Master Henry Pemberton will act as my squire,
during the campaign. You will be my second squire."
"Well, master, I never looked so high as to become an esquire; and
would rather remain a simple man-at-arms, were it not that it will keep
me near you."
"You will find Roger a good comrade, Master Pemberton. He has been a
man-at-arms at his own choice; for, as he can read and write as well as
any clerk, he might have done better for himself."
Pemberton looked, with some surprise, at Roger. He himself had not
these accomplishments, and he was surprised at finding a man-at-arms so
well endowed.
"As you may tell by his speech," Oswald went on, "he is, like myself, a
Northumbrian; and has done good service in the wars with the Scots."
"That I can well imagine," the squire said, with a smile. "I would
certainly wish for no stouter comrade."
"We must see about arms and armour for you, Roger," Oswald said.
"There will be no difficulty about that. None whatever, Sir Oswald. We
have lost fully three hundred men, since we crossed the border, and a
hundred and fifty since we came here, four days since. There is a pile
of harness and arms, lying by the roadside; and there, methinks, it is
likely it will lie.
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