saint george for england-第10章

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CHAPTER　V：　THE　CITY　GAMES



The　next　evening　the　armourer；　at　Walter's　request；　continued　his　narrative。

〃Soon　after　the　tournament　we　began　to　fight　again　with　Scotland。　For　some　years　we　had　had　peace　with　that　country；　and　under　the　regency　a　marriage　was　made　between　David；　King　of　Scotland；　son　of　Robert　the　Bruce；　and　the　Princess　Joan；　sister　to　our　king；　and　a　four　years'　truce　was　agreed　to。〃

〃But　why　should　we　always　be　fighting　with　Scotland？〃　Walter　asked。

〃That　is　more　than　I　can　tell　you；　Walter。　We　were　peaceful　enough　with　them　until　the　days　of　Edward　I；　but　he　set　up　some　claim　to　the　throne　of　Scotland；　the　rights　of　which　neither　I　nor　anyone　else；　so　far　as　I　know；　have　ever　been　able　to　make　out。　The　fact　was　he　was　strong；　and　thought　that　he　could　conquer　Scotland。　The　quarrels　between　her　nobles　…　most　of　them　were　allied　by　blood　with　our　own　and　held　possessions　in　both　kingdoms　…　gave　Edward　an　excuse　to　interfere。　Scotland　was　conquered　easily　enough；　but　it　was　a　hard　task　to　hold　it。　Sir　William　Wallace　kept　the　country　in　a　turmoil　for　many　years；　being　joined　by　all　the　common　people。　　He　inflicted　one　heavy　defeat　upon　us　at　Stirling；　but　receiving　no　support　from　the　nobles　he　was　defeated　at　Falkirk；　and　some　years　afterwards　was　captured　and　executed　here。　His　head　you　may　see　any　day　over　London　Bridge。　As　he　fought　only　for　his　country　and　had　ever　refused　allegiance　to　our　king；　it　seems　to　me　that　his　fate　was　a　cruel　one。　　Then　when　all　appeared　quiet；　Robert　Bruce　raised　Scotland　again；　and　was　crowned　king。　　There　was　war　for　many　years；　but　at　last；　at　Bannockburn　he　inflicted　such　a　defeat　upon　us　as　we　have　never　had　before。　　After　that　there　were　skirmishes　and　excursions；　but　Edward　II　was　a　weak　prince；　and　it　seemed　that　the　marriage　of　David　and　the　Princess　Joan　would　bring　about　a　permanent　peace　between　the　two　countries；　but　it　was　not　to　be　so。〃

〃Many　of　the　English　nobles　held　claims　by　marriage　or　grants　upon　lands　in　Scotland。　They　had；　of　course；　been　driven　from　these　when　the　English　were　turned　out　by　Bruce。　By　the　terms　of　the　marriage　treaty　in　1328　it　was　agreed　that　they　should　be　reinstated。　It　was　a　foolish　clause；　because　it　was　plain　that　the　King　of　Scotland　could　not　take　these　lands　again　from　the　Scotch　nobles　who　had　possession　of　them；　many　of　them　being　well…nigh　as　powerful　as　himself。　At　this　time　Edward　Baliol；　son　of　the　great　rival　of　Robert　Bruce；　was　in　England。　He　still　claimed　the　throne　of　Scotland　as　his　right。　Round　him　gathered　a　number　of　the　English　nobles　who　claimed　lands　in　Scotland。　The　king　offered　no　hindrance　to　the　gathering　of　this　force；　for　I　doubt　not　that　he　was　glad　to　see　dissension　in　Scotland；　which　might　give　him　some　such　pretext　for　interference　as　that　which　Edward　I　had　seized　to　possess　himself　of　that　country。　At　first　Baliol　was　successful；　and　was　crowned　at　Scone；　but　he　was　presently　defeated　and　driven　out　of　Scotland。　The　Scots　now　made　an　eruption　across　the　frontier　as　a　retaliation　for　Edward's　having　permitted　Baliol　to　gather　a　force　here　for　his　war　against　Bruce。　King　Edward　was　on　the　point　of　starting　for　Ireland；　and　he　at　once　hastened　north。　He　defeated　the　Scots　at　Halidon　Hill；　captured　Berwick；　and　placed　Baliol　upon　the　throne。　Bruce　fled　to　France；　where　he　was　supported　and　encouraged　by　the　French　king。〃

〃The　ill　feeling　between　Edward　and　Phillip　of　Valois　had　gone　on　increasing　ever　since　the　former　had　been　compelled　to　take　the　oath　of　allegiance　to　the　latter；　but　outwardly　the　guise　of　friendship　was　kept　up；　and　negotiations　went　on　between　the　two　courts　for　a　marriage　between　the　little　Prince　of　Wales　and　Joanna；　daughter　of　the　French　king。〃

〃The　aid　which　Phillip　gave　to　Bruce　increased　the　bad　feeling；　and　Edward　retaliated　for　Phillip's　patronage　of　Bruce　by　receiving　with　the　greatest　honour　and　courtesy　Robert　of　Artois；　a　great　feudatory　of　France；　who　had　been　banished　by　King　Phillip。　For　a　time；　although　both　countries　were　preparing　for　war；　peace　was　not　broken；　as　Edward's　hands　were　full　in　Scotland；　where　Baliol　having　bestowed　immense　possessions　upon　the　English　nobles　who　had　assisted　him；　the　country　again　rose　in　favour　of　Bruce。　During　the　three　years　that　followed　King　Edward　was　obliged　several　times　to　go　to　Scotland　to　support　Baliol；　who　held　the　crown　as　his　feudal　vassal。　He　was　always　successful　in　the　field；　but　directly　his　army　recrossed　the　frontier　the　Scotch　rose　again。　　In　1330　a　new　crusade　was　preached；　and　in　October　of　that　year　King　Phillip　solemnly　received　the　cross　and　collected　an　immense　army　nominally　for　the　recovery　of　Jerusalem。　　Whether　his　intentions　were　honest　or　not　I　cannot　say；　but　certainly　King　Edward　considered　that　Phillip's　real　aim　in　creating　so　great　an　army　was　to　attack　England。　Whether　this　was　so　or　not　would　need　a　wiser　head　than　mine；　Walter；　to　tell。　Certainly　Phillip　of　Valois　invited　Edward　to　cooperate　with　him　in　the　crusade。　The　king　in　reply　stated　his　belief　that　the　preparations　were　intended　for　war　in　Europe　rather　than　in　Asia；　but　that　if　the　King　of　France　would　agree　to　conclude　a　firm　league　of　amity　between　the　two　countries；　to　restore　the　castles　and　towns　of　Aquitaine；　whose　surrender　had　been　frequently　promised　but　never　carried　out；　and　would　bind　himself　by　oath　to　give　no　assistance；　direct　or　indirect；　to　Scotland；　he　would　join　him　in　his　war　for　the　delivery　of　the　Holy　Land。〃

〃I　must　say　that　King　Edward's　demands　were　reasonable；　for　it　was　clear　that　he　could　not　march　away　from　England　with　his　whole　force　and　leave　Baliol　unsupported　against　the　assaults　of　his　Scotch　enemies；　aided　by　France。　Phillip　was　willing　to　accede　to　the　first　two　conditions；　but　in　regard　to　the　third　positively　declined　treating　until　David　Bruce　should　be　restored　to　the　throne　of　his　father。　Now；　had　the　French　king　openly　supported　Bruce　from　the　first；　none　could　have　said　that　his　conduct　in　befriending　a　dethroned　monarch　was　aught　but　noble　and　generous；　but　he　had　all　along　answered　Edward's　complaints　of　the　aid　afforded　by　Frenchmen　to　the　Bruce　by　denials　that　he　himself　supported　him；　and　this　declaration　in　his　favour　now　certainly　seemed　to　show　that　he　had　at　last　determined　openly　to　throw　off　the　veil；　and　that　his　great　army　was　really　collected　against　England。　　Robert　of　Artois　craftily　seized　a　moment　when　the　king's　indignation　against　Phillip　was　at　the　highest。　At　a　great　banquet　held　by　King　Edward；　at　which　all　his　warlike　nobles　were　present；　Robert　entered；　preceded　by　two　noble　maidens　carrying　a　heron；　which；　as　you　know；　Walter；　is　considered　the　most　cowardly　of　birds。　Then　in　loud　tones　he　called　upon　the　knights　present　each　to　swear　on　the　bird　to　perform　some　deed　of　chivalrous　daring。　First　he　presented　it　to　King　Edward　himself；　giving　him　to　understand　that　he　regarded　him　but　as　little　braver　than　the　heron　for　resigning　without　a　blow　the　fair　heritage　of　France。〃

〃The　moment　was　well　chosen；　for　Edward　was　smarting　under　the　answer　he　had　just　received　from　Phillip。　He　at　once　rose　and　took　an　oath　to　enter　France　in　arms；　to　wait　there　a　month　in　order　to　give　Phillip　time　to　offer　him　battle；　and　to　accept　the　combat；　even　should　the　French　outnumber　him　ten　to　one。　Every　knight　present　followed　the　example　of　the　king；　and　so　the　war　with　France；　which　had　been　for　years　a　mere　question　of　time；　was　at　last　suddenly　decided　upon。　You　yourself；　Walter；　can　remember　the　preparations　which　were　made　throughout　England：　men　were　enrolled　and　arms　prepared。　We　armourers　were　busy　night　and　day；　and　every　man　felt　that　his　own　honour；　as　well　as　that　of　the　country；　was　concerned　in　winning　for　King　Edward　the　heritage　of　which　he　had　been　unlawfully　robbed　by　the　King　of　France。〃

〃On　the　17th　of　March；　1337；　at　the　parliament　at　Westminster；　the　king　created　the　little　prince；　then　seven　years　of　age；　Duke　of　Cornwall；　and　the　prince　immediately；　in　exercise　of　his　new　dignity；　bestowed　upon　twenty　of　the　most　distinguished　aspirants　the　honour　of　knighthood。　Immense　supplies　were　voted　by　the　parliaments　held　at　Nottingham；　Westminster；　and　Northamton。　Half　the　wool　shorn　in　the　summer　following　was　granted　to　the　king；　with　a　variety　of　other　taxes；　customs；　and　duties。　The　revenues　of　all　the　foreign　priories　in　England；　a　hundred　and　ten　in　number；　were　appropriated　to　the　crown。　Provisions　of　bacon；　wheat；　and　oats　were　granted；　and　the　king　pawned　his　own　jewels；　and　even　the　crown　itself；　to　hire　soldiers；　and　purchase　him　allies　on　the　Continent。　So　great　did　the　scarcity　of　money　become　in　the　country　that　all　goods　fell　to　less　than　half　their　value。　Thus　a　vast　army　was　raised；　and　with　this　King　Edward　prepared　to　try　his　strength　with　France。〃

〃Phillip　on　his　part　was　making　great　preparations。　　While　Edward　had　purchased　the　assistance　of　many　of　the　German　nobles　Phillip　raised　large　armaments　in　the　maritime　states　of　Italy。　Spain　also　contributed　a　number　of　naval　adventurers；　and　squadrons　were　fitted　out　by　his　vassals　on　the　sea　coasts　of　Normandy；　Brittany；　and　Picardy。　　King　Edward　had　crossed　over　into　Belgium；　and　after　vast　delays　in　consequence　of　the　slowness　of　the　German　allies；　at　last　prepared　to　enter　France　at　the　end　of　September；　1339。　Such；　my　lad；　is　the　story；　as　far　as　I　know；　of　the　beginning　of　that　war　with　France　which　is　now　raging；　and　whose　events　you　know　as　well　as　I　do；　seeing　that　they　are　all　of　late　occurrence。　So　far；　although　the　English　have　had　the　best　of　it；　and　have　sorely　mauled　the　French　both　in　the　north　and　south；　we　have　not　gained　any　such　advantages　as　would　lead　to　a　belief　that　there　is　any　likelihood　of　an　early　termination；　or　that　King　Edward　will　succeed　for　a　long　time　in　winning　back　his　inheritance　of　the　throne　of　France。〃

〃There　is　no　doubt　that　the　war　weighs　heavily　upon　the　people　at　large。　The　taxes　are　doubled；　and　the　drain　of　men　is　heavy。　We　armourers；　of　course；　have　a　busy　time　of　it；　and　all　trades　which　have　to　do　with　the　furnishing　of　an　army　flourish　exceedingly。　Moreover；　men　of　mettle　and　valour　have　an　opportunity　of　showing　what　they　are　composed　of；　and　England　rings　with　the　tales　of　martial　deeds。　There　are　some；　Walter；　who　think　that　peace　is　the　greatest　of　blessings；　and　in　some　ways；　lad；　they　are　no　doubt　right；　but　there　are　many　compensations　in　war。　It　brings　out　the　noble　qualities；　it　raises　men　to　think　that　valour　and　fortitude　and　endurance　and　honour　are　qualities　which　are　something　above　the　mere　huckstering　desire　for　getting　money；　and　for　ignoble　ease　and　comfort。　Some　day　it　may　be　that　the　world　will　change；　and　that　war　may　become　a　thing　of　the　past；　but　to　my　mind；　boy；　I　doubt　whether　men　will　be　any　happier　or　better　for　it。　The　priests；　no　doubt；　would　tell　you　otherwise；　but　then　you　see　I　am　an　armourer；　and　so　perhaps　am　hardly　a　fair　judge　on　the　matter；　seeing　that　without　wars　my　craft　would　come　to　an　end。〃

Walter　remained　in　thought　for　some　time。　〃It　seems　to　me；　Master　Geoffrey；　that　while　wars　may　suit　strong　and　courageous　men；　women　would　rejoice　were　such　things　to　be　at　an　end。〃

〃Women　s