Bernard’s eyes flashed fire at the bare thought of the unchecked career of victory he saw for England’s arms when once she had set foot on the long-talked-of expedition which was to make Edward king over the realm of France.

“And we will fight for him too!” cried Gaston and Raymond in a breath; “and so, I trow, will all Gascony.  We love the English rule there.  We love the Roy Outremer, as he is called there.  If he would but come to our land, instead of to treacherous Flanders or feeble, storm-torn Brittany, for his soldiers and for his starting place, I trow his arms would meet with naught but victory.  The Sieur d’Albret, men whisper, has been to the Court, and has looked with loving eyes upon one of the King’s daughters for his son.  That hope would make him faithful to the English cause, and he is the greatest Lord in Gascony, where all men fear his name.”

“Thou shalt tell all that to the King or to the Prince,” said John in a low tone to Raymond, as they fell a little behind, for the road grew rough and narrow.  “I trow he will be glad to learn all he may from those who know what the people of the land speak and think —­ the humbler folks, of whom men are growing now to take more account, at least here in England, since it is they, men now say, who must be asked ere even the King himself may dare to go to war.  For money must be found through them, and they will not always grant it unless they be pleased with what has already been done.  The great nobles say hard things of them they call the ‘Commons;’ they say that England’s doom will surely come if she is to be answerable to churls and merchant folk for what her King and barons choose to do.  But for my part it seems but just that those who pay the heavy burden of these long wars should know somewhat about them, and should even have the power to check them did they think the country oppressed beyond what she could bear.  A bad king might not care for the sufferings of his people.  A weak king might be but the tool of his barons —­ as we have heard the King’s father was —­ and hear nothing but what they chose for him to know.  For my own part, I think it right and just enough that the people should have their voice in these things.  They always grant the King a liberal supply; and if they demand from him the redress of grievances and the granting of certain privileges in return, I can see in that naught that is unfair; nor would England be happier and more prosperous, methinks, were she governed by a tyrant who might grind her down to the dust.”

John de Brocas was a very thoughtful youth, very different in appearance from his younger brothers, who were fine stalwart young men, well versed in every kind of knightly exercise, and delighting in nothing so much as the display of their energies and skill.  John was cast in quite a different mould, and possibly it was something of a disappointment to the father that his first born should be so unlike himself and