“Nay once more, dear lord,” quoth Ursula, “I fear to be left alone of thee, and it is meet that thou free me from fear.  I will ride with you, but three horse-lengths behind, so as not to hinder you.  I have been worse bestead than this shall be.”

“It is good,” quoth Redhead, “let her ride with us:  for why should she suffer the pain of fear in the lonely waste?  But let her do on a hauberk over her coats, and steel coif over her head, for shaft and bolt will ofttimes go astray.”

Even so they did, and rode forward, and presently they saw the spearmen that they were somewhat more than their company, and that they were well mounted on black horses and clad in black armour.  Then they drew rein for awhile and Redhead scanned them again and said:  “Yea, these are the men of the brother of thy hot wooer, Lady Ursula, whom I cooled in the Ram’s Bane, but a man well nigh as old as his uncle, though he hath not made men tremble so sore, albeit he be far the better man, a good warrior, a wise leader, a reiver and lifter well wrought at all points.  Well, ’tis not unlike that we shall have to speak to his men again, either out-going or home-coming:  so we had best kill as many of these as we may now.  Do on thy sallet, my lord; and thou, Michael-a-green shake out the Bull; and thou, our Noise, blow a point of war that they may be warned.  God to aid! but they be ready and speedy!”

In sooth even as the pennon of the Bull ran down the wind and the Utterbol horn was winded, the Black men-at-arms came on at a trot, and presently with a great screeching yell cast their spears into the rest, and spurred on all they might, while a half score of bowmen who had come out of the thicket bent their bows and fell a-shooting.  But now the men of Utterbol spurred to meet the foe, and as Redhead cast his spear into the rest, he said to Ralph:  “Glad am I that thy Lady is anear to see me, for now I worship her.”

Therewith the two bands met, and whereas on neither side was the armour very stout, some men of either band were hurt or slain at once with spearthrust; though, save for Ralph, they did not run straight on each other; but fenced and foined with their spears deftly enough.  As for Ralph, he smote a tall man full on the breast and pierced him through and through, and then pulled out the Upmeads blade and smote on the right hand and the left, so that none came anigh him willingly.

Shortly to say it, in five minutes’ time the Black Riders were fleeing all over the field with them of Utterbol at their heels, and the bowmen ran back again into the wood.  But one of the foemen as he fled cast a javelin at a venture, and who should be before it save Ursula, so that she reeled in her saddle, and would have fallen downright but for one of the Utterbol fellows who stayed her, and got her gently off her horse.  This Ralph saw not, for he followed far in the chase, and was coming back somewhat slowly along with Redhead, who was hurt, but not sorely.  So when he came up, and saw Ursula sitting on the grass with four or five men about her, he sickened for fear; but she rose up and came slowly and pale-faced to meet him, and said:  “Fear not, beloved, for steel kept out steel:  I have no scratch or point or edge on me.”  So therewith he kissed her, and embraced her, and was glad.