sir nigel-第51章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of us。〃
〃Your words are very welcome； Thomas；〃 said the King； 〃and I make
no doubt that they will show themselves to be very worthy of what
we prepare for them。 To you I give a ship； that you may have the
handling of it。 You also； my dear son； shall have a ship； that
evermore honor may be thine。〃
〃I thank you； my fair and sweet father；〃 said the Prince； with joy
flushing his handsome boyish face。
〃The leading ship shall be mine。 But you shall have one； Walter
Manny； and you； Stafford； and you； Arundel； and you； Audley； and
you； Sir Thomas Holland； and you； Brocas； and you； Berkeley； and
you； Reginald。 The rest shall be awarded at Winchelsea； whither
we sail to…morrow。 Nay； John； why do you pluck so at my sleeve？〃
Chandos was leaning forward； with an anxious face。 〃Surely； my
honored lord； I have not served you so long and so faithfully that
you should forget me now。 Is there then no ship for me？〃
The King smiled； but shook his head。 〃Nay； John； have I not given
you two hundred archers and a hundred men…at…arms to take with you
into Brittany？ I trust that your ships will be lying in Saint
Malo Bay ere the Spaniards are abreast of Winchelsea。 What more
would you have； old war…dog？ Wouldst be in two battles at once？〃
〃I would be at your side； my liege； when the lion banner is in the
wind once more。 I have ever been there。 Why should you cast me
now？ I ask little； dear lord … a galley； a balinger； even a
pinnace； so that I may only be there。〃
〃Nay； John； you shall come。 I cannot find it in my heart to say
you nay。 I will find you place in my own ship； that you may
indeed be by my side。〃
Chandos stooped and kissed the King's hand。 〃My Squire？〃 he
asked。
The King's brows knotted into a frown。 〃Nay； let him go to
Brittany with the others；〃 said he harshly。 〃I wonder； John； that
you should bring back to my memory this youth whose pertness is
too fresh that I should forget it。 But some one must go to
Brittany in your stead； for the matter presses and our people are
hard put to it to hold their own。〃 He cast his eyes over the
assembly； and they rested upon the stern features of Sir Robert
Knolles。
〃Sir Robert；〃 he said； 〃though you are young in years you are
already old in war； and I have heard that you are as prudent in
council as you are valiant in the field。 To you I commit the
charge of this venture to Brittany in place of Sir John Chandos；
who will follow thither when our work has been done upon the
waters。 Three ships lie in Calais port and three hundred men are
ready to your hand。 Sir John will tell you what our mind is in
the matter。 And now； my friends and good comrades； you will haste
you each to his own quarters； and you will make swiftly such
preparations as are needful； for； as God is my aid； I will sail
with you to Winchelsea to…morrow！〃
Beckoning to Chandos； Manny and a few of his chosen leaders； the
King led them away to an inner chamber； where they might discuss
the plans for the future。 At the same time the assembly broke up；
the knights in silence and dignity； the squires in mirth and
noise； but all joyful at heart for the thought of the great days
which lay before them。
XVII。 THE SPANIARDS ON THE SEA
Day had not yet dawned when Nigel was in the chamber of Chandos
preparing him for his departure and listening to the last cheery
words of advice and direction from his noble master。 That same
morning； before the sun was half…way up the heaven； the King's
great nef Philippa； bearing within it the most of those present at
his banquet the night before； set its huge sail； adorned with the
lions and the lilies； and turned its brazen beak for England。
Behind it went five smaller cogs crammed with squires； archers and
men…at…arms。
Nigel and his companions lined the ramparts of the castle and
waved their caps as the bluff； burly vessels； with drums beating
and trumpets clanging； a hundred knightly pennons streaming from
their decks and the red cross of England over all； rolled slowly
out to the open sea。 Then when they had watched them until they
were hull down they turned； with hearts heavy at being left
behind； to make ready for their own more distant venture。
It took them four days of hard work ere their preparations were
complete； for many were the needs of a small force sailing to a
strange country。 Three ships had been left to them； the cog
Thomas of Romney； the Grace Dieu of Hythe； and the Basilisk of
Southampton； into each of which one hundred men were stowed；
besides the thirty seamen who formed the crew。 In the hold were
forty horses； amongst them Pommers； much wearied by his long
idleness； and homesick for the slopes of Surrey where his great
limbs might find the work he craved。 Then the food and the water；
the bow…staves and the sheaves of arrows； the horseshoes； the
nails； the hammers； the knives； the axes； the ropes； the vats of
hay； the green fodder and a score of other things were packed
aboard。 Always by the side of the ships stood the stern young
knight Sir Robert； checking； testing； watching and controlling；
saying little； for he was a man of few words； but with his eyes；
his hands； and if need be his heavy； dog…whip； wherever they were
wanted。
The seamen of the Basilisk； being from a free port； had the old
feud against the men of the Cinque Ports； who were looked upon by
the other mariners of England as being unduly favored by the King。
A ship of the West Country could scarce meet with one from the
Narrow Seas without blood flowing。 Hence sprang sudden broils on
the quay side； when with yell and blow the Thomases and Grace
Dieus； Saint Leonard on their lips and murder in their hearts；
would fall upon the Basilisks。 Then amid the whirl of cudgels and
the clash of knives would spring the tiger figure of the young
leader； lashing mercilessly to right and left like a tamer among
his wolves； until he had beaten them howling back to their work。
Upon the morning of the fourth day all was ready； and the ropes
being cast off the three little ships were warped down the harbor
by their own pinnaces until they were swallowed up in the swirling
folds of a Channel mist。
Though small in numbers； it was no mean force which Edward had
dispatched to succor the hard…pressed English garrisons in
Brittany。 There was scarce a man among them who was not an old
soldier； and their leaders were men of note in council and in war。
Knolles flew his flag of the black raven aboard the Basilisk。
With him were Nigel and his own Squire John Hawthorn。 Of his
hundred men； forty were Yorkshire Dalesmen and forty were men of
Lincoln； all noted archers； with old Wat of Carlisle； a grizzled
veteran of border warfare； to lead them。
Already Aylward by his skill and strength had won his way to an
under…officership amongst them； and shared with Long Ned
Widdington； a huge North Countryman； the reputation of coming next
to famous Wat Carlisle in all that makes an archer。 The men…
at…arms too were war…hardened soldiers； with Black Simon of
Norwich； the same who had sailed from Winchelsea； to lead them。
With his heart filled with hatred for the French who had slain all
who were dear to him； he followed like a bloodhound over land and
sea to any spot where he might glut his vengeance。 Such also were
the men who sailed in the other ships； Cheshire men from the Welsh
borders in the cog Thomas； and Cumberland men； used to Scottish
warfare； in the Grace Dieu。
Sir James Astley hung his shield of cinquefoil ermine over the
quarter of the Thomas。 Lord Thomas Percy； a cadet of Alnwick；
famous already for the high spirit of that house which for ages
was the bar upon the landward gate of England； showed his blue
lion rampant as leader of the Grace Dieu。 Such was the goodly
company Saint…Malo bound； who warped from Calais Harbor to plunge
into the thick reek of a Channel mist。
A slight breeze blew from the eastward； and the highended；
round…bodied craft rolled slowly down the Channel。 The mist rose
a little at times； so that they had sight of each other dipping
and rising upon a sleek； oily sea； but again it would sink down；
settling over the top； shrou
