saint george for england-第53部分

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he　ground　on　either　side　of　this　hollow　way　was　rough　and　broken　so　as　to　impede　the　movements　even　of　infantry；　and　to　render　the　maneuvers　of　a　large　body　of　cavalry　nearly　impracticable。　On　the　left　of　the　position　was　a　little　hamlet　called　Maupertuis。　Here　on　the　night　of　Saturday　the　17th　of　September　the　prince　encamped；　and　early　next　morning　made　his　dispositions　for　the　battle。　His　whole　force　was　dismounted　and　occupied　the　high　ground；　a　strong　body　of　archers　lined　the　hedges　on　either　side　of　the　sunken　road；　the　main　body　of　archers　were　drawn　up　in　their　usual　formation　on　the　hillside；　their　front　covered　by　the　hedge　of　the　vineyard；　while　behind　them　the　men…at…arms　were　drawn　up。

The　King　of　France　divided　his　army　into　three　divisions；　each　consisting　of　16；000　mounted　men…at…arms　besides　infantry；　commanded　respectively　by　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　the　king's　brother；　the　dauphin；　and　the　king　himself。　　With　the　two　royal　princes　were　the　most　experienced　of　the　French　commanders。　In　the　meantime　De　Ribaumont；　with　three　other　French　knights；　reconnoitered　the　English　position；　and　on　their　return　with　their　report　strongly　advised　that　as　large　bodies　of　cavalry　would　be　quite　useless　owing　to　the　nature　of　the　ground；　the　whole　force　should　dismount　except　300　picked　men　designed　to　break　the　line　of　English　archers　and　a　small　body　of　German　horse　to　act　as　a　reserve。

Just　as　the　King　of　France　was　about　to　give　orders　for　the　advance；　the　Cardinal　of　Perigord　arrived　in　his　camp；　anxious　to　stop；　if　possible；　the　effusion　of　blood。　He　hurried　to　the　King　of　France。

〃You　have　here；　sire；〃　he　said；　〃the　flower　of　all　the　chivalry　of　your　realm　assembled　against　a　mere　handful　of　English；　and　it　will　be　far　more　honourable　and　profitable　for　you　to　have　them　in　your　power　without　battle　than　to　risk　such　a　noble　array　in　uncertain　strife。　I　pray　you；　then；　in　the　name　of　God；　to　let　me　ride　on　to　the　Prince　of　Wales；　to　show　him　his　peril；　and　to　exhort　him　to　peace。〃

〃Willingly；　my　lord；〃　the　king　replied；　〃but　above　all　things　be　quick。〃

The　cardinal　at　once　hastened　to　the　English　camp；　he　found　the　Black　Prince　in　the　midst　of　his　knights　ready　for　battle；　but　by　no　means　unwilling　to　listen　to　proposals　for　peace。　His　position　was　indeed　most　perilous。　In　his　face　was　an　enormously　superior　army；　and　he　was　moreover　threatened　by　famine；　even　during　the　two　preceding　days　his　army　had　suffered　from　a　great　scarcity　of　forage；　and　its　provisions　were　almost　wholly　exhausted。　The　French　force　was　sufficiently　numerous　to　blockade　him　in　his　camp；　and　he　knew　that　did　they　adopt　that　course　he　must　surrender　unconditionally；　since　were　he　forced　to　sally　out　and　attack　the　French　no　valour　could　compensate　for　the　immense　disparity　of　numbers。　He　therefore　replied　at　once　to　the　cardinal's　application；　that　he　was　ready　to　listen　to　any　terms　by　which　his　honour　and　that　of　his　companions　would　be　preserved。

The　cardinal　returned　to　the　King　of　France　and　with　much　entreaty　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　truce　until　sunrise　on　the　following　morning。　The　soldiers　returned　to　their　tents；　and　the　cardinal　rode　backward　and　forward　between　the　armies；　beseeching　the　King　of　France　to　moderate　his　demands；　and　the　Black　Prince　to　submit　to　the　evil　fortune　which　had　befallen　him；　but　on　the　one　side　the　king　looked　upon　the　victory　as　certain；　and　on　the　other　the　Black　Prince　thought　that　there　was　at　least　a　hope　of　success　should　the　French　attack　him。　All；　therefore；　that　the　cardinal　could　obtain　from　him　was　an　offer　to　resign　all　he　had　captured　in　his　expedition；　towns；　castles；　and　prisoners；　and　to　take　an　oath　not　to　bear　arms　against　France　for　seven　years。　This　proposal　fell　so　far　short　of　the　demands　of　the　French　king　that　pacification　soon　appeared　hopeless。

Early　on　the　Monday　morning　the　cardinal　once　more　sought　the　presence　of　the　French　king；　but　found　John　inflexible；　while　some　of　the　leaders　who　had　viewed　with　the　strongest　disapproval　his　efforts　to　snatch　what　they　regarded　as　certain　victory　from　their　hands；　gave　him　a　peremptory　warning　not　to　show　himself　again　in　their　lines。　　The　prelate　then　bore　the　news　of　his　failure　to　the　Prince　of　Wales。　〃Fair　son；〃　he　said；　〃do　the　best　you　can；　for　you　must　needs　fight；　as　I　can　find　no　means　of　peace　or　amnesty　with　the　King　of　France。〃

〃Be　it　so；　good　father；〃　the　prince　replied；　〃it　is　our　full　resolve　to　fight；　and　God　will　aid　the　right。〃

The　delay　which　had　occurred　had　not　been　without　advantages　for　the　British　army；　although　the　shortness　of　provisions　was　greatly　felt。　Every　effort　had　been　made　to　strengthen　the　position。　Deep　trenches　had　been　dug　and　palisades　erected　around　it；　and　the　carts　and　baggage　train　had　all　been　moved　round　so　as　to　form　a　protection　on　the　weakest　side　of　the　camp；　where　also　a　rampart　had　been　constructed。

Upon　a　careful　examination　of　the　ground　it　was　found　that　the　hill　on　the　right　side　of　the　camp　was　less　difficult　than　had　been　supposed；　and　that　the　dismounted　men…at…arms　who　lay　at　its　foot　under　the　command　of　the　Dauphin　would　find　little　difficulty　in　climbing　it　to　the　assault。　The　prince　therefore　gave　orders　that　300　men…at…arms　and　300　mounted　archers　should　make　a　circuit　from　the　rear　round　the　base　of　the　hill；　in　order　to　pour　in　upon　the　flank　of　the　Dauphin's　division　as　soon　as　they　became　disordered　in　the　ascent。　The　nature　of　the　ground　concealed　this　maneuver　from　the　enemies'　view；　and　the　Captal　De　Buch；　who　was　in　command　of　the　party；　gained　unperceived　the　cover　of　a　wooded　ravine　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　the　left　flank　of　the　enemy。　By　the　time　that　all　these　dispositions　were　complete　the　huge　French　array　was　moving　forward。　The　Black　Prince；　surrounded　by　his　knights；　viewed　them　approaching。

〃Fair　lords；〃　he　said；　〃though　we　be　so　few　against　that　mighty　power　of　enemies；　let　us　not　be　dismayed；　for　strength　and　victory　lie　not　in　multitudes；　but　in　those　to　whom　God　give　them。　If　He　will　the　day　be　ours；　then　the　highest　glory　of　this　world　will　be　given　to　us。　If　we　die；　I　have　the　noble　lord；　my　father；　and　two　fair　brothers；　and　you　have　each　of　you　many　a　good　friend　who　will　avenge　us　well；　thus；　then；　I　pray　you　fight　well　this　day；　and　if　it　please　God　and　St。　　George　I　will　also　do　the　part　of　a　good　knight。〃

The　prince　then　chose　Sir　John　Chandos　and　Sir　James　Audley　to　remain　by　his　side　during　the　conflict　in　order　to　afford　him　counsel　in　case　of　need。　Audley；　however；　pleaded　a　vow　which　he　had　made　long　before；　to　be　the　first　in　battle　should　he　ever　be　engaged　under　the　command　of　the　King　of　England　or　any　of　his　children。　The　prince　at　once　acceded　to　his　request　to　be　allowed　to　fight　in　the　van；　and　Audley；　accompanied　by　four　chosen　squires；　took　his　place　in　front　of　the　English　line　of　battle。　Not　far　from　him；　also　in　advance　of　the　line；　was　Sir　Eustace　D'Arnbrecicourt　on　horseback；　also　eager　to　distinguish　himself。

As　Sir　James　rode　off　the　prince　turned　to　Walter。　〃As　Audley　must　needs　fight　as　a　knight…errant；　Sir　Walter　Somers；　do　you　take　your　place　by　my　side；　for　there　is　no　more　valiant　knight　in　my　army　than　you　have　often　proved　yourself　to　be。〃

Three　hundred　chosen　French　men…at…arms　mounted　on　the　strongest　horses　covered　with　steel　armour；　led　the　way　under　the　command　of　the　Marechals　D'Audeham　and　De　Clermont；　while　behind　them　were　a　large　body　of　German　cavalry　under　the　Counts　of　Nassau；　Saarbruck；　and　Nidau；　to　support　them　in　their　attack　on　the　English　archers。　On　the　right　was　the　Duke　of　Orleans　with　16；000　men…at…arms；　on　the　left　the　Dauphin　and　his　two　brothers　with　an　equal　force；　while　King　John　himself　led　on　the　rear…guard。

When　the　three　hundred　elite　of　the　French　army　reached　the　narrow　way　between　the　hedges；　knowing　that　these　were　lined　with　archers　they　charged　through　at　a　gallop　to　fall　upon　the　main　body　of　bowmen　covering　the　front　of　the　English　men…at…arms。　The　moment　they　were　fairly　in　the　hollow　road　the　British　archers　rose　on　either　side　to　their　feet　and　poured　such　a　flight　of　arrows　among　them　that　in　an　instant　all　was　confusion　and　disarray。　Through　every　joint　and　crevice　of　the　armour　of　knights　and　horses　the　arrows　found　their　way；　and　the　lane　was　almost　choked　with　the　bodies　of　men　and　horses。　A　considerable　number；　nevertheless；　made　their　way　through　and　approached　the　first　line　of　archers　beyond。　Here　they　were　met　by　Sir　James　Audley；　who；　with　his　four　squires；　plunged　into　their　ranks　and　overthrew　the　Marechal　D'Audeham；　and　then　fought　his　way　onward。　　Regardless　of　the　rest　of　the　battle　he　pressed　ever　forward；　until　at　the　end　of　the　day；　wounded　in　a　hundred　places　and　fainting　from　loss　of　blood；　he　fell　from　his　horse　almost　at　the　gates　of　Poitiers；　and　was　borne　from　the　field　by　the　four　faithful　squires　who　had　fought　beside　him　throughout　the　day。

Less　fortunate　was　Sir　Eustace　D'Ambrecicourt；　who　spurred　headlong　upon　the　German　cavalry。　A　German　knight　rode　out　to　meet　him；　and　in　the　shock　both　were　dishorsed；　but　before　Sir　Eustace　could　recover　his　seat　he　was　borne　down　to　the　ground　by　four　others　of　the　enemy；