and each bore an iron ring about her right arm.

The more part of the men wore weapons at their sides and had staves
in hand, and were clad in short jerkins brown or blue of colour,
and looked ready for battle if any moment should call them thereto;
but among them were men of different favour and stature from these,
taller for the most part, unarmed, and clad in long gowns of fair colours
with cloths of thin and gay-coloured web twisted about their heads.
These he took for merchants, as they were oftenest standing in and about
the booths and shops, whereof there were some in all the streets,
though the market for victuals and such like he found over for that day,
and but scantily peopled.

Out of one of these markets, which was the fish and fowl market,
he came into a long street that led him down to a gate right over
against that whereby he had entered the Burg; and as he came
thereto he saw that there was a wide way clear of all houses inside
of the wall, so that men-at-arms might go freely from one part
to the other; and he had also noted that a wide way led from each
port out of the great place, and each ended not but in a gate.
But as to any castle in the town, he saw none; and when he asked
a burgher thereof, the carle laughed in his face, and said
to him that the whole Burg, houses and all, was a castle,
and that it would turn out to be none of the easiest to win.
And forsooth Ralph himself was much of that mind.

Now he was just within the south gate when he held this talk,
and there were many folk thereby already, and more flocking thereto;
so he stood there to see what should betide; and anon he heard
great blowing of horns and trumpets all along the wall, and,