The following striking example of this romantic custom occurs in Froissart.  During the French wars of Edward the Black Prince, and in the year 1370, a body of English, and of adventurers retained in his service, approached the city of Noyon, then occupied by a French garrison, and arrayed themselves, with displayed banners, before the town, defying the defenders to battle.  “There was a Scottysh knyghte[96] dyde there a goodly feate of armes, for he departed fro his companye, hys speare in hys hand, and mounted on a good horse, hys page behynde hyme, and so came before the barryers.  Thys knyghte was called Sir Johan Assueton,[97] a hardy man and a couragyous.  Whan he was before the barryers of Noyon, he lyghted a-fote, and sayd to hys page, ‘Holde, kepe my horse, and departe nat hens;’ and so wente to the barryers.  And wythyn the barryers, there were good knyghtes; as, Sir John of Roy, Sir Lancelat of Loutys, and a x or xii other, who had grete marveyle what thys sayde knyghte wolde do.  Than he sayde to them, ’Sirs, I am come hyder to se you.  I se well, ye wyll nat issue out of your barryers; therefore I will entre, and I can, and wyll prove my knyghthode agaynst yours; wyn me and ye can.’  And therewyth he layde on, round about hym, and they at hym.  And thus, he alone fought agaynst them, more than an houre; and dyd hurte two or three of them; so that they of the towne, on the walles and garrettes, stode still, and behelde them, and had great pleasure to regarde his valyauntness, and dyd him no hurte; the whiche they myght have done, if they hadde list to have shotte, or cast stones at hym.  And also the French knyghtes charged them to let hym and them alone togyder.  So long they foughte, that, at last, his page came near to the barryers, and spake in his langage, and sayd, ’Sir, come awaye; it is time for you to departe, for your cumpanye is departyng hens.’  The knyghte harde hym well, and than gave a two or three strokes about him, and so, armed as he was, he lepte out of the barryers, and lepte upon his horse, without any hurte, behynde his page; and sayd to the Frenchemen, ‘Adue, sirs!  I thank you;’ and so rode forthe to his owne company.  The whiche dede was moche praysed of many folkes.”—­Froissart, cap. 278.

[Footnote 96:  By the terms of the peace betwixt England and Scotland, the Scottish were left at liberty to take service either with France or England, at their pleasure.  Sir Robert Knolles, therefore, who commanded the expedition, referred to in the text, had under his command a hundred Scottish spears.]

[Footnote 97:  Assueton is a corruption for Swinton.  Sir John Swinton, of Swinton, was a Scottish champion, noted for his courage and gigantic stature.]