Sometimes when there were as many as four or five carles of them together,
they would draw up amidst of the highway, but presently would turn aside
at the sight either of Ralph's war-gear or of the minstrel's raiment.
Forsooth, some of them seemed to know him, and nodded friendly to him
as they passed by, but he gave them back no good day.
They had now ridden out of the lands of Goldburg,
which were narrow on that side, and the day was wearing fast.
This way the land was fair and rich, with no hills of any size.
They crossed a big river twice by bridges, and small streams often,
mostly by fords.
Some two hours before sunset they came upon a place where a byway
joined the high road, and on the ingle stood a chapel of stone
(whether of the heathen or Christian men Ralph wotted not,
for it was uncouth of fashion), and by the door of the said chapel,
on a tussock of grass, sat a knight all-armed save the head,
and beside him a squire held his war-horse, and five other men-at-arms
stood anigh bearing halberds and axes of strange fashion.
The knight rose to his feet when he saw the wayfarers coming up
the rising ground, and Ralph had his hand on his sword-hilt;
but ere they met, the minstrel said,--
"Nay, nay, draw thy let-pass, not thy sword. This knight
shalt bid thee to a courteous joust; but do thou nay-say it,
for he is a mere felon, and shalt set his men-at-arms on thee,
and then will rob thee and slay thee after, or cast thee
into his prison.
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