It was the prospect of fighting rather than of pay that had attracted them
to the service of Sir Eustace. Then, as for a century previous and until
quite modern days, Frenchmen were regarded as the natural foes of England,
and however large a force an English king wished to collect for service in
France, he had never any difficulty whatever in obtaining the number he
asked for, and they were ready cheerfully to give battle whatever the odds
against them. The English archer's confidence in himself and his skill was
indeed supreme. Before the shafts of his forefathers the flower of the
French chivalry had gone down like rushes before a scythe, and from being
a mere accessory to a battle the English archers had become the backbone
of the force. Their skill, in fact, had revolutionized warfare, had broken
the power of cavalry, and had added to the dignity and value of infantry,
who had become, as they have ever since continued to be, the prime factor
in warfare. Consequently the English archers and men-at-arms went about
their work of preparation with a zest and cheerfulness that showed their
satisfaction in it.

"Why, Tom," Guy said to the tall leader of the archers, "you look as
pleased as if it were a feast rather than a fray for which you were
preparing."

"And so I feel, Master Guy. For what have I been practising with the bow
since I was eight years old but that I might, when the time came, send an
arrow straight through the bars of a French vizor? In faith, I began to
think that I should never have an opportunity of exercising my skill on
anything more worthy than a target or peeled wand. Since our kings have
given up leading armies across the sea, there was no way but to take
service with our lord when I heard that he wanted a small company of
archers for the defence of his castle over here, and since we have come it
has seemed to us all that we were taking pay and food under false