The Armourer's Apprentice — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PROLOGUE. A BOUT the autumn of the year 1185 a - fA number of apprentices had met in the - then rural village of ‘‘ Merry Islington” to oy their evening’s sports and amuse- ments, whilst the youths’ masters, with / their wives and daughters, seated upon ben- ches placed under the wide-spreading trees, , * ~ ? di y Ws % sf 5% es: j as was) Uy fa Rage . ‘es U: a i ney watched the games. ? we d here was wrestling, single-stick, and sword and bucklerextrcise. Buits had also been erected for archery, both with the long and cross-bow, and these, at this age of chi- valry, at once called forth the most interest in the spectators, and most emulation st the competitors. o ad oe - Bmonclc cee a Hig _ tall broad-shouldered man of about fifty. He was a stern-faced old fellow, with a massive but somewhat lowering forehead. . p shaggy beetling brow overhung two small b t fierce ~~ wmAS ail U eyes, from which gleamed a light like that of the wolf. His sinewy arms ' “were bare, almost to the shoulders, their knotted muscles showing plainly his extra- ‘ordinary strength, as also did his thick, This unprepossessing individual was clad in leather jerkin, a cloth cap, and homespun hose, all of which were burnt here and there ‘with sparks, so that it needed no great dis- _ ¢emment to discover that he was by trade & biacksmith or armourer. _ Beated by his side was a comely dame ' Bome five or six years his junior, with a face as ki; d, gentle, and pleasant as her compan- idn's vas the reverse, _ She was dressed after the fashion of the “ yvéll-to-do. sitizenesses of the time, and . oS at enjoyed their gossip and tankards of ale as" Seated under a fine old oak tree was & A STORY OF ae _ “THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE.” - whilst she watched the sports, her plump hands played lovingly with the dark locks of a beautiful maiden of about fifteen summers, who, seated on the grass at the dame’s feet, had placed her lovely head on the elder woman’s lap. Se Such was the family of Rebert Smith— commonly known as Iron'Arm,and renowned throughout England as the best armourer in the kingdom—a well-to-do man, and an honest one, though somewhat cross-grained and grasping; but for all that greatly respected by all who knew him. ; As for Dame Margery, his spouse, she was loved by everyone, and many were the tales told of the good deeds which she had done for both sick and poor, even in defiance of her husband, of whom she stood in the greatest dread; but charity had been born in her heart, and not all the smith’s black ljooks=and some said his fists also-——could beat it out of her noble disposition. Of course all the apprentices were mad about Alice, who, young as she was, had already caused many quarrels and not a few broken heads amongst the mad-pated, jealous young fellows. Not that she was that abomination, a flirt—far from if; for she was as good as she was beautiful, and did all she could to check the headstrong youths. I he Much as old Iron Arm and his family were respected, still there was a mystery about them which made someof the citizens shake their heads and raise their eyebrows when Byes icing about him—not when speak- ing to him—for experience had long sinés taught them that Iron Arm, if a man of feu words, was quick at blows, and brooked 2 insult. The mystery was simply this Some thirteen yeass before the time ¢ Eomichoo SS} ad 2 | se 4 (SOU 5