ou. They
are light, and yet strong enough to withstand a blow from the strongest
arm. I tried them hard, and will warrant them proof, but you had best
see to the rivets and fastenings. They had a rough handling last year,
and you have not worn them since. There are some other pieces that
I must put in hand at once, seeing that in such a melee you must be
covered from head to foot."

For the next week nothing was talked of in London but the approaching
sports, and the workmen were already engaged in the erection of the
lists and pavilions in the fields between the walls and Westminster. It
was reported that the king would add valuable prizes to those given to
the winners by the city; that there would be jousting on horseback by
the sons of the court nobles, and that the young Prince of Wales would
himself ride.

The king had once before taken part in the city sports, and with ten of
the citizens had held his own against an equal number of knights. This
was at the commencement of his reign; but the accident to the queen's
stand had so angered him that he had not again been present at the
sports, and his reappearance now was considered to be an act of approval
of the efforts which the city had made to aid him in the war, and as an
introduction of the young prince to the citizens.

When the day arrived there was a general flocking out of the citizens to
the lists. The scene was a picturesque one; the weather was bright and
warm; the fields were green; and Westminster, as well as London, sent
out large numbers to the scene. The citizens were all in their best;
their garments were for the most part of somber colours--russet, murrey,
brown, and gray. Some, indeed, of the younger and wealthier merchants
adopted somewhat of the fashion of the court, wearing their shoes long
and pointed, and their garments parti-coloured. The line of division was
down the centre of the body; one leg, arm, and half the body would be
blue, the other half russet or brown. The ladies' dresses were similarly
divided. Mingling with the citizens, as they strolled to and fro upon
the sward, were the courtiers. These wore the brightest colours, and
their shoes were so long that the points were looped up to the knees
with little gold chains to enable them to walk. The ladies wore
headdresses of prodigious height, culminating in two points; and
from these fell, sweeping to the ground, streamers of silk or lighter
material. Cloths of gold and silver, ri