saint george for england-第57章

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nt　vengeance　of　the　English　king；　disclosed　the　whole　transaction　to　Edward。


The　king　bade　him　continue　to　carry　out　his　arrangements　with　De　Charny；　leaving　it　to　him　to　counteract　the　plot。　Had　he　issued　orders　for　the　rapid　assembly　of　the　army　the　French　would　have　taken　alarm。　He　therefore　sent　private　messengers　to　a　number　of　knights　and　gentlemen　of　Kent　and　Sussex　to　meet　him　with　their　retainers　at　Dover　on　the　31st　of　December。


Walter　was　one　of　those　summoned；　and　although　much　surprised　at　the　secrecy　with　which　he　was　charged；　and　of　such　a　call　being　made　while　the　truce　with　France　still　existed；　he　repaired　to　Dover　on　the　day　named；　accompanied　by　Ralph　and　by　twenty　men；　who　were　all　who　remained　capable　of　bearing　arms　on　the　estate。

He　found　the　king　himself　with　the　Black　Prince　at　Dover；　where　they　had　arrived　that　day。　Sir　Walter　Manny　was　in　command　of　the　force；　which　consisted　in　all　of　300　men…at…arms　and　600　archers。　A　number　of　small　boats　had　been　collected；　and　at　midday　on　the　1st　of　January　the　little　expedition　started；　and　arrived　at　Calais　after　nightfall。

In　the　chivalrous　spirit　of　the　times　the　king　determined　that　Sir　Walter　Manny　should　continue　in　command　of　the　enterprise；　he　and　the　Black　Prince；　disguised　as　simple　knights；　fighting　under　his　banner。

In　the　meantime　a　considerable　force　had　been　collected　at　St。　Omer；　where　a　large　number　of　knights　and　gentlemen　obeyed　the　summons　of　Jeffrey　de　Charny。　　On　the　night　appointed　they　marched　for　Calais；　in　number　five　hundred　lances　and　a　corresponding　number　of　footmen。　They　reached　the　river　and　bridge　of　Nieullay　a　little　after　midnight；　and　messengers　were　sent　on　to　the　governor；　who　was　prepared　to　receive　them。　On　their　report　De　Charny　advanced　still　nearer　to　the　town；　leaving　the　bridge　and　passages　to　the　river　guarded　by　a　large　body　of　crossbow…men　under　the　command　of　the　Lord　De　Fiennes　and　a　number　of　other　knights。　At　a　little　distance　from　the　castle　he　was　met　by　Almeric　de　Pavia；　who　yielded　his　son　as　a　hostage　according　to　his　promise；　calculating；　as　was　the　case；　that　he　would　be　recaptured　by　the　English。　Then；　having　received　the　greater　portion　of　the　money　agreed　upon；　he　led　a　party　of　the　French　over　the　castle　to　satisfy　them　of　his　sincerity。　Upon　receiving　their　report　that　all　was　quiet　De　Charny　detached　twelve　knights　and　a　hundred　men…　at…arms　to　take　possession　of　the　castle；　while　he　himself　waited　at　one　of　the　gates　of　the　town　with　the　principal　portion　of　his　force。

No　sooner　had　the　French　entered　the　castle　than　the　drawbridge　was　raised。　　The　English　soldiers　poured　out　from　their　places　of　concealment；　and　the　party　which　had　entered　the　castle　were　forced　to　lay　down　their　arms。　In　the　meantime　the　Black　Prince　issued　with　a　small　body　of　troops　from　a　gate　near　the　sea；　while　De　Manny；　with　the　king　under　his　banner；　marched　by　the　sally…port　which　led　into　the　fields。　　A　considerable　detachment　of　the　division　was　despatched　to　dislodge　the　enemy　at　the　bridge　of　Nieullay；　and　the　rest；　joining　the　party　of　the　Black　Prince；　advanced　rapidly　upon　the　forces　of　Jeffrey　de　Charny　which；　in　point　of　numbers；　was　double　their　own　strength。

Although　taken　in　turn　by　surprise　the　French　prepared　steadily　for　the　attack。　　De　Charny　ordered　them　all　to　dismount　and　to　shorten　their　lances　to　pikes　five　feet　in　length。　The　English　also　dismounted　and　rushing　forward　on　foot　a　furious　contest　commenced。　The　ranks　of　both　parties　were　soon　broken　in　the　darkness；　and　the　combatants　separating　into　groups　a　number　of　separate　battles　raged　around　the　different　banners。

For　some　hours　the　fight　was　continued　with　unabating　obstinacy　on　both　sides。　　The　king　and　the　Black　Prince　fought　with　immense　bravery；　their　example　encouraging　even　those　of　their　soldiers　who　were　ignorant　of　the　personality　of　the　knights　who　were　everywhere　in　front　of　the　combat。　King　Edward　himself　several　times　crossed　swords　with　the　famous　Eustace　de　Ribaumont；　one　of　the　most　gallant　knights　in　France。　At　length　towards　daybreak　the　king；　with　only　thirty　companions；　found　himself　again　opposed　to　De　Ribaumont　with　a　greatly　superior　force；　and　the　struggle　was　renewed　between　them。

Twice　the　king　was　beaten　down　on　one　knee　by　the　thundering　blows　of　the　French　knight；　twice　he　rose　and　renewed　the　attack；　until　De　Charny；　seeing　Sir　Walter　Manny's　banner；　beside　which　Edward　fought；　defended　by　so　small　a　force；　also　bore　down　to　the　attack；　and　in　the　struggle　Edward　was　separated　from　his　opponent。

The　combat　now　became　desperate　round　the　king；　and　Sir　Guy　Brian；　who　bore　De　Manny's　standard；　though　one　of　the　strongest　and　most　gallant　knights　of　the　day；　could　scarce　keep　the　banner　erect。　Still　Edward　fought　on；　and　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment；　forgetting　his　incognito；　he　accompanied　each　blow　with　his　customary　war…cry　…　〃Edward；　St。　George！　Edward；　St。　George！〃　At　that　battle…cry；　which　told　the　French　men…at…arms　that　the　King　of　England　was　himself　opposed　to　them；　they　recoiled　for　a　moment。　The　shout　too　reached　the　ears　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　had　been　fighting　with　another　group。　Calling　his　knights　around　him　he　fell　upon　the　rear　of　De　Charny's　party　and　quickly　cleared　a　space　around　the　king。


The　fight　was　now　everywhere　going　against　the　French；　and　the　English　redoubling　their　efforts　the　victory　was　soon　complete；　and　scarcely　one　French　knight　left　the　ground　alive　and　free。　In　the　struggle　Edward　again　encountered　De　Ribaumont；　who；　separated　from　him　by　the　charge　of　De　Charny；　had　not　heard　the　king's　war…cry。　The　conflict　between　them　was　a　short　one。　The　French　knight　saw　that　almost　all　his　companions　were　dead　or　captured；　his　party　completely　defeated；　and　all　prospects　of　escape　cut　off。　He　therefore　soon　dropped　the　point　of　his　sword　and　surrendered　to　his　unknown　adversary。　In　the　meantime　the　troops　which　had　been　despatched　to　the　bridge　of　Nieullay　had　defeated　the　French　forces　left　to　guard　the　passage　and　clear　the　ground　towards　St。　Omer。

Early　in　the　morning　Edward　entered　Calais　in　triumph；　taking　with　him　thirty　French　nobles　as　prisoners；　while　two　hundred　more　remained　dead　on　the　field。　　That　evening　a　great　banquet　was　held；　at　which　the　French　prisoners　were　present。　The　king　presided　at　the　banquet；　and　the　French　nobles　were　waited　upon　by　the　Black　Prince　and　his　knights。　　After　the　feast　was　concluded　the　king　bestowed　on　De　Ribaumont　the　chaplet　of　pearls　which　he　wore　round　his　crown；　hailing　him　as　the　most　gallant　of　the　knights　who　had　that　day　fought；　and　granting　him　freedom　to　return　at　once　to　his　friends；　presenting　him　with　two　horses；　and　a　purse　to　defray　his　expenses　to　the　nearest　French　town。

De　Charny　was　afterwards　ransomed；　and　after　his　return　to　France　assembled　a　body　of　troops　and　attacked　the　castle　which　Edward　had　bestowed　upon　Almeric　of　Pavia；　and　capturing　the　Lombard；　carried　him　to　St。　Omer；　and　had　him　there　publicly　flayed　alive　as　a　punishment　for　his　treachery。

Walter　had　as　usual　fought　by　the　side　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　throughout　the　battle　of　Calais　and　had　much　distinguished　himself　for　his　valour。　Ralph　was　severely　wounded　in　the　fight；　but　was　able　a　month　later　to　rejoin　Walter　in　England。

The　battle　of　Calais　and　the　chivalrous　bearing　of　the　king　created　great　enthusiasm　and　delight　in　England；　and　did　much　to　rouse　the　people　from　the　state　of　grief　into　which　they　had　been　cast　by　the　ravages　of　the　plague。　The　king　did　his　utmost　to　maintain　the　spirit　which　had　been　evoked；　and　the　foundation　of　the　order　of　the　Garter；　and　the　erection　of　a　splendid　chapel　at　Windsor；　and　its　dedication；　with　great　ceremony；　to　St。　George；　the　patron　saint　of　England；　still　further　raised　the　renown　of　the　court　of　Edward　throughout　Europe　as　the　centre　of　the　chivalry　of　the　age。

Notwithstanding　many　treaties　which　had　taken　place；　and　the　near　alliance　which　had　been　well…nigh　carried　out　between　the　royal　families　of　England　and　Spain；　Spanish　pirates　had　never　ceased　to　carry　on　a　series　of　aggressions　upon　the　English　vessels　trading　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。　Ships　were　every