ring. As the lads became more expert they tilted at each
other with blunt lances, practised riding at the ring, and learned to
excel as equestrians by riding in a circle, vaulting from their steeds
in the course of their career, and mounting again while they galloped.

At the same time they were trained to acquit themselves with credit in
those encounters celebrated as combats at the barriers. At the sieges of
cities, during the middle ages, knights of the besieging army were in
the habit of going to the barriers, or grated palisades of the fortress,
and defying the garrison to break a lance for the honour of their
ladies. Indeed, this was so fashionable, that an army could hardly
appear before a town without the siege giving rise to a variety of such
combats, which were generally conducted with fairness on both sides.
This mode of attack was early taught to the apprentice to chivalry, and
assiduously practised by all who were ambitious of knightly honour.

Nor did the exercises of the tiltyard end at this stage. At the time of
which I write, the name of Richard Coeur de Lion was famous in Europe
and Asia; and his feats in arms were on every tongue. One of his great
exploits at the battle of Joppa was especially the admiration of the
brave. It seems that, when the Crusaders were surrounded and almost
overwhelmed by the swarming host of Saladin, Richard, who, up to that
moment, had neither given nor received a wound, suddenly sprang on his
charger, drew his sword, laid his lance in rest, and with his sword in
one hand, and his lance in the other, spurred against the Saracens,
striking sparks from their helmets and armour, and inspiring such terror
that his foes were completely routed. Naturally such an exploit made a
strong impression on the imagination of aspirants to warlike fame, and
the youth who had the dexterity and the equestrian skill to imitate it
in mimic fray was regarded with admiration and envy.

Now our concern with Wark, and its tiltyard, is simply this--that,
within the castle, there were trained in the exercises of chivalry, and
qualified for its honours, two striplings, who, when St. Louis took the
Cross, and undertook a holy war, embarked for the East, and figured,
during a memorable expedition, as the Boy Crusaders.

CHAPTER II.

THE BROTHERS-IN-ARMS.

ON the last Wednesday of the month of July, in the year 1248, the castle
of Wark reposed in the sunshine and warmth of a bright merry summ