Copyright, 1918, by
Frederick A. Stokes Company


All rights reserved including that of translation
into foreign languages.

Printed in the United States of America


To
MY FATHER
HENRY PHELPS LAMPREY


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