s a man of arms along the track which the sword of his
sovereign shall cut through the ranks of battle! Not you, Lord de
Scales, redoubtable and invincible with lance and axe; let us new men
soothe envy by our deeds; and you, Lords St. John and De Fulke, you
shall teach us how your fathers led warriors who did not fight more
gallantly than we will. And when rebellion is at rest, when we meet
again in our suzerain's hall, accuse us new men, if you can find us
faulty, and we will answer you as we best may."

This address, which could have come from no man with such effect as from
Hastings, touched all present. And though the Woodvilles, father and
son, saw in it much to gall their pride, and half believed it a snare
for their humiliation, they made no opposition. Raoul de Fulke, ever
generous as fiery, stretched forth his hand, and said,--

"Lord Hastings, you have spoken well. Be it as the king wills."

"My lords," returned Edward, gayly, "my will is that ye be friends while
a foe is in the field. Hasten, then, I beseech you, one and all, to
raise your vassals, and join our standard at Fotheringay. I will find ye
posts that shall content the bravest."

The king made a sign to break up the conference, and dismissing even the
Woodvilles, was left alone with Hastings.

"Thou hast served me at need, Will;" said the king. "But I shall
remember" (and his eye flashed a tiger's fire) "the mouthing of those
mock-pieces of the lords at Runnymede. I am no John, to be bearded by
my vassals. Enough of them now. Think you Warwick can have abetted this
revolt?"

"A revolt of peasants and yeomen! No, sire. If he did so, farewell
forever to the love the barons bear him."

"Um! and yet Montagu, whom I dismissed ten days since to the Borders,
hearing of disaffection, hath done nought to check it. But come what
may, his must be a bold lance that shivers against a king's mail. And
now one kiss of my lady Bessee, one cup of the bright canary, and then
God and Saint George for the White Rose!"

CHAPTER II. THE CAMP AT OLNEY.

It was some weeks after the citizens of London had seen their gallant
king, at the head of such forces as were collected in haste in the
metropolis, depart from their walls to the encounter of the rebels.
Surprising and disastrous had been the tidings in the interim. At first,
indeed, there were hopes that the insurrection had been put down by
Montagu, who had defeated the troops of Robin of Redesdale, nea