Frederic Edwin Church paintings

Frederic Edwin Church paintings
Frederic Remington paintings
Francisco de Goya paintings
This fantastic suggestion startled Hendon out of his reverie. He was about to thank the king and put the matter aside with saying he bad only done his duty and desired no reward, but a wiser thought came into his head, and he asked leave to be silent a few moments and consider the gracious offer-an idea which the king gravely approved, remarking that it was best to be not too hasty with a thing of such great import. Miles reflected during some moments, then said to himself, "Yes, that is the thing to do-by any other means it were impossible to get at it-and certes, this hour's experience has taught me "twould be most wearing and inconvenient to continue it as it is. Yes, I will propose it; "twas a happy accident that I did not throw the chance away." Then he dropped upon one knee and said: My poor service went not beyond the limit of a subject's simple duty, and therefore hath no merit; but since your majesty is pleased to hold it worthy some reward, I take heart of grace to make petition to this effect. Near four hundred years ago, as your grace knoweth, there being ill blood betwixt John, king of England, and the king of France, it was decreed that two champions should fight together in the lists, and so settle the dispute by what is called the arbitrament of God. These two kings, and the Spanish king, being assembled to witness and judge the conflict, the French champion appeared; but so redoubtable was he that our English knights refused to measure weapons with him. So the matter, which was a weighty one, was like to go against the English monarch by default. Now in the Tower lay the Lord de Courcy, the mightiest arm in England, stripped of his honors and possessions, and wasting