All this you must understand lasted but a few minutes, and when our
men had been shooting quite coolly, like good workmen at peaceful
work, for a few minutes more, the enemy's line seemed to clear
somewhat; the pennon with the three red kine showed in front and three
men armed from head to foot in gleaming steel, except for their short
coats bright with heraldry, were with it. One of them (and he bore the
three kine on his coat) turned round and gave some word of command,
and an angry shout went up from them, and they came on steadily
towards us, the man with the red kine on his coat leading them, a
great naked sword in his hand: you must note that they were all on
foot; but as they drew nearer I saw their horses led by grooms and
pages coming on slowly behind them.
Sooth said Will Green that the men-at-arms run not fast either to or
fro the fray; they came on no faster than a hasty walk, their arms
clashing about them and the twang of the bows and whistle of the
arrows never failing all the while, but going on like the push of the
westerly gale, as from time to time the men-at-arms shouted, "Ha! ha!
out! out! Kentish thieves!"
But when they began to fall on, Jack Straw shouted out, "Bills to the
field! bills to the field!"
Then all our billmen ran up and leapt over the hedge into the meadow
and stood stoutly along the ditch under our bows, Jack Straw in the
forefront handling his great axe.
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