Part 21 (2/2)
Immediately following this pacific arrangement King Edward re-embarked for his own dominions, and with the army went Raymond and Redward, the former despondent at the news of the truce, regarding it as being fatal to his cherished hopes of winning the golden spurs of knighthood.
CHAPTER XIV
RAYMOND'S ERRAND
NEARLY four years have elapsed since the young squire's mission to Hennebon. They have been years of comparatively uneventful waiting.
To him the dark clouds of unkind fate showed no signs of the silver lining of good fortune, for he fully realised that until he had risen above the rank of squire he dare not hope for the hand of the fair Lady Audrey Scarsdale.
Thus, there was nothing to do but wait patiently, under the orders of kindly Sir John Hacket, fervently hoping for the call to arms that would give him the opportunities of winning his spurs upon the soil of France.
The three years' truce had been ill-kept. Already the Earl of Derby had crossed into Guienne, but news, though scanty, was far from rea.s.suring, and daily the Constable of Portchester was awaiting the summons to a.s.semble his men and march to join the King's forces at Southampton.
One afternoon, in the month of May 1346, the watch on the keep of the castle perceived a man limping towards the gate. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and bronzed-faced, yet bent with physical infirmity, being compelled to use a rough crutch to aid his tottering footsteps.
”Ho, Watkin!” exclaimed one of the soldiers to a comrade. ”Surely that looks like Long Edney, of Wickham, yet methinks I am mistaken.”
”If't be, then, certes, he hath made a grievous error; for he went to Guienne, hoping to return speedily with much booty. This man hath pain to carry himself, let alone the plunder he hath not!”
”'Tis Edney, of a surety. See, he waves his hand to us!”
In a few moments the luckless man-at-arms was within the castle, surrounded by a crowd of rough sympathisers. Hearing the sound of voices, Sir John Hacket appeared, and, recognising the man as one who had left his service some time previously to join the forces under Lord Norwich, sent Raymond to lead Edney into his presence.
”'Tis a sad home-coming for thee,” exclaimed the knight sympathetically. ”Yet Heaven knows there are many such. The highways are thick with broken soldiers.”
”Ay, Sir John,” returned the man despondently. ”A bolt through the thigh is a sorry return for my trouble, and not a silver penny's worth of spoil to show for it! Nevertheless, the saints helping me, I hope to adventure myself again in this matter.”
”And with better luck,” rejoined the Constable. ”And, now tell me, how goes the war in Guienne?”
”Faith, it goeth against us in the main. Pembroke and Sir Walter Manny are shut up in Aiguillon, and when I left Bordeaux they had sent urgent appeals for succour. For my part I know but little of Aiguillon, being besieged with Lord Norwich in Angouleme.”
”And how fared Norwich?”
”As crafty as ever.”
”How so?”
”The Duke of Normandy pressed him sorely, so that the French looked likely to take the town by escalade. Thereupon Norwich beat a parley.
'How, now!' exclaimed the Duke. 'Dost wish to give in?' 'Nay,'
replied our leader, 'but as to-morrow is the Feast of the Virgin, to whom we both bear great devotion, I desire a cessation of strife for that day.' 'Right willingly,' replied the Duke, and Norwich, nigh bursting with badly-concealed merriment, descended from the walls.
That night he ordered us to prepare our baggage, and early next morning we marched out straight for the enemy's camp. The Frenchmen flew to arms, but Norwich, forbidding our men to draw, sent a knight to remind the Duke of his promise.”
”And what did the Duke?”
”He kept his word. 'I see the sly fox has outwitted us, but let us be content with gaining the town,' he exclaimed; and right between the lines of astonished Frenchmen we marched, without losing as much as a single stick.”
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