THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
account of his possessions, he determined to lose no time but to enjoy himself with all speed. So he called together a goodly flock of his boon companions who were many, and now increased every day, and bade them to Penhow that they might try his cellars, test the merits of the manorial preserves, and receive joy-bote and jest-bote from their entertainment. This summons, it will be supposed, met with few nays, and before long the manor-house overflowed with gay surcoats, who ate, drank, hunted, tilted, made love, and played ball with laudable hardiness; indeed between one thing and another, they gave themselves but little time for sleeping. Among these laborious persons were Sir Rogo de Knovill, Sir Dru de Dynam, Sir Philip de Bendeville, Sir William Denford de Crick, and many another stalwart lusty man, who was rather more important a few hundred years ago than now, the which must be my excuse for not giving you a roll of them all like the old blind clerk of Scio, or the glorious Virgilius; since they doubtless took time over their catalogues and trimmed and garnished them with choice adornments so that they are not tedious but smack smoothly in the mouth. But you may conceive if you can the trampling of the horses of this company as they rode up to Penhow, the glittering of the steel, the blaze of coat armour, and the fine clatter of old French, scraps of love-songs of Provence, or merry ballads from Paris town, and every now and then a rather strong expression by way of comma. I leave the gentlemen and pass to the ladies, who come
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