St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers Page 9

  CHAPTER VIII.

  OFF TO THE WARS.

  Two days later Walter started with Sir Walter Manny, with a large numberof knights, squires, men-at-arms, and archers, for the Orwell. Walterwas mounted, as were the other squires and men-at-arms, and indeed manyof the archers. Ralph Smith, in the attire of a man-at-arms, rodebehind.

  Walter was in the highest spirits. A brilliant career was open to himunder the most favorable circumstances; he had already distinguishedhimself, and had gained the attention of the highest personages in therealm, his immediate lord was one of the bravest and most chivalrousknights in Europe, and he had to sustain and encourage him the hopesthat Lady Vernon had given him of regaining some day the patrimony ofhis father. It was a satisfaction to him that he was as well born asthose who surrounded him, and his purse was as well lined as any in thecompany. Although he had spent the largess which had been bestowed uponhim at the tournament in procuring clothes fitted for his rank, he wasyet abundantly supplied with money, for both Geoffrey Ward and GilesFletcher, having no children of their own and being both well-to-domen, had insisted upon his accepting a sum which would enable him tomake a good appearance with the best.

  A large number of squires followed the banner of Sir Walter Manny. Therecords of the time show that the barons were generally accompanied inthe field by almost as many squires as men-at-arms. The former were menof good family, sons of knights and nobles, aspirants for the honor ofknighthood, and sons of the smaller gentry. Many were there from purelove of a life of excitement and adventure, others in fulfillment of thefeudal tenure by which all land was then held, each noble and landownerbeing obliged to furnish so many knights, squires, men-at-arms, andarchers, in accordance with the size of his holding. The squires foughtin the field in the front rank of the men-at-arms, save those who, likeWalter, were attached to the person of their leader, and who in thefield fought behind him or bore his orders to the companies under hisbanner.

  In the field all drew pay, and it may be interesting in the present dayto know what were the rates for which our forefathers risked theirlives. They were as follows: Each horse archer received 6 deniers, eachsquire 12 deniers or 1 sol, each knight 2 sols, each knight banneret 4sols; 20 sols went to the pound, and although the exact value of moneyin those days relative to that which it bears at the present time isdoubtful, it may be placed at twelve times the present value. Thereforeeach horse archer received an equivalent to 6_s._ a day, each squire12_s._, each knight 24_s._, and each knight banneret 48_s._ per day.

  Upon their arrival at the Orwell, where many troops from other parts hadbeen gathered, the expedition at once embarked on board the numerousships which had been collected. As that in which Sir Walter sailed alsocarried several of his knights there was not room for all his youngesquires, and Walter and the three other juniors were told off intoanother ship. She was a smaller vessel than most of those which composedthe expedition, and only carried twelve men-at-arms and as many archers,together with the four young squires, and a knight, Sir John Powis, whowas in command of the whole.

  "Your craft is but a small one," the knight said to the captain.

  "She is small, but she is fast," the latter answered. "She would sailround and round the best part of the fleet. I had her built according tomy own fancy. Small though she be, I warrant you she will be one of thefirst to arrive at Hennebon, and the sooner the better say I, since I ambut paid by the trip, and would fain be back again at my regular work.It pays better carrying merchants' goods between London and Holland thantaking his majesty's troops over to France."

  "Your speed will not be of much avail," Sir John Powis said, "seeingthat the fleet will keep together."

  "Yes, I know that is the order," the captain answered; "but accidentshappen sometimes, you know"--and his eye twinkled. "Vessels getseparated from fleets. If they happen to be slow ones, so much the worsefor those on board; if they happen to be fast ones, so much the better,seeing that those they carry will arrive long before their comrades, andmay be enabled to gain credit and renown while the others are whistlingfor a wind in mid-ocean. However, we shall see."

  The next morning the fleet sailed from the Orwell. It contained 620men-at-arms, among whom were many of the noblest and bravest of thecountry, and 6,000 picked archers in the pay of the king. The whole werecommanded by Sir Walter. The scene was a very gay one. The banners ofthe nobles and knights floated from the lofty poops, and the sun shoneon bright armor and steel weapons. Walter, who had never seen the seabefore, was delighted. The wind was fair, and the vessels glidedsmoothly along over the sea. At evening the knight and his four youngcompanions gathered in the little cabin, for it was in the first week inMarch, and the night was cold.

  "Will you please tell me, Sir John," Walter said to the knight, "themerits of this quarrel in which we are going to fight? I know that weare going in aid of the Countess of Montford; but why she is in a sorestrait I know not."

  "The matter is a mixed one, Walter, and it requires a herald to tell youall the subtleties of it. John III., Duke of Brittany, was present withhis liege lord, Philip of Valois, in the last war with England, on theborder of the Low Country. When the English retired from before TournayPhilip dismissed his nobles. The Duke of Burgundy was taken ill, anddied at Caen, in Normandy, on the 30th of April, 1341. Arthur II., hisfather, had been twice married. By his first wife he had three sons,John, Guy, and Peter. John and Peter left no issue. Guy, who is alsodead, left a daughter, Joan. By his second wife, Jolande de Dieux, DukeArthur had one son, John, Count of Montford. Thus it happened that whenDuke John died his half-brother, the Count of Montford, and Joan,daughter of his second brother Guy, were all that survived of thefamily. These were the rival claimants for the vacant dukedom. InEngland we have but one law of succession, which rules through the wholeland. In France it is different. There the law of succession dependsentirely upon the custom of the county, dukedom, or lordship, which isfurther affected both by the form of grant by which the territory wasconveyed to its first feudal possessors and by the mode in which theprovince had been acquired by the kings of France. This is important, asupon these circumstances alone it depended whether the son or thegranddaughter of Arthur II. should inherit the dukedom.

  "Joan claimed the duchy as the daughter of the elder brother. The Saliclaw of France, which barred females from the right of succession, andin virtue of which Philip of Valois succeeded to the throne instead ofKing Edward, certainly did not obtain in Brittany. Duke John regardedJoan as his heiress, and married her to Charles of Blois, nephew of theKing of France, thus strengthening her in her position; and he alsoinduced the provincial parliament of Brittany to acknowledge her husbandas his successor in the dukedom. Altogether it would seem that right isupon Joan's side; but, on the other hand, the Count of Montford is theson of Jolande, a great heiress in Brittany. He is an active andenergetic noble. The Bretons love not too close a connection withFrance, and assuredly prefer to be ruled by a duke whom they regard asone of themselves rather than by Charles of Blois, nephew of the Frenchking. Directly Duke John was dead the Count of Montford claimed theinheritance. Assuming the title of duke he rode to Nantes, where thecitizens did him homage, and then proceeded to Limoges with a largetrain of men-at-arms, and there took possession of the immense treasureswhich the late duke had accumulated in the course of a long and tranquilreign. With these sinews of war at his command he returned to Nantes,where he had left his wife the countess, who was a sister of the Countof Flanders. He immediately invited the nobility of Brittany to a grandbanquet, but only one knight of any renown presented himself at thefeast, the rest all holding aloof. With the wealth of which he hadpossessed himself he levied large forces and took the field. He firstmarched against Brest, where the garrison, commanded by Walter deClisson, refused to acknowledge him. After three days' hard fighting theplace was taken. Rennes was next besieged, and presently surrendered.Other towns fell into his hands, and so far as Brittany was concernedall opposition, except in one or two fortresses, cease
d. In the meanwhile Charles of Blois sought assistance from his uncle the King ofFrance; the Count de Montford, therefore, crossed to England andbesought the aid of King Edward, and did homage to him as King ofFrance. Edward, on his part, promised to assist him. The fact thatPhilip was sure to espouse the opposite side was in itself sufficient todecide him; besides which, the dukes of Brittany have always been in aspecial way connected with England and bear the English title of Earl ofRichmond.

  "Believing that his journey, which had been a secret one, was unknown tothe King of France, De Montford went boldly to Paris, where he had beensummoned by the king to an assembly of peers called to decide upon thesuccession. He found, however, that Philip had already obtained news ofhis journey to England. His manner convinced De Montford that it wasunsafe to remain in Paris, and he secretly made his escape. Fifteen daysafterward the peers gave judgment in favor of Charles of Blois. TheDukes of Normandy, Burgundy, and Bourbon, the Counts of Alencon, Eu, andGuisnes, and many other French nobles, prepared to lead an army intothe field to support Charles, and the king added a body of 3,000 Genoesemercenaries in his pay.

  "Knowing the storm that was preparing to break upon him, De Montford putevery town and castle in a state of defense. He himself, confiding inthe affection of the inhabitants of Nantes, remained in that city, whilehis wife repaired to Rennes.

  "The Duke of Normandy advanced from Angiers with an army of 5,000men-at-arms and a numerous infantry, and after capturing the castle ofChantoceaux marched to Nantes and laid siege to the city. A sortie wasmade by the besieged, led by Henry de Leon, but, being attacked by thewhole of the French army, they were driven back into the town, a greatmany of the citizens being killed. A warm altercation took place betweenHenry de Leon and De Montford, who attributed to him the evil result ofthe sortie. The result was that a large number of the citizens whosefriends had been captured by the French conspired to deliver up theplace to Charles of Blois, and Henry de Leon also entered into privatenegotiations with the Duke of Normandy. De Montford, finding that hecould rely neither upon the citizens nor the soldiers, surrendered tothe duke on condition that his life was spared. He was sent to Paris,where he still remains a prisoner. Winter was coming on, and afterputting Nantes in a fresh state of defense and leaving Charles of Bloisthere, the Duke of Normandy dismissed his forces, engaging them toreassemble in the spring. Had he pushed on at once he would haveexperienced no resistance, so great was the panic which the surrender ofNantes and the capture of De Montford had caused among the latter'spartisans.

  "In Rennes especially the deepest despondency was felt. The countess,however, showed the greatest courage and firmness. Showing herself, withher infant in her arms, she appealed to the citizens, and by hercourageous bearing inspired them with new hopes. Having restored heartat Rennes she traveled from garrison to garrison throughout theprovince, and filled all with vigor and resolution. Feeling, however,the hopelessness of her struggle against all France, she dispatched SirAlmeric de Clisson, who had lately joined her party, to England, to askthe aid which the king had promised. He arrived a month since, and, asyou see, our brave king has not been long in dispatching us to her aid;and now, youngsters, to bed, for methinks that the sea is rougher thanit was and that the wind is getting up."

  "Ay, that is it," the captain, who heard the knight's closing words,exclaimed. "We are in for a storm, and a heavy one, or my name is notTimothy Martin, and though with plenty of sea-room the Kitty makes notmuch ado about a storm more or less, it's a very different thing in themiddle of a fleet of lubberly craft, which may run one down at any time.I shall edge out of them as soon as I can, you may be sure."

  Before morning a serious gale was blowing, and for the next three orfour days Walter and his companions knew nothing of what was going on.Then the storm abated, and they staggered out from their cabin. The seawas still high, but the sun shone brightly overhead. In front of themthe land was visible. They looked round, but to their astonishment not asail was in sight.

  "Why, where is the fleet?" Walter exclaimed in astonishment.

  "Snug in the Thames, I reckon," the captain said. "Soon after the stormcame on one of the sailors pretended he saw the lights of recall on theadmiral's ship; but I was too busy to look that way; I had enough to doto look after the safety of the ship. Anyhow, I saw no more of them."

  "And what land is that ahead?" Walter asked.

  "That is Brittany, young sir, and before nightfall we shall be in theport of Hennebon; as to the others, it may be days and it may be weeksbefore they arrive."

  The lads were not sorry at the chance which had taken them to theirdestination before their companions and had given them a chance ofdistinguishing themselves. Late in the afternoon the ship dropped anchoroff the castle of Hennebon, and Sir John Powis and his following wereconveyed in the ship's boats to shore. The countess received them mostgraciously, and was delighted at the news that so strong a force was onits way to her aid.

  "In the absence of Sir Walter Manny, madam, I place myself and my men atyour orders. Our horses will be landed the first thing in the morning,and we will then ride whithersoever you may bid us."

  "Thanks, Sir John," the countess replied. "In that case I would that youride by Rennes, toward which the army of the Duke of Normandy is alreadyadvancing. The garrison there is commanded by Sir William of Caddoudal,a good and valiant knight."

  The horses were landed on the following morning, and accompanied by thefour young squires and the men-at-arms, and followed by the twentyarchers on foot, Sir John Powis set out for Rennes. They arrived there,but just in time, for the assailants were closing round the city. Theywere received with the greatest cordiality by the governor, who assignedapartments to Sir John and the squires, and lodged the men-at-arms andarchers near them.

  In a day or two the whole of the French army came up, and the siegecommenced. Sir John Powis, his own request, was posted with his men forthe defense of a portion of the wall which was especially open to theassaults of the enemy. These soon commenced in earnest, and the Genoeseand Spanish mercenaries endeavored to carry the place by assault.Sometimes one point would be attacked, at others points far distant.Covered by the fire of the French cross-bowmen, the Spaniards andGermans came on to the assault, carrying ladders, with which theystrove to climb the walls, but the defenders plied them so vigorouslywith quarrels from their cross-bows and flights of arrows that theyfrequently desisted before reaching the walls. When they pushed on, andstrove to ascend, their luck was no better. Great stones were hurleddown, and boiling oil poured upon them. The ladders were flung back, andmany crushed by the fall, and in none of the assaults did they gain anyfooting in the town. Machines were used, but these were not sufficientlypowerful to batter down the walls, and at the end of April the city wasas far from being captured as it was on the day of the commencement ofthe siege.

  Walter bore his full share in the fighting, but he had no opportunity ofespecially distinguishing himself, although Sir John several timescommended him for his coolness when the bolts of the cross-bowmen andthe stones from the machines were flying most thickly. But although asyet uninjured by the enemy's attacks, the prospect of the city holdingout was not bright. The burghers, who had at first fought valiantly,were soon wearied of the strife, and of the hardships it entailed uponthem. The siege had continued but a short time when they began to murmurloudly. The force under the command of the governor was but a small one,and it would have been impossible for him to resist the will of thewhole population. For a time his exhortations and entreaties wereattended with success, and the burghers returned to their positions onthe walls; but each time the difficulty became greater, and it was clearto Caddoudal and Sir John Powis that ere long the citizens wouldsurrender the place in spite of them. The English knight was furious atthe cowardliness of the citizens, and proposed to the governor to summontwenty of the leading burghers, and to hang them as a lesson to theothers; but the governor shook his head.

  "I have but two hundred men on whom I can rely, i
ncluding yourfollowing, Sir John. We could not keep down the inhabitants for an hour;and were we to try to do so, they would open the gates and let in theFrench. No; I fear that we must await the end."

  The following morning Sir John was awoke with the news that in the nightCaddoudal had been seized and thrown into prison by the burghers, andthat a deputation of citizens had already gone out through the gate totreat with the Duke of Normandy for the surrender of the city.

  The English knight was furious, but with his little band he could donothing, especially as he found that a strong guard of burghers had beenplaced at the door of the apartments occupied by him and the esquires,and he was informed that he must consider himself a prisoner until theconclusion of the negotiations.

  Cowardly and faithless as the burghers of Rennes showed themselves tobe, they nevertheless stipulated with the Duke of Normandy, as one ofthe conditions of the surrender, that Caddoudal, Sir John Powis, andthe troops under them should be permitted to pass through the Frenchlines and go whithersoever they would. These terms were accepted. Atmid-day the governor was released, and he with his men-at-arms and theband of Englishmen filed out from the city gate, and took their wayunmolested through the lines of the French army to Hennebon.

  They had been for a month in ignorance of all that had passed outsidethe walls, and had from day to day been eagerly looking for the arrivalof Sir Walter Manny with his army to their relief. Once past the Frenchlines they inquired of the peasantry, and heard to their surprise thatthe English fleet had not yet arrived.

  "We were in luck indeed," Walter said to his companions, "that CaptainTimothy Martin was in a hurry to get back to his tradings with theFlemings. Had he not been so we should all this time have been kickingour heels and fretting on board a ship."

  On nearing Hennebon, Sir William Caddoudal, with Sir John Powis and thesquires, rode forward and met the countess. They were the first bearersof the news of the surrender of Rennes, and the countess was filled withconsternation at the intelligence. However, after her first burst ofindignation and regret had passed, she put a brave face on it.

  "They shall meet with another reception at Hennebon," she said. "Thisis but a small place, and my garrison here, and the soldiers you havebrought, will well-nigh outnumber the burghers; and we need have no fearof such faint-heartedness as that which has given Nantes and Rennes intothe hands of my enemy. The English aid cannot tarry long. Until it comewe can assuredly hold the place."

  All was now bustle in Hennebon. Sir John Powis took charge of a part ofthe walls, and busied himself with his men in placing the machines inposition, and in preparing for defense. The countess, attired in armor,rode through the streets haranguing the townspeople. She urged the mento fight till the last, and bade the women and girls cut short theirdresses so that they could the better climb the steps to the top of thewalls, and that one and all should carry up stones, chalk, and basketsof lime to be cast down upon the assailants. Animated by her words andgestures, the townspeople set to work, and all vied with each other,from the oldest to the youngest, in carrying up stores of missiles tothe walls. Never did Hennebon present such a scene of life and bustle.It seemed like an ant-hill which a passer-by has disturbed.

  Absorbed in their work, none had time to think of the dangers whichthreatened them, and a stranger would rather have thought from theircheerful and animated countenances that they were preparing for a great_fete_ than for a siege by an army to which the two chief towns inBrittany had succumbed.

  THE CITIZENS PREPARE TO DEFEND HENNEBON.--Page 140.]

  Ere long the French army was seen approaching. The soldiers, who hadbeen laboring with the rest, buckled on their armor. The citizensgathered on the walls to hurl down the piles of stones which had beencollected, and all prepared for the assault.

  "Sir John Powis," the countess said, "I pray you to grant me one of youresquires, who may attend me while I ride about, and may bear my messagesfor me. He will not be idle, nor will he escape his share of thedangers; for, believe me, I do not intend to hide myself while you andyour brave soldiers are fighting for me."

  "Willingly, lady," Sir John answered. "Here is Walter Somers, the son ofa good knight, and himself brave and prudent beyond his years; he will,I am sure, gladly devote himself to your service."

  The French, encouraged by their successes, thought that it would be acomparatively easy task to capture so small a place as Hennebon, and assoon as their camp was pitched they moved forward to the attack.

  "Come with me, Master Somers," the countess said. "I will mount to oneof the watch-towers, where we may see all that passes."

  Walter followed her, and marveled to see the lightness and agility withwhich the heroic countess, although clad in armor, mounted the ricketyladders to the summit of the watch-tower. The French were pressingforward to the assault; their cross-bowmen opened a heavy fire upon thewalls, which was answered by the shafts of the little party of Englishbowmen. These did much execution, for the English archers shot farharder and straighter than those of France, and it was only the bestarmor which could keep out their cloth-yard shafts. So small a body,however, could not check the advance of so large a force, and the Frenchswarmed up to the very foot of the walls.

  "Well done, my men!" the countess exclaimed, clapping her hands as ashower of heavy rocks fell among the mass of the assailants, who werestriving to plant their ladders, crushing many in their fall; "but youare not looking, Master Somers. What is it that you see in yonder campto withdraw your attention from such a fight?"

  "I am thinking, countess, that the French have left their campaltogether unguarded, and that if a body of horse could make a circuitand fall upon it, the camp, with all its stores, might be destroyedbefore they could get back to save it."

  "You are right, young sir," the countess exclaimed, "and it shall bedone forthwith."

  So saying, she descended the stairs rapidly and mounted her horse, whichstood at the foot of the tower; then riding through the town, shecollected a party of about three hundred men, bidding all she met mounttheir horses and join her at the gate on the opposite side to that onwhich the assault was taking place. Such as had no horses she ordered totake them from those in her own stables. Walter was mounted on one ofthe best of the count's chargers. Immediately the force was collected,the gate was opened and the countess rode forth at their head. Making aconsiderable _detour_, the party rode without being observed into therear of the French camp. Here only a few servants and horse-boys werefound; these were at once killed or driven out; then all dismounting,set fire to the tents and stores; and ere the French were aware of whatwas going on, the whole of their camp was in flames. As soon as theconflagration was perceived, the French commanders drew off their menfrom the attack, and all ran at full speed toward the camp.

  "We cannot regain the town," the countess said; "we will ride to Aurayat full speed, and reenter the castle when best we may."

  Don Louis of Spain, who with a considerable following was fighting inthe French ranks, hearing from the flying camp-followers that thecountess herself was at the head of the party which had destroyed thecamp, instantly mounted, and with a large number of horsemen set off inhot pursuit. A few of the countess' party who were badly mounted wereovertaken and slain, but the rest arrived safely at Auray, when thegates were shut in the face of their pursuers.

  The blow was a heavy one for the besiegers, but they at once proceededto build huts, showing that they had no intention of relinquishing thesiege. Spies were sent from Auray, and these reported that the new campwas established on the site of the old one, and that the Frenchevidently intended to renew the attack upon the side on which they hadfirst commenced, leaving the other side almost unwatched.

  Accordingly, on the fifth day after leaving the town the countessprepared to return. Except Walter, none were informed of her intention,as she feared that news might be taken to the French camp by friends ofCharles of Blois; but as soon as it was nightfall, and the gates wereshut, the trumpet sounded to horse. In a
few minutes the troop assembledin the market-place, and the countess, accompanied by Walter, placingherself at their head, rode out from the town. The strictest silence wasobserved. On nearing the town all were directed to dismount, to tear upthe horse-cloths, and to muffle the feet of their horses. Then thejourney was resumed, and so careless was the watch kept by the Frenchthat they passed through the sentries unobserved, and reached in safetythe gate from which they had issued. As they neared it they werechallenged from the walls, and a shout of joy was heard when Walterreplied that the countess herself was present. The gates were opened andthe party entered. The news of their return rapidly ran through thetown, and the inhabitants, hastily attiring themselves, ran into thestreets, filled with joy. Much depression had been felt during herabsence, and few had entertained hopes that she would be able to reenterthe town. She had brought with her from Auray two hundred men, inaddition to the party that had sallied out.