THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
his own purse at the same time. And before he had been seised of Penhow for a year and a day he was on shipboard, having with him as esquire a young fellow from his Manor of Woundy, whom he had noticed to be sharp witted and handy in many ways, and not addicted to asking questions when his lord told him to do anything. This esquire's name was Gilbert Tapp, and though young, he was grim and stern-set of feature, and slow to take a joke; for this was the nature he had received from his father and mother, who were by no means pleasant people. Thus the Knight and Esquire made their way by land and sea to Germany, and some say they remained there for more than twenty years in the service of divers great nobles, now fighting for one and now for another, since so long as the pay was good and there was plenty of employment neither Sir Roger nor Gilbert cared a rap for whom they warrayed. Some say that they went to the peninsula of Italy as well, and assisted to conclude the various disagreements between the cities, duchies, principalities and kingdoms by vigorous applications of the Gwentian sword, spear, and battle axe; and that they were at the stricken field of La Grandella and in many other affairs of the same kind in connection with those troublesome two Sicilies. It is likewise recorded by one or two annalists that Sir Roger served Baldwin, second of that name, Emperor of Constantinople, and had to get out of the way very quickly on the night of July the twenty-fifth, when Alexius Strategopoulos climbed over the wall and cleared
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