By my soul! had you asked as much from our new ally Don Pedro, he had not baulked you.

Between friends, there is overmuch of the hangman in him, and too little of the prince.

But indeed this White Company is a rough band, and may take some handling ere you find yourself safe in your captaincy." "I doubt not, with the help of St.Paul, that I shall bring them to some order," Sir Nigel answered.

"But there are many faces here which are new to me, though others have been before me since first I waited upon my dear master, Sir Walter.

I pray you to tell me, Sir John, who are these priests upon the dais ?" "The one is the Archbishop of Bordeaux, Nigel, and the other the Bishop of Agen." "And the dark knight with gray-streaked beard?
By my troth, he seems to be a man of much wisdom and valor." "He is Sir William Felton, who, with my unworthy self, is the chief counsellor of the prince, he being high steward and I the seneschal of Aquitaine." "And the knights upon the right, beside Don Pedro ?" "They are cavaliers of Spain who have followed him in his exile.