"And what wert thou now doing at Ashby with such a charge in thy custody ?" "I went thither to render to Isaac the Jew of York," replied Gurth, "the price of a suit of armour with which he fitted my master for this tournament." "And how much didst thou pay to Isaac ?--Methinks, to judge by weight, there is still two hundred zecchins in this pouch." "I paid to Isaac," said the Saxon, "eighty zecchins, and he restored me a hundred in lieu thereof." "How! what!" exclaimed all the robbers at once; "darest thou trifle with us, that thou tellest such improbable lies ?" "What I tell you," said Gurth, "is as true as the moon is in heaven.

You will find the just sum in a silken purse within the leathern pouch, and separate from the rest of the gold." "Bethink thee, man," said the Captain, "thou speakest of a Jew--of an Israelite,--as unapt to restore gold, as the dry sand of his deserts to return the cup of water which the pilgrim spills upon them." "There is no more mercy in them," said another of the banditti, "than in an unbribed sheriffs officer." "It is, however, as I say," said Gurth.
"Strike a light instantly," said the Captain; "I will examine this said purse; and if it be as this fellow says, the Jew's bounty is little less miraculous than the stream which relieved his fathers in the wilderness." A light was procured accordingly, and the robber proceeded to examine the purse.

The others crowded around him, and even two who had hold of Gurth relaxed their grasp while they stretched their necks to see the issue of the search.

Availing himself of their negligence, by a sudden exertion of strength and activity, Gurth shook himself free of their hold, and might have escaped, could he have resolved to leave his master's property behind him.

But such was no part of his intention.
He wrenched a quarter-staff from one of the fellows, struck down the Captain, who was altogether unaware of his purpose, and had well-nigh repossessed himself of the pouch and treasure.