The Armourer's PrenticesYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
History
The Armourer's Prentices
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Great Britain -- History -- Henry VIII, 1509-1547 -- Fiction
Thus did they arrive at York House. Workmen were busy on some portions
of it, but it was inhabited by the great Archbishop, the king’s chief
adviser. The approach of the boat seemed to be instantly notified, as
it drew near the stone steps giving entrance to the gardens, with an
avenue of trees leading up to the principal entrance.
Four or five yeomen ran down the steps, calling out to Tibble that
their corslets had tarried a long time, and that Sir Thomas Drury had
been storming for him to get his tilting armour into order.
Tibble followed the man who had undertaken to conduct him through a
path that led to the offices of the great house, bidding the boys keep
with him, and asking for their uncle Master Harry Randall.
The yeoman shook his head. He knew no such person in the household, and
did not think there ever had been such. Sir Thomas Drury was found in
the stable court, trying the paces of the horse he intended to use in
the approaching joust. “Ha! old Wry-mouth,” he cried, “welcome at last!
I must have my new device damasked on my shield. Come hither, and I’ll
show it thee.”
Private rooms were seldom enjoyed, even by knights and gentlemen, in
such a household, and Sir Thomas could only conduct Tibble to the
armoury, where numerous suits of armour hung on blocks, presenting the
semblance of armed men. The knight, a good-looking personage,
expatiated much on the device he wished to dedicate to his lady-love, a
pierced heart with a forget-me-not in the midst, and it was not until
the directions were finished that Tibble ventured to mention the
inquiry for Randall.
“I wot of no such fellow,” returned Sir Thomas, “you had best go to the
comptroller, who keeps all the names.” Tibble had to go to this
functionary at any rate, to obtain an order for payment for the
corslets he had brought home. Ambrose and Stephen followed him across
an enormous hall, where three long tables were being laid for dinner.
The comptroller of the household, an esquire of good birth, with a
stiff little ruff round his neck, sat in a sort of office inclosed by
panels at the end of the hall. He made an entry of Tibble’s account in
a big book, and sent a message to the cofferer to bring the amount.
Then Tibble again put his question on behalf of the two young
foresters, and the comptroller shook his head. He did not know the
name. “Was the gentleman” (he chose that word as he looked at the boys)
“layman or clerk?” “Layman, certainly,” said Ambrose, somewhat dismayed
to find how little, on interrogation, he really knew.
“Was he a yeoman of the guard, or in attendance on one of my lord’s
nobles in waiting?”
“We thought he had been a yeoman,” said Ambrose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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