"I deemed thee dead at Towton!"
"Methought you were slain in the north! You have not come off scot-
free."
"Nay, but I had a narrow escape. My honest fellows took me to my
uncle at Wearmouth, and he shipped me off with the good folk here,
and cares for my maintenance. How didst thou 'scape?"
"Half a dozen of us--Will Percy and a few more--made off from the
woful field under cover of night, and got to the sea-shore, to a
village--I know not the name--and laid hands on a fisher's smack,
which Jock of Hull was seaman enough to steer with the aid of the lad
on board, as far as Friesland, and thence we made our way as best we
could to Utrecht, where we had the luck to fall in with one of the
Duke's captains, who was glad enough to meet with a few stout fellows
to make up his company of men-at-arms."
"Oh! Methought it was the Cross of Burgundy. How art thou so well
attired, Phil?"
"We have all been pranked out to guard our Duke to the King of
France's sacring at Rheims. I promise thee the jewels and gold
blazed as we never saw the like--and as to the rascaille Scots
archers, every one of them was arrayed so as the sight was enough to
drive an honest Borderer crazy. Half their own kingdom's worth was
on their beggarly backs. But do what they might, our Duke surpassed
them all with his largesses and splendour."
"Your Duke!" grumbled Leonard.
"Aye, mine for the nonce, and a right open-handed lord is he.
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