They will be employed, however, to show the nature of the work, and parties of men-at-arms will be told off to serve them.

Crossbows and arrows will be used, but the weapons will be blunted.

You will see that there are ladders, planks for making bridges, long hooks for hauling men down from the wall, beams for battering down the gate, axes for cutting down the palisades, and all other weapons.

The ten who will serve under you as knights have already been nominated, and the city will furnish them with full armour.

For the others, the apprentices of each ward will choose sufficient representatives to make up the hundred, who will fight as men-at-arms; these will wear steel caps and breastpieces, with leather jerkins, and vizors to protect their faces, for even a blunted arrow or wooden quarrel might well kill if it struck true." On leaving the marshal Walter joined Giles Fletcher and Geoffrey Ward, who warmly congratulated him upon his success.