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swallowed all of western France but for those treacherous Poitevins. Nonetheless, no matter whose fault, we came home worse than empty-handedbeatenand he scarce sets a foot upon the land before he demands scutage." |
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"Well," Geoffrey said doubtfully, "it is his fight. The lords owe him knight-service, and if" |
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"I do not deny it is his right," Ian snarled. "It is your right and mine to beat our wives silly for amusement. What would that get us?" |
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"Likely a knife in the ribs," Geoffrey answered, grinning, although he knew the question was both rhetorical and made a most unfunny point. |
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"And likely that is what John will receive. Think of it! Who was it who did not answer his summons? The faithful came; even the doubtful came, thinking to have some loot and some sport where it would do no harm to their own lands. Who remained sulking behind? Only the rebels and those who adhere to them. And of them John demands scutage of three marks." |
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Geoffrey rubbed his hand across his face, rasping along the fair beard that had been shaved only yesterday but was already a stubble. "Have they flown to arms already?" he asked. |
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"No, and I do not think to see that yet, not this year. They are growing cautious and clever. To speak the truth, I detect a steadying hand carefully hidden. You remember what Langton was preaching last year? He does not appear in this, not openly after the reprimand he had from Innocent, but instead of a call to arms by that hothead Vesci and that greedy boar Fitz Walter, there is a call to a meeting. It will be held at Bury Saint Edmunds the third week of next month to consider the matter of the scutage and other things." |
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"A meeting, eh? Do they seek to draw you in? Will you go? The scutage is nothing to you, and when John hears of this" |
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"Draw me in, they cannot, but these 'other matters' that are to be considered interest me greatly," Ian said. It is not to be named in the invitation, but there is a strong purpose to |
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