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
"Can you show me a plan of the castle," Walter said, "if it be not contrary
to the rules, in order that I may think over tonight the plan of fighting
tomorrow?"
"Here it is," the marshal said. "You see that the walls are 200 feet long,
they are 12 feet in height, with a tower at the end and one over the
gateway in the centre six feet high. There is a drawbridge defended by an
outwork of palisades six feet high. The moat will be a dry one, seeing that
we have no means of filling it with water, but it will be supposed to be
full, and must be crossed on planks or bridges. Two small towers on wheels
will be provided, which may be run up to the edge of the moat, and will be
as high as the top of the towers.
"Surely they cannot make all this before morning?" Walter said.
"They will do so," the marshal replied. "The castle has been put together
in the king's courtyard, and the pieces are all numbered. Two hundred
carpenters will labour all night at it, besides a party of labourers for
the digging of the moat. It will be a rare show, and will delight both the
citizens and the ladies of the court, for such a thing has never before
been attempted. But the king grudges not the expense which it will cost
him, seeing that spectacles of this kind do much to arouse the warlike
spirit of the people. Here is a list of the various implements which will
be provided, only it is understood that the mangonels and arblasts will not
be provided with missiles, seeing that many would assuredly be killed by
them. They will be employed, however, to show the nature of the work, and
parties of men-at-arms will be told off to serve them. Crossbows and
arrows will be used, but the weapons will be blunted. You will see that
there are ladders, planks for making bridges, long hooks for hauling men
down from the wall, beams for battering down the gate, axes for cutting
down the palisades, and all other weapons. The ten who will serve under
you as knights have already been nominated, and the city will furnish them
with full armour. For the others, the apprentices of each ward will choose
sufficient representatives to make up the hundred, who will fight as
men-at-arms; these will wear steel caps and breastpieces, with leather
jerkins, and vizors to protect their faces, for even a blunted arrow or
wooden quarrel might well kill if it struck true."
On leaving the marshal Walter joined Giles Fletcher and Geoffrey Ward, who
warmly congratulated him upon his success. He informed them of the
spectacle which the king had prepared for the amusement of the citizens on
the morrow.
"In faith," Geoffrey said, "the idea is a good one, and promises rare
sport, but it will be rough, and we may expect many broken limbs, for it be
no joke to be thrown down with a ladder from a wall even twelve feet high,
and there will be the depth of the moat besides."
"That will only be two feet," Walter said, "for so it is marked on the
plan."
"And which do you mean to take, Walter, the attack or the defence? Methinks
the king has erred somewhat in making the forces equal, for assuredly the
besiegers should outnumber the besieged by fully three to one to give them
a fair chance of success."
"I shall take the assault," Walter answered; "there is more to be done that
way than in the defence. When we get home, Geoffrey, we will look at the
plans, and see what may be the best manner of assault."
Upon examining the plan that evening they found that the wall was continued
at an angle at either end for a distance of some twenty feet back so as to
give a postern gate behind each of the corner towers through which a sortie
might be made. Geoffrey and Walter talked the matter over, and together
contrived a plan of operation for the following day.
"You will have one great advantage," Geoffrey said. "The apprentices are
all accustomed to the use of the bow, while the young nobles will know but
little of that weapon; therefore your shooting will be far straighter and
truer, and even a blunt-headed arrow drawn from the shoulder will hit so
smart a blow that those on the wall will have difficulty in withstanding
them."
After the talk was ended Walter again crossed London Bridge, and made his
way to Ludgate, where he found his late antagonist, whose head had been
plastered up, and was little the worse for the conflict.
"There is no ill-will between us, I hope," Walter said, holding out his
hand.
"None in the world," the young smith said frankly. He was a good-tempered-
looking young giant, with closely-cropped hair, light-blue eyes, and a
pleasant but somewhat heavy face.
"My faith but what a blow was that you gave me; why, one would think that
your muscles were made of steel. I thought that I could hit a good
downright blow, seeing that I have been hammering at the anvil for the last
seven years; but strike as I would I could not beat down your guard, while
mine went down, as if it had been a feather, before yours. I knew, directly
that I had struck the first blow, and felt how firm was your defence, that
it was all up with me, knowing that in point of skill I had no chance
whatever with you.
"I am glad to see that you bear no malice, Ralph," Walter said, "and hope
that we shall be great friends henceforth, that is, if you will take me as
such, seeing that you are just out of your apprenticeship, while I am not
yet half through mine. But I have come to talk to you about tomorrow. Have
you heard that there is to be a mimic siege?"
"I have heard about it," Ralph said. "The city is talking of nothing else.
The news was published at the end of the sports. It will be rare fun,
surely."
"It will be pretty rough fun," Walter replied; "and I should not be much
surprised if some lives are lost; but this is always so in a tournament;
and if knights and nobles are ready to be killed, we apprentices need not
fear to hazard our lives. But now as to tomorrow. I, as the winner today,
am to be the leader of the party, and you, as second, will of course be
captain under me. Now I want to explain to you exactly what I propose to
do, and to arrange with you as to your share in the business."
The young smith listened attentively to Walter's explanation, and, when he
had done, exclaimed admiringly: "Why, Walter, you seem to be made for a
general. How did it all come to you, lad? I should never have thought of
such a scheme."
"I talked it over with my master," Walter said, "and the idea is his as
much as mine. I wonder if it will do."
"It is sure to do," the smith said enthusiastically. "The castle is as good
as taken."
The next day all London poured out to the scene of the sports, and the
greatest admiration and wonder were expressed at the castle, which had
risen, as if by magic, in the night. It was built at one end of the lists,
which had been purposely placed in a hollow, so that a great number of
people besides those in the pavilions could obtain a view from the
surrounding slopes. The castle was substantially built of heavy timber
painted gray, and looked at a little distance as if constructed of stone. A
flag floated from the central tower, and the building looked so formidable
that the general opinion was freely expressed that the task of the
assailants, whoever they might be - for at present this was unknown - was
quite impossible. At ten o'clock the king and his court arrived. After
they had taken their places the two bands, headed by their leaders,
advanced from the lower end of the lists, and drew up in front of the royal
pavilion. The leaders took their places in front. Behind them stood ten
chosen followers, all of whom, as well as their chiefs, were encased in
full armour. Behind, on one side, were 100 apprentices, on the other 100
esquires, all attired as men-at-arms. The court party were led by Clarence
Aylmer, son of the Earl of Pembroke. His companions were all young men of
noble family, aspirants for the order of knighthood. They were, for the
most part, somewhat older than the apprentices, but as the latter consisted
chiefly of young men nearly out of their term the difference was not great.
Walter's armour was a suit which the armourer had constructed a year
previously for a young knight who had died before the armour could be
delivered. Walter had wondered more than once why Geoffrey did not
endeavour to sell it elsewhere, for, although not so decorated and inlaid
as many of the suits of Milan armour, it was constructed of the finest
steel, and the armourer had bestowed special care upon its manufacture, as
the young knight's father had long been one of his best customers. Early
that morning Geoffrey had brought it to his room and had told him to wear
it instead of that lent by the city.
"But I fear it will get injured," Walter had urged. "I shall not spare
myself, you know, Geoffrey, and the blows will be hard ones.
"The more need for good armour, Walter. These city suits are made for show
rather than use. You may be sure that young Pembroke and his band will
fight their hardest rather than suffer defeat at the hands of those whom
they consider a band of city varlets."
Before issuing from the tent where he and his companions had put on their
mail Walter carefully fastened in the front of his helmet a tiny gold
bracelet. Upon taking their places before the pavilion the king ordered the
two leaders to advance, and addressed them and the multitude in the
following words:
"Brave leaders, and you, my people, I have contrived the pastime today that
I may show you on a mimic scale the deeds which my brave soldiers are
called upon to perform in France. It is more specially suited for the
combatants of today, since one party have had but small opportunity of
acquiring skill on horseback. Moreover, I wish to teach the lesson that
fighting on foot is as honourable as fighting on horseback, for it has now
been proved, and sometimes to our cost, in Scotland, that footmen can
repulse even the bravest chivalry. Today each party will fight his best.
Remember that, even in the heat of conflict, matters must not be carried to
an extreme. Those cut off from their friends will be accounted prisoners,
as will those who, being overpowered, throw down their arms. Any wounded on
either side will not be accounted as prisoners, but may retire with honour
from the field. You," he said, looking at Walter, "as the conqueror of
yesterday, have the choice of either the attack or defence; but I should
advise you to take the latter, seeing it is easier to defend a fortress
than to assault it. Many of your opponents have already gained credit in
real warfare, while you and your following are new to it. Therefore, in
order to place the defence on fair terms with the assault, I have ordered
that both sides shall be equal in numbers."
"If your liege will permit me," Walter said bowing, "I would fain take the
assault. Methinks that, with my following, I could do better thus than in
defence."
The king looked somewhat displeased.
"As you will," he said coldly; "but I fear this will somewhat mar the
effect of the spectacle seeing that you will have no chance whatever
against an equal force, more accustomed to war than your party, and
occupying so superior a position. However," he went on, seeing that Walter
made no sign of changing his mind, "as you have chosen, so be it; and now
it is for you to choose the lady who shall be queen of the tourney and
shall deliver the prizes to the victors. Look round you; there are many
fair faces, and it is for you to choose among them."
Smiles passed between many of the courtly dames and ladies at the choice
that was to be made among them by the apprentice lad; and they thought that
he would be sorely puzzled at such a duty. Walter, however, did not
hesitate an instant. He ran his eye over the crowd of ladies in the royal
gallery, and soon saw the object of his search.
"Since I have your majesty's permission," he said, "I choose, as queen of
the tournament, Mistress Edith Vernon."
There was a movement of surprise and a general smile. Perhaps to all who
thought that they had a chance of being chosen the selection was a relief,
as none could be jealous of the pretty child, who, at the king's order,
made her way forward to the front, and took her seat in a chair placed
between the king and queen. The girl coloured brightly; but she had heard
so much of tourneys and jousts that she knew what was her duty. She had
been sitting far back on the previous day, and the apprentice, when brought
up before the king, was too far below for her to see his features. She now
recognized him.
"Sir Knights," she said in a loud, clear, childish voice, "you will both do
your duty today and show yourselves worthy cavaliers. Methinks that, as
queen of the tourney, I should be neutral between you, but as one of you
carries my gage in his helm, my good wishes must needs go with him; but
bright eyes will be fixed on you both, and may well stir you to deeds of
valour."
So saying, she resumed her seat with a pretty air of dignity.
"Why, sweetheart," the king said, "how is it that this 'prentice lad knows
your name, and how is it that he wears your gage, for I know that the young
Pembroke wears the glove of the Earl of Surrey's daughter?"
"He saved my life, sir, mine and my mother's," the child said, "and I told
him he should be my true knight, and gave him my bracelet, which you see he
wears in his helm."
"I recall somewhat of the story," the king said, "and will question my Lady
Vernon further anon; but see, the combatants are filing off to their
places."
With flags flying and trumpets blowing young Pembroke led his forces into
the castle. Each of his ten knights was followed by an esquire bearing his
banner, and each had ten men-at-arms under his immediate order. Two of
them, with twenty men, remained in the outwork beyond the drawbridge. The
rest took their station on the walls, and towers, where a platform had been
erected, running along three feet below the battlements. The real
men-at-arms with the machines of war now advanced, and for a time worked
the machines, which made pretence at casting great stones and missiles at
the walls. The assailants then moved forward and, unslinging their bows,
opened a heavy fire of arrows at the defenders, who, in turn, replied with
arrows and cross-bows.
"The 'prentices shoot well," the king said; "by our lady, it would be hot
work for the defenders were the shafts but pointed! Even as it is the
knocks must be no child's play, for the arrows, although not pointed, are
all tipped with iron, without which, indeed, straight shooting would be
impossible."
The return fire from the walls was feeble, and the king said, laughing, "So
far your knight, fair mistress, has it all his own way. I did not reckon
sufficiently upon the superiority of shooting of the London lads, and,
indeed, I know not that I ought not in fairness to order some of the
defenders off the walls, seeing, that in warfare, their numbers would be
rapidly thinned. See, the assailants are moving up to the two towers under
shelter of the fire of the archers."
By this time Aylmer, seeing that his followers could make no effectual
reply to the arrow fire, had ordered all, save the leaders in full armour,
to lie down behind the parapet. The assailants now gathered thickly round
each tower, as if they intended to attempt to cross by the bridges, which
could be let down from an opening in the tower level with the top of the
wall, while archers upon the summit shot fast and thick among the defenders
who were gathering to oppose them.
"If the young Pembroke is wise," the king said, "he will make a strong
sally now and fall upon one or other of the parties."
As he spoke there was a sudden movement on the part of the assailants, who,
leaving the foot of the towers, made a rush at the outwork in the centre.
The instant they arrived they fell to work with axes upon the palisades.
Many were struck down by the blows dealt them by the defenders, but others
caught up the axes and in less than a minute several of the palisades were
cut down and the assailants poured in. The defenders fought gallantly, but
they were overpowered by numbers. Some were struck down, others taken
prisoners by main force, and the rest driven across the drawbridge, just as
the gates were opened and Pembroke, at the head of the defenders, swarmed
out to their assistance.
There was a desperate fight on the bridge, and it was well that the armour
was stout, and the arms that wielded the weapons had not yet attained their
full strength. Several were knocked off the bridge into the moat, and these
were, by the rules, obliged at once to retire and take no further part in
the contest. Walter and Ralph the smith, fought in front of their men, and
hard as Pembroke and his followers struggled, they could not drive them
back a foot. The court party were galled by the heavy fire of arrows kept
up by the apprentices along the side of the moat, and finding all his
efforts to regain the earth-work useless, Pembroke withdrew his forces into
the castle, and in spite of the efforts of the besiegers managed to close
the gates in their faces. The assailants, however, succeeded in severing
the chains of the drawbridge before it could be raised.
From the tower above, the defenders now hurled over great stones, which had
been specially placed there for the purpose of destroying the drawbridge
should the earthwork be carried. The boards were soon splintered, and the
drawbridge was pronounced by the Earl of Talbot, who was acting as judge,
to be destroyed. The excitement of the spectators was worked up to a great
pitch while the conflict was going on, and the citizens cheered lustily at
the success of the apprentices.
"That was gallantly done," the king said to Queen Philippa, "and the leader
of the assailants is a lad of rare mettle. Not a captain of my army, no,
not Sir Walter Manny himself, could have done it more cleverly. You see, by
placing his forces at the ends of the wall he drew all the garrison thither
to withstand the assaults from them, and thus by his sudden movement he was
able to carry the outwork before they could recover from their surprise,
and come down to its aid. I am curious to know what he will do next. What
thinkst thou, Edward?" he asked his son, who was standing by his side.
"He will win the day," the young prince said; "and in faith, although the
others are my comrades, I should be glad to see it. He will make a gallant
knight, sir, one of these days, and remember he is engaged to follow my
banner, so you must not steal him from me. See, my liege, they are taking
planks and ladders to the outwork."
"They are doing wrongly then," the king said, "for even should they bridge
the moat where the drawbridge is, they cannot scale the wall there, since
the tower defends it, and the ladders are but long enough to reach the
lower wall. No, their leader has changed his mind, they are taking the
planks along the edge of the moat towards the tower on the left, and will
aid the assault by its bridge by a passage of the moat there.
It seemed, indeed, that this was the plan. While some of the assailants
kept up the arrow fire on the wall others mounted the tower, while a party
prepared to throw a bridge of planks across the moat. The bridge from the
tower was now lowered; but a shout of triumph rose from the defenders when
it was seen that by some mistake of the carpenters this was too short, and
when lowered did not reach within six feet of the wall.
"All the better," the king said, while the prince gave an angry
exclamation. "Accidents of this kind will happen, and give an opportunity
to a leader to show his resources. Doubtless he will carry planks up to
the tower and so connect the bridge and the wall."
This, indeed, was what the assailants tried to do, while a party threw
planks across the moat, and rushing over placed ladders against the wall
and strove to climb. They strove in vain, however. The ladders were thrown
down as fast as they were placed, while the defenders, thickly clustered on
the walls, drove back those who tried to cross from the tower.
"I do not see the leader of the assailants," the prince said.
"He has a white plume, but it may have been shorn off," the king said.
"Look, the young Pembroke is making a sortie!"
From the sortie gate behind the tower the defenders now poured out, and
running down to the edge of the moat fell upon the stormers. These,
however, received them with great steadiness, and while some continued the
attack the rest turned upon the garrison, and, headed by Ralph the smith,
drove them gradually back.
"They fight well and steadily," the king said. "One would have thought that
they had reckoned on the sortie, so steadily did they receive it."
As only a portion of the garrison had issued out they were unable to resist
long the pressure of the apprentices, who drove them back step by step to
the sally- port, and pressing them hard endeavoured to force their way in
at their heels.
CHAPTER VII: THE YOUNG ESQUIRE
While the attention of the whole of the spectators and combatants was fixed
upon the struggle at the right-hand angle of the castle, a party of twenty
'prentices suddenly leapt to their feet from among the broken palisades of
the outwork. Lying prone there they had escaped the attention of the
spectators as well as of the defenders. The reason why the assailants
carried the planks and ladders to this spot was now apparent. Only a
portion had been taken on to the assault of the right-hand tower; those who
now rose to their feet lifted with them planks and ladders, and at a rapid
pace ran towards the left angle of the castle, and reached that point
before the attention of the few defenders who remained on the wall there
was attracted to them, so absorbed were they in the struggle at the other
angle. The moment that they saw the new assailants they raised a shout of
alarm, but the din of the combat, the shouts of the leaders and men were so
loud, that their cries were unheard. Two or three then hurried away at
full speed to give the alarm, while the others strove to repel the assault.
Their efforts were in vain. The planks were flung across the moat, the
ladders placed in position, and led by Walter the assailants sprang up and
gained a footing on the wall before the alarm was fairly given. A
thundering cheer from the spectators greeted the success of the assailants.
Springing along the wall they drove before them the few who strove to
oppose them, gained the central tower, and Walter, springing up to the top,
pulled down the banner of the defenders and placed that of the city in its
place. At this moment the defenders, awakened too late to the ruse which
had been played upon them, came swarming back along the wall and strove to
regain the central tower. In the confusion the assault by the flying tower
of the assailants was neglected, and at this point also they gained footing
on the wall. The young nobles of the court, furious at being outwitted,
fought desperately to regain their lost laurels. But the king rose from his
seat and held up his hand. The trumpeter standing below him sounded the
arrest of arms, which was echoed by two others who accompanied Earl Talbot,
who had taken his place on horseback close to the walls. At the sound
swords dropt and the din abruptly ceased, but the combatants stood glaring
at each other, their blood too heated to relinquish the fray readily.
Already much damage had been done. In spite of armour and mail many serious
wounds had been inflicted, and some of the combatants had already been
carried senseless from the field. Some of the assailants had been much
shaken by being thrown backward from the ladders into the moat, one or two
were hurt to death; but as few tourneys took place without the loss of
several lives, this was considered but a small amount of damage for so
stoutly fought a melee, and the knowledge that many were wounded, and some
perhaps dying, in no way damped the enthusiasm of the spectators, who
cheered lustily for some minutes at the triumph which the city had
obtained. In the galleries occupied by the ladies and nobles of the court
there was a comparative silence. But brave deeds were appreciated in those
days, and although the ladies would far rather have seen the victory
incline the other way, yet they waved their handkerchiefs and clapped their
hands in token of their admiration at the success of an assault which, at
the commencement, appeared well-nigh hopeless.
Lord Talbot rode up to the front of the royal pavilion.
"I was about to stop the fight, sire, when you gave the signal. Their blood
was up, and many would have been killed had the combat continued. But the
castle was fairly won, the central tower was taken and the flag pulled
down, a footing had been gained at another point of the wall, and the
assailants had forced their way through the sally-port. Further resistance
was therefore hopeless, and the castle must be adjudged as fairly and
honourably captured."
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 | 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22