Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair Read online

  "Nay," said Simon, "only the work of the knife." And therewith he sethis hand to the bag and drew out by the hair a man's head, newly hackedoff and bleeding, and said: "Hast thou seen him before, Lord? He was agreat man yesterday, though not so great as thou shalt be to-morrow."

  "Once only I have seen him," said Christopher, "and then he gave me thisgift" (and he showed his father's ring on his finger): "thou hast slainthe Earl Marshal, who called himself the King of Oakenrealm: my traitorand dastard he was but thy friend. Wherefore have I two evil deeds toreward thee, Simon, the wounding of me and the slaying of him. Dost thounot deem thee gallows-ripe?"

  "King," said Simon, "what wouldst thou have done with him hadst thoucaught him?"

  Said Christopher: "I had slain him had I met him with a weapon in hisfist; and if we had taken him I had let the folk judge him."

  Said Simon: "That is to say, that either thou hadst slain him thyself,or bidden others to slay him. Now then I ask thee, King, for whichdeed wilt thou slay me, for not slaying thee, or for doing thy work andslaying thy foe?"

  Said Christopher to the guard: "Good fellow, fetch here a good horseready saddled and bridled, and be speedy."

  So the man went: and Christopher said to Simon: "For the knife in myside, I forgive it thee; and as to the slaying of thy friend, it is notfor me to take up the feud. But this is no place for thee: if Jack ofthe Tofts, or any of his sons, or one of the captains findeth thee, soonart thou sped; wherefore I rede thee, when yonder lad hath brought theethe horse, show me the breadth of thy back, and mount the beast, and putthe most miles thou canst betwixt me and my folk; for they love me."

  Said Simon: "Sorry payment for making thee a king!"

  Said Christopher: "Well, thou art in the right; I may well give gold forgetting rid of such as thou." And he put his hand into a pouch that hungon his chair, and drew out thence a purse, and gave it unto Simon, whotook it and opened it and looked therein, and then flung it down on theground.

  Christopher looked on him wrathfully with reddened face, and cried out:"Thou dog! wouldst thou be an earl and rule the folk? What more dostthou want?"

  "This!" cried out Simon, and leapt upon him, knife aloft. Christopherwas unarmed utterly; but he caught hold of the felon's right arm withhis right hand, and gripped the wrist till he shrieked; then he raisedup his mighty left hand, and drave it down on Simon's head by the ear,and all gave way before it, and the murderer fell crushed and dead toearth.

  Therewith came in the man-at-arms to tell him that the horse was come;but stared wild when he saw the dead man on the ground. But Christophersaid: "My lad, here hath been one who would have thrust a knife intoan unarmed man, wherefore I must needs give him his wages. But now thouhast this to do: take thou this dead man and bind him so fast on thehorse thou hast brought that he will not come off till the bindings beundone; and bind withal the head of this other, who was once a great manand an evil, before the slayer of him, so that it also may be fast; thenget thee to horse and lead this beast and its burden till ye are wellon the highway to Oakenham, and then let him go and find his way to thegate of the city if God will. And hearken, my lad; seest thou thisgold which lieth scattering on the floor here? this was mine, but is nolonger, since I have given it away to the dead man just before he liftedhis hand against me. Wherefore now I will keep it for thee against thoucomest back safe to me in the morning betimes, as I deem thou wilt, ifthou wilt behight to St. Julian the helping of some poor body on theroad. Go therefore, but send hither the guard; for I am weary now, andwould go to sleep without slaying any man else."

  So departed the man full of joy, and Christopher gathered his moneytogether again, and so fared to his bed peacefully.

  CHAPTER XXXVI. KING CHRISTOPHER COMES TO OAKENHAM.

  But on the morrow the first man who came to the King was the man-at-armsaforesaid; and he told that he had done the King's errand, and ridden afive miles on the road to Oakenham before he had left the horse with hisfelon load, and that he had found nought stirring all that way when hehad passed through their own out-guards, where folk knew him and lethim go freely. "And," quoth he, "it is like enough that this gift toOakenham, Lord King, has by now come to the gate thereof." Then the Kinggave that man the gold which he had promised, and he kissed the King'shand and went his ways a happy man.

  Thereafter sent Christopher for Jack of the Tofts, and told him in fewwords what had betid, and that Rolf the traitor was dead. Then spakeJack: "King and fosterling, never hath so mighty a warrior as thou wagedso easy a war for so goodly a kingdom as thou hast done; for surely thywar was ended last night, wherefore will we straight to Oakenham, if sothou wilt. But if it be thy pleasure I will send a chosen band of ridersto wend on the spur thereto, and bid them get ready thy kingly house,and give word to the Barons and the Prelates, and the chiefs of theKnighthood, and the Mayor and the Aldermen, and the Masters of theCrafts, to show themselves of what mind they be towards thee. But Idoubt it not that they will deem of thee as thy father come back againand grown young once more."

  Now was Christopher eager well nigh unto weeping to behold his peoplethat he should live amongst, and gladly he yea-said the word of Jack ofthe Tofts. So were those riders sent forward; and the host was ordered,and Christopher rode amidst it with Goldilind by his side; and thesun was not yet gone down when they came within sight of the gate ofOakenham, and there before the gate and in the fields on either sideof it was gathered a very great and goodly throng, and there went forthfrom it to meet the King the Bishop of Oakenham, and the Abbot of St.Mary's and the Priors of the other houses of religion, all fairly cladin broidered copes, with the clerks and the monks dight full solemnly;and they came singing to meet him, and the Bishop blessed him and gavehim the hallowed bread, and the King greeted him and craved his prayers.Then came the Burgreve of Oakenham, and with him the Barons and theKnights, and they knelt before him, and named him to king, and theBurgreve gave him the keys of the city. Thereafter came the Mayor andthe Aldermen, and the Masters of the Crafts, and they craved his favour,and warding of his mighty sword; and all these he greeted kindly andmeekly, rather as a friend than as a great lord.

  Thereafter were the gates opened, and King Christopher entered, andthere was no gainsaying, and none spake a word of the Traitor Rolf.

  But the bells of the minster and of all the churches rang merrily, andsongs were sung sweetly by fair women gloriously clad; and whereas KingChristopher and Queen Goldilind had lighted down from their horses andwent afoot through the street, roses and all kinds of sweet flowers werecast down before the feet of them all the way from the city gate to theKing's High House of Oakenham.

  There then in the great hall of his father's house stood Christopher theKing on the dais, and Goldilind beside him. And Jack of the Tofts andthe chiefest of the Captains, and the Bishop, and the greatest lordsof the Barons, and the doughtiest of the Knights, and the Mayor and theAldermen, and the Masters of the Crafts, sat at the banquet with theKing and his mate; they brake bread together and drank cups of renown,till the voidee cup was borne in. Then at last were the King & the Queenbrought to their chamber with string-play and songs and all kinds oftriumph; and that first night since he lay in his mother's womb didChild Christopher fall asleep in the house which the fathers had buildedfor him.

  CHAPTER XXXVII. OF CHILD CHRISTOPHER'S DEALINGS WITH HIS FRIENDS & HISFOLK.

  It was in the morning when King Christopher arose, and Goldilind stoodbefore him in the kingly chamber, that he clipped her and kissed her,and said: "This is the very chamber whence my father departed when hewent to his last battle, and left my mother sickening with the comingbirth of me. And never came he back hither, nor did mine eyes behold himever. Here also lay my mother and gave birth to me, and died of sorrow,and her also I never saw, save with eyes that noted nought that I mightremember. And my third kinsman was the traitor, that cast me forth ofmine heritage, and looked to it that I should wax up as a churl, andlose all hope of high deeds; and at the last he strove to slay me.
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br />   "Therefore, sweet, have I no kindred, and none that are bound to cherishme, and it is for thee to take the place of them, and be unto me bothfather and mother, and brother and sister, and all kindred."

  She said: "My mother I never saw, and I was but little when my fatherdied; and if I had any kindred thereafter they loved me not well enoughto strike one stroke for me, nay, or to speak a word even, when I wasthrust out of my place and delivered over to the hands of pitilesspeople, and my captivity worsened on me as the years grew. Wherefore tome also art thou in the stead of all kindred and affinity."

  Now Christopher took counsel with Jack of the Tofts and the great menof the kingdom, and that same day, the first day of his kingship inOakenham, was summoned a great mote of the whole folk; and in half amonth was it holden, and thereat was Christopher taken to king with nonegainsaying.

  Began now fair life for the people of Oakenrealm; for Jack of the Toftsabode about the King in Oakenham; and wise was his counsel, and therewas no greed in him, and yet he wotted of greed and guile in others,and warned the King thereof when he saw it, and the tyrants were broughtlow, and no poor and simple man had need to thieve. As for Christopher,he loved better to give than to take; and the grief and sorrow of folkirked him sorely; it was to him as if he had gotten a wound when he sawso much as one unhappy face in a day; and all folk loved him, and thefame of him went abroad through the lands and the roads of travel, sothat many were the wise and valiant folk that left their own land andcame into Oakenrealm to dwell there, because of the good peace andthe kindliness that there did abound; so that Oakenrealm became bothmany-peopled and joyous.

  Though Jack of the Tofts abode with the King at Oakenham, his sons wentback to the Tofts, and Gilbert was deemed the head man of them; folkgathered to them there, and the wilderness about them became builded inmany places, and the Tofts grew into a goodly cheaping town, for thosebrethren looked to it that all roads in the woodland should be safe andat peace, so that no chapman need to arm him or his folk; nay, a maidenmight go to and fro on the woodland ways, with a golden girdle abouther, without so much as the crumpling of a lap of her gown unless by herown will.

  As to David, at first Christopher bade him strongly to abide with himever, for he loved him much. But David nay-said it, and would go home tothe Tofts; and when the King pressed him sore, at last he said: "Friendand fellow, I must now tell thee the very sooth, and then shalt thousuffer me to depart, though the sundering be but sorrow to me. For thisit is, that I love thy Lady and wife more than meet is, and here I findit hard to thole my desire and my grief; but down in the thicket yonderamongst my brethren of the woods, and man and maid, and wife and babe,nay, the very deer of the forest, I shall become a man again, and be nomore a peevish and grudging fool; and as the years wear, shall sorrowwear, and then, who knows but we may come together again."

  Then Christopher smiled kindly on him and embraced him, but they spakeno more of that matter, but sat talking a while, and then bade eachother farewell, and David went his ways to the Tofts. But a few monthsthereafter, when a son had been born to Christopher, David came toOakenrealm, but stayed there no longer than to greet the King, and dohim to wit that he was boun for over-sea to seek adventure. Many giftsthe King gave him, and they sundered in all loving-kindness, and theKing said: "Farewell, friend, I shall remember thee and thy kindnessfor ever." But David said: "By the roof in Littledale and by the hearththereof, thou shalt be ever in my mind."

  Thus they parted for that time; but five and twenty years afterwards,when Child Christopher was in his most might and majesty, and Goldilindwas yet alive and lovely, and sons and daughters sat about their board,it was the Yule feast in the King's Hall at Oakenham, and there camea man into the hall that none knew, big of stature, grey-eyed andhollow-cheeked, with red hair grizzled, and worn with the helm; aweaponed man, chieftain-like and warrior-like. And when the serving-menasked him of his name, and whence and whither, he said: "I have comefrom over-seas to look upon the King, and when he seeth me he will knowmy name." Then he put them all aside and would not be gainsaid, butstrode up the hall to the high-seat, and stood before the King and said:"Hail, little King Christopher! Hail, stout babe of the woodland!"

  Then the King looked on him and knew him at once, and stood up at oncewith a glad cry, and came round unto him, and took his arms about himand kissed him, and led him into the high-seat, and set him betwixt himand Goldilind, and she also greeted him and took him by the hand andkissed him; and Jack of the Tofts, now a very old man, but yet haleand stark, who sat on the left hand of the King, leaned toward him andkissed him and blessed him; for lo! it was David of the Tofts.

  Spake he now and said: "Christopher, this is now a happy day!"

  Said the King: "David, whither away hence, and what is thine heart setupon?"

  "On the renewal of our youth," said David, "and the abiding with thee.By my will no further will I go than this thine house. How sayest thou?"

  "As thou dost," said Christopher, "that this is indeed a happy day;drink out of my cup now, to our abiding together, and the end ofsundering till the last cometh."

  So they drank together, they two, and were happy amidst the folk of thehall; and at last the King stood up and spake aloud, and did all to witthat this was his friend and fellow of the old days; and he told of hisdoughty deeds, whereof he had heard many a tale, and treasured them inhis heart while they were apart, and he bade men honour him, all such aswould be his friends. And all men rejoiced at the coming of this doughtyman and the friend of the King.

  So there abode David, holden in all honour, and in great love of ChildChristopher and Goldilind; and when his father died, his earldom did theKing give to David his friend, who never sundered from him again, butwas with him in peace and in war, in joy and in sorrow.

  CHAPTER XXXVIII. OF MATTERS OF MEADHAM.

  GOES the tale back now to the time when the kingship of ChildChristopher was scarce more than one month old; and tells that asthe King sat with his Queen in the cool of his garden on a morning ofAugust, there came to him a swain of service, who did him to wit that anoutland lord was come, and would see him and give him a message.

  So the King bade bring him in to the garden to him straight-way; so theman went, and came back again leading in a knight somewhat stricken inyears, on whose green surcoat was beaten a golden lion.

  He came to those twain and did obeisance to them, but spake, as itseemed, to Goldilind alone: "Lady, and Queen of Meadham," said he, "itis unto thee, first of all, that mine errand is."

  Then she spoke and said: "Welcome to thee, Sir Castellan ofGreenharbour, we shall hear thy words gladly."

  Said the new-comer: "Lady, I am no longer the Burgreve of Greenharbour,but Sir Guisebert, lord of the Green March, and thy true servant and asuitor for thy grace and pardon."

  "I pardon thee not, but thank thee for what thou didst of good to me,"said Goldilind, "and I think that now thine errand shall be friendly."

  Then turned the Green Knight to the King, and he said: "Have I thy leaveto speak, Lord King?" and he smiled covertly.

  But Christopher looked on the face and coat-armour of him, and calledhim to mind as the man who had stood betwixt him and present deaththat morning in the porch of the Littledale house; so he looked on himfriendly, and said: "My leave thou hast, Sir Knight, to speak fully andfreely, and that the more as meseemeth I saw thee first when thou hadstweaponed men at thy back, and wert turning their staves away from mybreast."

  "Even so it is, Lord King," said the Knight; "and to say sooth, I fearthee less for thy kingship, than because I wot well that thou maystlightly take me up by the small of my back and cast me over thy shoulderif thou have a mind therefor."

  Christopher laughed at his word, and bade him sit down upon the greengrass and tell his errand straightway; and the Knight tarried not, butspake out: "Queen of Meadham, I am a friend and fellow, and in some sorta servant, to Earl Geoffrey, Regent of Meadham, whom thou knowest; andhe hath put a word in my mouth which is both sho
rt and easy for me totell. All goes awry in Meadham now, and men are arming against eachother, and will presently be warring, but if thou look to it; becauseall this is for lack of thee. But if thou wilt vouchsafe to come toMeadhamstead, and sit on thy throne for a little while, commanding andforbidding; and if thou wilt appoint one of the lords for thine Earlthere, and others for thy captains, and governors and burgreves and soforth; then if the people see thee and hear thee, the swords will gointo their sheaths, and the spears will hang on the wall again, and weshall have peace in Meadham, for all will do thy bidding. Wherefore,Lady and Queen, I beseech thee to come to us, and stave off the riot andruin. What sayest thou?"

  Goldilind made answer in a while: "Sir Guisebert, true it is that I longto see my people, and to look once more on my father's house, and theplace where he was born and died. But how know I but this is some wileof Earl Geoffrey, for he hath not been abounding in trustiness towardus?"

  But Sir Guisebert swore on his salvation that there was no guiletherein, and they were undone save Goldilind came unto them. Then spakeChristopher: "Sir Knight, I am willing to pleasure my Lady, who, asI can see, longeth to behold her own land and people; and also by thyvoice and thy face I deem that thou art not lying unto me, and that noharm will befall the Lady; yet will I ask thee right out what thou andthy lord would think thereof if she come into Meadham accompanied; towit, if I rode with her, and had five hundreds of good riders at myback, would ye have guesting for so many and such stark lads?"

  The Knight took up the word eagerly, and said: "Wilt thou but come,dear lord, and bring a thousand or more, then the surer and the safer itwould be for us."