Cuthbert was already, for his age, well trained to arms. Many of the old
soldiers at the castle who had known and loved his father, had been ever
ready to give lessons in the use of arms to Cuthbert, who was
enthusiastic in his desire to prove as good a knight as his father had
been. His friends, the outlaws, had taught him the use of the bow and of
the quarter-staff; and Cuthbert, strong and well-built for his age, and
having little to do save to wield the sword and the bow, had attained a
very considerable amount of skill with each.

He had too, which was unusual, a certain amount of book learning,
although this, true to say, had not been acquired so cheerfully or
willingly as the skill at arms. Father Francis had, however, taught him
to read and to write--accomplishments which were at that time rare,
except in the cloister. In those days if a knight had a firm seat in his
saddle, a strong arm, a keen eye, and high courage, it was thought to be
of little matter whether he could or could not do more than make his mark
on the parchment. The whole life of the young was given to acquiring
skill in arms; and unless intended for the convent, any idea of education
would in the great majority of cases have been considered as
preposterous.

To do Cuthbert justice, he had protested with all his might against
the proposition of Father Francis to his mother to teach him some
clerkly knowledge. He had yielded most unwillingly at last to her
entreaties, backed as they were by the sound arguments and good sense
of Father Francis.

The Earl of Evesham received Cuthbert's application very graciously.

"Certainly, Cuthbert," he said, "you shall accompany me; first, on