The same afternoon the promised horse and arms were provided, and Cuthbert, delighted again to be in harness, and thanking courteously the Burgomaster and council for their kindness, started with his followers on his journey north.

These latter had been provided with doublets and other garments suitable to the retinue of a knight, and made a better show than they had done since they first left England.
Leaving Basle, they travelled along the left side of the Rhine by easy stages.

The country was much disturbed, owing to the return and disbandment of so many of the troops employed in the Crusades.

These, their occupation being gone, scattered over the country, and France and Germany alike were harassed by bands of military robbers.

The wild country between the borders of Switzerland and Lorraine was specially vexed, as the mountains of the Vosges afforded shelter, into which the freebooters could not be followed by the troops of the duke.
Upon the evening of the third day they reached a small inn standing in a lonely position near the foot of the mountains.
"I like not the look of this place," Cuthbert said; "but as we hear that there is no other within a distance of another ten miles, we must e'en make the best of it." The host received them with extreme and even fawning civility, which by no means raised him in the estimation of Cuthbert or Cnut.