Let no man break the peace of
the Holy Thing, lest he become a man accursed in holy places from the
plain up to the mountain, and from the mountain down to the plain; a
man not to be cherished of any man of good will, not be holpen with
victuals or edge-tool or draught-beast; a man to be sheltered under
no roof-tree, and warmed at no hearth of man: so help us the Warrior
and the God of the Earth, and Him of the Face, and all the Fathers!'
When he had spoken men clashed their weapons in token of assent; and
he sat down again, and there was silence for a space. But presently
came thrusting forward a goodman of the Dale, who seemed as if he had
come hurriedly to the Thing; for his face was running down with
sweat, his wide-rimmed iron cap sat awry over his brow, and he was
girt with a rusty sword without a scabbard, and the girdle was ill-
braced up about his loins. So he said:
'I am Red-coat of Waterless of the Lower Dale. Early this morning as
I was going afield I met on the way a man akin to me, Fox of Upton to
wit, and he told me that men were being summoned to a Gate-thing. So
I turned back home, and caught up any weapon that came handy, and
here I am, Alderman, asking thee of the tidings which hath driven
thee to call this Thing so hard on the Great Folk-mote, for I know
them nothing so.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275