"
Now cometh back one of the fore-riders and draweth rein by Ralph
and saith that they are hard on a little thorp under the hanging
of the hill that was the beginning of the Down country on that road.
So Ralph bade make stay there and rest the night over, and seek
new tidings on the morrow; and the man told Ralph that the folk
of the thorp were fleeing fast at the tidings of their company,
and that it were best that he and some half score should
ride sharply into the thorp, so that it might not be quite
bare of victuals when they came to their night's lodging.
Ralph bids him so do, but to heed well that he hurt no man, or let
fire get into any house or roof; so he takes his knot of men and rides
off on the spur, and Ralph and the main of them come on quietly;
and when they came into the street of the thorp, lo there by the cross
a big fire lighted, and the elders standing thereby cap in hand,
and a score of stout carles with weapons in their hands.
Then the chief man came up to Ralph and greeted him and said:
"Lord, when we heard that an armed company was at hand we
deemed no less than that the riders of the Burg were upon us,
and deemed that there was nought for it but to flee each as far
and as fast as he might. But now we have heard that thou art
a good lord seeking his own with the help of worthy champions,
and a foeman to those devils of the Burg, we bid thee look upon
us and all we have as thine, lord, and take kindly such guesting
as we may give thee.
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