“John of the Needle” did not fail to prick his way according to his fancy and profit after this hint. He was captain of the most famous and most successful “horde” that ever sang, “Stand and deliver!” Not that he acted in rough highwayman fashion,—not he! Meek tailor as he _had_ been, he had become too much of a gentleman and soldier for that. He robbed and murdered only in accordance with the rules of chivalry; and he would have hung a common thief who had dared to hint that he was a brother by profession. His black-mail produced him tons of “red gold,” and his forays now extended to the banks of the Po. There _was_ something of the spirit of Merry Sherwood in him, for he had a sort of jolly delight in attacking the palace and stripping the person of a bishop. This kind of gentle amusement however was not at all to the taste of the Bishop of bishops at Rome; and the appeal made by the Vatican to the King of England had better success than that which had been made by the King of France. Hawkwood submitted both to his own sovereign and to the Church. From the latter he purchased peace,—making large gifts, which were thought nothing the worse of that they were the product of robbery. John thereupon took to regular service: he first entered that of the Pisans, in 1364, and those roystering individuals soon furnished him with as much fighting as he could reasonably have stomach for: when they were not inclined to fight, he hired out his sword and person to powers willing to fight against them. Sometimes a single baron, having a quarrel with another baron, and wishing to get possession of his goods, engaged Hawkwood to transact the little business for him. He of the needle went at it with a will; and when he had secured the castle and property of the fallen noble, he generally defied the other to take them from him, with a “Come, if you dare!” This system was never objected to: an arrangement _à l’amiable_ was entered into, and Hawkwood was accounted as honest a man as before. In twenty-three years’ service in Italy he thus fought on any and every side. It was only when he got satiated with variety that he settled down to constancy, and swore stable allegiance to the Florentines. One incident of the style of warfare, and his skill in carrying it on, will suffice to show of what metal our Essex needle was fashioned.