a burgher thereof, the carle laughed in his
face, and said to him that the whole Burg, houses and all, was a
castle, and that it would turn out to be none of the easiest to win.
And forsooth Ralph himself was much of that mind.

Now he was just within the south gate when he held this talk, and there
were many folk thereby already, and more flocking thereto; so he stood
there to see what should betide; and anon he heard great blowing of
horns and trumpets all along the wall, and, as he deemed, other horns
answered from without; and so it was; for soon the withoutward horns
grew louder, and the folk fell back on either