Saint George for England

G >> G. A. Henty >> Saint George for England

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

Walter had hoped that Sir James Carnegie would have accompanied the forces
of either the Earls of Northampton or Derby, but he found that he had
attached himself to the royal army.

Ralph of course followed Walter's fortunes, and was now brilliant in the
appointments of the Prince of Wales's chosen bodyguard of men-at-arms.

The councils of all the great towns of Flanders assembled at Sluys, and for
several days great festivities were held. Then a great assembly was held,
and Van Artevelde rose and addressed his countrymen. He set forth to them
the virtues of the Prince of Wales, whose courtesy and bearing had so
captivated them; he pointed out the obligations which Flanders was under
towards King Edward, and the advantages which would arise from a nearer
connection with England. With this he contrasted the weakness of their
count, the many ills which his adherence to France had brought upon the
country, and the danger which menaced them should his power be ever
renewed. He then boldly proposed to them that they should at once cast off
their allegiance to the count and bestow the vacant coronet upon the Prince
of Wales, who, as Duke of Flanders, would undertake the defence and
government of the country with the aid of a Flemish council. This wholly
unexpected proposition took the Flemish burghers by surprise. Artevelde had
calculated upon his eloquence and influence carrying them away, but his
power had diminished, and many of his hearers had already been gained to
the cause of France. The burgher councils had for a long time had absolute
power in their own towns, and the prospect of a powerful prince at their
head foredoomed a curtailment of those powers. When Artevelde ceased,
therefore, instead of the enthusiastic shouts with which he hoped his
oration would be greeted, a confused murmur arose. At last several got up
and said that, greatly attached as they were to the king, much as they
admired the noble young prince proposed for their acceptance, they felt
themselves unable to give an answer upon an affair of such moment without
consulting their fellow countrymen and learning their opinions. They
therefore promised that they would return on a certain day and give a
decided answer.

The Flemish burghers then took their leave. Van Artevelde, after a
consultation with the king, started at once to use his influence among the
various towns.

After leaving the king he bade adieu to the Prince of Wales. "Would you
like," the young prince said, "that one of my esquires should ride with
you? His presence might show the people how entirely I am with you; and
should you have tidings to send me he could ride hither with them. I have
one with me who is prudent and wise, and who possesses all the confidence
of that wise and valiant knight, Sir Walter de Manny."

"I will gladly take him, your royal highness," Van Artevelde said, "and
hope to despatch him to you very shortly with the news that the great towns
of Flanders all gladly receive you as their lord."

In a few minutes Walter had mounted his horse, accompanied by Ralph, and,
joining Van Artevelde, rode to Bruges. Here and at Ypres Van Artevelde's
efforts were crowned with success. His eloquence carried away the people
with him, and both these cities agreed to accept the Prince of Wales as
their lord; but the hardest task yet remained. Ghent was the largest and
most powerful of the Flemish towns, and here his enemies were in the
ascendant. Gerard Denis and the weavers had been stirring up the people
against him. All kinds of accusations had been spread, and he was accused
of robbing and selling his country. The news of the hostile feeling of the
population reached Van Artevelde, and he despatched Walter with the request
to the king for a force of five hundred English soldiers as a guard against
his enemies.

Had Artevelde asked for a large force, Edward would have disembarked his
army and marched at their head into Ghent. As the rest of the country was
already won, there can be little doubt that this step would at once have
silenced all opposition, and would have annexed Flanders to the British
crown. Van Artevelde, however, believed himself to be stronger than he
really was, and thought with a small party of soldiers he could seize his
principal opponents, and that the people would then rally round him.

Upon the arrival of the five hundred men he started for Ghent; but as he
feared that the gates would be shut if he presented himself with an armed
force, he left the soldiers in concealment a short distance from the town
and entered it, accompanied only by his usual suite. At his invitation,
however, Walter, followed of course by Ralph, rode beside him. No sooner
was he within the gates than Van Artevelde saw how strong was the popular
feeling against him. He had been accustomed to be received with bows of
reverence; now men turned aside as he approached, or scowled at him from
their doors.

"Methinks, sir," Walter said, "that it would be wiser did we ride back,
and, joining the soldiers, enter at their head, or as that number would be
scarce sufficient should so large a town rise in tumult, to send to King
Edward for a larger force and await their coming. Even should they shut the
gates, we can reduce the town, and as all the rest of Flanders is with you,
surely a short delay will not matter."

"You know not these Flemings as well as I do," Van Artevelde replied; "they
are surly dogs, but they always listen to my voice, and are ready enough to
do my bidding. When I once speak to them you will see how they will smooth
their backs and do as I ask them."

Walter said no more, but as he saw everywhere lowering brows from window
and doorway as they rode through the streets he had doubts whether the
power of Van Artevelde's eloquence would have the magical potency he had
expected from it.

When the party arrived at the splendid dwelling of the great demagogue,
messengers were instantly sent out to all his friends and retainers. A
hundred and forty persons soon assembled, and while Van Artevelde was
debating with them as to the best steps to be taken, Walter opened the
casement and looked out into the street. It was already crowded with the
people, whose silent and quiet demeanor seemed to bode no good. Arms were
freely displayed among them, and Walter saw men passing to and fro
evidently giving instructions.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Master Artevelde," he said, returning to the
room where the council was being held, "but methinks that it would wise to
bar the doors and windows, and to put yourself in a posture of defence, for
a great crowd is gathering without, for the most part armed, and as it
seems to me with evil intentions."

A glance from the windows confirmed Walter's statements, and the doors and
windows were speedily barricaded. Before many minutes had elapsed the
tolling of bells in all parts of the town was heard, and down the different
streets leading towards the building large bodies of armed men were seen
making their way.

"I had rather have to do with a whole French army, Master Walter," Ralph
said, as he stood beside him at an upper window looking down upon the
crowd, "than with these citizens of Ghent. Look at those men with bloody
axes and stained clothes. Doubtless those are the skinners and butchers.
Didst ever see such a ferocious band of savages? Listen to their shouts.
Death to Van Artevelde! Down with the English alliance! I thought our case
was a bad one when the French poured over the walls into Vannes but
methinks it is a hundred times worse now.

"We got out of that scrape, Ralph, and I hope we shall get out of this,
but, as you say, the prospect is black enough. See, the butchers are
hammering at the door with their pole-axes. Let us go down and aid in the
defence."

"I am ready," Ralph said, "but I shall fight with a lighter heart if you
could fix upon some plan for us to adopt when the rabble break in. That
they will do so I regard as certain, seeing that the house is not built for
purposes of defence, but has numerous broad windows on the ground-floor by
which assuredly they will burst their way in.

"Wait a moment then, Ralph; let us run up to the top storey and see if
there be any means of escape along the roofs."

The house stood detached from the others, but on one side was separated
from that next to it only by a narrow lane, and as the upper stories
projected beyond those below, the windows were but six feet distant from
those on the opposite side of the way.

"See," Water said, "there is a casement in the room to our left there which
is open; let us see if it is tenanted."

Going into the next room they went to the window and opened it. It exactly
faced the casement opposite, and so far as they could see the room was
unoccupied.

"It were easy to put a plank across," Ralph said.

"We must not do that," Walter answered. "The mob are thick in the lane
below - what a roar comes up from their voices! - and a plank would be
surely seen, and we should be killed there as well as here. No, we must get
on to the sill and spring across; the distance is not great, and the jump
would be nothing were it not that the casements are so low. It must be
done as lightly and quickly as possible, and we may not then be seen from
below. Now leave the door open that we may make no mistake as to the room,
and come along, for by the sound the fight is hot below."

Running down the stairs Walter and Ralph joined in the defence. Those in
the house knew that they would meet with no mercy from the infuriated
crowd, and each fought with the bravery of despair. Although there were
many windows to be defended, and at each the mob attacked desperately, the
assaults were all repulsed. Many indeed of the defenders were struck down
by the pikes and pole- axes, but for a time they beat back the assailants
whenever they attempted to enter. The noise was prodigious. The alarm-bells
of the town were all ringing and the shouts of the combatants were drowned
in the hoarse roar of the surging crowd without.

Seeing that however valiant was the defence the assailants must in the end
prevail, and feeling sure that his enemies would have closed the city gates
and thus prevented the English without from coming to his assistance, Van
Artevelde ascended to an upper storey and attempted to address the crowd.
His voice was drowned in the roar. In vain he gesticulated and made motions
imploring them to hear him, but all was useless, and the courage of the
demagogue deserted him and he burst into tears at the prospect of death.
Then he determined to try and make his escape to the sanctuary of a church
close by, and was descending the stairs when a mighty crash below, the
clashing of steel, shouts, and cries, told that the mob had swept away one
of the barricades and were pouring into the house.

"Make for the stair," Walter shouted, "and defend yourselves there." But
the majority of the defenders, bewildered by the inrush of the enemy,
terrified at their ferocious aspect and terrible axes, had no thought of
continuing the resistance. A few, getting into corners, resisted
desperately to the end; others threw down their arms and dropping on their
knees cried for mercy, but all were ruthlessly slaughtered.

Keeping close together Walter and Ralph fought their way to the foot of the
stairs, and closely pursued by a band of the skinners headed by Gerard
Denis, ran up. Upon the first landing stood a man paralysed with terror. On
seeing him a cry of ferocious triumph rose from the mob. As nothing could
be done to aid him Walter and his follower rushed by without stopping.
There was a pause in the pursuit, and glancing down from the upper gallery
Walter saw Van Artevelde in the hands of the mob, each struggling to take
possession of him; then a man armed with a great axe pushed his way among
them, and swinging it over his head struck Van Artevelde dead to the floor.
His slayer was Gerard Denis himself.

Followed by Ralph, Walter sprang through the open door into the chamber
they had marked, and closed the door behind them. Then Walter, saying, "I
will go first, Ralph, I can help you in should you miss your spring,"
mounted on the sill of the casement. Short as was the distance the leap was
extremely difficult, for neither casement was more than three feet high.
Walter was therefore obliged to stoop low and to hurl himself head forwards
across the gulf. He succeeded in the attempt, shooting clear through the
casement on to the floor beyond. Instantly he picked himself up and went to
Ralph's assistance. The latter, taller and more bulky, had greater
difficulty in the task, and only his shoulder arrived through the window.
Walter seized him, and aided him at once to scramble in, and they closed
the casement behind them.

"It was well we took off our armour, Ralph; its pattern would have been
recognized in an instant."

Walter had thrown off his helmet as he bounded up the stairs, and both he
and his companion had rid themselves of their heavy armour.

"I would give a good deal," he said, "for two bourgeois jerkins, even were
they as foul as those of the skinners. This is a woman's apartment," he
added, looking round, "and nothing here will cover my six feet of height,
to say nothing of your four inches extra. Let us peep into some of the
other rooms. This is, doubtless, the house of some person of importance,
and in the upper floor we may find some clothes of servants or
retainers."

They were not long in their search. The next room was a large one, and
contained a number of pallet beds, and hanging from pegs on walls were
jerkins, mantles, and other garments, evidently belonging to the retainers
of the house. Walter and Ralph were not long in transmogrifying their
appearance, and had soon the air of two respectable serving-men in a
Flemish household.

"But how are we to descend?" Ralph asked. "We can hardly hope to walk down
the stairs and make our escape without being seen, especially as the doors
will all be barred and bolted, seeing the tumult which is raging
outside."

"It all depends whether our means of escape are suspected," Walter replied,
"I should scarce think that they would be. The attention of our pursuers
was wholly taken up by Van Artevelde, and some minutes must have passed
before they followed us. No doubt they will search every place in the
house, and all within it will by this time have been slaughtered. But they
will scarce organize any special search for us. All will be fully occupied
with the exciting events which have taken place, and as the casement by
which we entered is closed it is scarcely likely to occur to any one that
we have escaped by that means. I will listen first if the house is quiet.
If so, we will descend and take refuge in some room below, where there is a
better chance of concealment than here. Put the pieces of armour into that
closet so that they may not catch the eye of any who may happen to come
hither. The day is already closing. In half an hour it will be nightfall.
Then we will try and make our way out.

Listening at the top of the stairs they could hear voices below; but as the
gallery was quiet and deserted they made their way a floor lower, and
seeing an open door entered it. Walter looked from the window.

"There is a back-yard below," he said, "with a door opening upon a narrow
lane. We are now upon the second storey, and but some twenty-five feet
above the ground. We will not risk going down through the house, which
could scarce be accomplished without detection, but will at once tear up
into strips the coverings of the bed, and I will make a rope by which we
may slip down into the courtyard as soon as it is dark. We must hope that
none will come up before that time; but, indeed, all will be so full of the
news of the events which have happened that it is scarce likely that any
will come above at present."

The linen sheets and coverings were soon cut up and knotted together in a
rope. By the time that this was finished the darkness was closing in, and
after waiting patiently for a few minutes they lowered the rope and slid
down into the yard. Quietly they undid the bolts of the gate and issued
into the lane. The mantles were provided with hoods, as few of the lower
class of Flemings wore any other head-covering.

Drawing these hoods well over their heads so as to shade their faces the
two sallied out from the lane. They were soon in one of the principal
streets, which was crowded with people. Bands of weavers, butchers,
skinners, and others were parading the streets shouting and singing in
honour of their victory and of the downfall and death of him whom they had
but a few days before regarded as the mainstay of Flanders. Many of the
better class of burghers stood in groups in the streets and talked in low
and rather frightened voices of the consequences which the deed of blood
would bring upon the city. On the one hand Edward might march upon it with
his army to avenge the murder of his ally. Upon the other hand they were
now committed to France. Their former ruler would return, and all the
imposts and burdens against which they had rebelled would again be laid
upon the city.

"What shall we do now?" Ralph asked, "for assuredly there will be no issue
by the gates."

"We must possess ourselves of a length of rope if possible, and make our
escape over the wall. How to get one I know not, for the shops are all
closed, and even were it not so I could not venture in to purchase any, for
my speech would betray us at once. Let us separate, and each see whether he
can find what we want. We will meet again at the entrance to this church in
an hour's time. One or other of us may find what we seek."

Walter searched in vain. Wherever he saw the door of a yard open he peered
in, but in no case could he see any signs of rope. At the end of the hour
he returned to their rendezvous. Ralph was already there.

"I have found nothing, Ralph. Have you had better fortune?"

"That have I, Master Walter, and was back nigh an hour since. Scarce had I
left you when in a back street I came upon a quiet hostelry, and in the
courtyard were standing half a dozen teams of cattle. Doubtless their
owners had brought hay or corn into the city, and when the tumult arose and
the gates were closed found themselves unable to escape. The masters were
all drinking within, so without more ado I cut off the ropes which served
as traces for the oxen, and have them wound round my body under my mantle.
There must be twenty yards at least, and as each rope is strong enough to
hold double our weight there will be no difficulty in lowering ourselves
from the walls."

"You have done well indeed, Ralph," Walter said. "Let us make our way
thither at once. Everyone is so excited in the city, that, as yet, there
will be but few guards upon the wall. The sooner, therefore, that we
attempt to make our escape the better."

CHAPTER XIII: THE WHITE FORD

They made their way without interruption to the wall. This they found, as
they expected, entirely deserted, although, no doubt, guards had been
posted at the gates. The Flemings, however, could have felt no fear of an
attack by so small a force as the five hundred English whom they knew to be
in the neighbourhood.

Walter and his companion soon knotted the ropes together and lowered
themselves into the moat. A few strokes took them to the other side, and
scrambling out, they made their way across the country to the spot where
the English had been posted. They found the Earl of Salisbury, who
commanded, in a great state of uneasiness. No message had reached him
during the day. He had heard the alarm- bells of the city ring, and a scout
who had gone forward returned with the news that the gates were closed and
the drawbridges raised, and that a strong body of men manned the walls.

"Your news is indeed bad," he said, when Walter related to him the events
which had taken place in the town. "This will altogether derange the king's
plans. Now that his ally is killed I fear that his hopes of acquiring
Flanders for England will fall to the ground. It is a thousand pities that
he listened to Van Artevelde and allowed him to enter Ghent alone. Had his
majesty landed, as he wished, and made a progress through the country, the
prince receiving the homage of all the large towns, we could then very well
have summoned Ghent as standing alone against all Flanders. The citizens
then would, no doubt, have gladly opened their gates and received the
prince, and if they had refused we would have made short work of them.
However, as it has turned out, it is as well that we did not enter the town
with the Fleming, for against so large and turbulent a population we should
have had but little chance. And now, Master Somers, we will march at once
for Sluys and bear the news to the king, and you shall tell me as we ride
thither how you and your man-at-arms managed to escape with whole skins
from such a tumult."

The king was much grieved when he heard of the death of Artevelde, and held
a council with his chief leaders. At first, in his indignation and grief,
he was disposed to march upon Ghent and to take vengeance for the murder of
his ally, but after a time calmer counsels prevailed.

The Flemings were still in rebellion against their count, who was the
friend of France. Were the English to attack Ghent they would lose the
general goodwill of the Flemings, and would drive them into the arms of
France, while, if matters were left alone, the effect of the popular
outburst which had caused the death of Artevelde would die away, and
motives of interest and the fear of France would again drive them into the
arms of England. The expedition therefore returned to England, and there
the king, in a proclamation to his people, avoided all allusion to the
death of his ally, but simply stated that he had been waited upon by the
councils of all the Flemish towns, and that their faithful obedience to
himself as legitimate King of France, was established upon a firmer basis
than ever.

This course had the effect which he had anticipated from it. The people of
Flanders perceived the danger and disadvantage which must accrue to their
trade from any permanent disagreement with England. They were convinced by
the events which soon afterwards happened in France that the King of
England had more power than Phillip of Valois, and could, if he chose,
punish severely any breach of faith towards him. They therefore sent over
commissioners to express their grief and submission. The death of Artevelde
was represented as the act of a frantic mob, and severe fines were imposed
upon the leaders of the party who slew him, and although the principal
towns expressed their desire still to remain under the rule of the Count of
Flanders, they suggested that the ties which bound them to England should
be strengthened by the marriage of Louis, eldest son of the count, to one
of Edward's daughters. More than this, they offered to create a diversion
for the English forces acting in Guienne and Gascony by raising a strong
force and expelling the French garrisons still remaining in some parts of
the country. This was done. Hugo of Hastings was appointed by the king
captain- general in Flanders, and with a force of English and Flemings did
good service by expelling the French from Termond and several other towns.

The character of Jacob van Artevelde has had but scant justice done to it
by most of the historians of the time. These, living in an age of chivalry,
when noble blood and lofty deeds were held in extraordinary respect, had
little sympathy with the brewer of Ghent, and deemed it contrary to the
fitness of things that the chivalry of France should have been defied and
worsted by mere mechanics and artisans. But there can be no doubt that
Artevelde was a very great man. He may have been personally ambitious, but
he was a true patriot. He had great military talents. He completely
remodelled and wonderfully improved the internal administration of the
country, and raised its commerce, manufactures, and agriculture to a pitch
which they had never before reached. After his death his memory was
esteemed and revered by the Flemings, who long submitted to the laws he had
made, and preserved his regulations with scrupulous exactitude.

Edward now hastened to get together a great army. Every means were adopted
to raise money and to gather stores, and every man between sixteen and
sixty south of the Trent was called upon to take up arms and commanded to
assemble at Portsmouth in the middle of Lent. A tremendous tempest,
however, scattered the fleet collected to carry the expedition, a great
many of the ships were lost, and it was not until the middle of July, 1346,
that it sailed from England.

It consisted of about 500 ships and 10,000 sailors, and carried 4000
men-at- arms, 10,000 archers, 12,000 Welsh, and 6000 Irish.

This seems but a small army considering the efforts which had been made;
but it was necessary to leave a considerable force behind for the defence
of the Scottish frontier, and England had already armies in Guienne and
Brittany. Lionel, Edward's second son, was appointed regent during his
father's absence. On board Edward's own ship were Godfrey of Harcourt and
the Prince of Wales. Walter, as one of the personal squires of the prince,
was also on board.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22