saint george for england-第56部分

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ount　de　Foix；　ventured　not　to　proceed　beyond　evil　glances。

〃I　would；〃　de　Foix　said；　〃that　these　dogs　would　but　lift　a　hand　against　us。　　By　St。　Stephen；　we　would　teach　them　a　rough　lesson！〃

His　companions　were　of　the　same　mind；　for　all　were　excited　to　fury　by　the　terrible　tales　which　they　heard。　All　these　stories　were　new　to　them；　for　although　rumours　had　reached　Germany　of　the　outbreak　of　a　peasant　insurrection　in　France　the　movement　had　but　just　begun　when　they　started。　As　far　as　the　frontier　they　had　traveled　leisurely；　but　they　had　hastened　their　pace　more　and　more　as　they　learned　how　sore　was　the　strait　of　the　nobles　and　gentry　of　the　country　and　how　grievously　every　good　sword　was　needed。　When　they　reached　Chalons　they　heard　much　fuller　particulars　than　had　before　reached　them；　and　learned　that　the　Duchess　of　Normandy；　the　Duchess　of　Orleans；　and　near　three　hundred　ladies；　had　sought　refuge　in　Meaux；　and　that　they　were　there　guarded　but　by　a　handful　of　men…at…arms　under　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　while　great　bands　of　serfs　were　pouring　in　from　all　parts　of　the　country　round；　to　massacre　them。

Meaux　is　eighty　miles　from　Chalons；　but　the　three　knights　determined　to　press　onward　with　all　speed　in　hopes　of　averting　the　catastrophe。　Allowing　their　horses　an　hour　or　two　to　rest；　they　rode　forward；　and　pressing　on　without　halt　or　delay；　save　such　as　was　absolutely　needed　by　the　horses；　they　arrived　at　Meaux　late　the　following　night；　and　found　to　their　delight　that　the　insurgents；　although　swarming　in　immense　numbers　round　the　town；　had　not　yet　attacked　it。

The　arrival　of　the　three　knights　and　their　followers　was　greeted　with　joy　by　the　ladies。　They；　with　their　guard；　had　taken　up　their　position　in　the　market…house　and　market…place；　which　were　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　town　by　the　river　Maine；　which　flows　through　the　city。　A　consultation　was　at　once　held；　and　it　being　found　that　the　Duke　of　Orleans　had　but　twenty　men…at…arms　with　him　it　was　determined　that　it　was　impossible　to　defend　the　city　walls；　but　that　upon　the　following　morning　they　would　endeavour　to　cut　their　way　with　the　ladies　through　the　peasant　hosts。　In　the　night；　however；　an　uproar　was　heard　in　the　city。　The　burghers　had　risen　and　had　opened　the　gates　to　the　peasants；　who　now　poured　in　in　thousands。　Every　hour　increased　their　numbers。

The　market…place　was　besieged　in　the　morning；　and　an　hour　or　two　afterwards　a　large　body　of　the　ruffians　of　Paris；　under　the　command　of　a　brutal　grocer　named　Pierre　Gille；　arrived　to　swell　their　ranks。

The　attack　on　the　market…house　continued；　and　the　Duke　of　Orleans　held　a　consultation　with　the　three　knights。　　It　was　agreed　that　against　such　a　host　of　enemies　the　market…place　could　not　long　be　defended；　and　that　their　best　hope　lay　in　sallying　out　and　falling　upon　the　assailants。　　Accordingly　the　men…at…　arms　were　drawn　up　in　order；　with　the　banners　of　the　Duke　of　Orleans　and　the　Count　de　Foix；　and　the　pennons　of　the　Captal　and　Sir　Walter　Somers　displayed；　the　gates　were　opened；　and　with　levelled　lances　the　little　party　rode　out。　　Hitherto　nothing　had　been　heard　save　yells　of　anticipated　triumph　and　fierce　imprecations　and　threats　against　the　defenders　from　the　immense　multitude　without；　but　the　appearance　of　the　orderly　ranks　of　the　knights　and　men…at…arms　as　they　issued　through　the　gate　struck　a　silence　of　fear　through　the　mass。

Without　an　instant's　delay　the　knights　and　men…at…arms；　with　levelled　lances；　charged　into　the　multitude。　A　few　attempted　to　fight；　but　more　strove　to　fly；　as　the　nobles　and　their　followers；　throwing　away　their　lances；　fell　upon　them　with　sword　and　battle…axe。　Jammed　up　in　the　narrow　streets　of　a　small　walled　town；　overthrowing　and　impeding　each　other　in　their　efforts　to　escape；　trampled　down　by　the　heavy　horses　of　the　men…at…arms；　and　hewn　down　by　their　swords　and　battle…axes；　the　insurgents　fell　in　vast　numbers。　　Multitudes　succeeded　in　escaping　through　the　gates　into　the　fields；　but　here　they　were　followed　by　the　knights　and　their　retainers；　who　continued　charging　among　them　and　slaying　till　utter　weariness　compelled　them　to　cease　from　the　pursuit　and　return　to　Meaux。　Not　less　than　seven　thousand　of　the　insurgents　had　been　slain　by　the　four　knights　and　fifty　men；　for　ten　had　been　left　behind　to　guard　the　gates　of　the　market…place。

History　has　no　record　of　so　vast　a　slaughter　by　so　small　a　body　of　men。　This　terrific　punishment　put　a　summary　end　to　the　Jacquerie。　Already　in　other　parts　several　bodies　had　been　defeated；　and　their　principal　leader；　Caillet；　with　three　thousand　of　his　followers；　slain　near　Clermont。　But　the　defeat　at　Meaux　was　the　crushing　blow　which　put　an　end　to　the　insurrection。



On　their　return　to　the　town　the　knights　executed　a　number　of　the　burghers　who　had　joined　the　peasants；　and　the　greater　part　of　the　town　was　burned　to　the　ground　as　a　punishment　for　having　opened　the　gates　to　the　peasants　and　united　with　them。

The　knights　and　ladies　then　started　for　Paris。　On　nearing　the　city　they　found　that　it　was　threatened　by　the　forces　of　the　Dauphin。　Marcel　had　strongly　fortified　the　town；　and　with　his　ally；　the　infamous　King　of　Navarre；　bade　defiance　to　the　royal　power。　However；　the　excesses　of　the　demagogue　had　aroused　against　him　the　feeling　of　all　the　better　class　of　the　inhabitants。　The　King　of　Navarre；　who　was　ready　at　all　times　to　break　his　oath　and　betray　his　companions；　marched　his　army　out　of　the　town　and　took　up　a　position　outside　the　walls。　He　then　secretly　negotiated　peace　with　the　Duke　of　Normandy；　by　which　he　agreed　to　yield　to　their　fate　Marcel　and　twelve　of　the　most　obnoxious　burghers；　while　at　the　same　time　he　persuaded　Marcel　that　he　was　still　attached　to　his　interest。　　Marcel；　however；　was　able　to　bid　higher　than　the　Duke　of　Normandy；　and　he　entered　into　a　new　treaty　with　the　treacherous　king；　by　which　he　stipulated　to　deliver　the　city　into　his　hands　during　the　night。　Everyone　within　the　walls；　except　the　partisans　of　Marcel；　upon　whose　doors　a　mark　was　to　be　placed；　were　to　be　put　to　death　indiscriminately；　and　the　King　of　Navarre　was　to　be　proclaimed　King　of　France。

Fortunately　Pepin　des　Essarts　and　John　de　Charny；　two　loyal　knights　who　were　in　Paris；　obtained　information　of　the　plan　a　few　minutes　before　the　time　appointed　for　its　execution。　Arming　themselves　instantly；　and　collecting　a　few　followers；　they　rushed　to　the　houses　of　the　chief　conspirators；　but　found　them　empty；　Marcel　and　his　companions　having　already　gone　to　the　gates。　Passing　by　the　hotel…de…ville；　the　knights　entered；　snatched　down　the　royal　banner　which　was　kept　there；　and　unfurling　it　mounted　their　horses　and　rode　through　the　streets；　calling　all　men　to　arms。　They　reached　the　Port　St。　Antoine　just　at　the　moment　when　Marcel　was　in　the　act　of　opening　it　in　order　to　give　admission　to　the　Navarrese。　When　he　heard　the　shouts　he　tried　with　his　friends　to　make　his　way　into　the　bastille；　but　his　retreat　was　intercepted；　and　a　severe　and　bloody　struggle　took　place　between　the　two　parties。　Stephen　Marcel；　however；　was　himself　slain　by　Sir　John　de　Charny；　and　almost　all　his　principal　companions　fell　with　him。　The　inhabitants　then　threw　open　their　gates　and　the　Duke　of　Normandy　entered。

Walter　Somers　had；　with　his　companions；　joined　the　army　of　the　duke；　and　placed　his　sword　at　his　disposal；　but　when　the　French　prince　entered　Paris　without　the　necessity　of　fighting；　he　took　leave　of　him；　and　with　the　Captal　returned　to　England。　Rare；　indeed；　were　the　jewels　which　Walter　brought　home　to　his　wife；　for　the　three　hundred　noble　ladies　rescued　at　Meaux　from　dishonour　and　death　had　insisted　upon　bestowing　tokens　of　their　regard　and　gratitude　upon　the　rescuers；　and　as　many　of　them　belonged　to　the　richest　as　well　as　the　noblest　families　in　France　the　presents　which　Walter　thus　received　from　the　grateful　ladies　were　of　immense　value。

He　was　welcomed　by　the　king　and　Prince　of　Wales　with　great　honour；　for　the　battle　at　Meaux　had　excited　the　admiration　and　astonishment　of　all　Europe。　The　Jacquerie　was　considered　as　a　common　danger　in　all　civilized　countries；　for　if　successful　it　might　have　spread　far　beyond　the　boundaries　of　France；　and　constituted　a　danger　to　chivalry；　and　indeed　to　society　universally。

Thus　King　Edward　gave　the　highest　marks　of　his　satisfaction　to　the　Captal　and　Walter；　added　considerable　grants　of　land　to　the　estates　of　the　latter；　and　raised　him　to　the　dignity　of　Baron　Somers　of　Westerham。

It　has　always　been　a　matter　of　wonder　that　King　Edward　did　not　take　advantage　of　the　utter　state　of　confusion　and　anarchy　which　prevailed　in　France　to　complete　his　conquest　of　that　country；　which　there　is　no　reasonable　doubt　he　could　have　effected　with　ease。　Civil　war　and　strife　prevailed　throughout　France；　famine　devastated　it；　and　without　leaders　or　concord；　dispirited　and　impoverished　by　defeat；　France　could　have　offered　no　resistance　to　such　an　army　as　England　could　have　placed　in　the　field。　The　only　probable　supposition　is　that　at　heart　he　doubted　whether　the　acquisition　of　the　crown　of　France　was　really　desirable；　or　whether　it　could　be　permanently　maintained　should　it　be　gained。　To　the　monarch　of　a　country　prosperous；　flourishing；　and　contented；　the　object　of　admiration　throughout