He was, several times, sent by Percy with messages to the governors of
Roxburgh and Jedburgh, and to other commanders; calling upon them to be
vigilant, and to send in lists of arms and stores required, so that all
should be in good order to make a stout resistance, when the need came.
When he had received no special orders to return with speed to Alnwick,
Oswald generally found time to pay a visit of a few hours to the
Armstrongs. On these excursions Roger and another man-at-arms always
rode with him, for it would not have been becoming for a squire, and
messenger of Hotspur, to ride without such escort.
Alwyn had picked out, for Roger's use, one of the strongest horses in
the castle. It was not a showy animal, having a big ugly head, and
being vicious in temper; therefore, after some trial, it had been
handed over to the men-at-arms, instead of being retained for the
service of the knights. It had, at first, tried its best to establish a
mastership over the trooper; but it soon found that its efforts were as
nothing against the strength of its rider, and that it might as well
try to shake off its saddle as to rid itself of the trooper, the grip
of whose knees almost stopped its breathing.
Pages:
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284