How Master Richard cried out in Westminster Hall: and of his coming to
a Privy Parlour


_Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea regi._

My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king.--_Ps.
xliv. 1._


V


It would be about half an hour before the King's dinner-time, which was
ten o'clock, that Master Richard came again to the hall.

There was not so great a press that day, and the holy youth was able to
make his way near to the barrier that held back the common folk, and to
see the King plainly. He was upon his seat beneath the cloth-of-estate
that was quartered with the leopards and lilies, and had his hat upon
his head. About him, beneath the scaffold on which he sat were the great
nobles, and my lord cardinal had a chair set for him upon the right-hand
side, on the step below the King's.

All was very fair and fine, said Master Richard, with pieces of rich
stuff hanging upon the walls on this side and that beneath the windows,
and, finest of all were the colours of the robes, and the steel and the
gold and the white fur and the feathers, and the gilded glaives and
trumpets, and coat-armour of the heralds.