nd though
I have not been brought up to any trade, yet I hope I can contrive to
support myself somehow."

When Fortunatus had done his dinner, he took his hat and walked to the
sea-side, thinking of what he could do, so as to be no longer a burden
to his parents. Just as he reached the sea-shore, the Earl of
Flanders, who had been to Jerusalem, was embarking on board his ship
with all his servants, to set sail for Flanders. Fortunatus now
thought he would offer himself to be the Earl's page. When the Earl
saw that he was a smart-looking lad, and heard the quick replies which
he made to his questions, he took him into his service; so at once
they all went on board. On their way the ship stopped a short time at
the port of Venice, where Fortunatus saw many strange things, which
made him wish still more to travel, and taught him much that he did
not know before.

Soon after this they came to Flanders; and they had not been long on
shore, before the Earl, his master, was married to the daughter of the
Duke of Cleves. The wedding was kept with all sorts of public
feasting, and games on horseback, called tilts, which lasted many
days; and, among the rest, the Earl's lady gave two jewels as prizes
to be played for, each of them the value of a hundred crowns. One of
them was won by Fortunatus, and the other by Timothy, a servant of the
Duke of Burgundy; who afterwards ran another tilt with Fortunatus, so
that the winner was to have both the jewels. So they tilted, and, at
the fourth course, Fortunatus hoisted Timothy a full spear's length
from his horse, and thus won both the jewels, which pleased the Earl
and Countess so much that they praised Fortunatus, and thought better
of him than ever. At this time, also, Fortunatus had many rich
presents given him by the lords and ladies of the court. But the high
favour shown him made his fellow-servants jealous, and one, named
Robert, who had always pretended a great friendship for Fortunatus,
made him believe that for all his seeming kindness, the Earl, in
secret, envied him his great skill in tilting. Robert said, too, that
he had heard the Earl give private orders to one of his servants to
find some way of killing him next day, while they should all be out
hunting.

Fortunatus thanked the wicked Robert for what he thought a great
kindness; and the next day, at daybreak, he took the swiftest horse in
the Earl's stables, and left the country. When the Earl heard that
Fortunatus