but under the command of thefe knights whom you fee : if I were to ftay behind, they would fet out without me.* f Ha, 'Nicholas, do not make fuch. excufes as thefe : let your friends depart, if they pleafe, for I give you my promife, that as foon as our tilt ihall be over, I will conduct you myfelf within the gates of Cherbourg without lofs or peril, as I can depend on my lord conftable^s good will/ Nicholas, faid,—c Now fuppofe it to be as vou fay, and that I place my confidence in being fafrèly conducted by you, yet you fee we are travelling through the country without arms of any fort : therefore, if I were willing to arm myfelf, 1 have not wherewithal to do fo/ . John replied,-?-' You fhall not excufe yourfelf that way, fer I will tell you what I will do : I have plenty of arms at my command, and will order dif-ferent forts to be brought to the place where we fhall tilt; and, when all are laid out, you fhall examine them, and confider which will fuît you beft ; for I will leave the choice to you, and, when you fhall have chofen, I will then arm myfelf/ When Nicholas faw himfelf fo earneftly prefîèd, he was afharned that thofe prefcel fhould have heard it, and thought, that fince John made fuch hand-fome offers, ' he could not in honour refufe them ; for John ftill added,f Make whatever arrangements you pleafe, I will agree to them fooner than we lbould not having a tilting match/ Nicholas then faid, he would confider of it ; and, before his departure he would make him ac-quainted with his refolution -, adding, c if it wiH not be 278