CONTENTS

IPAGE
The Old Road[1]
The Boy with the Woolpack[3]
How Robert Edrupt journeyed with the wool-merchantsto London
II
The Biographer[13]
Basil the Scribe[15]
How an Irish monk in an English Abbey came to standbefore Kings
III
Venetian Glass[27]
The Picture in the Window[29]
How Alan of the Abbey Farms learned to make stainedglass
IV
Troubadour’s Song[41]
The Grasshoppers’ Library[43]
How Ranulph le Provençal ceased to be a minstrel andbecame a troubadour
V
The Wood-Carver’s Vision[55]
The Box that Quentin Carved[57]
How Quentin of Peronne learned his trade when a boy inAmiens
VI
The Caged Bouverel[69]
At the Sign of the Gold Finch[71]
How Guy, the goldsmith’s apprentice, won the desire of hisheart
VII
Up Anchor[79]
The Venture of Nicholas Gay[81]
How Nicholas Gay, the merchant’s son, kept faith with astranger and served the King
VIII
London Bells[93]
Barbara, the Little Goose-girl[95]
How Barbara sold geese in the Chepe and what fortuneshe found there
IX
Harper’s Song[105]
Richard’s Silver Penny[107]
How Richard sold a web of russet and made the best of abad bargain
X
Perfumer’s Song[119]
Mary Lavender’s Garden[121]
How Mary Lavender came to be of service to an exiledQueen
XI
Pavement Song[131]
Saint Crispin’s Day[133]
How Crispin, the shoemaker’s son, made a shoe for a littledamsel, and new streets in London
XII
Concealed Weapons[143]
The Lozenges of Giovanni[145]
How a Milanese baker-boy and a Paduan physician keptpoison out of the King’s dish
XIII
A Song of Birds and Beasts[157]
A Dyke in the Danelaw[159]
How David le Saumond changed the course of an ancientnuisance
XIV
London Bridge[171]
At Bartlemy Fair[173]
How Barty Appleby went to the fair at Smithfield andcaught a miscreant
XV
Midsummer Day in England[185]
Edwitha’s Little Bowl[187]
How Edwitha found Roman pottery in the field of aSussex farm
XVI
Song of the Tapestry Weavers[195]
Looms in Minchen Lane[197]
How Cornelys Bat, the Flemish weaver, befriended a blacksheep and saved his wool
XVII
The Wishing Carpet[209]
The Herbalist’s Brew[211]
How Tomaso, the physician of Padua, found a cure for aweary soul
XVIII
The Marionettes[225]
The Hurer’s Lodgers[227]
How the poppet of Joan, the daughter of the capmaker,went to court and kept a secret
XIX
Armorer’s Song[239]
Dickon at the Forge[241]
How a Sussex smith found the world come to him in theWeald
XX
The Wander-Years[253]
The Wings of the Dragon[255]
How Padraig made Irish wit a journeyman to Florentinegenius
XXI
St. Eloi’s Blessing[267]
Gold of Byzantium[269]
How Guy of Limoges taught the art of Byzantium toWilfrid of Sussex
XXII
The Watchword[279]
Cockatrice Eggs[281]
How Tomaso the physician and Basil the scribe held thekeys of Empire