Besides, lest women, priests and traders should tempt the appetite of raiders,
The Church proclaimed the Truce of God. Not all our barons were crusaders.
Those who were frightened not to go sold all they had to make a show,
Land, tool and ware to pay a fare. The panic made sly kings its heir.
So much was sold by young and old, by fond, ambitious, hot and cold,
That steel took sudden silver wings, then flew beyond the reach of gold.
In such a gust my tender age availed not with the preaching sage,
For I was born of fighting men; and one of them took me for page,
Though I was loth to go, and prayed for mercy and a little maid
Whose hair was shining sunflower brown. I thought of all the games we played