The sun had got more powerful by the time we had finished breakfast, and the wind had dropped, and it was as lovely a morning as one could desire. Little was in sight to remind us of the nineteenth century; and, as we looked out upon the river in the morning sunlight, we could almost fancy that the centuries between us and that ever-to-be-famous June morning of 1215 had been drawn aside, and that we, English yeomen's sons in homespun cloth, with dirk at belt, were waiting there to witness the writing of that stupendous page of history, the meaning whereof was to be translated to the common people some four hundred and odd years later by one Oliver Cromwell, who had deeply studied it.

It is a fine summer morning — sunny, soft, and still. But through the air there runs a thrill of coming stir. King John has slept at Duncroft Hall, and all the day before the little town of Staines has echoed to the clang of armed men, and the clatter of great horses over its rough stones, and the shouts of captains, and the grim oaths and surly jests of bearded bowmen, billmen, pikemen, and strange-speaking foreign spearmen.

Gay-cloaked companies of knights and squires have ridden in, all travel-stained and dusty (группы рыцарей в пестрых плащах и оруженосцев въехали в город, грязные и пыльные; travel-stained: travel — путешествие; stained — испачканный, в пятнах). And all the evening long the timid townsmen's doors have had to be quick opened to let in rough groups of soldiers (и весь вечер двери робких/испуганных горожан должны были быстро открываться, чтобы впустить грубых воинов), for whom there must be found both board and lodging, and the best of both (для которых должны найтись квартира и стол = надо накормить и разместить, и лучшим образом), or woe betide the house and all within (иначе горе постигнет дом и всех в нем); for the sword is judge and jury (ибо меч — судья и присяжные), plaintiff and executioner, in these tempestuous times (истец и палач в эти бурные времена), and pays for what it takes by sparing those from whom it takes it, if it pleases it to do so (и платит за взятое тем, что оставляет в живых тех, у кого берет, если ему это будет угодно).