saint george for england-第24部分

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〃We　were　separated　from　the　fleet；　Sir　Walter；　but　the　master　held　on；　and　we　arrived　here　four　days　after　we　put　out。　We　took　part　in　the　siege　of　Rennes；　and　have　since　done　our　best　to　aid　the　countess　here。〃

〃And　their　best　has　been　much；〃　the　countess　said；　〃not　to　say　how　bravely　they　have　fought　upon　the　walls；　it　is　to　Sir　John　and　his　little　band　that　I　owe　it　that　the　town　was　not　surrendered　days　ago。　They　alone　remained　steadfast　when　all　others　fell　away；　and　it　is　due　to　them　that　I　am　still　able；　as　mistress　of　this　town；　to　greet　you　on　your　arrival。　　Next　to　Sir　John　himself；　my　thanks　are　due　to　your　young　esquire；　Walter　Somers；　who　has　cheered　and　stood　by　me；　and　to　whose　suggestions　I　owe　it　that　I　was　able　at　the　first　to　sally　out　and　destroy　the　French　camp　while　they　were　attacking　the　walls；　and　so　greatly　hindered　their　measures　against　the　town。　And　now；　sir；　will　you　follow　me？　I　have　prepared　for　you　and　your　knights　such　a　banquet　of　welcome　as　our　poor　means　will　allow；　and　my　townspeople　will　see　that　good　fare　is　set　before　your　soldiers。〃

That　evening　there　was　high　feasting　in　the　town；　although　the　crash　of　the　heavy　stones　cast　by　the　French　machines　against　the　walls　never　ceased。　Early　the　next　morning　Sir　Walter　Manny　made　a　survey　of　the　place　and　of　the　disposition　of　the　enemy；　and　proposed　to　his　knights　to　sally　forth　at　once　and　destroy　the　largest　of　the　enemy's　machines；　which　had　been　brought　up　close　to　the　walls。　In　a　few　minutes　the　knights　were　armed　and　mounted。　Three　hundred　knights　and　esquires　were　to　take　part　in　the　sortie；　they　were　to　be　followed　by　a　strong　body　of　men…at…arms。

As　soon　as　the　gates　were　opened　a　number　of　archers　issued　out；　and　taking　their　place　at　the　edge　of　the　moat；　poured　a　rain　of　arrows　upon　the　men　working　the　machine　and　those　guarding　it。　Most　of　these　took　to　flight　at　once；　the　remainder　were　cut　down　by　the　men…at…arms；　who　at　once　proceeded　to　hew　the　machine　in　pieces　with　the　axes　with　which　they　were　provided。　Sir　Walter　himself　and　his　mounted　companions　dashed　forward　to　the　nearer　tents　of　the　French　camps；　cut　down　all　who　opposed　them；　and　setting　fire　to　the　huts　retired　towards　the　city。

By　this　time　the　French　were　thoroughly　alarmed；　and　numbers　of　knights　and　men…　at…arms　dashed　after　the　little　body　of　English　cavalry。　These　could　have　regained　the　place　in　safety；　but　in　the　chivalrous　spirit　of　the　time　they　disdained　to　retire　without　striking　a　blow。　Turning　their　horses；　therefore；　and　laying　their　lances　in　rest；　they　charged　the　pursuing　French。

For　a　few　minutes　the　conflict　was　desperate　and　many　on　both　sides　were　overthrown；　then；　as　large　reinforcements　were　continually　arriving　to　the　French；　Sir　Walter　called　off　his　men　and　retired　slowly。　On　reaching　the　moat　he　halted　his　forces。　The　knights　wheeled　and　presented　a　firm　face　to　the　enemy；　covering　the　entrance　of　their　followers　into　the　gate。　The　French　chivalry　thundered　down　upon　the　little　body；　but　were　met　by　a　storm　of　arrows　from　the　archers　lining　the　moat。　Many　knights　were　struck　through　the　bars　of　their　vizors　or　the　joints　of　their　mail。　The　horses；　though　defended　by　iron　trappings；　fell　dead　under　them；　or；　maddened　by　pain；　dashed　wildly　through　the　ranks；　carrying　confusion　with　them；　and　the　French　commanders；　seeing　how　heavy　were　their　losses；　called　off　their　men　from　the　assault。　Sir　Walter　Manny　with　his　party　remained　without　the　gate　until　the　enemy　had　re…entered　their　camp；　and　then　rode　into　the　town　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　inhabitants；　the　countess　herself　meeting　her　deliverers　at　the　gate　and　kissing　each；　one　after　the　other；　in　token　of　her　gratitude　and　admiration。

The　arrival　of　the　reinforcements　and　the　proof　of　skill　and　vigour　given　by　the　English　leader；　together　with　the　terror　caused　by　the　terrible　effect　of　the　English　arrows；　shook　the　resolution　of　Don　Louis　and　his　troops。　Deprived　of　half　their　force　by　the　absence　of　Charles　of　Blois；　it　was　thought　prudent　by　the　leaders　to　withdraw　at　once；　and　the　third　morning　after　the　arrival　of　Sir　Walter　Manny　the　siege　was　raised；　and　the　French　marched　to　join　Charles　of　Blois　before　the　Castle　of　Auray。

Even　with　the　reinforcements　brought　by　Sir　Walter　Manny；　the　forces　of　the　Countess　of　Montford　were　still　so　greatly　inferior　to　those　of　the　divisions　of　the　French　army　that　they　could　not　hope　to　cope　with　them　in　the　field　until　the　arrival　of　the　main　English　army；　which　the　King　of　England　himself　was　to　bring　over　shortly。　Accordingly　the　French　laid　siege　to　and　captured　many　small　towns　and　castles。　Charles　of　Blois　continued　the　siege　of　Auray；　and　directed　Don　Louis　with　his　division　to　attack　the　town　of　Dinan。　On　his　way　the　Spaniard　captured　the　small　fortress　of　Conquet　and　put　the　garrison　to　the　sword。　Sir　Walter　Manny；　in　spite　of　the　inferiority　of　his　force；　sallied　out　to　relieve　it；　but　it　was　taken　before　his　arrival；　and　Don　Louis　had　marched　away　to　Dinan；　leaving　a　small　garrison　in　Conquet。　It　was　again　captured　by　Sir　Walter；　but　finding　it　indefensible　he　returned　with　the　whole　of　his　force　to　Hennebon。　　Don　Louis　captured　Dinan　and　then　besieged　Guerande。　Here　he　met　with　a　vigorous　resistance；　but　carried　it　by　storm；　and　gave　it　up　to　be　pillaged　by　his　soldiers。　He　now　sent　back　to　Charles　of　Blois　the　greater　part　of　the　French　troops　who　accompanied　him；　and　embarked　with　the　Genoese　and　Spanish；　8000　in　number；　and　sailed　to　Quimperle；　a　rich　and　populous　town　in　Lower　Brittany。

Anchoring　in　the　River　Leita；　he　disembarked　his　troops；　and　leaving　a　guard　to　protect　the　vessels　marched　to　the　interior；　plundering　and　burning；　and　from　time　to　time　despatching　his　booty　to　swell　the　immense　mass　which　he　had　brought　in　his　ships　from　the　sack　of　Guerande。

Quimperle　lies　but　a　short　distance　from　Hennebon；　and　Sir　Walter　Manny　with　Almeric　de　Clisson；　a　number　of　English　knights；　and　a　body　of　English　archers；　in　all　three　thousand　men；　embarked　in　the　ships　in　the　port；　and　entering　the　Leita　captured　the　enemy's　fleet　and　all　his　treasure。　The　English　then　landed；　and　dividing　into　three　bodies；　set　out　in　search　of　the　enemy。

The　English　columns　marched　at　a　short　distance　apart　so　as　to　be　able　to　give　each　other　assistance　in　case　of　attack。　　The　news　of　the　English　approach　soon　reached　the　Spaniards；　who　were　gathered　in　a　solid　body；　for　the　enraged　country　people；　armed　with　clubs　and　bills；　hung　on　their　flanks　and　cut　off　any　stragglers　who　left　the　main　body。　　Don　Louis　at　once　moved　towards　the　sea…　coast；　and　coming　in　sight　of　one　of　the　English　divisions；　charged　it　with　his　whole　force。

The　English　fought　desperately；　but　the　odds　of　seven　to　one　were　too　great；　and　they　would　have　been　overpowered　had　not　the　other　two　divisions　arrived　on　the　spot　and　fallen　upon　the　enemy's　flanks。　After　a　severe　and　prolonged　struggle　the　Genoese　and　Spaniards　were　completely　routed。　　The　armed　peasantry　slew　every　fugitive　they　could　overtake；　and　of　the　7000　men　with　whom　Don　Louis　commenced　the　battle　only　300　accompanied　him　in　his　flight　to　Rennes；　the　troops　of　Sir　Walter　and　de　Clisson　pursuing　him　to　the　very　gates　of　that　city。　　Sir　Walter　marched　back　with　his　force　to　the　ships；　but　finding　the　wind　unfavourable　returned　to　Hennebon　by　land；　capturing　by　the　way　the　castle　of　Goy　la　Foret。　Their　return　was　joyfully　welcomed；　not　only　for　the　victory　which　they　had　achieved；　but　because　the　enemy　was　again　drawing　near　to　the　town。　　Auray　had　fallen。　The　brave　garrison；　after　existing　for　some　time　upon　the　flesh　of　their　horses；　had　endeavoured　to　cut　their　way　through　the　besiegers。　　Most　of　them　were　killed　in　the　attempt；　but　a　few　escaped　and　made　their　way　to　Hennebon。

Vannes；　an　important　town；　and　Carhaix　quickly　surrendered；　and　the　French　force　was　daily　receiving　considerable　reinforcements。　This　arose　from　the　fact　that　large　numbers　of　French　nobles　and　knights　had；　with　their　followers；　taken　part　with　Alfonso；　King　of　Castile　and　Leon；　in　his　war　with　the　Moors。　This　had　just　terminated　with　the　expulsion　of　the　latter　from　Spain；　and　the　French　knights　and　nobles　on　their　way　home　for　the　most　part　joined　at　once　in　the　war　which　their　countrymen　were　waging　in　Bretagne。

Seeing　the　great　force　which　was　gathering　for　a　fresh　siege　of　Hennebon；　Sir　Walter　Manny　and　the　Countess　of　Montford　sent　an　urgent　message　to　King　Edward　for　further　support。　The　king　was　not　yet　ready；　but　at　the　beginning　of　August　he　despatched　a　force　under　the　command　of　the　Earl　of　Northampton　and　Robert　of　Artois。　It　consisted　of　twenty…seven　knights　bannerets　and　2000　men…at…arms。　　Before；　however；　it　could　reach　Hennebon　the　second　siege　of　that　city　had　begun。　Charles　of　Blois　had　approached　it　with　a　far　larger　army　than　that　with　which　he　had　on　the　first　occasion　sat　down　before　it。　Hennebon　was；　however；　much　better　prepared　than　at　first　for　resistance。　The　walls　had　been　repaired；　provisions　and　military　stores　laid　up；　and　machines　constructed。　The　garrison　was　very　much　larger；　and　was　commanded　by　one　of　the　most　gallant　knights　of　the　age；　and　the　citizens　beheld　undaunted