saint george for england-第31章

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The　Black　Prince　held　his　station　until　night　without　yielding　a　single　step　to　all　the　efforts　of　the　French。　　Gradually；　however；　the　assailants　became　less　and　less　numerous；　the　banners　disappeared；　and　the　shouts　of　the　leaders　and　the　clang　of　arms　died　away；　and　the　silence　which　prevailed　over　the　field　at　once　announced　that　the　victory　was　complete　and　the　enemy　in　full　flight。　An　immense　number　of　torches　were　now　lighted　through　the　English　lines；　and　the　king；　quitting　for　the　first　time　his　station　on　the　hill；　came　down　to　embrace　his　gallant　son。　　Edward　and　his　host　rejoiced　in　a　spirit　of　humility　over　the　victory。　No　songs　of　triumph；　no　feastings　or　merriment　were　permitted；　but　a　solemn　service　of　the　church　was　held；　and　the　king　and　his　soldiers　offered　their　thanks　to　God　for　the　victory　He　had　given　them。　The　English　army　lay　all　night　under　arms；　and　a　number　of　scattered　parties　of　the　French；　wandering　about　in　the　darkness；　entered　the　lines　and　were　slain　or　taken　prisoners。

The　dawn　of　the　next　morning　was　thick　and　foggy；　and　intelligence　coming　in　that　a　large　body　of　the　enemy　were　advancing　upon　them；　the　Earls　of　Northampton；　Warwick；　and　Norfolk；　with　500　men…at…arms　and　2000　archers；　went　out　to　reconnoitre；　and　came　in　the　misty　twilight　upon　an　immense　force　composed　of　the　citizens　of　Beauvais；　Rouen；　and　some　other　towns；　led　by　the　Grand　Prior　of　France　and　the　Archbishop　of　Rouen；　who　were　approaching　the　field。

By　some　extraordinary　accident　they　had　not　met　any　of　the　fugitives　flying　from　Cressy；　and　were　ignorant　that　a　battle　had　been　fought。　The　English　charged　them　at　once。　　Their　advance…guard；　consisting　of　burghers；　was　easily　overthrown。　The　second　division；　which　was　composed　of　men…at…arms；　fought　bravely；　but　was　unable　to　withstand　the　charge　of　the　triumphant　English；　and　was　completely　broken　and　defeated。　The　Grand　Prior　was　killed　and　a　vast　number　of　his　followers　slain　or　captured。　During　the　whole　of　the　morning　detached　parties　from　Edward's　army　scoured　the　country；　dispersing　and　slaughtering　bands　of　French　who　still　remained　together；　and　towards　night　the　Earl　of　Northampton　returned　to　the　camp　with　the　news　that　no　enemy　remained　in　the　vicinity　that　could　offer　a　show　of　resistance　to　the　English　force。

It　is　said　that　a　far　greater　number　of　French　were　killed　upon　the　second　day　than　upon　the　first。　This　can　be　accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　on　the　first　day　but　a　small　portion　of　the　English　army　were　engaged；　and　that　upon　the　second　the　English　were　fresh　and　vigorous；　and　their　enemy　exhausted　and　dispirited。

The　greater　number　of　the　French　nobles　and　knights　who　fell；　died　in　their　attempts　to　break　through　the　Black　Prince's　array。　Besides　the　King　of　Bohemia；　nine　sovereign　princes　and　eighty　great　nobles　were　killed；　with　1200　knights；　1500　men…at…arms；　and　30；000　foot；　while　on　the　English　side　only　three　knights　and　a　small　number　of　men…at…arms　and　infantry　were　killed。

The　body　of　the　King　of　Bohemia　and　those　of　the　other　great　leaders　were　carried　in　solemn　pomp　to　the　Abbey　of　Maintenay。　Edward　himself　and　his　son　accompanied　them　as　mourners。　On　the　Monday　following　Edward　marched　with　his　army　against　Calais；　and　summoned　the　town　to　surrender。　John　of　Vienne；　who　commanded　the　garrison；　refused　to　comply　with　the　demand。　The　fortifications　of　the　town　were　extremely　strong　and　the　garrison　numerous；　and　Edward　perceived　that　an　assault　would　be　very　unlikely　to　succeed；　and　would　entail　great　loss；　while　a　repulse　would　have　dimmed　the　lustre　of　the　success　which　he　had　gained。　　He　therefore　determined　to　reduce　it　by　famine；　and　the　troops　were　set　to　work　to　build　huts。　So　permanently　and　strongly　were　these　constructed　that　it　seemed　to　the　enemy　that　King　Edward　was　determined　to　remain　before　Calais　even　should　he　have　to　stay　there　for　ten　years。

Proclamations　were　issued　in　England　and　Flanders　inviting　traders　to　establish　stores　and　to　bring　articles　of　trade　of　all　kinds；　and　in　a　short　time　a　complete　town　sprang　up　which　was　named　by　Edward　〃New…Town　the　Bold〃。　The　English　fleet　held　complete　possession　of　the　sea；　cutting　off　the　besieged　from　all　succour　by　ship；　and　enabling　abundant　supplies　for　the　army　to　be　brought　from　England　and　Flanders。　Strong　parties　were　sent　out　in　all　directions。　　The　northern　provinces　of　France　were　scoured；　and　the　army　was　amply　provided　with　necessaries　and　even　luxuries。

After　the　first　terrible　shock　caused　by　the　crushing　defeat　of　Cressy；　King　Phillip　began　at　once　to　take　measures　for　the　relief　of　Calais；　and　made　immense　efforts　again　to　put　a　great　army　in　the　field。　He　endeavoured　by　all　means　in　his　power　to　gain　fresh　allies。　The　young　Count　of　Flanders；　who；　at　the　death　of　his　father　at　Cressy；　was　sixteen　years　of　age；　was　naturally　even　more　hostile　to　the　English　than　the　late　prince　had　been；　and　he　strove　to　win　over　his　subjects　to　the　French　alliance；　while　Phillip　made　them　magnificent　offers　if　they　would　join　him。　The　Flemings；　however；　remained　stanch　to　the　English　alliance；　and　held　their　prince　in　duresse　until　he　at　last　consented　to　marry　the　daughter　of　Edward。　A　week　before　the　date　fixed　for　the　nuptials；　however；　he　managed　to　escape　from　the　vigilance　of　his　guards　when　out　hawking；　and　fled　to　the　court　of　France。

In　Scotland　Phillip　was　more　successful；　and　David　Bruce；　instead　of　employing　the　time　given　him　by　the　absence　of　Edward　with　his　armies　in　driving　out　the　English　garrisons　from　the　strong　places　they　still　held　in　Scotland；　raised　an　army　of　50；000　men　and　marched　across　the　border　into　England　plundering　and　ravaging。　Queen　Philippa；　however；　raising　an　army；　marched　against　him；　and　the　Scotch　were　completely　defeated　at　Neville's　Cross；　15；000　being　killed　and　their　king　himself　taken　prisoner。

Walter's　conduct　at　the　battle　of　Cressy　gained　him　still　further　the　favour　of　the　Black　Prince。　The　valour　with　which　he　had　fought　was　conspicuous　even　on　a　field　where　all　fought　gallantly；　and　the　prince　felt　that　more　than　once　he　would　have　been　smitten　down　had　not　Walter's　sword　interposed。　Ralph　too　had　fought　with　reckless　bravery；　and　many　French　knights　and　gentlemen　had　gone　down　before　the　tremendous　blows　of　his　heavy　mace；　against　which　the　stoutest　armour　availed　nothing。　After　the　battle　the　prince　offered　to　make　him　an　esquire　in　spite　of　the　absence　of　gentle　blood　in　his　veins；　but　Ralph　declined　the　honour。

〃An　it　please　you；　Sir　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　should　feel　more　comfortable　among　the　men…at…arms；　my　fellows。　　In　the　day　of　battle　I　trust　that　I　should　do　no　discredit　to　my　squirehood；　but　at　other　times　I　should　feel　woefully　out　of　my　element；　and　should　find　nought　for　my　hands　to　do；　therefore　if　it　so　pleases　your　Royal　Highness；　I　would　far　rather　remain　a　simple　man…at…arms。

Ralph　did　not；　however；　refuse　the　heavy　purse　which　the　prince　gave　him；　although　indeed　he；　as　well　as　all　the　soldiers；　was　well　supplied　with　money；　so　great　were　the　spoils　which　the　army　had　gathered　in　its　march　before　Cressy；　and　which　they　now　swept　off　in　their　raids　among　the　northern　provinces　of　France。

One　evening　Walter　was　returning　from　a　banquet　at　the　pavilion　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　with　Ralph　as　usual　following　at　a　little　distance；　when　from　a　corner　of　the　street　a　man　darted　suddenly　out　and　struck　a　dagger　with　all　his　force　between　his　shoulders。　Well　was　it　for　Walter　that　he　had　taken　Geoffrey's　advice；　and　had　never　laid　aside　the　shirt　of　mail；　night　or　day。　Fine　as　was　its　temper；　two　or　three　links　of　the　outer　fold　were　broken；　but　the　point　did　not　penetrate　the　second　fold；　and　the　dagger　snapped　in　the　hand　of　the　striker。　The　force　of　the　sudden　blow；　however；　hurled　Walter　to　the　ground。　　With　a　loud　cry　Ralph　rushed　forward。　　The　man　instantly　fled。　Ralph　pursued　him　but　a　short　distance　and　then　hastened　back　to　Walter。

〃Are　you　hurt；　Sir　Walter？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃In　no　way；　Ralph；　thanks　to　my　shirt　of　mail。　Well；　indeed；　was　it　for　me　that　I　was　wearing　it；　or　I　should　assuredly　have　been　a　dead　man。　I　had　almost　begun　to　forget　that　I　was　a　threatened　man；　but　I　shall　be　on　guard　for　the　future。〃

〃I　wish　I　had　followed　the　fellow；〃　Ralph　said。　〃I　would　not　have　slain　him　could　I　have　helped　it；　but　would　have　left　it　for　the　hangman　to　extort　from　him　the　name　of　his　employer；　but；　in　truth；　he　struck　so　hard；　and　you　fell　so　straight　before　the　blow；　that　I　feared　the　mail　had　given　way；　and　that　you　were　sorely　wounded　if　not　killed。　You　have　oft　told　me　that　I　was　over…careful　of　you；　but　you　see　that　I　was　not　careful　enough；　however；　you　may　be　assured　that　if　another　attempt　be　made　those　who　attempt　it　shall　not　get　off　scot　free。　Do　you　think　of　laying　a　complaint　before　the　provost　against　him　you　suspect？〃

〃It　would　be　useless；　Ralph。　We　may　have　suspicion　of　the　man　from　whom　the　blow　came；　but　have　no　manner　of　proof。　It　might　have　been　done　by　any　ruffian　camp…　follower　who　struck　the　blow　only　with　the　hope　of　carrying　off　my　chain　and　purse。　The　camp　swarms　with　such　fellows；　and　we　have　no　clue　which　could　lead　to　his　detection；　unless；〃　he　added；　stooping　and　picking　a　piece　of　steel　which　lay　at　his　feet；　〃this　broken　dagger　may　some　day　furnish　us　with　one。　No；　we　will　say　nought　about　it。　Sir　James　Carnegie　is　not　now　in　camp；　having　left　a　week　since　on　business　in　England。　We　exchange　no　words　when　we　meet；　but　I　heard　that　he　had　been　called　away。　Fortunately　the　young　prince　likes　him　not；　and　I　therefore　have　seldom　occasion　to　meet　him。　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　credits　me　with　the　disfavour　in　which　he　is　held　by　the　prince；　but　I　have　never　even　mentioned　his　name　before　him；　and　the　prince's　misliking　is　but　the　feeling　which　a　noble　and　generous　heart　has；　as　though　by　instinct；　against　one　who　is　false　and　treacherous。　　At　the　same　time　we　must　grant　that　this　traitor　knight　is　a　bold　and　fearless　man…at…arms；　he　fought　well　at　La　Blanche　Tache　and　Cressy；　and　he　is　much　liked　and　trusted　by　my　lord　of　Northampton；　in　whose　following　he　mostly　rides；　'tis　a　pity　that　one　so　brave　should　have　so　foul　and　treacherous　a　heart。　Here　we　are　at　my　hut；　and　you　can　sleep　soundly　tonight；　Ralph；　for　there　is　little　fear　that　the　fellow；　who　has　failed　tonight；　will　repeat　his　attempt　for　some　time。　　He　thinks；　no　doubt；　that　he　has　killed　me；　for　with　a　blow　so　strongly　struck　he　would　scarcely　have　felt　the　snapping　of　the　weapon；　and　is　likely　enough　already　on　board　one　of　the　ships　which　ply　to　and　fro　from　England　on　his　way　to　acquaint　his　employer　that　I　am　removed　from　his　path。〃

The　next　morning　Walter　mentioned　to　the　Black　Prince　the　venture　which　had　befallen　him；　and　the　narrow　escape　he　had　had　of　his　life。　The　prince　was　extremely　exasperated；　and　gave　orders　that　an　inquisition　should　be　made　through　the　camp；　and　that　all　men　found　there　not　being　able　to　give　a　good　account　of　themselves　as　having　reasonable　and　lawful　calling　there　should　be　forthwith　put　on　board　ship　and　sent　to　England。　He　questioned　Walter　closely　whether　he　deemed　that　the　attack　was　for　the　purpose　of　plunder　only；　or　whether　he　had　any　reason　to　be