at 1000 crowns. But after a fortnight or more he grew tired of this life
and persuaded an Albanian in the garrison to procure him a horse and help
him to gain his freedom, for it was only fifteen or twenty miles to his own
quarters. The man agreed, tempted by a high bribe, and Don Alonzo, who was
allowed to come and go as he pleased, had no difficulty in passing out
through the gateway in the early morning, when he and his companion put
spurs to their horses and felt assured of success. But if the Good Knight
was courteous he was not careless, and when he paid his usual morning call
on his prisoner he was nowhere to be found. The watch was sounded, and the
absence of the Albanian was also discovered, whereupon Bayard sent off in
instant pursuit and Don Alonzo was overtaken within two miles of Andria,
where he had dismounted to fasten the girth of his saddle which was broken.
The Albanian managed to reach the Spanish quarter, for he knew that the
penalty of his treachery would be hanging, and the Spanish knight was
brought back to Monervine.

When Bayard met him he said: "How is it that you have broken your faith, my
lord Don Alonzo? I will trust you no more, for it is not a knightly deed to
escape from a place when you are on parole." The prisoner tried to excuse
himself by vowing that he only went to fetch his ransom as he was troubled
by receiving no news of his own people. But this did not avail him much,
for he was kept in close confinement in a tower, but otherwise very well
treated in the way of food and drink. After about another fortnight a
trumpeter arrived to announce that the ransom was coming, and when this was
duly paid, Don Alonzo took a friendly leave of his captors, having had time
to notice that the Good Knight kept not a penny of the money for himself,
but divided it all amongst his soldiers.

But the story does not end here, for this recreant knight was ungrateful
enough to complain to his friends in the most outrageous manner of the