saint george for england-第38章

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amp。

The　French　reconnoitering　parties　found　no　way　open　to　attack　the　English　unless　under　grievous　disadvantages。　　The　Cardinals　of　Tusculum；　St。　John；　and　St。　Paul　endeavoured　to　negotiate　terms　of　peace；　and　commissioners　on　both　sides　met。　　The　terms　offered　by　Phillip　were；　however；　by　no　means　so　favourable　as　Edward；　after　his　own　victorious　operations　and　those　of　his　armies　in　Brittany　and　Guienne；　had　a　right　to　expect　and　the　negotiations　were　broken　off。

The　following　day　the　French　king　sent　in　a　message　to　Edward　saying　that　he　had　examined　the　ground　in　every　direction　in　order　to　advance　and　give　battle；　but　had　found　no　means　of　doing　so。　He　therefore　summoned　the　king　to　come　forth　from　the　marshy　ground　in　which　he　was　encamped　and　to　fight　in　the　open　plain；　and　he　offered　to　send　four　French　knights；　who；　with　four　English　of　the　same　rank；　should　choose　a　fair　plain　in　the　neighbourhood；　according　to　the　usages　of　chivalry。　Edward　had　little　over　30；000　men　with　him；　but　the　same　evening　that　Phillip's　challenge　was　received　a　body　of　17；000　Flemings　and　English；　detached　from　an　army　which　had　been　doing　good　service　on　the　borders　of　Flanders；　succeeded　in　passing　round　the　enemy's　host　and　in　effecting　a　junction　with　the　king's　army。　Early　the　next　morning；　after　having　consulted　with　his　officers；　Edward　returned　an　answer　to　the　French　king；　saying　that　he　agreed　to　his　proposal；　and　enclosed　a　safe…conduct　for　any　four　French　knights　who　might　be　appointed　to　arrange　with　the　same　number　of　English　the　place　of　battle。

The　odds　were　indeed　enormous；　the　French　being　four　to　one；　but　Edward；　after　the　success　of　Cressy；　which　had　been　won　by　the　Black　Prince's　division；　which　bore　a　still　smaller　proportion　to　the　force　engaging　it；　might　well　feel　confident　in　the　valour　of　his　troops。　His　envoys；　on　arriving　at　the　French　camp；　found　that　Phillip　had　apparently　changed　his　mind。　He　declined　to　discuss　the　matter　with　which　they　were　charged；　and　spoke　only　of　the　terms　upon　which　Edward　would　be　willing　to　raise　the　siege　of　Calais。　　As　they　had　no　authority　on　this　subject　the　English　knights　returned　to　their　camp；　where　the　news　was　received　with　great　disappointment；　so　confident　did　all　feel　in　their　power　to　defeat　the　huge　host　of　the　French。　But　even　greater　was　the　astonishment　the　next　morning　when；　before　daylight；　the　tents　of　the　French　were　seen　in　one　great　flame；　and　it　was　found　that　the　king　and　all　his　host　were　retreating　at　full　speed。　The　Earls　of　Lancaster　and　Northampton；　with　a　large　body　of　horse　at　once　started　in　pursuit；　and　harassed　the　retreating　army　on　its　march　towards　Amiens。

No　satisfactory　reasons　ever　have　been　assigned　for　this　extraordinary　step　on　the　part　of　the　French　king。　He　had　been　for　months　engaged　in　collecting　a　huge　army；　and　he　had　now　an　opportunity　of　fighting　the　English　in　a　fair　field　with　a　force　four　times　as　great　as　their　own。　The　only　means　indeed　of　accounting　for　his　conduct　is　by　supposing　him　affected　by　temporary　aberration　of　mind；　which　many　other　facts　in　his　history　render　not　improbable。　The　fits　of　rage　so　frequently　recorded　of　him　border　upon　madness；　and　a　number　of　strange　actions　highly　detrimental　to　his　own　interests　which　he　committed　can　only　be　accounted　for　as　the　acts　of　a　diseased　mind。　This　view　has　been　to　some　extent　confirmed　by　the　fact　that　less　than　half　a　century　afterwards　insanity　declared　itself　among　his　descendants。

A　few　hours　after　the　departure　of　the　French　the　French　standard　was　lowered　on　the　walls　of　Calais；　and　news　was　brought　to　Edward　that　the　governor　was　upon　the　battlements　and　desired　to　speak　with　some　officers　of　the　besieging　army。　　Sir　Walter　Manny　and　Lord　Bisset　were　sent　to　confer　with　him；　and　found　that　his　object　was　to　obtain　the　best　terms　he　could。　　The　English　knights；　knowing　the　determination　of　the　king　on　the　subject；　were　forced　to　tell　him　that　no　possibility　existed　of　conditions　being　granted；　but　that　the　king　demanded　their　unconditional　surrender；　reserving　to　himself　entirely　the　right　whom　to　pardon　and　whom　to　put　to　death。

The　governor　remonstrated　on　the　severe　terms；　and　said　that　rather　than　submit　to　them　he　and　his　soldiers　would　sally　out　and　die　sword　in　hand。　Sir　Walter　Manny　found　the　king　inexorable。　The　strict　laws　of　war　in　those　days　justified　the　barbarous　practise　of　putting　to　death　the　garrison　of　a　town　captured　under　such　circumstances。　Calais　had　been　for　many　years　a　nest　of　pirates；　and　vessels　issuing　from　its　port　had　been　a　scourge　to　the　commerce　of　England　and　Flanders；　and　the　king　was　fully　determined　to　punish　it　severely。　Sir　Walter　Manny　interceded　long　and　boldly；　and　represented　to　the　king　that　none　of　his　soldiers　would　willingly　defend　a　town　on　his　behalf　from　the　day　on　which　he　put　to　death　the　people　of　Calais；　as　beyond　doubt　the　French　would　retaliate　in　every　succeeding　siege。　The　other　nobles　and　knights　joined　their　entreaties　to　those　of　Sir　Walter　Manny；　and　the　king　finally　consented　to　yield　in　some　degree。　He　demanded　that　six　of　the　most　notable　burghers　of　the　town；　with　bare　heads　and　feet；　and　with　ropes　about　their　necks　and　the　keys　of　the　fortress　in　their　hands；　should　deliver　themselves　up　for　execution。　On　these　conditions　he　agreed　to　spare　the　rest。　With　these　terms　Sir　Walter　Manny　returned　to　Sir　John　of　Vienne。

The　governor　left　the　battlements；　and　proceeding　to　the　market…place　ordered　the　bell　to　be　rung。　The　famished　and　despairing　citizens　gathered　a　haggard　crowd　to　hear　their　doom。　A　silence　followed　the　narration　of　the　hard　conditions　of　surrender　by　the　governor；　and　sobs　and　cries　alone　broke　the　silence　which　succeeded。　Then　Eustace　St。　　Pierre；　the　wealthiest　and　most　distinguished　of　the　citizens；　came　forward　and　offered　himself　as　one　of　the　victims；　saying；　〃Sad　pity　and　shame　would　it　be　to　let　all　of　our　fellow…　citizens　die　of　famine　or　the　sword　when　means　could　be　found　to　save　them。〃　John　of　Aire；　James　and　Peter　De　Vissant；　and　another　whose　name　has　not　come　down　to　us；　followed　his　example；　and　stripping　to　their　shirts　set　out　for　the　camp；　Sir　John　of　Vienne；　who；　from　a　late　wound；　was　unable　to　walk；　riding　at　their　head　on　horseback。　The　whole　population　accompanied　them　weeping　bitterly　until　they　came　to　the　place　where　Sir　Walter　Manny　was　awaiting　them。　Here　the　crowd　halted；　and　the　knight；　promising　to　do　his　best　to　save　them；　led　them　to　the　tent　where　the　king　had　assembled　all　his　nobles　around　him。　When　the　tidings　came　that　the　burghers　of　Calais　had　arrived；　Edward　issued　out　with　his　retinue；　accompanied　by　Queen　Philippa　and　the　Black　Prince。

〃Behold；　Sire；〃　Sir　Walter　Manny　said；　〃the　representatives　of　the　town　of　Calais！〃

The　king　made　no　reply　while　John　of　Vienne　surrendered　his　sword；　and　kneeling　with　the　burghers；　said；　〃Gentle　lord　and　king；　behold；　we　six　who　were　once　the　greatest　citizens　and　merchants　of　Calais；　bring　you　the　keys　of　the　town　and　castle；　and　give　ourselves　up　to　your　pleasure；　placing　ourselves　in　the　state　in　which　you　see　us　by　our　own　free…will　to　save　the　rest　of　the　people　of　the　city；　who　have　already　suffered　many　ills。　We　pray　you；　therefore；　to　have　pity　and　mercy　upon　us　for　the　sake　of　your　high　nobleness。〃

All　present　were　greatly　affected　at　this　speech；　and　at　the　aspect　of　men　who　thus　offered　their　lives　for　their　fellow…citizens。　The　king's　countenance　alone　remained　unchanged；　and　he　ordered　them　to　be　taken　to　instant　execution。　Then　Sir　Walter　Manny　and　all　the　nobles　with　tears　besought　the　king　to　have　mercy；　not　only　for　the　sake　of　the　citizens；　but　for　that　of　his　own　fame；　which　would　be　tarnished　by　so　cruel　a　deed。

〃Silence；　Sir　Walter！〃　cried　the　king。　〃Let　the　executioner　be　called。　The　men　of　Calais　have　put　to　death　so　many　of　my　subjects　that　I　will　also　put　these　men　to　death。〃

At　this　moment　Queen　Philippa；　who　had　been　weeping　bitterly；　cast　herself　upon　her　knees　before　the　king。　〃Oh；　gentle　lord；〃　she　cried；　〃since　I　have　repassed　the　seas　to　see　you　I　have　neither　asked　or　required　anything　at　your　hand；　now；　then；　I　pray　you　humbly；　and　require　as　a　boon；　that　for　the　sake　of　the　Son　of　Mary；　and　for　the　love　of　me；　you　take　these　men　to　mercy。

The　king　stood　for　a　moment　in　silence；　and　then　said：

〃Ah！　lady；　I　would　that　you　had　been　other　where　than　here；　but　you　beg　of　me　so　earnestly　I　must　not　refuse　you；　though　I　grant　your　prayer　with　pain。　I　give　them　to　you；　take　them；　and　do　your　will。〃

Then　the　queen　rose　from　her　knees；　and　bidding　the　burghers　rise；　she　caused　clothing　and　food　to　be　given　them；　and　sent　them　away　free。

Sir　Walter　Manny；　with　a　considerable　body　of　men…at…arms；　now　took　possession　of　the　town　of　Calais。　The　anger　of　the　king　soon　gave　way　to　better　feelings；　all　the　citizens；　without　exception；　were　fed　by　his　bounty。　Such　of　them　as　preferred　to　depart　instead　of　swearing　fealty　to　the　English　monarch　were　allowed　to　carry　away　what　effects　they　could　bear　upon　their　persons　and　were　conducted　in　safety　to　the　French　town　of　Guisnes。　Eustace　de　St。　Pierre　was　granted　almost　all　the　possessions　he　had　formerly　held　in　Calais；　and　also　a　considerable　pension；　and　he　and　all　who　were　willing　to　remain　were　well　and　kindly　treated。　The　number　was　large；　for　the　natural　indignation　which　they　felt　at　their　base　desertion　by　the　French　king　induced　very　many　of　the　citizens　to　remain　and　become　subjects　of　Edward。　The　king　issued　a　proclamation　inviting　English　traders　and　others　to　come　across　and　take　up　their　residence　in　Calais；　bestowing　upon　them　the　houses　and　lands　of　the　French　who　had　left。　　Very　many　accepted　the　invitation；　and　Calais　henceforth　and　for　some　centuries　became　virtually　an　English　town。

A　truce　was　now；　through　the　exertions　of　the　pope's　legates；　made　between　England　and　France；　the　terms　agreed　on　being　very　similar　to　those　of　the　previous　treaty；　and　when　all　his　arrangements　were　finished　Edward　returned　with　his　queen　to　England；　having　been　absent　eighteen　months；　during　which　time　almost　unbroken　success　had　attended　his　arms；　and　the　English　name　had　reached　a　position　of　respect　and　honour　in　the　eyes　of　Europe　far　beyond　that　at　which　it　previously　stood。



CHAPTER　XVIII：　THE　BLACK　DEATH



The　court　at　Westminster　during　the　few　months　which　followed　the　capture　of　Calais　was　the　most　brilliant　in　Europe。　Tournaments　and　fetes　followed　each　other　in　rapid　succession；　and　to　these　knights　came　from　all　parts。　So　great　was　the　reputation　of　King　Edward　that　deputies　came　from　Germany；　where　the　throne　was　now　vacant；　to　offer　the　crown　of　that　kingdom　to　him。　　The　king　declined　the　offer；　for　it　would　have　been　impossible　indeed　for　him　to　have　united　the　German　crown　with　that　of　England；　which　he　already　held；　and　that　of　France；　which　he　claimed。

Some　months　after　his　return　to　England　the　Black　Prince　asked　his　father　as　a　boon　that　the　hand　of　his　ward　Edith　Vernon　should　be　bestowed　upon　the　prince's　brave　follower　Sir　Walter　Somers；　and　as　Queen　Philippa；　in　the　name　of　the　lady's　mother；　seconded　the　request；　the　king　at　once　acceded　to　it。　Edith　was　now　sixteen；　a