England and
Englishmen find little favour at Avignon just now, and mayhap Philip
has already written on behalf of de Noyon. At the best His Holiness will
shear you close and keep you waiting while he weighs the wool. No, Red
Eve is right: this is a knot soonest severed by the sword. If you should
find him, de Noyon could scarce refuse to meet you, for you shall fight
him as the champion of our cause as well as of your own. He's at Venice,
for our Envoy there reported it to me, trying to raise a fresh force of
archers for the French.
"You have leave to go, Sir Hugh, who deserve much more, having served
us well," went on the King. "We'll give you letters to Sir Geoffrey
Carleon, who represents us there, and through him to the Doge. Farewell
to you, Sir Hugh de Cressi, and to you, Captain Richard the Archer.
When all this game is played, return and make report to us of your
adventures, and of how de Noyon died. The Queen will love to hear the
tale, and your nuptials and Red Eve's shall be celebrated at Westminster
in our presence, for you have earned no less. Master Secretary, get your
tools, I will dictate the letters. After they are signed to-morrow, see
them into the hands of Sir Hugh, with others that I will give him for
safe carriage, for alas I have creditors at Venice. Make out an open
patent also to show that he and this captain travel as our messengers,
charging all that do us service to forward them upon their journey.
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