第 35 页

mercenaries, it was agreed in the first instance to attempt to attack the

place by filling up a portion of the moat and ascending by scaling

ladders. Huge screens of wood were made, and these were placed on

waggons; the waggons themselves were filled with bags of earth, and a

large number of men getting beneath them shoved the ponderous machines

forward to the edge of the moat. The bags of stones and earth were then

thrown in, and the waggons pushed backwards to obtain a fresh supply.

This operation was of course an exceedingly slow one, a whole day being

occupied with each trip of the waggons. They were not unmolested in their

advance, for, from the walls, mangonels and other machines hurled great

stones down upon the wooden screens, succeeding sometimes, in spite of

their thickness, in crashing through them, killing many of the men

beneath. The experiment was also tried of throwing balls of Greek fire

down upon the wood; but as this was green and freshly felled it would not

take fire, but the flames dropping through, with much boiling pitch and

other materials, did grievously burn and scald the soldiers working below

it. Upon both sides every device was tried. The cross-bow men among the

mercenaries kept up a fire upon the walls to hinder the defenders from

interfering with the operations, while the archers above shot steadily,

and killed many of those who ventured within range of their bows.

After ten days' labour, a portion of the moat some twenty yards in

length was filled with bags of earth, and all was ready for the assault.

The besiegers had prepared great numbers of strong ladders, and these

were brought up under shelter of the screens. Then, all being ready, the

trumpets sounded for the assault, and the troops moved forward in a close

body, covering themselves with their shields so that no man's head or

body was visible, each protecting the one before him with his shield held

over him. Thus the body presented the appearance of a great scale-covered

animal. In many respects, indeed, the warfare of those days was changed

in no way from that of the time of the Romans. In the 1200 years which

had elapsed between the siege of Jerusalem and the days of the crusades

there had been but little change in arms or armour, and the operations

which Titus undertook for the reduction of the Jewish stronghold differed

but little from those which a Norman baron employed in besieging his

neighbour's castle.

Within Evesham Castle all was contentment and merriment during these

days. The garrison had no fear whatever of being unable to repel the

assault when it should be delivered. Huge stones had been collected in

numbers on the walls, cauldrons of pitch, beneath which fires kept

simmering, stood there in readiness. Long poles with hooks with which to

seize the ladders and cut them down were laid there; and all that

precaution and science could do was prepared.

Cuthbert passed much of the day, when not required upon the walls,

chatting with the Lady Margaret, who, attended by her maidens, sat

working in her bower. She had learnt to read from the good nuns of the

convent--an accomplishment which was by no means general, even among the

daughters of nobles; but books were rare, and Evesham boasted but few

manuscripts. Here Margaret learnt in full all the details of Cuthbert's

adventures since leaving England, and the fondness with which as a child

she had regarded the lad grew gradually into the affection of a woman.

The courage of the garrison was high, for although they believed that

sooner or later the castle might be carried by the besiegers, they had

already been told by Cnut that there was a means of egress unknown to the

besiegers, and that when the time came they would be able to escape

unharmed. This, while it in no way detracted from their determination to

defend the castle to the last, yet rendered their task a far lighter and

more agreeable one than it would have been had they seen the gallows

standing before them as the end of the siege. As the testudo, as it was

called in those days, advanced towards the castle, the machines upon the

walls--catapults, mangonels, and arbalasts--poured forth showers of

stones and darts upon it, breaking up the array of shields and killing

many; and as these openings were made, the archers, seizing their time,

poured in volleys of arrows. The mercenaries, however, accustomed to war,

advanced steadily, and made good their footing beneath the castle wall,

and proceeded to rear their ladders. Here, although free from the action

of the machines, they were exposed to the hand missiles, which were

scarcely less destructive. In good order, and with firmness, however,

they reared the ladders, and mounted to the assault, covering themselves

as well as they could with their shields. In vain, however, did they

mount. The defenders poured down showers of boiling pitch and oil, which

penetrated the crevices of their armour, and caused intolerable torment.

Great stones were toppled over from the battlements upon them; and

sometimes the ladders, seized by the poles with hooks, were cast

backwards, with all upon them, on the throng below. For half-an-hour,

encouraged by the shouts of Sir Rudolph and their leaders, the soldiers

strove gallantly; but were at last compelled to draw off, having lost

nigh 100 men, without one gaining a footing upon the walls.

That evening another council of war was held without. Already some large

machines for which Sir Rudolph had sent had arrived. In anticipation of

the possibility of failure, two castles upon wheels had been prepared,

and between these a huge beam with an iron head was hung. This was upon

the following day pushed forward on the newly-formed ground across the

moat. Upon the upper part of each tower were armed men who worked

machines casting sheaves of arrows and other missiles. Below were those

who worked the ram. To each side of the beam were attached numerous

cords, and with these it was swung backwards and forwards, giving heavy

blows each stroke upon the wall. The machines for casting stones, which

had arrived, were also brought in play, and day and night these

thundered against the walls; while the ram repeated its ceaseless blows

upon the same spot, until the stone crumbled before it.

Very valiantly did the garrison oppose themselves to these efforts. But

each day showed the progress made by the besiegers. Their forces had been

increased, Prince John having ordered his captain at Gloucester to send

another 100 men to the assistance of Sir Rudolph. Other towers had now

been prepared. These were larger than the first, and overtopped the

castle walls. From the upper story were drawbridges, so formed as to drop

from the structures upon the walls, and thus enable the besiegers to rush

upon them. The process was facilitated by the fact that the battlements

had been shot away by the great stones, and there was a clear space on

which the drawbridges could fall. The attack was made with great vigour;

but for a long time the besieged maintained their post, and drove back

the assailants as they poured out across the drawbridges on to the wall.

At last Cuthbert saw that the forces opposed to him were too numerous to

be resisted, and gave orders to his men to fall back upon the inner keep.

Making one rush, and clearing the wall of those who had gained a footing,

the garrison fell back hastily, and were safely within the massive keep

before the enemy had mustered in sufficient numbers upon the wall to

interfere with them. The drawbridge was now lowered, and the whole of the

assailants gained footing within the castle. They were still far from

having achieved a victory. The walls of the keep were massive and strong,

and its top far higher than the walls, so that from above a storm of

arrows poured down upon all who ventured to show themselves. The keep had

no windows low enough down for access to be gained; and those on the

floors above were so narrow, and protected by bars, that it seemed by

scaling the walls alone could an entry be effected. This was far too

desperate an enterprise to be attempted, for the keep rose eighty feet

above the courtyard. It was upon the door, solid and studded with iron,

that the attempt had to be made.

Several efforts were made by Sir Rudolph, who fought with a bravery

worthy of a better cause, to assault and batter down the door. Protected

by wooden shields from the rain of missiles from above, he and his

knights hacked at the door with their battle-axes. But in vain. It had

been strengthened by beams behind, and by stones piled up against it.

Then fire was tried. Faggots were collected in the forest, and brought;

and a huge pile having been heaped against the door, it was lighted. "We

could doubtless prolong the siege for some days, Lady Margaret," said

Cuthbert, "but the castle is ours; and we wish not, when the time comes

that we shall again be masters of it, that it should be a mere heap of

ruins. Methinks we have done enough. With but small losses on our side,

we have killed great numbers of the enemy, and have held them at bay for

a month. Therefore, I think that tonight it will be well for us to leave

the place."

Lady Margaret was rejoiced at the news that the time for escape had come,

for the perpetual clash of war, the rattling of arrows, the ponderous

thud of heavy stones, caused a din very alarming to a young girl; and

although the room in which she sat, looking into the inner court of the

castle, was not exposed to missiles, she trembled at the thought that

brave men were being killed, and that at any moment a shot might strike

Cuthbert, and so leave her without a friend or protector.

Content with having destroyed the door, the assailants made no further

effort that evening, but prepared in the morning to attack it, pull

down the stones filled behind it, and force their way into the keep.

There was, with the exception of the main entrance, but one means of

exit, a small postern door behind the castle, and throughout the siege

a strong body of troops had been posted here, to prevent the garrison

making a sortie.

Feeling secure therefore that upon the following day his enemies would

fall into his power, Sir Rudolph retired to rest.

An hour before midnight the garrison assembled in the hall. The table was

removed, and Cuthbert having pressed the spring, which was at a distance

from the stone and could not be discovered without a knowledge of its

existence, the stone turned aside by means of a counterpoise, and a

flight of steps was seen. Torches had been prepared. Cnut and a chosen

band went first; Cuthbert followed, with Lady Margaret and her

attendants; and the rest of the archers brought up the rear, a trusty man

being left in charge at last with orders to swing back the stone into its

place, having first hauled the table over the spot, so that their means

of escape should be unknown.

The passage was long and dreary, the walls were damp with wet, and the

massive doors so swollen by moisture that it was with the greatest

difficulty they could be opened. At last, however, they emerged into the

little friary in the wood. It was deserted, the priest who usually dwelt

there having fled when the siege began. The stone which there, as in the

castle, concealed the exit, was carefully closed, and the party then

emerged into the open air. Here Cuthbert bade adieu to his comrades. Cnut

had very anxiously begged to be allowed to accompany him and share his

fortunes, and Cuthbert had promised him that if at any time he should

again take up arms in England, he would summon him to his side, but that

at present as he knew not whither his steps would be turned, it would be

better that he should be unattended. The archers had all agreed to

scatter far and wide through the country, many of them proceeding to

Nottingham and joining the bands in the forest of Sherwood.

Cuthbert himself had determined to make his way to the castle of his

friend, Sir Baldwin, and to leave the Lady Margaret in his charge. Cnut

hurried on at full speed to the house of a franklin, some three miles

distant. Here horses were obtained and saddled, and dresses prepared; and

when Cuthbert with Lady Margaret arrived there, no time was lost. Dressed

as a yeoman, with the Lady Margaret as his sister, he mounted a horse,

with her behind him on a pillion. The other damsels also mounted, as it

would not have been safe for them to remain near Evesham. They therefore

purposed taking refuge in a convent near Gloucester for the present.

Bidding a hearty adieu to Cnut, and with thanks to the franklin who had

aided them, they set forward on their journey. By morning they had

reached the convent, and here the two girls were left, and Cuthbert

continued his journey. He left his charge at a convent a day's ride

distant from the castle of Sir Baldwin, as he wished to consult the

knight first as to the best way of her entering the castle without

exciting talk or suspicion.

Sir Baldwin received him with joy. He had heard something of his doings,

and the news of the siege of Evesham had been noised abroad. He told him

that he was in communication with many other barons, and that ere long

they hoped to rise against the tyranny of Prince John, but that at

present they were powerless, as many, hoping that King Richard would

return ere long, shrank from involving the country in a civil war. When

Cuthbert told him that the daughter of his old friend was at a convent

but a day's ride distant, and that he sought protection for her, Sir

Baldwin instantly offered her hospitality.

"I will," he said, "send my good wife to fetch her. Some here know your

presence, and it would be better therefore that she did not arrive for

some days, as her coming will then seem to be unconnected with yourself.

My wife and I will, a week hence, give out that we are going to fetch a

cousin of my wife's to stay here with her; and when we return no

suspicion will be excited that she is other than she seems. Should it be

otherwise, I need not say that Sir Baldwin of B,thune will defend his

castle against any of the minions of Prince John. But I have no fear that