"
"And hark to the speech of the folk!" said Ford. "Was ever such
a hissing and clacking? I wonder that they have not wit to learn
English now that they have come under the English crown. By
Richard of Hampole! there are fair faces amongst them. See the
wench with the brown whimple! Out on you, Alleyne, that you
would rather gaze upon dead stone than on living flesh!"
It was little wonder that the richness and ornament, not only of
church and of stall, but of every private house as well, should
have impressed itself upon the young squires. The town was now
at the height of its fortunes. Besides its trade and its
armorers, other causes had combined to pour wealth into it. War,
which had wrought evil upon so many fair cities around, had
brought nought but good to this one. As her French sisters
decayed she increased, for here, from north, and from east, and
from south, came the plunder to be sold and the ransom money to
be spent. Through all her sixteen landward gates there had set
for many years a double tide of empty-handed soldiers hurrying
Francewards, and of enriched and laden bands who brought their
spoils home.
Pages:
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364