saint george for england-第44章

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　men…at…arms　who　lay　at　its　foot　under　the　command　of　the　Dauphin　would　find　little　difficulty　in　climbing　it　to　the　assault。　The　prince　therefore　gave　orders　that　300　men…at…arms　and　300　mounted　archers　should　make　a　circuit　from　the　rear　round　the　base　of　the　hill；　in　order　to　pour　in　upon　the　flank　of　the　Dauphin's　division　as　soon　as　they　became　disordered　in　the　ascent。　The　nature　of　the　ground　concealed　this　maneuver　from　the　enemies'　view；　and　the　Captal　De　Buch；　who　was　in　command　of　the　party；　gained　unperceived　the　cover　of　a　wooded　ravine　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　the　left　flank　of　the　enemy。　By　the　time　that　all　these　dispositions　were　complete　the　huge　French　array　was　moving　forward。　The　Black　Prince；　surrounded　by　his　knights；　viewed　them　approaching。

〃Fair　lords；〃　he　said；　〃though　we　be　so　few　against　that　mighty　power　of　enemies；　let　us　not　be　dismayed；　for　strength　and　victory　lie　not　in　multitudes；　but　in　those　to　whom　God　give　them。　If　He　will　the　day　be　ours；　then　the　highest　glory　of　this　world　will　be　given　to　us。　If　we　die；　I　have　the　noble　lord；　my　father；　and　two　fair　brothers；　and　you　have　each　of　you　many　a　good　friend　who　will　avenge　us　well；　thus；　then；　I　pray　you　fight　well　this　day；　and　if　it　please　God　and　St。　　George　I　will　also　do　the　part　of　a　good　knight。〃

The　prince　then　chose　Sir　John　Chandos　and　Sir　James　Audley　to　remain　by　his　side　during　the　conflict　in　order　to　afford　him　counsel　in　case　of　need。　Audley；　however；　pleaded　a　vow　which　he　had　made　long　before；　to　be　the　first　in　battle　should　he　ever　be　engaged　under　the　command　of　the　King　of　England　or　any　of　his　children。　The　prince　at　once　acceded　to　his　request　to　be　allowed　to　fight　in　the　van；　and　Audley；　accompanied　by　four　chosen　squires；　took　his　place　in　front　of　the　English　line　of　battle。　Not　far　from　him；　also　in　advance　of　the　line；　was　Sir　Eustace　D'Arnbrecicourt　on　horseback；　also　eager　to　distinguish　himself。

As　Sir　James　rode　off　the　prince　turned　to　Walter。　〃As　Audley　must　needs　fight　as　a　knight…errant；　Sir　Walter　Somers；　do　you　take　your　place　by　my　side；　for　there　is　no　more　valiant　knight　in　my　army　than　you　have　often　proved　yourself　to　be。〃

Three　hundred　chosen　French　men…at…arms　mounted　on　the　strongest　horses　covered　with　steel　armour；　led　the　way　under　the　command　of　the　Marechals　D'Audeham　and　De　Clermont；　while　behind　them　were　a　large　body　of　German　cavalry　under　the　Counts　of　Nassau；　Saarbruck；　and　Nidau；　to　support　them　in　their　attack　on　the　English　archers。　On　the　right　was　the　Duke　of　Orleans　with　16；000　men…at…arms；　on　the　left　the　Dauphin　and　his　two　brothers　with　an　equal　force；　while　King　John　himself　led　on　the　rear…guard。

When　the　three　hundred　elite　of　the　French　army　reached　the　narrow　way　between　the　hedges；　knowing　that　these　were　lined　with　archers　they　charged　through　at　a　gallop　to　fall　upon　the　main　body　of　bowmen　covering　the　front　of　the　English　men…at…arms。　The　moment　they　were　fairly　in　the　hollow　road　the　British　archers　rose　on　either　side　to　their　feet　and　poured　such　a　flight　of　arrows　among　them　that　in　an　instant　all　was　confusion　and　disarray。　Through　every　joint　and　crevice　of　the　armour　of　knights　and　horses　the　arrows　found　their　way；　and　the　lane　was　almost　choked　with　the　bodies　of　men　and　horses。　A　considerable　number；　nevertheless；　made　their　way　through　and　approached　the　first　line　of　archers　beyond。　Here　they　were　met　by　Sir　James　Audley；　who；　with　his　four　squires；　plunged　into　their　ranks　and　overthrew　the　Marechal　D'Audeham；　and　then　fought　his　way　onward。　　Regardless　of　the　rest　of　the　battle　he　pressed　ever　forward；　until　at　the　end　of　the　day；　wounded　in　a　hundred　places　and　fainting　from　loss　of　blood；　he　fell　from　his　horse　almost　at　the　gates　of　Poitiers；　and　was　borne　from　the　field　by　the　four　faithful　squires　who　had　fought　beside　him　throughout　the　day。

Less　fortunate　was　Sir　Eustace　D'Ambrecicourt；　who　spurred　headlong　upon　the　German　cavalry。　A　German　knight　rode　out　to　meet　him；　and　in　the　shock　both　were　dishorsed；　but　before　Sir　Eustace　could　recover　his　seat　he　was　borne　down　to　the　ground　by　four　others　of　the　enemy；　and　was　bound　and　carried　captive　to　the　rear。

In　the　meantime　the　English　archers　kept　up　their　incessant　hail　of　arrows　upon　the　band　under　the　French　marshals。　The　English　men…at…arms　passed　through　the　gaps　purposely　left　in　the　line　of　archers　and　drove　back　the　front　rank　of　the　enemy　upon　those　following；　chasing　them　headlong　down　the　hollow　road　again。　　The　few　survivors　of　the　French　force；　galloping　back；　carried　confusion　into　the　advancing　division　of　the　Dauphin。

Before　order　was　restored　the　Captal　De　Buch　with　his　six　hundred　men　issued　forth　from　his　place　of　concealment　and　charged　impetuously　down　on　the　left　flank　of　the　Dauphin。　The　French；　shaken　in　front　by　the　retreat　of　their　advance　guard；　were　thrown　into　extreme　confusion　by　this　sudden　and　unexpected　charge。　The　horse　archers　with　the　captal　poured　their　arrows　into　the　mass；　while　the　shafts　of　the　main　body　of　the　archers　on　the　hill　hailed　upon　them　without　ceasing。

The　rumour　spread　among　those　in　the　French　rear；　who　were　unable　to　see　what　was　going　forward；　that　the　day　was　already　lost；　and　many　began　to　fly。　Sir　John　Chandos　marked　the　confusion　which　had　set　in；　and　he　exclaimed　to　the　prince：

〃Now；　sir；　ride　forward；　and　the　day　is　yours。　Let　us　charge　right　over　upon　your　adversary；　the　King　of　France；　for　there　lies　the　labour　and　the　feat　of　the　day。　Well　do　I　know　that　his　great　courage　will　never　let　him　fly；　but；　God　willing；　he　shall　be　well　encountered。〃

〃Forward；　then；　John　Chandos；〃　replied　the　prince。　　〃You　shall　not　see　me　tread　one　step　back；　but　ever　in　advance。　Bear　on　my　banner。　God　and　St。　George　be　with　us！〃

The　horses　of　the　English　force　were　all　held　in　readiness　by　their　attendants　close　in　their　rear。　Every　man　sprang　into　his　saddle；　and　with　levelled　lances　the　army　bore　down　the　hill　against　the　enemy；　while　the　Captal　De　Buch　forced　his　way　through　the　struggling　ranks　of　the　French　to　join　them。

To　these　two　parties　were　opposed　the　whole　of　the　German　cavalry；　the　division　of　the　Dauphin；　now　thinned　by　flight；　and　a　strong　force　under　the　Constable　de　Brienne；　Duke　of　Athens。　The　first　charge　of　the　English　was　directed　against　the　Germans；　the　remains　of　the　marshal's　forces；　and　that　commanded　by　the　Constable。　The　two　bodies　of　cavalry　met　with　a　tremendous　shock；　raising　their　respective　war…cries；　〃Denis　Mount　Joye！〃　and　〃St。　George　Guyenne！〃　Lances　were　shivered；　and　horses　and　men　rolled　over；　but　the　German　horse　was　borne　down　in　every　direction　by　the　charge　of　the　English　chivalry。　The　Counts　of　Nassau　and　Saarbruck　were　taken；　and　the　rest　driven　down　the　hill　in　utter　confusion。　The　division　of　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　a　little　further　down　the　hill　to　the　right；　were　seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　and　16；000　men…at…arms；　together　with　their　commander；　fled　without　striking　a　blow。

Having　routed　the　French　and　German　cavalry　in　advance；　the　English　now　fell　upon　the　Dauphin's　division。　　This　had　been　already　confused　by　the　attacks　of　the　Captal　De　Buch；　and　when　its　leaders　beheld　the　complete　rout　of　the　marshals　and　the　Germans；　and　saw　the　victorious　force　galloping　down　upon　them；　the　responsibility　attached　to　the　charge　of　the　three　young　princes　overcame　their　firmness。　The　Lords　of　Landas；　Vaudenay；　and　St。　Venant；　thinking　the　battle　lost；　hurried　the　princes　from　the　field；　surrounded　by　eight　hundred　lances；　determined　to　place　them　at　a　secure　distance；　and　then　to　return　and　fight　beside　the　king。　The　retreat　of　the　princes　at　once　disorganized　the　force；　but　though　many　fled　a　number　of　the　nobles　remained　scattered　over　the　field　fighting　in　separate　bodies　with　their　own　retainers　gathered　under　their　banners。　Gradually　these　fell　back　and　took　post　on　the　left　of　the　French　king's　division。　The　Constable　and　the　Duke　of　Bourbon　with　a　large　body　of　knights　and　men…at…arms　also　opposed　a　firm　front　to　the　advance　of　the　English。　　The　king　saw　with　indignation　one　of　his　divisions　defeated　and　the　other　in　coward　flight；　but　his　forces　were　still　vastly　superior　to　those　of　the　English；　and　ordering　his　men　to　dismount；　he　prepared　to　receive　their　onset。　　The　English　now　gathered　their　forces　which　had　been　scattered　in　combat；　and　again　advanced　to　the　fight。　The　archers　as　usual　heralded　this　advance　with　showers　of　arrows；　which　shook　the　ranks　of　the　French　and　opened　the　way　for　the　cavalry。　These　dashed　in；　and　the　ranks　of　the　two　armies　became　mixed；　and　each　man　fought　hand　to　hand。　The　French　king　fought　on　foot　with　immense　valour　and　bravery；　as　did　his　nobles。　The　Dukes　of　Bourbon　and　Athens；　the　Lords　of　Landas；　Argenton；　Chambery；　Joinville；　and　many　others　stood　and　died　near　the　king。

Gradually　the　English　drove　back　their　foes。　The　French　forces　became　cut　up　into　groups　or　confined　into　narrow　spaces。　Knight　after　knight　fell　around　the　king。　De　Ribaumont　fell　near　him。　Jeffrey　de　Charny；　who；　as　one　of　the　most　valiant　knights　in　the　army；　had　been　chosen　to　bear　the　French　standard；　the　oriflamme；　never　left　his　sovereign's　side；　and　as　long　as　the　sacred　banner　floated　over　his　head　John　would　not　believe　the　day　was　lost。　At　length；　however；　Jeffrey　de　Charny　was　killed；　and　the　oriflamme　fell。　John；　surrounded　on　every　side　by　foes　who　pressed　forward　to　make　him　prisoner；　still　kept　clear　the　space　immediately　around　himself　and　his　little　son　with　his　battle…axe；　but　at　last　he　saw　that　further　resistance　would　only　entail　the　death　of　both；　and　he　then　surrendered　to　Denis　de　Montbec；　a　knight　of　Artois。

The　battle　was　now　virtually　over。　The　French　banners　and　pennons　had　disappeared；　and　nothing　was　seen　save　the　dead　and　dying；　groups　of　prisoners；　and　parties　of　fugitives　flying　over　the　country。　Chandos　now　advised　the　prince　to　halt。　His　banner　was　pitched　on　the　summit　of　a　little　mound。　The　trumpets　blew　to　recall　the　army　from　the　pursuit；　and　the　prince；　taking　off　his　helmet；　drank　with　the　little　body　of　knights　who　accompanied　him　some　wine　brought　from　his　former　encampment。

The　two　marshals　of　the　English　army；　the　Earls　of　Warwick　and　Suffolk；　were　among　the　first　to　return　at　the　call　of　the　trumpet。　Hearing　that　King　John　had　certainly　not　left　the　field　of　battle；　though　they　knew　not　whether　he　was　dead　or　taken；　the　prince　at　once　despatched　the　Earl　of　Warwick　and　Lord　Cobham　to　find　and　protect　him　if　still　alive。　They　soon　came　upon　a　mass　of　men…at…arms；　seemingly　engaged　in　an　angry　quarrel。　On　riding　up　they　found　that　the　object　of　strife　was　the　King　of　France；　who　had　been　snatched　from　the　hands　of　Montbec；　and　was　being　claimed　by　a　score　of　men　as　his　prisoner。　The　Earl　of　Warwick　and　Lord　Cobham　instantly　made　their　way　through　the　mass；　and　dismounting；　saluted　the　captive　monarch　with　the　deepest　reverence；　and　keeping　back　the　multitude　led　him　to　the　Prince　of　Wales。　The　latter　bent　his　knee　before　the　king；　and　calling　for　wine；　presented　the　cup　with　his　own　hands　to　the　unfortunate　monarch。

The　battle　was　over　by　noon；　but　it　was　evening　before　all　the　pursuing　parties　returned；　and　the　r