They rode but small journeys
because of their prisoners and great carriages that they had: they
rode in a day no more but four or five leagues and lodged ever
betimes, and rode close together in good array saving the marshals'
battles, who rode ever before with five hundred men of arms to open
the passages as the prince should pass; but they found no encounters,
for all the country was so frayed that every man drew to the
fortresses.
As the prince rode, it was shewed him how the lord Audley had given to
his four squires the gift of the five hundred marks that he had given
unto him: then the prince sent for him and he was brought in his
litter to the prince, who received him courteously and said: 'Sir
James, we have knowledge that the revenues that we gave you, as soon
as ye came to your lodging, you gave the same to four squires: we
would know why ye did so, and whether the gift was agreeable to you or
not.' 'Sir,' said the knight, 'it is of truth I have given it to them,
and I shall shew you why I did so. These four squires that be here
present have a long season served me well and truly in many great
businesses and, sir, in this last battle they served me in such wise
that an they had never done nothing else I was bound to reward them,
and before the same day they had never nothing of me in reward.
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