The noise of many voices in talk and laughter came
from within the booths, and in and out ran the attendants like
ants about an ant-hill. Some bore ale and beer, and some bundles of
bowstrings or sheaves of arrows. On each side of the archery range were
rows upon rows of seats reaching high aloft, and in the center of the
north side was a raised dais for the King and Queen, shaded by canvas
of gay colors, and hung about with streaming silken pennants of red and
blue and green and white. As yet the King and Queen had not come, but
all the other benches were full of people, rising head above head high
aloft till it made the eye dizzy to look upon them. Eightscore yards
distant from the mark from which the archers were to shoot stood ten
fair targets, each target marked by a flag of the color belonging to the
band that was to shoot thereat. So all was ready for the coming of the
King and Queen.
At last a great blast of bugles sounded, and into the meadow came riding
six trumpeters with silver trumpets, from which hung velvet banners
heavy with rich workings of silver and gold thread. Behind these came
stout King Henry upon a dapple-gray stallion, with his Queen beside him
upon a milk-white palfrey. On either side of them walked the yeomen of
the guard, the bright sunlight flashing from the polished blades of
the steel halberds they carried. Behind these came the Court in a great
crowd, so that presently all the lawn was alive with bright colors, with
silk and velvet, with waving plumes and gleaming gold, with flashing
jewels and sword hilts; a gallant sight on that bright summer day.
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