saint george for england-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

il　several　severe　wounds　had　been　inflicted　on　their　assailants。

When　the　fray　was　over；　it　was　found　that　nine　prisoners　had　been　captured。　　Some　of　these　were　stunned　by　the　blows　which　the　smiths　had　dealt　them；　and　two　or　three　were　badly　wounded；　all　were　more　or　less　injured　in　the　struggle。　When　they　recovered　their　senses　they　were　made　to　get　on　their　feet；　and　with　their　hands　tied　securely　behind　them　were　marched　between　a　double　line　of　their　captors　off　the　marsh。

〃Thanks　for　your　services；〃　the　justice　said　when　they　had　gained　the　place　where　they　had　left　their　horses。　〃Nine　of　my　men　shall　tie　each　one　of　these　rascals　to　their　stirrups　by　halters　round　their　necks；　and　we　will　give　them　a　smart　run　into　Richmond；　where　we　will　lodge　them　in　the　jail。　Tomorrow　is　Sunday；　on　Monday　they　will　be　brought　before　me；　and　I　shall　want　the　evidence　of　Master　Walter　Fletcher　and　of　those　who　were　in　the　boat　with　him　as　to　what　took　place　on　the　river。　Methinks　the　evidence　on　that　score；　and　the　resistance　which　they　offered　to　us　this　evening；　will　be　sufficient　to　put　a　halter　round　their　necks；　but　from　what　I　have　heard　by　the　letter　which　the　Lord　Mayor　sent　me；　there　are　others　higher　in　rank　concerned　in　the　affair；　doubtless　we　shall　find　means　to　make　these　ruffians　speak。〃

Accordingly；　at　the　justice's　orders；　halters　were　placed　round　the　necks　of　the　prisoners；　the　other　ends　being　attached　to　the　saddles；　and　the　party　set　off　at　a　pace　which　taxed　to　the　utmost　the　strength　of　the　wounded　men。　　Geoffrey　and　his　party　returned　in　high　spirits　to　Southwark。


On　the　Monday　Walter　went　over　to　Richmond；　accompanied　by　the　armourers　and　by　the　lads　who　had　been　in　the　boat　with　him。　The　nine　ruffians；　strongly　guarded；　were　brought　up　in　the　justice　room。　Walter　first　gave　his　evidence；　and　related　how　he　had　overheard　a　portion　of　the　conversation；　which　led　him　to　believe　that　an　attack　would　be　made　upon　the　boat　coming　down　the　river。

〃Can　you　identify　either　of　the　prisoners　as　being　the　man　whom　you　saw　at　the　door　of　the　hut？〃

〃No；〃　Walter　said。　〃When　I　first　saw　him　I　was　too　far　off　to　make　out　his　face。　　When　he　left　the　hut　it　was　dark。〃

〃Should　you　know　the　other　man；　the　one　who　was　addressed　as　sir　knight；　if　you　saw　him　again？〃

〃I　should；〃　Walter　replied。　He　then　gave　an　account　of　the　attack　upon　the　boat；　but　said　that　in　the　suddenness　of　the　affair　and　the　growing　darkness　he　noticed　none　of　the　figures　distinctly　enough　to　recognize　them　again。　Two　or　three　of　the　other　apprentices　gave　similar　testimony　as　to　the　attack。

A　gentleman　then　presented　himself；　and　gave　his　name　as　Sir　William　de　Hertford。　He　said　that　he　had　come　at　the　request　of　the　Lady　Alice　Vernon；　who　was　still　suffering　from　the　effects　of　the　wound　and　immersion。　She　had　requested　him　to　say　that　at　some　future　occasion　she　would　appear　to　testify；　but　that　in　the　confusion　and　suddenness　of　the　attack　she　had　noticed　no　faces　in　the　boat　which　assailed　them；　and　could　identify　none　concerned　in　the　affair。

The　justice　who　had　headed　the　attack　on　the　hut　then　gave　his　evidence　as　to　that　affair；　the　armourer　also　relating　the　incidents　of　the　conflict。


〃The　prisoners　will　be　committed　for　trial；〃　the　justice　said。　〃At　present　there　is　no　actual　proof　that　any　of　them　were　concerned　in　this　murderous　outrage　beyond　the　fact　that　they　were　taken　in　the　place　where　it　was　planned。　The　suspicion　is　strong　that　some　at　least　were　engaged　in　it。　Upon　the　persons　of　all　of　them　were　valuable　daggers；　chains；　and　other　ornaments；　which　could　not　have　been　come　by　honestly；　and　I　doubt　not　that　they　form　part　of　the　gang　which　has　so　long　been　a　terror　to　peaceful　travelers　alike　by　the　road　and　river；　and　it　may　be　that　some　who　have　been　robbed　will　be　able　to　identify　the　articles　taken　upon　them。　　They　are　committed　for　trial：　firstly；　as　having　been　concerned　in　the　attack　upon　Dame　Alice　Vernon；　secondly；　as　being　notorious　ill…livers　and　robbers；　thirdly；　as　having　resisted　lawful　arrest　by　the　king's　officers。　The　greatest　criminal　in　the　affair　is　not　at　present　before　me；　but　it　may　be　that　from　such　information　as　Dame　Vernon　may　be　able　to　furnish；　and　from　such　confessions　as　justice　will　be　able　to　wring　from　the　prisoners；　he　will　at　the　trial　stand　beside　his　fellows。〃

Walter　returned　to　town　with　his　companions。　On　reaching　the　armourer's　they　found　a　retainer　of　the　Earl　of　Talbot　awaiting　them；　with　the　message　that　the　Lady　Alice　Vernon　wished　the　attendance　of　Walter　Fletcher；　whose　name　she　had　learned　from　the　Lord　Mayor　as　that　of　the　lad　to　whom　she　and　her　daughter　owed　their　lives；　at　noon　on　the　following　day；　at　the　residence　of　the　Earl　of　Talbot。

〃That　is　the　worst　of　an　adventure；〃　Walter　said　crossly；　after　the　retainer　had　departed。　〃One　can't　have　a　bit　of　excitement　without　being　sent　for；　and　thanked；　and　stared　at。　I　would　rather　fight　the　best　swordsman　in　the　city　than　have　to　go　down　to　the　mansion　of　Earl　Talbot　with　my　cap　in　my　hand。〃

Geoffrey　laughed。　〃You　must　indeed　have　your　cap　in　your　hand；　Walter；　but　you　need　not　bear　yourself　in　that　spirit。　The　'prentice　of　a　London　citizen　may　have　just　as　much　honest　pride　and　independence　as　the　proudest　earl　at　Westminster；　but　carry　not　independence　too　far。　　Remember　that　if　you　yourself　had　received　a　great　service　you　would　be　hurt　if　the　donor　refused　to　receive　your　thanks；　and　it　would　be　churlish　indeed　were　you　to　put　on　sullen　looks；　or　to　refuse　to　accept　any　present　which　the　lady　whose　life　you　have　saved　may　make　you。　It　is　strange；　indeed；　that　it　should　be　Dame　Vernon；　whose　husband；　Sir　Jasper　Vernon；　received　the　fiefs　of　Westerham　and　Hyde。〃

〃Why　should　it　be　curious　that　it　is　she？〃　Walter　asked。

〃Oh！〃　Geoffrey　said；　rather　confusedly。　〃I　was　not　thinking　…　that　is　…　I　mean　that　it　is　curious　because　Bertha　Fletcher　was　for　years　a　dependant　on　the　family　of　Sir　Roland　Somers；　who　was　killed　in　the　troubles　when　the　king　took　the　reins　of　government　in　his　hands；　and　his　lands；　being　forfeit；　were　given　to　Sir　Jasper　Vernon；　who　aided　the　king　in　that　affair。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　about　that；〃　Walter　said。　〃How　was　it　that　there　was　any　trouble　as　to　King　Edward　having　kingly　authority？〃

〃It　happened　in　this　way；〃　Geoffrey　said。　〃King　Edward　II；　his　father；　was　a　weak　prince；　governed　wholly　by　favourites；　and　unable　to　hold　in　check　the　turbulent　barons。　　His　queen；　Isabella　of　France；　sister　of　the　French　king；　a　haughty　and　ambitious　woman；　determined　to　snatch　the　reins　of　power　from　the　indolent　hands　of　her　husband；　and　after　a　visit　to　her　brother　she　returned　with　an　army　from　Hainault　in　order　to　dethrone　him。　She　was　accompanied　by　her　eldest　son；　and　after　a　short　struggle　the　king　was　dethroned。　He　had　but　few　friends；　and　men　thought　that　under　the　young　Edward；　who　had　already　given　promise　of　virtue　and　wisdom；　some　order　might　be　introduced　into　the　realm。　He　was　crowned　Edward　III；　thus；　at　the　early　age　of　fifteen；　usurping　the　throne　of　his　father。　The　real　power；　however；　remained　with　Isabella；　who　was　president　of　the　council　of　regency；　and　who；　in　her　turn；　was　governed　by　her　favourite　Mortimer。　England　soon　found　that　the　change　which　had　been　made　was　far　from　beneficial。　The　government　was　by　turns　weak　and　oppressive。　The　employment　of　foreign　troops　was　regarded　with　the　greatest　hostility　by　the　people；　and　the　insolence　of　Mortimer　alienated　the　great　barons。　Finally；　the　murder　of　the　dethroned　king　excited　throughout　the　kingdom　a　feeling　of　horror　and　loathing　against　the　queen。

〃All　this　feeling；　however；　was　confined　to　her；　Edward；　who　was　but　a　puppet　in　her　hands；　being　regarded　with　affection　and　pity。　Soon　after　his　succession　the　young　king　was　married　to　our　queen；　Philippa　of　Hainault；　who　is　as　good　as　she　is　beautiful；　and　who　is　loved　from　one　end　of　the　kingdom　to　the　other。　I　can　tell　you；　the　city　was　a　sight　to　see　when　she　entered　with　the　king。　Such　pageants　and　rejoicing　were　never　known。　They　were　so　young；　he　not　yet　sixteen；　and　she　but　fourteen；　and　yet　to　bear　on　their　shoulders　the　weight　of　the　state。　A　braver　looking　lad　and　a　fairer　girl　mine　eyes　never　looked　on。　It　was　soon　after　this　that　the　events　arose　which　led　to　the　war　with　France；　but　this　is　too　long　a　tale　for　me　to　tell　you　now。　The　Prince　of　Wales　was　born　on　the　15th　of　June；　1330；　two　years　after　the　royal　marriage。

〃So　far　the　king　had　acquiesced　quietly　in　the　authority　of　his　mother；　but　he　now　paid　a　visit　to　France；　and　doubtless　the　barons　around　him　there　took　advantage　of　his　absence　from　her　tutelage　to　shake　her　influence　over　his　mind；　and　at　the　same　time　a　rising　took　place　at　home　against　her　authority。　This　was　suppressed；　and　the　Earl　of　Kent；　the　king's　uncle；　was　arrested　and　executed　by　Isabella。　This　act　of　severity　against　his　uncle；　no　doubt；　hastened　the　prince's　determination　to　shake　off　the　authority　of　his　haughty　mother　and　to　assume　the　reins　of　government　himself。　The　matter；　however；　was　not　easy　to　accomplish。　Mortimer　having　the　whole　of　the　royal　revenue　at　his　disposal；　had　attached　to　himself　b