Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
History
Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed: (The Harvard Classics Series)
England -- Social life and customs -- 16th century; Great Britain -- History -- Edward III, 1327-1377
I shall shew you of sir Matthew Redman, who was on horseback to save
himself, for he alone could not remedy the matter. At his departing
sir James Lindsay was near to him and saw how sir Matthew departed,
and this sir James, to win honour, followed in chase sir Matthew
Redman, and came so near him that he might have striken him with his
spear, if he had list. Then he said: 'Ah, sir knight, turn; it is a
shame thus to fly: I am James of Lindsay: if ye will not turn, I shall
strike you on the back with my spear.' Sir Matthew spake no word, but
strake his horse with the spurs sorer than he did before. In this
manner he chased him more than three miles, and at last sir Matthew
Redman's horse foundered and fell under him. Then he stept forth on
the earth and drew out his sword, and took courage to defend himself;
and the Scot thought to have stricken him on the breast, but sir
Matthew Redman swerved from the stroke, and the spear-point entered
into the earth. Then sir Matthew strake asunder the spear with his
sword; and when sir James Lindsay saw how he had lost his spear, he
cast away the truncheon and lighted afoot, and took a little
battle-axe that he carried at his back and handled it with his one
hand quickly and deliverly, in the which feat Scots be well expert,
and then he set at sir Matthew and he defended himself properly. Thus
they tourneyed together, one with an axe and the other with a sword, a
long season, and no man to let them. Finally sir James Lindsay gave
the knight such strokes and held him so short, that he was put out of
breath in such wise that he yielded himself, and said: 'Sir James
Lindsay, I yield me to you.' 'Well,' quoth he, 'and I receive you,
rescue or no rescue,' 'I am content,' quoth Redman, 'so ye deal with
me like a good companion.' 'I shall not fail that,' quoth Lindsay, and
so put up his sword. 'Well, sir,' quoth Redman, 'what will you now
that I shall do? I am your prisoner, ye have conquered me. I would
gladly go again to Newcastle, and within fifteen days I shall come to
you into Scotland, whereas ye shall assign me.' 'I am content,' quoth
Lindsay: 'ye shall promise by your faith to present yourself within
this three weeks at Edinboro, and wheresoever ye go, to repute
yourself my prisoner,' All this sir Matthew sware and promised to
fulfil. Then each of them took their horses and took leave each of
other. Sir James returned, and his intent was to go to his own company
the same way that he came, and sir Matthew Redman to Newcastle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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