"You may well be proud of your young champion.

I too must have my gift," and drawing a ring set with brilliants from her finger she placed it in Walter's hand.
The lad now rose to his feet.

"The prince my son," the king said, "has promised that you shall ride with his men-at-arms when he is old enough to take the field.

Should you choose to abandon your craft and do so earlier I doubt not that one of my nobles, the brave Sir Walter Manny, for example, will take you before that time." "That will I readily enough," Sir Walter said, "and glad to have so promising a youth beneath my banner." "I would that you had been of gentle blood," the king said.
"That makes no difference, sire," Sir Walter replied.

"I will place him among the young gentlemen, my pages and esquires, and am sure that they will receive him as one of themselves." Geoffrey Ward had hitherto stood at the foot of the steps leading to the royal pavilion, but doffing his cap he now ascended.