saint george for england-第52部分

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；　as　they　drew　alongside；　cast　into　them　heavy　bars　of　iron；　which　pierced　holes　in　the　bottom　of　the　ship。

Walter　was　on　board　the　ship　commanded　by　the　Black　Prince。　This　had　been　steered　towards　one　of　the　largest　and　most　important　of　the　Spanish　vessels。　As　they　approached；　the　engines　poured　their　missiles　into　them。　Several　great　holes　were　torn　in　the　sides　of　the　ship；　which　was　already　sinking　as　she　came　alongside　her　foe。

〃We　must　do　our　best；　Sir　Walter；〃　the　prince　exclaimed；　〃for　if　we　do　not　capture　her　speedily　our　ship　will　assuredly　sink　beneath　our　feet。〃

The　Spaniard　stood　far　higher　above　the　water　than　the　English　ship；　and　the　Black　Prince　and　his　knights　in　vain　attempted　to　climb　her　sides；　while　the　seamen　strove　with　pumps　and　buckets　to　keep　the　vessel　afloat。　Every　effort　was　in　vain。　The　Spaniard's　men…at…arms　lined　the　bulwarks；　and　repulsed　every　effort　made　by　the　English　to　climb　up　them；　while　those　on　the　towers　rained　down　showers　of　bolts　and　arrows　and　masses　of　iron　and　stone。　　The　situation　was　desperate　when　the　Earl　of　Lancaster；　passing　by　in　his　ship；　saw　the　peril　to　which　the　prince　was　exposed；　and；　ranging　up　on　the　other　side　of　the　Spaniard；　strove　to　board　her　there。　The　attention　of　the　Spaniards　being　thus　distracted；　the　prince　and　his　companions　made　another　desperate　effort；　and　succeeded　in　winning　their　way　on　to　the　deck　of　the　Spanish　ship　just　as　their　own　vessel　sank　beneath　their　feet；　after　a　few　minutes'　desperate　fighting　the　Spanish　ship　was　captured。

The　English　were　now　everywhere　getting　the　best　of　their　enemies。　Many　of　the　Spanish　vessels　had　been　captured　or　sunk；　and　after　the　fight　had　raged　for　some　hours；　the　rest　began　to　disperse　and　seek　safety　in　flight。　　　The　English　vessel　commanded　by　Count　Robert　of　Namur　had　towards　night　engaged　a　Spanish　vessel　of　more　than　twice　its　own　strength。　His　adversaries；　seeing　that　the　day　was　lost；　set　all　sail；　but　looking　upon　the　little　vessel　beside　them　as　a　prey　to　be　taken　possession　of　at　their　leisure；　they　fastened　it　tightly　to　their　sides　by　the　grappling　irons；　and　spreading　all　sail；　made　away。　The　Count　and　his　men　were　unable　to　free　themselves；　and　were　being　dragged　away；　when　a　follower　of　the　count　named　Hennekin　leapt　suddenly　on　board　the　Spanish　ship。　　With　a　bound　he　reached　the　mast；　and　with　a　single　blow　with　his　sword　cut　the　halyards　which　supported　the　main…sail。　The　sail　fell　at　once。　The　Spaniards　rushed　to　the　spot　to　repair　the　disaster　which　threatened　to　delay　their　ship。　The　count　and　his　followers；　seeing　the　bulwarks　of　the　Spanish　vessel　for　the　moment　unguarded；　poured　in；　and　after　a　furious　conflict　captured　the　vessel。　　By　this　time　twenty…four　of　the　enemy's　vessels　had　been　taken；　the　rest　were　either　sunk　or　in　full　flight；　and　Edward　at　once　returned　to　the　English　shore。

The　fight　had　taken　place　within　sight　of　land；　and　Queen　Philippa；　from　the　windows　of　the　abbey；　which　stood　on　rising　ground；　had　seen　the　approach　of　the　vast　Spanish　fleet；　and　had　watched　the　conflict　until　night　fell。　She　remained　in　suspense　as　to　the　result　until　the　king　himself　with　the　Black　Prince　and　Prince　John；　afterwards　known　as　John　of　Gaunt；　who；　although　but　ten　years　of　age；　had　accompanied　the　Black　Prince　in　his　ship；　rode　up　with　the　news　of　the　victory。

This　great　sea…fight　was　one　of　the　brightest　and　most　honourable　in　the　annals　of　English　history；　for　not　even　in　the　case　of　that　other　great　Spanish　Armada　which　suffered　defeat　in　English　waters　were　the　odds　so　immense　or　the　victory　so　thorough　and　complete。　The　result　of　the　fight　was；　that　after　some　negotiations　a　truce　of　twenty　years　was　concluded　with　Spain。



CHAPTER　XX：　POITIERS


After　the　great　sea…fight　at　the　end　of　August；　1350；　England　had　peace　for　some　years。　Phillip　of　France　had　died　a　week　before　that　battle；　and　had　been　succeeded　by　his　son　John；　Duke　of　Normandy。　Upon　the　part　of　both　countries　there　was　an　indisposition　to　renew　the　war；　for　their　power　had　been　vastly　crippled　by　the　devastations　of　the　plague。　This　was　followed　by　great　distress　and　scarcity　owing　to　the　want　of　labour　to　till　the　fields。　　The　truce　was　therefore　continued　from　time　to　time；　the　pope　strove　to　convert　the　truce　into　a　permanent　peace；　and　on　the　28th　of　August；　1354；　a　number　of　the　prelates　and　barons　of　England；　with　full　power　to　arrange　terms　of　peace；　went　to　Avignon；　where　they　were　met　by　the　French　representatives。　The　powers　committed　to　the　English　commissioners　show　that　Edward　was　at　this　time　really　desirous　of　making　a　permanent　peace　with　France；　but　the　French　ambassadors　raised　numerous　and　unexpected　difficulties；　and　after　lengthened　negotiations　the　conference　was　broken　off。

The　truce　came　to　an　end　in　June；　1355；　and　great　preparations　were　made　on　both　sides　for　the　war。　The　King　of　England　strained　every　effort　to　furnish　and　equip　an　army　which　was　to　proceed　with　the　Black　Prince　to　Aquitaine；　of　which　province　his　father　had　appointed　him　governor；　and　in　November　the　Prince　sailed　for　Bordeaux；　with　the　advance…guard　of　his　force。　Sir　Walter　Somers　accompanied　him。　During　the　years　which　had　passed　since　the　plague　he　had　resided　principally　upon　his　estates；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　that　his　tenants　escaped　the　distress　which　was　general　through　the　country。　He　had　been　in　the　habit　of　repairing　to　London　to　take　part　in　the　tournaments　and　other　festivities；　but　both　he　and　Edith　preferred　the　quiet　country　life　to　a　continued　residence　at　court。　Two　sons　had　now　been　born　to　him；　and　fond　as　he　was　of　the　excitement　and　adventure　of　war；　it　was　with　deep　regret　that　he　obeyed　the　royal　summons；　and　left　his　house　with　his　retainers；　consisting　of　twenty　men…at…arms　and　thirty　archers；　to　join　the　prince。

Upon　the　Black　Prince's　landing　at　Bordeaux　he　was　joined　by　the　Gascon　lords；　the　vassals　of　the　English　crown；　and　for　three　months　marched　through　and　ravaged　the　districts　adjoining；　the　French　army；　although　greatly　superior　in　force；　offering　no　effectual　resistance。　Many　towns　were　taken；　and　he　returned　at　Christmas　to　Bordeaux　after　a　campaign　attended　by　a　series　of　unbroken　successes。

The　following　spring　the　war　recommenced；　and　a　diversion　was　effected　by　the　Duke　of　Lancaster；　who　was　in　command　of　Brittany；　joining　his　forces　with　those　of　the　King　of　Navarre；　and　many　of　the　nobles　of　Normandy；　while　King　Edward　crossed　to　Calais　and　kept　a　portion　of　the　French　army　occupied　there。　The　Black　Prince；　leaving　the　principal　part　of　his　forces　under　the　command　of　the　Earl　of　Albret　to　guard　the　territory　already　acquired　against　the　attack　of　the　French　army　under　the　Count　of　Armagnac；　marched　with　2000　picked　men…at…arms　and　6000　archers　into　Auvergne；　and　thence　turning　into　Berry；　marched　to　the　gates　of　Bourges。

The　King　of　France　was　now　thoroughly　alarmed；　and　issued　a　general　call　to　all　his　vassals　to　assemble　on　the　Loire。　　The　Prince　of　Wales；　finding　immense　bodies　of　men　closing　in　around　him；　fell　back　slowly；　capturing　and　levelling　to　the　ground　the　strong　castle　of　Romorentin。

The　King　of　France　was　now　hastening　forward；　accompanied　by　his　four　sons；　140　nobles　with　banners；　20；000　men…at…arms；　and　an　immense　force　of　infantry。　Vast　accessions　of　forces　joined　him　each　day；　and　on　the　17th　of　September　he　occupied　a　position　between　the　Black　Prince　and　Guienne。　The　first　intimation　that　either　the　Black　Prince　or　the　King　of　France　had　of　their　close　proximity　to　each　other　was　an　accidental　meeting　between　a　small　foraging　force　of　the　English　and　three　hundred　French　horse；　under　the　command　of　the　Counts　of　Auxerre　and　Joigny；　the　marshal　of　Burgundy；　and　the　lord　of　Chatillon。　　The　French　hotly　pursued　the　little　English　party；　and　on　emerging　from　some　low　bushes　found　themselves　in　the　midst　of　the　English　camp；　where　all　were　taken　prisoners。　　From　them　the　Black　Prince　learned　that　the　King　of　France　was　within　a　day's　march。

The　Prince　despatched　the　Captal　de　Buch　with　200　men…at…arms　to　reconnoitre　the　force　and　position　of　the　enemy；　and　these　coming　upon　the　rear　of　the　French　army　just　as　they　were　about　to　enter　Poitiers；　dashed　among　them　and　took　some　prisoners。　The　King　of　France　thus　first　learned　that　the　enemy　he　was　searching　for　was　actually　six　miles　in　his　rear。　The　Captal　de　Buch　and　his　companions　returned　to　the　Black　Prince；　and　confirmed　the　information　obtained　from　the　prisoners；　that　the　King　of　France；　with　an　army　at　least　eight　times　as　strong　as　his　own；　lay　between　him　and　Poitiers。

The　position　appeared　well…nigh　desperate；　but　the　prince　and　his　most　experienced　knights　at　once　reconnoitered　the　country　to　choose　the　best　ground　upon　which　to　do　battle。　An　excellent　position　was　chosen。　It　consisted　of　rising　ground　commanding　the　country　towards　Poitiers；　and　naturally　defended　by　the　hedges　of　a　vineyard。　　It　was　only　accessible　from　Poitiers　by　a　sunken　road　flanked　by　banks　and　fences；　and　but　wide　enough　to　admit　of　four　horsemen　riding　abreast　along　it。　The　ground　on　either　side　of　this　hollow　way　was　rough　and　broken　so　as　to　impede　the　movements　even