saint george for england-第51部分

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ho　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　day　taken；　and　the　crews　cruelly　butchered　in　cold　blood。　Edward's　remonstrances　proved　vain；　and　when　threats　of　retaliation　were　held　out　by　Edward；　followed　by　preparations　to　carry　those　threats　into　effect；　Pedro　the　Cruel；　who　had　now　succeeded　to　the　throne　of　Spain；　despatched　strong　reinforcements　to　the　fleet　which　had　already　swept　the　English　Channel。

The　great　Spanish　fleet　sailed　north；　and　capturing　on　its　way　a　number　of　English　merchantmen；　put　into　Sluys；　and　prepared　to　sail　back　in　triumph　with　the　prizes　and　merchandise　it　had　captured。　Knowing；　however；　that　Edward　was　preparing　to　oppose　them；　the　Spaniards　filled　up　their　complement　of　men；　strengthened　themselves　by　all　sorts　of　the　war　machines　then　in　use；　and　started　on　their　return　for　Spain　with　one　of　the　most　powerful　armadas　that　had　ever　put　to　sea。

Edward　had　collected　on　the　coast　of　Sussex　a　fleet　intended　to　oppose　them；　and　had　summoned　all　the　military　forces　of　the　south　of　England　to　accompany　him；　and　as　soon　as　he　heard　that　the　Spaniards　were　about　to　put　to　sea　he　set　out　for　Winchelsea；　where　the　fleet　was　collected。

The　queen　accompanied　him　to　the　sea…coast；　and　the　Black　Prince；　now　in　his　twentieth　year；　was　appointed　to　command　one　of　the　largest　of　the　English　vessels。

The　fleet　put　to　sea　when　they　heard　that　the　Spaniards　had　started；　and　the　hostile　fleets　were　soon　in　sight　of　each　other。　The　number　of　fighting　men　on　board　the　Spanish　ships　was　ten　times　those　of　the　English；　and　their　vessels　were　of　vastly　superior　size　and　strength。　They　had；　moreover；　caused　their　ships　to　be　fitted　at　Sluys　with　large　wooden　towers；　which　furnished　a　commanding　position　to　their　crossbow…men。　The　wind　was　direct　in　their　favour；　and　they　could　have　easily　avoided　the　contest；　but；　confiding　in　their　enormously　superior　force；　they　sailed　boldly　forward　to　the　attack。

The　king　himself　led　the　English　line；　and　directing　his　vessel　towards　a　large　Spanish　ship；　endeavoured　to　run　her　down。　The　shock　was　tremendous；　but　the　enemy's　vessel　was　stronger　as　well　as　larger　than　that　of　the　king；　and　as　the　two　ships　recoiled　from　each　other　it　was　found　that　the　water　was　rushing　into　the　English　vessel；　and　that　she　was　rapidly　sinking。　The　Spanish　passed　on　in　the　confusion；　but　the　king　ordered　his　ship　to　be　instantly　laid　alongside　another　which　was　following　her；　and　to　be　firmly　lashed　to　her。　Then　with　his　knights　he　sprang　on　board　the　Spaniard；　and　after　a　short　but　desperate　fight　cut　down　or　drove　the　crew　overboard。　The　royal　standard　was　hoisted　on　the　prize；　the　sinking　English　vessel　was　cast　adrift；　and　the　king　sailed　on　to　attack　another　adversary。



The　battle　now　raged　on　all　sides。　The　English　strove　to　grapple　with　and　board　the　enemy；　while　the　Spaniards　poured　upon　them　a　shower　of　bolts　and　quarrels　from　their　cross…bows；　hurled　immense　masses　of　stone　from　their　military　engines；　and；　as　they　drew　alongside；　cast　into　them　heavy　bars　of　iron；　which　pierced　holes　in　the　bottom　of　th