could have been supposed to contain, till the knight who first landed
stood the centre of a group of five hundred men. Then were lowered
from the vessel, barbed and caparisoned, some five score horses; and,
finally, the sailors and rowers, armed but with steel caps and short
swords, came on shore, till not a man was left on board.

"Now praise," said the chief knight, "to God and Saint George that we
have escaped the water! and not with invisible winds but with bodily
foes must our war be waged."

"Beau sire," cried one knight, who had debarked immediately after the
speaker, and who seemed, from his bearing and equipment, of higher
rank than those that followed, "beau sire, this is a slight army to
reconquer a king's realm! Pray Heaven that our bold companions have
also escaped the deep!"

"Why, verily, we are not eno' at the best, to spare one man," said the
chief knight, gayly, "but, lo! we are not without welcomers." And he
pointed to the crowd of villagers who now slowly neared the warlike
group, but halting at a little distance, continued to gaze at them in
some anxiety and alarm.

"Ho there! good fellows!" cried the leader, striding towards the
throng, "what name give you to this village?"

"Ravenspur, please your worship," answered one of the peasants.

"Ravenspur, hear you that, lords and friends? Accept the omen! On
this spot landed from exile Henry of Bolingbroke, known afterwards in
our annals as King Henry IV.! Bare is the soil of corn and of trees,