Cuthbert had now for the first time donned full armour, and rode behind
the Earl of Evesham as his esquire, for the former esquire had been left
behind, ill with fever, at Acre.




CHAPTER XII.

THE ACCOLADE.


It was now a year since they had left England, and Cuthbert had much
grown and widened out in the interval, and had never neglected an
opportunity of practising with arms; and the earl was well aware that he
should obtain as efficient assistance from him in time of need as he
could desire.

This was the first time that Cuthbert, and indeed the great proportion of
those present in the Christian host, had seen the enemy in force, and
they eagerly watched the vast array. It was picturesque in the extreme,
with a variety and brightness of colour rivalling that of the Christian
host. In banners and pennons the latter made a braver show; but the
floating robes of the infidel showed a far brighter mass of colour than
the steel armour of the Christians.

Here were people drawn from widely separated parts of Saladin's
dominions. Here were Nubians from the Nile, tall and powerful men, jet
black in skin, with lines of red and white paint on their faces, giving a