The armourer bowed to the wealthy Fleming, who was
well known to everyone in the city.
“’Tis but a matter of size that I have
to decide upon,” the alderman said, “See
and get the suits somewhat large, for the gentlemen
for whom Mynheer Van Voorden intends them have not
yet come to their full stature.”
The armourer led them to an inner room. “These
are my best suits,” he said, pointing to a score
of lay figures in armour ranged along the wall.
“They would soon get tarnished were they exposed
to the fogs of London. They are all of foreign
make save these two, which, as you see, are less ornamented
than the rest. The others are all of Spanish or
Milanese workmanship. These two suits are my
own make. Our craftsmen are not so skilled in
inlaying or ornamenting as the foreigners, but I will
guarantee the temper of the steel and its strength
to keep out a lance thrust, a cross-bow bolt, or a
cloth-yard arrow against the best of them.”
“Methinks, Mynheer,” the alderman said,
“that if these suits are of the right size they
were better than the Italian or Spanish suits.
In the first place, these others would scarce be in
keeping with two young men who are not yet knights,
seeing that they are such as would be worn by wealthy
nobles; in the next place, there is no saying how much
the lads may grow; and lastly, I have myself promised
their father to present them with a suit of armour
when they obtain the rank of knighthood.”
“So be it, then,” the Fleming said.
“If Master Armstrong guarantees the suits equal
in strength to the others I care not, and indeed there
is reason in what you say as to their fitness for
the youths.”
“Will you run a yard measure round the shoulders?”
Sir Robert said. One was forty inches, the other
thirty-six.
“That will do well; one is bigger than the other,
and the measurement will give them an inch or two
to spare. And now as to heights. The one
is five feet ten, the other an inch less; but this
matters little, seeing that another strip of steel
can be added or one taken away from the leg pieces
without difficulty. I think that they will do
excellently well. And now, what is the price?”
It was a heavy one, for the armour was of exceptional
make and strength by reason of its temper, but was
still light, the excellence of the steel rendering
it unnecessary to get anything like the weight of ordinary
armour.
Van Voorden made no attempt to bargain, but merely
said, “Please send them round at once to the
Golden Fleece, in the Poultry, which was till yesterday
the abode of Master Nicholas Leyd, and also furnish
me with the bill by your messenger.”
“My son will come,” said the armourer,
“with two men to carry the armour, and in a
quarter of an hour the suits shall be at your door.”
“Send also, I pray you, swords and daggers of
the finest temper with each suit, and add the charge
to the account.”
