arising he
cried out, "O Red Lad, Red Lad, O thou seeker, let me live, that I may
tell thee what thou wouldst give many lives to know!"

Then Osberne restrained Boardcleaver and let him fall to his wrist,
and stretched out his hand to the gilded man. But even therewith his
hand was thrust aside, for many a man there was mad and drunk with the
slaying: and a short, dark, long-armed man of the weavers' craft,
armed with nought else save a heavy short-sword cutting on the inner
edge, drew him on to the gilded man's horse, and brought his sword
back-handed across his face and neck, and fell with him as he fell,
and mangled him that he was more than dead, and then got up again
amidst the horses and fell to work again. Then Osberne, when he saw
the tale was done, groaned aloud; but none heeded him, for it was to
them but as a cry of the wounded. Then he uphove Boardcleaver again
and cried out shrilly: "The Red Lad, the Red Lad for Longshaw and the
Crafts! On, on at them!" And that all heard, both his and theirs. And
now they of the foemen began to cease pressing forward, and many fled
without a stroke stricken, till there was somewhat more room for the
rest to flee, but little leave, for even so was more room for the
pursuers, and soon was the square clear of all but dead and sore hurt;
and the chase endured all up and along the carfax, and mad-fierce it
was, and that mostly at the hands of the townsmen, who deemed that
they had much to pay back to the men of the King and the Porte.

Now after this Osberne and his drew not back from the carfax, but by
the rede of him the townsmen made trenches and walls to strengthen
them right up to the said carfax. And for three days the King's men
durst not fall upon them there, save that they tried a little
arrow-shot from afar, but did not much hurt thereby.

But the next day thereafter comes Sir Godrick with his host to the
help of the townsmen, and rides into the North Gate amidst the joy of
all men. And the next day they push on to their outworks and fall on.
Three days of battle they have thereafter, wherein Sir Godrick will
not suffer the Red Lad to deal: "For," saith he, "it is thou that hath
won, and now we have little to do, but as it were the woodwright's and
the carpenter's work. Wherefore now I bid thee to rest." Laughed
Osberne, and tarried in the North quarter, while Sir Godrick and his
with all deliberation set to work on clearing the quarters on that
side of the river;