A March on London: Being a Story of Wat Tyler's Insurrection

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER X

  A FIGHT IN THE OPEN

  It was seven in the evening, and Sir Ralph and his family had justfinished their evening meal, when one of the retainers announced thattwo porters had brought a letter and some goods from Mynheer VanVoorden.

  "Let them bring the goods in here," Sir Ralph said, "and then take theminto the kitchen and give them a tankard of ale and refreshment, andkeep them there till we have a letter ready for their master."

  The party were surprised to see the bulky parcels brought in. One ofthe men handed a letter addressed to Sir Ralph. "Go with my retainers,my good fellows," the latter said, "and remain until I see what yourmaster says. Here, Albert, my scholarship is rusty; read what theFleming says; it may tell us what are in those crates."

  "They are not for you, father," Aline, who had run across to look atthem, said; "one is for Albert and the other for Edgar."

  The letter was as follows:--

  "_To the good knight, Sir Ralph De Courcy, greeting--It seems to methat, prone as your son and Master Edgar Ormskirk are to rush intodanger in order to aid and succour those in peril, it were but rightthat they should be clad in armour suitable for such adventures, andmeet that such armour should be provided for them by one of those whohas benefited by their valour, whose life and that of his wife anddaughter have been preserved by them. Therefore I send them two suitsas the only token I can at present give them of my thankfulness andgratitude. It is feeble testimony indeed, but none the less sincere. Iknow well that the armour made by Master Armstrong could be borne bynone worthier, and trust that the swords will ever be used in the causeof right and in the protection of the oppressed and the unfortunate._"

  Aline clapped her hands joyfully as Albert finished reading the letter.

  "A timely gift indeed," the knight said; "and one that does honour bothto the giver and those who receive it. Open the crates, lads, and letus see what the worthy Fleming has sent us."

  The casques were the first pieces that came to view. Albert carried histo his father, while Aline placed Edgar's on the table in front of DameAgatha. The knight examined it carefully.

  "I know the suit," he said, "for I was in the armourer's shop a weekbefore these troubles began, with the Earl of Suffolk, who had asked meto go with him to choose a suit. This, and another like it, stood inone corner, and mightily took my fancy, though others were there fromthe master armourers of Milan and Toledo. These two suits were,however, he thought, not as fine and ornamental as he should like;indeed, they were scarce large enough for him, for he is well-nigh asbig as I am myself, and he chose a Milan suit, but Master Armstrongsaid to me, 'I see you know a good piece of steel, sir knight, formethinks those two suits are the best that I have ever forged, and Iwould not part with them for less than the price of the very finest ofthose inlaid ones. I have tried their strength in every way and amproud of them, but it may be that I shall keep them here for some timebefore I sell them. The foreign arms are now all the fashion, and thosewho can afford the best would take the more showy of the foreign suits,but I would not bate a penny in their price were these two suits tostand in my shop as long as I live. Do you see that tiny mark?--youneed to look closely at it to make it out. That was made by acloth-yard arrow shot by an archer, who is reputed the strongest in thecity, and who carries a bow that few others can bend to its full; heshot at a distance of five yards, and I doubt if among all those suitsyou would find one that would have stood such a test without a deepdint.' 'Tis a noble gift, lads, and the Fleming, whom I should hardlytake to be a judge of armour, must either have had a good adviser withhim, or he must have trusted himself wholly to Master Armstrong'sadvice."

  "'Tis like enough, father, that Sir Robert Gaiton may have gone withhim to choose them when they left us yesterday. I have heard him saythat though 'tis in the stuffs of Italy and the East that he chieflydeals, that his agents abroad sometimes send him suits of the finestMilan armour, swords of Damascus, and other such things, for which hecan always find purchasers among the nobles who deal with him. Hetherefore would probably be a good judge."

  By this time the crates were completely unpacked, and the armour, withthe swords and daggers, laid upon the table, where the two ladssurveyed them in silent admiration.

  "Put them on," Sir Ralph said. "I know that you are longing to do so,and it would be strange were you not. Do you buckle them on the lads,dame. You have done me the service many a time, and it is right thatyou should be the first to do it for Albert. Aline, do you wait uponEdgar. As you are new to such work, your mother will show you how to doit, but seeing that he has struck five mortal blows in your defence, itis right that you should do him this service."

  Aline coloured with pleasure. Her mother first instructed her how toarm Edgar, and then herself buckled on Albert's harness. Their swordswere girt on, and the casques added last of all.

  "They look two proper esquires, wife," the knight said; "and as we rideto-morrow I shall make but a sorry show beside them."

  "Ah, father," said Albert, "but your armour has many an honourablemark, and it can be seen that, if it is not as bright as ours, 'tis inbattle that its lustre has been lost, while all can see that, bright asour armour may be, it has not had the christening of battle."

  "Well put!" his mother said, softly. "There was no more noble figurethan your father when I first buckled his armour on for him. It was anew suit he had taken from a great French lord he had overthrown inbattle, and I was as proud of him as I now feel of you, for you haveshown yourself worthy of him, and though your arms are unmarked, 'tisbut because your battles were fought before you had them."

  "We had hardly ventured to hope for this, dame," Sir Ralph said, with astrange huskiness in his throat. "No knight could have begun a careermore creditably or more honourably. Three times has he fought--once onbehalf of you and Aline, twice for men and women in danger. In whatbetter causes could he have first fleshed his sword? Now, unbuckle himat once, dame, that he may write in my name a letter of thanks to thisnoble Fleming. I have not written a letter for years, and our friendwould scarce be able to decipher it were I to try." Then he went on, asshe removed Albert's casque: "There was good taste as well as judgmentin the purchase of those arms, Agatha. To me who knows what arms are,they are superb, but to the ordinary eye they would seem no better thanthose generally worn by knights or by esquires of good family; whereas,had he bought one of these damascened suits it would at once haveattracted attention, and the lads would have been taken for greatnobles. I doubt not that guided the stout alderman in his choice. He isa man of strong sense and sober taste, and had he not been born amerchant he would have made a rare good fighter."

  As soon as Albert's harness was taken off he sat down and wrote, in hisfair clerkly hand, a letter of the warmest thanks on the part of SirRalph, Edgar, and himself to Van Voorden. After this had been sent off,the swords and daggers were examined and admired, Sir Ralph declaringthe former to be of the finest Toledo steel and the latter to come fromDamascus. Edgar had said little, but he was even more delighted withhis new acquisition than Albert. To have a good suit of armour had beenhis greatest ambition, but his father was by no means wealthy, and hehad thought that his only chance of obtaining such a suit would be tooverthrow some French noble in battle.

  The next morning they were up betimes, and mounted a few minutes beforethe hour at which the city gates would be opened. Sir Ralph and hisdame rode first, Aline took her place between her brother and Edgar,the latter keeping a watchful eye over her horse, which was fresh aftersix or seven days' idleness. The two retainers rode behind, having theladies' valises strapped behind them. The city churches rang out thehour when they were within a hundred yards of the gate, and as thisopened, Van Voorden, with his daughter behind him on a pillion, rodeout to meet them, followed by two mounted men.

  "That is thoughtful and courteous of him, dame," the knight said. "Hemight well have come alone; but it is kindly of him as well ascourteous to bring his daughter."

  As the party
met, the Fleming bowed deeply to Lady Agatha.

  "I have brought my daughter with me," he said, "in that I mightintroduce her to you, and that she might assure you, in her mother'sname, of the pleasure your visit will give her."

  "'Tis kind and courteous of you, Mynheer Van Voorden," Dame Agathasaid, as, leaning over, she shook his daughter's hand.

  "My mother bade me say that she is impatiently waiting your coming, andthat your visit will give her the greatest pleasure--and yours also,Mistress Aline," she added, as the girl rode up, "and I am sure that itwill give me great pleasure too."

  Joanna Van Voorden was some two years older than Aline. Both were fair,but of a different type, for while Aline's hair was golden, theJoanna's was of a tawny red. Even making allowance for the differencein age, she was of a heavier build than the English girl, and gavesigns of growing up into a stately woman.

  "And now, Master Van Voorden," the knight said, as the latter turnedhis horse, and they proceeded on their way, "I must repeat in personwhat I said in my letter, how deeply obliged we are to you for thesuperb suits of armour you sent last night to my son and his friend."

  "Speak not of it again, I pray you," the merchant said. "I owe them adebt of gratitude that I never can hope to repay, and the harness wasindeed but a slight token of it. I can only hope that some day I mayhave an opportunity of more worthily testifying my gratitude. We shallscarcely be able to lodge you, lady," he went on, turning to DameAgatha, "as I could have done in my house at Bread Street, for the oneI have hired, although comfortable enough, is much less commodious;still, I doubt not that you will find your rooms more comfortable thanthose you occupied in the Tower, for indeed, as yet, even Englishpalaces, stately though they be, have not the comforts that we Flemingshave come to regard as necessaries."

  "So I have understood, sir, but I think that some of our city merchantscannot be far behind you, judging from what my daughter has told me ofthe abode of Sir Robert Gaiton."

  "No; many of the London traders are in this respect far better housedthan any of the nobles with whose castles I am acquainted, and SirRobert has, in Italy and elsewhere, had opportunities of seeing how themerchant princes there live. I have known him for some years. He is oneof the foremost men in the city; he has broad and liberal ideas, andnone of the jealousy of us Flemings that is so common among thecitizens, although my countrymen more directly rival him in his tradethan they do many others who grumble at us, though they are in no wayinjured by our trading."

  So they chatted until they reached the spot where the knight requiredto turn off towards the bridge. There was a moment's pause, the valiseswere transferred to the saddles of the Van Voorden's followers, whileadieux were exchanged. Then the Fleming's party turned to the right,while the knight, Edgar, Albert, and the two retainers trotted down ata smart pace to the bridge. Here Sir Robert Gaiton, in full armour,with fifty stout men-at-arms, were awaiting them.

  "Good morrow, Sir Ralph, and you, young sirs," Sir Robert said, as theyrode up. "Let me congratulate you on your armour, which becomes youmightily."

  "And for which," Sir Ralph put in, "I think we have somewhat to thankyou for choosing."

  "Yes; I went with Van Voorden to Master Armstrong's, not so much tochoose the harness as to give my opinion as to the size required, andthese suits greatly took my fancy. The armourer guaranteed theirtemper, and they were, as it seemed to me, about the right size; foralthough just at first they may be somewhat roomy, 'tis a matter that afew months will mend.

  "Are they comfortable, Edgar?" he added.

  "I suppose as much so as any armour can be, Sir Robert; but 'tis thefirst time I have worn such things, and they seem to me marvellously toconfine me, and with the vizor down I should feel well-nigh stifled inmy casque, and as if fighting in the dark."

  "You will get accustomed to it in a short time. I know that when Ibegan to be known in the city, and found that I must, like others ofthe better class of citizens, ride in full armour when occasionoffered, I felt just as you do. Perhaps more so, for I was some sevenor eight years older, and less accustomed to changes, but even now Iwould far rather fight with my vizor up, save that one must have itsprotection when arrows or cross-bow bolts are flying; but as againstother knights I would always keep it up; the helm itself and thecheek-pieces cover no small part of the face, and naught but a straightthrust could harm one, and I think I could trust my sword to ward thatoff. However, I have never yet had occasion to try. I have had morethan one encounter with Eastern and African pirates during my voyages,but I have never taken my helmet with me on such journeys, and have notsuffered by its loss."

  By this time they were across the bridge, and, proceeding at a sharptrot, until beyond the boundaries of Southwark, they broke into agallop. When, after going at this pace for three or four miles, theyreined their horses into a walk, Sir Ralph said, "Albert, if it likesyou, you can remove your helmet and carry it on your saddle-bow."

  "Thanks, father; indeed I was well-nigh reeling in my saddle with heat.Edgar, will you take yours off?"

  "No, thank you, I have got to get accustomed to it, and may as well doso now as at any other time." Under their helmet both wore a smallvelvet cap. "You are looking quite pale, Albert," Edgar went on, as hisfriend unhelmed.

  "It is not everyone who is made of iron, as you are," Albert laughed."You must make allowances for me. In another year or two I hope that Itoo shall be able to bear the weight of all these things withoutfeeling them; but you must remember that it is not two years since Ibegan hard exercise, while you have been at it since your childhood."

  "I don't forget it, Albert, and I wonder at you daily."

  At Greenwich they heard many tales as to the damage committed by thepeasants on their homeward way. Houses had been sacked and burnt, andmany persons of substance killed.

  "The king ought to have let us charge the fellows," Sir Ralph said, asthey went forward again. "When men find that they get off withoutpunishment for misdeeds, they will recommence them as soon as thedanger is past. One lesson would have made itself felt over the wholeland. I heard last night that there was news that many manors and thehouses of men of law have been destroyed in Essex, and that the riotershave beheaded the Lord Chief-Justice of England, Sir John of Cambridge,and the Prior of St. Edmondsbury, and set up their heads on poles inthe market-place of Bury, and have destroyed all the charters anddocuments of the town. We shall have great trouble before order isrestored, whereas had we charged the rioters of Kent, who are the worstof all, the others would have been cowed when they heard of theslaughter. By our lady, we will give these fellows a rough lesson if wefind them besieging our castle."

  "Is it a strong place, Sir Ralph?"

  "No. With a fair garrison it could easily repel any assault by suchfellows as these, but it could not stand for a day against an attack bya strong body of men-at-arms, even if they were unprovided withmachines."

  When within five miles of the castle they obtained sure news that itwas attacked by some two thousand of the rioters, but that so far aswas known it was still holding out.

  "Shall we gallop on, Sir Ralph?" the alderman asked.

  "Nay, we will rather go more slowly than before, so that our horses maybe in good wind when they arrive. We shall need all their strength, forwe may have to charge through them two or three times before they breakand run, and then we will pursue and cut them up as long as the horseshave breath. These fellows must have a lesson, or we shall never beable to dwell in peace and quiet."

  When within half a mile of the castle they saw that the flag was stillflying above it, and knew that they had arrived in time. Then Albertput on his helmet again, and the two lads followed the example of SirRalph and the alderman, and lowered their vizors, for, as the knightsaid, "Though some of the knaves threw away their bows at Smithfield,many of the others took them away." On reaching a field near thecastle, they could see that a fierce fight was going on. The riotershad procured ladders, and were striving to climb the walls, while asmall party of a
rmed men were defending the battlement.

  "By St. Mary, we are but just in time!" the knight said. "We four willride in front. Sir Robert, will you bid your men form in two lines andfollow us, one line twenty yards behind the other. Bid them all keeptogether in their rank, the second line closing up with the first ifthe fellows make a stout resistance, but above all things they mustkeep in their order, and follow close behind us."

  The alderman raised his voice, and repeated the orders to the men.

  "The reports as to the rascals' numbers were about right," Sir Ralphsaid. "Now, boys, do you keep between us, and leave a space of somethree yards between each horse, so as to give each man room to swinghis sword. Now, Sir Robert, let us have at them."

  Going slowly at first, they increased their speed to a fierce gallop asthey neared the mass of rioters. They had been noticed now. The men onthe ladders hastily climbed down again; confused orders were heard, andmany were seen separating themselves from the main body and flying. Themass of the rioters, however, held their ground, seeing how small wasthe number of their opponents. A flight of arrows was shot when theywere some sixty yards distant, but as all were bending forward in theirsaddles, and the arrows were shot in haste, most of them fell harmless;three or four of the horses were struck, and plunged violently from thepain, but still kept on with the others. With a shout the party fellupon the rioters, the weight of the riders and horses throwing greatnumbers to the ground, while the knights and their followers hewedright and left with their swords.

  The bravest spirits had thrown themselves in front, and once the troopshad cut their way through these, but little resistance was met withbeyond, the peasants seeking only to get out of their way. As soon asthey were through the crowd they turned again, and in the same order asbefore, charged the mob, with the same success. As they drew up andagain turned, Sir Ralph ordered them to charge this time in single line.

  "They are becoming utterly disheartened now," he said, "and we shallsweep a wider path."

  This time when they drew up they saw that the crowd had broken up, andthe rioters were flying filled with dismay through the fields.

  "Chase and slay!" Sir Ralph shouted, raising his vizor that his voicemight reach all; "give no quarter; the business must be ended once andfor all."

  Edgar and Albert both threw up their vizors--there was no fear ofarrows now, and both felt half stifled. There was no longer any orderkept, and the horsemen followed the fugitives in all directions. Thetwo lads kept together so as to be able to give each other assistanceshould any stand be made. None, however, was attempted; the greaterportion of the rioters had thrown away their arms, and when overtakenthey raised cries, for mercy.

  "You gave none to the Flemings," the lads shouted in return, infuriatedby the scenes that they had witnessed in London; and for an hour theyfollowed the fugitives, sparing none who came within reach of theirswords.

  "We have done enough now," Albert exclaimed at last; "I am fairlyspent, and can scarce lift my sword."

  "My horse is spent, but not my strength," Edgar said, as he reined up."Well, we have avenged the Flemings, and have done something towardspaying these fellows for their insults to the princess. Now let us wendour way back; I must say good-bye to Sir Ralph and the sturdy alderman,and will then ride home and see how my father has fared. I have littlefear that any harm has befallen him, for his magic would frighten therioters even more than our swords. Well, our armour has stood us ingood stead, Albert. When we charged the first time I was several timesstruck with bill-hook and pike, and more than one arrow shivered on mybreast-piece, but I found that the blows all fell harmless, and afterthat I wasted no pains in defending myself, but simply struckstraightforward blows at my opponents."

  "I found the same, Edgar; the weapons glanced off the armour as a stonewould fly from a sheet of strong ice."

  For a while they rode slowly to give their horses time to recover wind.When they had done so, they rode more rapidly, and, keeping a straightline--they had before ridden a devious course in pursuit--they arrivedin an hour at the castle. Here they found that most of the horsemen hadalready returned. Two hundred bodies lay dead on the ground over whichthey had charged so often; and when notes were compared they calculatedthat no less than five hundred of the rioters had been slain.

  "I think we shall hear no more of rioting in this neighbourhood," SirRalph said, grimly. "If the king had but taken my advice and ridden outto Blackheath with his knights and half the garrison of the Tower, andwith such aid as the loyal citizens would have furnished him, he andthe city would have been spared the humiliation that they havesuffered. One blow struck in time will save the need of twenty struckafterwards. Had we but killed a thousand on Blackheath it would havespared us the trouble of slaying perhaps ten times that number now;would have saved the lives of many honourable gentlemen throughout thecountry, to say nothing of the damage that has been wrought in London.So you are riding home, Edgar? You are right, lad; I trust you willfind all quiet there."

  "Would you like twenty of my men to ride with you?" the alderman asked.

  "No, thank you, Sir Robert; my father, who, as I told you, is a man ofscience, has prepared sundry devices, any one of which would terrifythese peasants out of their wits; and if they have troubled him, whichis like enough, I will warrant that he has given them as great a scareas we have given these fellows to-day."

  "At any rate, Edgar, you had best take a fresh horse. Yours has done agood day's work, indeed; and it is just as well that you shouldbestride an animal that can carry you off gaily should you fall in withanother party. There are half a dozen in the stalls. I don't supposethey have been out since we have been away; besides, methinks thatafter such hot work as we have been doing a cup of wine will do us allgood."

  Edgar, therefore, rode into the castle, and while he was taking a cupof wine and a hasty meal in the hall, Sir Ralph's servitors changed hissaddle to a fresh horse, and the lad then started for home. Confidentas he felt, it was still a great satisfaction to him to see that nosigns of violence were visible as he approached the house. The door inthe gate was indeed closed, contrary to usual custom.

  Dismounting, he rung the bell. A small grille in the door opened, thenthe servitor's head appeared.

  "Now then, Andrew, what are you staring at? Why don't you open thegate?"

  "I was not sure that it was yourself, Master Edgar. In that grandhelmet I did not at first make you out. Well, I am glad that you havecome back safely, young master, for we heard of parlous doings inLondon."

  "Yes, I have come back all right. I hope that everything has gone onwell here."

  "Ay, ay, sir; we had a bit of trouble, but, bless you, the master sentthem running, most scared out of their senses." And the man burst intoa fit of laughter.

  "Here, take the horse, Andrew; I must go in to see him."

  "Hulloa! hulloa!" Mr. Ormskirk exclaimed; "is this really my son?"

  "It is, father; and right glad am I to see you safe and well. I toldSir Ralph that I felt sure you would be able to hold your own here;still, I was very pleased when I saw that the gate stood uninjured, andthat there were no signs of attack."

  "Has Sir Ralph come back?" Mr. Ormskirk asked; "and knows he that therabble are besieging his castle?"

  "Were besieging, father; for with us came a worthy city knight with atroop of fifty stout men; and we have given the rioters such a lessonthat methinks there will be no more rioting in this part of Kent, forfrom four to five hundred of them have been slain, and I believe allthe rest are still running!"

  "It was a lesson much needed, Edgar, for after their doings in Londonthese fellows would never have been quiet, had they not been roughlytaught that they are but like a flock of sheep before the charge ofmen-at-arms.

  "But whence this armour, my son? Truly it is a goodly suit. My cofferis so low that I know not how I shall make shift to pay for it."

  "It is a gift, father, and Albert has one like it. 'Tis of the fineststeel, and is, as you see, all undinted, t
hough it has had many ashrewd blow from arrow, bill-hook, and pike in to-day's fight. But thestory is a long one to tell, and I pray you, before I begin it, to letme know how matters have fared here, for I hear from Andrew that youhave not been left entirely alone."

  Mr. Ormskirk smiled. "No, I had a goodly company three days ago. Somehundred of men from Dartford joined, I am sorry to say, by a good shareof those at the village, came round here in the evening with theintent, as they were good enough to say, of roasting the witchman inhis bed. Andrew had brought me news of their intentions, so I was readyfor them. I had gone out and had painted on the door, with that stuff Itold you of, the rough figure of a skeleton holding a dart in his hand.It was of the same colour as the door, so that it did not show in thedaylight. Then I fixed along on the top of the wall a number ofcoloured lights that I had seen in use in Italy on fete days, and ofwhich I learned the composition. I had, as I told you before, placedcases of Friar Bacon's powder round the house, and had laid trains tothem by which they could be fired from within the wall.

  "Had it been dark when they came the skeleton and that skull would havesufficed; but it wanted still an hour before these devices would be ofuse. I made them out in the distance, and thought that something elsewould be needed. Therefore I got that Eastern gong that I purchased asa curiosity at Genoa, and lighted a fire in the courtyard. As soon asthey approached I threw pitch into the fire, making thereby a greatcolumn of smoke, and set Andrew to beat the gong furiously, telling himto shout and yell as he pleased. Then I went to an upper window toobserve the effect. The crowd had halted some fifty yards away andstood open-mouthed gazing at the place, and indeed it was no wonderthat such ignorant men were scared, for truly the yelling of Andrew andthe noise of the gong were enough to frighten anyone who knew not whatit meant.

  "For some time it seemed to me that they would depart without venturingfarther, but some of the bolder spirits plucked up courage and wentabout among the others shouting that no true Kentish man would befrightened by a noise that meant nothing, they had but to break downthe door and they would soon put an end to it. However, the night beganto fall before they got fairly in motion, and I went down and preparedto fire the powder should it be needful, and besides I hoisted theskull above the parapet over the gate. Thinking that the light of thephosphorus might not show up well a short distance away, I placed inaddition some red fire in the skull. I then got on the wall, and satdown where I could peep out without being seen. Shouting a great dealto encourage each other, they came on until within a few paces of thegate. Then I heard a sudden cry, and those in front pushed back andstood staring at the door as if bewitched; then all ran away somedistance. After much talk they came forward again, timidly pointing tothe figure as they advanced.

  "This was now, doubtless, plain enough to be well made out fifty yardsaway. There they came to a halt again. Then I called out to Andrew tolight the fire in the skull, and set the jaw wagging, having sobalanced it, that having been once set going it would wag for two orthree minutes before it stopped. Then he ran one way with a brand fromthe fire, and I the other, and twelve green fires burst out. There wasa yell of horror when the skull was made out. The alarm was doubtlessheightened by the green fire, they having never seen such a thingbefore, and they started to run wildly off. To hasten their flight Iran down and fired four of the powder cases, which exploded with anoise that might have been heard at Dartford.

  "After that Andrew and I went quietly to bed, sure that not anothersoul would venture to attack the house. Andrew went into the village inthe morning. He found that some of the men had been well-nigh killed byfright. All sorts of tales were told of great blazing skeletons thatdashed out from the gate with dart in hand, and of a skull thatbreathed out red fire from a blazing mouth, and grinned and gibbered atthem. As to the noises and the ghastly green fire, none could accountfor them, and I do believe that there is not a villager who wouldapproach within a quarter of a mile of the house after dark, on anycondition."