“Doubtless it is for the best, Tresham, and you must remember that things may not, even now, turn out as you think.  A knight who has done a brave service does not find much difficulty in obtaining from the Pope a dispensation from his vows.  Numbers of knights have so left the Order and have married and perpetuated their name.  It is almost a necessity that it should be so, for otherwise many princes and barons would object to their sons entering the Order.  Its object is to keep back the irruption of the Moslems, and when men have done their share of hard work no regret need be felt if they desire to leave the Order.  Our founder had no thought of covering Europe with monasteries, and beyond the fact that it is necessary there should be men to administer our manors and estates, I see no reason why any should not freely leave when they reach the age of thirty or thirty-five, and indeed believe that it would strengthen rather than weaken us were the vows, taken at the age of seventeen, to be for fifteen years only.”

“There is something in that,” the knight said thoughtfully.  “However, that is far in the distance, and concerns me but little; still, I agree with you, for I see no advantage in men, after their time of usefulness to the Order is past, being bound to settle down to a monastic life if by nature and habit unsuited for it.  There are some spirits who, after long years of warfare, are well content so to do, but there are assuredly others to whom a life of forced inactivity, after a youth and manhood spent in action, must be well nigh unendurable.  And now tell me frankly what you think of our chances here.”

“Everything depends upon time.  Promises of aid have come in from all quarters, and if Edward delays we shall soon be at the head of an overwhelming force.  But Edward, with all his faults and vices, is an able and energetic leader, and must be well aware that if he is to strike successfully he must strike soon.  We must hope that he will not be able to do this.  He cannot tell whether we intend to march direct to London, or to join Pembroke in Wales, or to march north, and until he divines our purpose, he will hardly dare to move lest we should, by some rapid movement, interpose between himself and London.  If he gives us a month, our success is certain.  If he can give battle in a fortnight, no one can say how the matter will end.”

Edward, indeed, was losing no time.  He stayed but a few days in London after his victory at Barnet, and on the 19th of April left for Windsor, ordering all his forces to join him there.  The Lancastrians had endeavoured to puzzle him as to their intended movements by sending parties out in various directions; but as soon as he had gathered a force, numerically small, but composed of veteran soldiers, he hurried west, determined to bring on a battle at the earliest opportunity.  The queen’s advisers determined to move first to Wells, as from that point they could