The maltreatment of their townsman had kindled the spark of discontent to flame.

They had attacked the soldiers of Rodolph, who, as was customary, attended the joust unarmed, and had rescued the thief.

As Gilbert stood watching the tumult, he was singled out as the object of attack, probably at the direction of the citizen who had suffered in the attempt to steal his chain.

The situation of the young noble, clad only in a velvet doublet and armed only with a light sword, was extremely precarious.

Yet he did not dream of flight, but for a time kept his assailants at bay, slowly falling back upon the arena.