الفصل الفصل 272 · How Anglides gave the bloody doublet to Alisander, her

. How Anglides gave the bloody doublet to Alisander, her

son, the same day that he was made knight, and the charge withal.

Then upon a day Bellangere the Constable came to Anglides and said:

Madam, it were time my lord Alisander were made knight, for he is a

passing strong young man. Sir, said she, I would he were made knight;

but then must I give him the most charge that ever sinful mother gave

to her child. Do as ye list, said Bellangere, and I shall give him

warning that he shall be made knight. Now it will be well done that he

may be made knight at our Lady Day in Lent. Be it so, said Anglides,

and I pray you make ready therefore. So came the Constable to

Alisander, and told him that he should at our Lady Day in Lent be made

knight. I thank God, said Alisander; these are the best tidings that

ever came to me. Then the Constable ordained twenty of the greatest

gentlemen’s sons, and the best born men of the country, that should be

made knights that same day that Alisander was made knight. So on the

same day that Alisander and his twenty fellows were made knights, at

the offering of the mass there came Anglides unto her son and said

thus: O fair sweet son, I charge thee upon my blessing, and of the high

order of chivalry that thou takest here this day, that thou understand

what I shall say and charge thee withal. Therewithal she pulled out a

bloody doublet and a bloody shirt, that were be-bled with old blood.

When Alisander saw this he stert aback and waxed pale, and said: Fair

mother, what may this mean? I shall tell thee, fair son: this was thine

own father’s doublet and shirt, that he wore upon him that same day

that he was slain. And there she told him why and wherefore, and how

for his goodness King Mark slew him with his dagger afore mine own

eyen. And therefore this shall be your charge that I shall give thee.