Chapter 7

           Knights,withalongretinueoftheirsquires,

           Ingaudyliveriesmarchandquaintattires;

           Onelacedthehelm,anotherheldthelance,

           Athirdtheshiningbucklerdidadvance.

           Thecourserpaw’dthegroundwithrestlessfeet,

           Andsnortingfoam’dandchamp’dthegoldenbit.

           Thesmithsandarmourersonpalfreysride,

           Filesintheirhands,andhammersattheirside;

           Andnailsforloosen’dspears,andthongsforshieldsprovide.

           Theyeomenguardthestreetsinseemlybands;

           Andclownscomecrowdingon,withcudgelsintheirhands.

           PalamonandArcite

           TheconditionoftheEnglishnationwasatthistimesufficientlymiserable.KingRichardwasabsentaprisoner,andinthepoweroftheperfidiousandcruelDukeofAustria.Eventheveryplaceofhiscaptivitywasuncertain,andhisfatebutveryimperfectlyknowntothegeneralityofhissubjects,whowere,inthemeantime,apreytoeveryspeciesofsubalternoppression.

           PrinceJohn,inleaguewithPhilipofFrance,Coeur-de-Lion’smortalenemy,wasusingeveryspeciesofinfluencewiththeDukeofAustria,toprolongthecaptivityofhisbrotherRichard,towhomhestoodindebtedforsomanyfavours.Inthemeantime,hewasstrengtheninghisownfactioninthekingdom,ofwhichheproposedtodisputethesuccession,incaseoftheKing’sdeath,withthelegitimateheir,ArthurDukeofBrittany,sonofGeoffreyPlantagenet,theelderbrotherofJohn.Thisusurpation,itiswellknown,heafterwardseffected.

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