I speak not of your fine
garments, but you have grown and widened out, and are fast springing
from a boy into a man; and it is no small thing that Percy should have
thought so well of you as to make you one of his esquires, already."
"It was from no merit of mine, Father, but because he thought that, as
his messenger, I should be able to speak in his name with more
authority than had I been merely the bearer of a letter from him."
"'Tis not only that," his father replied. "I received a letter but two
days since from my brother Alwyn, written by the hand of a monk of his
acquaintance, telling me that Lord Percy was mightily pleased with you;
not only because you had set yourself to read and write, but from the
way in which you had defeated one of his esquires in a bout at arms.
Alwyn said that he doubted not that you would win knightly spurs, as
soon as you came to full manhood. So it is clear that merit had
something to do with your advancement, though this may be also due, to
some extent, to the cause you assign for it. The monk who wrote the
letter added, on his own account, that he had been your preceptor; and
that, though he had often rated you soundly, you had made wonderful
progress.
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