THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
the Burgavennians could scarcely be expected to take quietly, and as a matter of fact not a few men who had hitherto borne a large paunch with great credit, grew thin and pale through endeavouring to untie this knot. Once the good folk tried making a ring round the tower to watch for Sir Jenkin's descent; but then one cannot stand with one's head in the air all day and all night, and to do so for a couple of hours makes a body's neck ache terribly. And then it began to rain and hail and snow all at once, so everybody went home, and the Knight was at his old work again before the day was done. Nor could any walls, doors, locks, bolts or bars, keep him out, however high or strong they were; and the Baron gained nothing by lowering the portcullis, raising the drawbridge, setting a double watch on the barbican, bartisans, and battlements; for Sir Jenkin knocked at his door and interrupted him and altogether muddled things in the castle. It is said there were two special cauldrons of boiling lead kept simmering day and night for a week above the main entrance and two cauldrons of boiling oil maintained for the same period above the postern, but though the machicolations were beautifully made and the baron's men handy fellows with the ladle they saw no one, and yet the Knight got into the interior parts of the fortress somehow or other. And since the Baron of Burgavenny, Lord Marcher of Wales, was not able to defend his strong place against Sir Jenkin, the small gentry, and petty merchants knew they might as well give up trying: as for the monks they
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