leather surcoat, and drew aback, and with a mighty heave
cast him on the rout of them, who for their parts had drawn
back a little also, as if he had been a huge stone, and down
went two before that artillery; and they set up a great roar
of wonder and fear. But he followed them, and this time got
an axe in his hand, so mazed they were by his onset, and he
hewed at them again and drave them aback to the threshold of
the door: but could get them no further, and they began to
handle long spears to thrust at him.

But then came forward a knight, no mickle man, but clad in
very goodly armour, with a lion beaten in gold on his green
surcoat; this man smote up the spears, and made the men go
back a little, while he stood on the threshold; so
Christopher saw that he would parley with him, and forbore
him, and the knight spake: "Thou youngling, art thou mad?
What doest thou falling on my folk?"

"And what do ye," said Christopher fiercely, "besetting the
houses of folk with weapons? Now wilt thou take my life.
But I shall yet slay one or two before I die. Get thee
back, lord, or thou shalt be the first."

But the knight, who had no weapon in his hand, said: "We
come but to seek our own, and that is our Lady of Meadham,
who dwelleth at Greenharbour by her own will. And if thou
wilt stand aside thou mayst go free to the devil for us."

Now would Christopher have shouted and fallen on, and gone
to his death there and then; but even therewith a voice,