The Armourer's Apprentice — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ag ‘yf .» = 4 " . al Bad — . a sf on <— ill o eo . “« = =) Le LAP , Sa ane - . : j Cy, . ; * -. r, J o tee 4 s _ Pr é 3 . ‘ - i 4 - od ad - - oF? A y ‘ : - ° . - - wf y J : s aw ori . 7 9 ef aT Gis THE ARMOUBRER’S APPRENTICE. Ge ae thou raise thine hand against thy betters? | No sooner did the crowd behold this grand oe Would thou strike a noble ?” personage than every cap was removed, — Fe “T would strike the king himself,” cried | whilst the cry sent forth the cry oi— art. Stephen, carried away by his passion, “if| “Long live Prince Richard, the lion- Ae he dared to offer such an insult to the fair | hearted !” NOES aa Alice |” The Prince raised his hand to his cap, im “Son of a rebellious father;” cried the | acknowledgment of the salutation of the armourer, stamping with rage, “thus will I | people. 2 fol Be i: » ose crush out thy disloyalty,” and as he spoke} ‘ What means this disturbance ?” said the .<* he raised hisiron bar aloft. . prince, as he rode into the centre of the — “Strike!” cried Stephen, fearlessly.| crowd and saw De Courcy and George “Thou hast long wished to kill me—now | Wynward scramble to their feet, “So, my — haye thy way. I will not shrink, for I | Lord de Courcy, thou hast been the cause of could not meet death in a better cause.” this quarrel? For shame, my lord! Canst- The blow would have descended, but at | thou not find better pastime than breeding that moment Alice threw herself upon | disputes amongst peaceful citizens? Me- — Stephen’s breast, while Will o’ the Bow | thinks there are plenty of noble works for — stepped forward and caught the armourer’s | men of rank and fortune to perform, and arm in time to prevent the iron bar falling. | leave such sport as this to buffoons. a. “For shame, Master Smith!” cried Will. “The cause of this, my lord,” said De “Art thou mad that thou would use such a | Courcy, “stands there. That villain hath Fi, Weapon against a lad? ‘Sblood! but had | dared to lay hands upon me—me, 4 noble! I not been here thou wouldst have slain thy | He hath dared to wrench my sword from 7a fair daughter Alice, the pride of our lads.” | my grasp and cast me tothe earth.” = Se “Let him strike, good Will,’ replied| “ Methinks, my lord, thou hast as little a Stephen. “ My life is too wretched for me | tc complain about as to boast oi. There to fear death. Do what I will I can never | seems to be disgrace upon thy statement, | pees him. I work night and day, and yet | even though théu tellest the story. Let eis dissatisfied. Would that I were free | some independent witness speak.” Te ts 4 . . - a>. , PF err a Pm . 7 a i os a from him, and could go for a soldier !” “ That will I do,so please yourhighness,” “Ungratefnl hound—” began the smith, | said Will o’ the Bow, stepping forward and ee. when his daughter stopped him. saluting the prince. “I am but a rough © — _ “Hold, father!” she cried. “Thou | old soldier, but your highness likes that,I knowest weil that what Stephen says is| know. However,ifI beroughinmyspeech true. Thou has been ungenerous and un- | my words shail be true, and that is more ~ grateful. I will not be so,there! J thank | than many asoft-spoken gentleman’sis.” _ my dear brother Stephen for having thus| Under the pretence of not being used to saved me from the insults of these men. | tell a tale, Master Will managed to let the _ Henceforth, I wish George Wynyard to| prince know as much about Stephen’s know that i hate him.” history as hecould—the history of hisbirth, . “are you speak thus to me?” yelled the | his constant endeavour to work so as to infuriated smith, as he seized the girl by the | repay his master all the money that he had _ arm. “Give me that wreath that I may | expended on him. He did not say that — trample it into the dust.” Iron Arm had ill-treated the boy, but he — “Hold!” cried a stern voice. “ Release | hinted quite enough to make the prince — that maiden, or, by St. George, thou shalt | look withnofavourable eyeuponthesmith. — feel the weight of my arm !” Then he related the quarrel which-had _ As this was thundered forth all eyes were | taken place with all the enthusiamof an turned in surprise to the speaker, who had | old soldier, and with a brevity which but ~ - approached with some other nobles un- | ill-matched with his previous testimony. — _ noticed. | ) “The boy has done well,” said the prince, 2 He was clad in a rich cloak, lined with | curtly. “England needs such youths to ~— costly fur, and fastened at his neck with a | carry her fame throughout the world. Here, -. golden clasp set with diamonds; his cap, | take this purse, it will help thee to a better elt, and sword were also encircled with | bow.” a precious stones of great value. “A better bow thanthe one heshot withhe ~~ He was mounted on a magnificent white | cannot have,” said Will,as he fondly stroked horse of almost gigantic proportions, so | thebitof tough yew wood. “Iknowabow richly caparisonedthat the harness glittered | as well as any man in all broad England, ~ in the sunshine. > and there is not a sounder piece of wood or _ Behind this noble personage rode three or | a rounder string than I carry.” ie _ four other nobles, all dressed in the most | “Did the youth shoot with this bow?” — _ costly fashion, and all men of more than the | asked the prince, in surprise, as he looked . ‘sual stature, but who looked small by the | at: the unusual size of the weapon. be pide of their leader, “ Aye! marry did he,” replied Will,“and . ot ~ »" * . » ‘ > ce | Bs -.comicbooks.co UW