Adam of the Road

Adam continues his journey to London and the de Lisle house. He imagines arriving at the manor and being greeted by Roger and Nick, reciting to himself from the tale of Havelok: “Sleep son, sleep tight and fear nothing” (266). However, when Adam arrives at Sir Edmund’s house, the porter ushers him inside but tells him that the king summoned Sir Edmund and most of the household staff, including Roger, to travel to Wales to quell the rebellion there. The porter tells Adam that Roger searched everywhere for him before leaving and left a message telling Adam to stay at Sir Edmund’s house until someone can take him to Ludlow, where Roger will meet him in May.

Adam is devastated that he missed his father yet again and stays at Sir Edmund’s through the winter. Only the porter’s family and the bailiff’s family, including Adam’s old friend Matthew, are staying in the large house. The de Lisle family took all the luxuries Adam remembers from his prior stay with them to Wales. The entire manor is cold, dark, and gloomy. Matthew and Adam try to find fun things to do outside the house, often watching performances in London. Adam occasionally tells minstrel tales in the city for money, but he misses his harp, which is still with the de Vesey family.