child christopher-第20章

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vid　to　the　wood…side；　and　had　with　him　all　men　defensible　of　the　Tofts　and　the　houses　thereabout；　and　most　of　the　women　also　many　of　whom　bore　spear　or　bow；　so　that　now　by　the　wood…side；　what　with　them　of　the　Tofts　and　the　folk　who　joined　them　thereto　from　the　country…side　about　Hazeldale；　there　were　well…nigh　ten　hundreds　of　folk　under　weapons；　and　yet　more　came　in　the　night　through；　for　the　tidings　of　the　allegiance　of　Brimside　was　spreading　full　fast。

Betimes　on　the　morrow　was　King　Christopher　afoot；　and　he　and　Jack　and　David　and　Gilbert；　and　they　twelve　in　company；　went　down　to　the　banner　by　the　water…side；　and　to　them　presently　came　Oliver　Marson　and　ten　other　of　the　captains　of　Brimside；　and　did　them　to　wit　that　the　Baron　were　fain　if　they　would　come　to　his　pavilion　and　hold　counsel　therein；　for　that　he　was　not　so　sick　but　he　might　well　speak　his　mind　from　where　he　lay。　So　thither　they　went　all；　with　good　will；　and　the　Baron　greeted　them　friendly；　and　made　what　reverence　he　might　to　Christopher；　and　bade　him　say　what　was　his　mind　and　his　will。　　But　Christopher　bade　them　who　were　his　elders　in　battle　to　speak；　and　the　Baron　laughed　outright　and　said：　〃Meseemeth；　Lord　King；　thou　didst　grow　old　yesterday　at　my　costs；　but　since　thou　wilt　have　me　to　speak；　I　will　even　do　so。　　And　to　make　matters　the　shorter；　I　will　say　that　I　wot　well　what　ye　have　to　do；　and　that　is；　to　fall　upon　the　Earl　Marshal's　folk　ere　they　fall　upon　us。　　Now　some　folk　deem　we　should　fare　to　Brimside　and　have　a　hosting　there；　but　I　say　nay；　whereas　it　lieth　out　of　the　road　to　Oakenham；　and　thereby　is　our　road；　meseemeth；　and　it　is　but　some　six　days'　riding　hence；　save；　as　is　most　like；　two　of　those　days　be　days　of　battle　But　if　we　go　straight　forward　with　banners　displayed；　each　day's　faring　shall　be　a　day　of　hosting　and　gathering；　for　I　tell　thee；　Lord　King；　the　fame　of　thee　has　by　now　gone　far　in　this　country…side。　　Wherefore　I　say　no　more；　since　I　wax　weary；　than　this：　　to　the　road　this　morning；　and　get　we　so　far　as　Broadlees　ere　night…fall；　for　there　we　shall　get　both　victual　and　folk。〃

There　was　good　cheer　made　at　his　word；　so　Christopher　spake：　〃Baron　of　Brimside；　thou　hast　spoken　my　very　mind　and　will；　and　but　if　these　lords　and　captains　gainsay　it；　let　us　tarry　no　longer；　but　array　all　our　folk　in　good　order　and　take　tale　of　them；　and　so　for　Broadlees。　　What　say　ye；　lords？〃

None　nay…said　it；　so　there　was　no　more　talk　save　as　to　the　ordering　of　this　or　the　other　company。　　And　it　was　so　areded　that　the　Brimside　men　should　fare　first　at　the　head　of　the　host　with　the　banner　of　Brimside；　and　that　then　should　go　the　mingled　folk　of　the　country…side；　and　lastly　the　folk　of　the　Tofts　with　the　banner　of　Oakenrealm；　so　that　if　the　host　came　upon　foemen；　they　might　be　for　a　cloud　to　hide　the　intent　of　their　battles　awhile　till　they　might　take　their　advantage。

So　went　the　captains　to　their　companies；　and　the　Tofters　and　their　mates　crossed　the　river　to　the　men　of　Brimside；　who　gave　them　good　cheer　when　they　came　amongst　them；　and　it　was　hard　to　order　the　host　for　a　while；　so　did　the　upland　folk　throng　about　the　King　and　the　Queen；　and　happy　were　they　who　had　a　full　look　on　Goldilind；　and　yet　were　some　so　lucky　and　so　bold　that　they　kissed　a　hand　of　her；　and　one　there　was；　a　very　tall　young　man；　and　a　goodly；　who　stood　there　and　craved　to　kiss　her　cheek；　and　she　did　not　gainsay　him；　and　thereafter　nought　was　good　to　him　save　an　occasion　to　die　for　her。

As　for　Christopher；　he　spake　to　many；　and　said　to　them　that　wheresoever　his　banner　was；　he　at　least　should　be　at　the　forefront　whenso　they　came　upon　unpeace；　and　so　soon　as　they　gat　to　the　road；　he　went　from　company　to　company；　speaking　to　many；　and　that　so　sweetly　and　friendly　that　all　praised　him；　and　said　that　here　forsooth　was　a　king　who　was　all　good　and　nothing　bad；　whereas　hitherto　men　had　deemed　them　lucky　indeed　if　their　king　were　half　good　and　half　bad。

Merry　then　was　the　road　to　Broadlees；　and　they　came　there　before　night…fall；　and　it　was　a　little　cheaping　town　and　unwalled；　and　if　the　folk　had　had　any　will　to　ward　them；　they　lacked　might。　　But　when　they　found　they　were　not　to　be　robbed；　and　that　it　was　but　the　proclaiming　of　King　Christopher　in　the　market…place；　and　finding　victual　and　house…room　for　the　host；　and　the　Mayor　taking　a　paper　in　payment　thereof；　none　stirred　against　them；　and　a　many　joined　the　host　to　fight　for　the　fair　young　King。　　Now　nought　as　yet　had　they　heard　at　Broadlees　of　any　force　stirring　against　them。

But　in　the　morning　when　they　went　on　their　ways　again；　and　were　bound　for　Cheaping　Woodwall；　which　was　a　fenced　town；　they　sent　out　well…horsed　riders　to　espy　the　road；　who　came　back　on　the　spur　two　hours　after　noon；　and　did　them　to　wit　that　there　was　a　host　abiding　them　beneath　the　walls　of　Woodwall　under　the　banner　of　Walter　the　White；　an　old　warrior　and　fell　fighter；　but　what　comfort　he　might　have　from　them　of　Woodwall　they　wotted　not；　but　they　said　that　the　tidings　of　their　coming　had　gone　abroad；　and　many　folk　were　abiding　the　issue　of　this　battle　ere　they　joined　them　to　either　host。　　Now　on　these　tidings　the　captains　were　of　one　mind；　to　wit；　to　fare　on　softly　till　they　came　to　a　defensible　place　not　far　from　the　foemen；　since　they　could　scarce　come　to　Woodwall　in　good　order　before　nightfall；　and　if　they　were　unfoughten　before；　to　push　forward　to　battle　in　the　morning。

Even　so　did　they；　and　made　a　halt　at　sunset　on　a　pleasant　hill　above　a　river　some　three　miles　from　Woodwall；　and　there　they　passed　the　night　unmeddled　with。



CHAPTER　XXXIV。

BATTLE　BEFORE　WOODWALL。


When　morning　was；　the　captains　came　to　King　Christopher　to　council：　　but　while　they　were　amidst　of　their　talk　came　the　word　that　the　foe　was　anigh　and　come　close　to　the　river…bank；　whereat　was　none　abashed；　but　to　all　it　seemed　wisdom　to　abide　them　on　the　vantage…ground。　　So　then　there　was　girding　of　swords　and　doing　on　of　helms；　as　for　ordering　of　the　folk；　it　was　already　done；　for　all　the　host　was　ranked　on　the　bent…side；　with　the　banner　of　Oakenrealm　in　the　midst；　on　its　left　hand　the　banner　of　the　Tofts；　and　on　the　right　the　banner　of　Brimside。

Now　when　Christopher　was　come　to　his　place；　he　looked　down　and　saw　how　the　foemen　were　pouring　over　the　river；　for　it　was　nowhere　deep；　and　there　were　four　quite　shallow　fords：　many　more　were　they　than　his　folk；　but　he　deemed　that　they　fared　somewhat　tumultuously；　and　when　the　bowmen　of　the　Tofts　began　shooting；　the　foemen；　a　many　of　them；　stayed　amidst　of　the　river　to　bend　bow　in　their　turn；　and　seemed　to　think　that　were　nigh　enough　already；　nay；　some　went　back　again　to　the　other　bank；　to　shoot　thence　the　surer　and　the　drier；　and　some　went　yet　a　little　further　back　on　the　field。　So　that　when　their　sergeants　and　riders　were　come　on　to　the　hither　bank；　they　lacked　about　a　fifth　of　all　their　host；　and　they　themselves；　for　all　they　were　so　many；　had　some　ado　to　make　up　their　minds　to　go　forward。

Forsooth；　when　they　looked　up　to　the　bent　and　saw　the　three　banners　of　Oakenrealm　and　the　Tofts　and　Brimside　all　waving　over　the　same　ranks；　they　knew　not　what　to　make　of　it。　　And　Christopher's　host；　when　they　saw　them　hang　back；　brake　out　into　mocking　whoops　and　shouts；　and　words　were　heard　in　them：　　〃Come　and　dine　at　Brimside；　good　fellows！　Come　up　to　the　Tofts　for　supper　and　bed！　A　Christopher！　A　Christopher！〃　and　so　forth。　　Now　all　King　Christopher's　men　were　afoot；　saving　a　band　of　the　riders　of　Brimside；　who　bestrode　strong　and　tall　horses；　and　bore　jack　and　sallet　and　spear；　but　no　heavy　armour。

So　Christopher　heard　and　saw；　and　the　heart　rose　high　in　him；　and　he　sent　messengers　to　the　right　and　the　left；　and　bade　the　captains　watch　till　he　waved　his　sword　aloft；　and　then　all　down　the　bent　together；　and　he　bade　the　Brimside　riders　edge　a　little　outward　and　downward；　and　be　ready　for　the　chase；　and　suffer　not　any　of　the　foemen　to　gather　together　when　once　they　fell　to　running；　for　he　knew　in　his　heart　that　the　folk　before　him　would　never　abide　their　onfall。　　And　the　day　was　yet　young；　and　it　lacked　four　hours　of　noon。

King　Christopher　abode　ill　he　saw　the　foemen　were　come　off　the　level　ground；　and　were　mounting　the　bent　slowly；　and　not　in　very　good　order　or　in　ranks　closely　serried。　　Then　he　strode　forth　three　paces；　and　waved　his　sword　high　above　his　head；　and　cried　out：　　〃A　Christopher！　A　Christopher！　Forward；　banner　of　the　Realm！〃　And　forth　he　went；　steady　and　strong；　and　a　great　shout　arose　behind　him；　and　none　shrank　or　lagged；　but　spears　and　bills；　and　axes　and　swords；　all　came　on　like　a　wall　of　steel；　so　that　to　the　foemen　the　earth　seemed　alive　with　death；　and　they　made　no　show　of　abiding　the　onset；　but　all　turned　and　ran；　save　Walter　the　White　and　a　score　of　his　knights；　who　forsooth　were　borne　down　in　a　trice；　and　were　taken　to　mercy；　those　of　them　who　were　not　slain　at　the　first　crash　of　weapons。

There　then　ye　might　have　seen　great　clumps　of　men　making　no　defence；　but　casting　down　their　weapons　and　crying　mercy；　and　forsooth　so　great　was　the　throng；　that　no　great　many　were　slain；　but　on　the　other　hand；　but　few　gat　away　across　the　water；　and　on　them　presently　fell　the　Brimside　riders；　and　hewed　down　and　slew　and　took　few　to　mercy。　　And　some　few　besides　the　first　laggards　of　the　bowmen；　it　might　be　three　hundreds　in　all；　escaped；　and　gat　to　Woodwall；　but　when　they　of　the　town　saw　them；　they　made　up　their　minds　speedily；　and　shut　their　gates；　and　the　poor　fleers　found　but　the　points　of　shafts　and　the　heads　of　quarrels　before　them。

But　on　the　field　of　deed　those　captives　were　somewhat　fearful　as　to　what　should　be　done　with　them；　and　they　spake　one　to　the　other　about　it；　that　they　would　be　willing　to　serve　the　new　King；　since　he　was　so　mighty。　　And　amidst　of　their　talk　came　the　captains　of　King　Christopher；　and　they　drew　into　a　ring　around　them；　and　the　lords　bade　them　look　to　it　whether　they　would　be　the　foemen　of　the　King；　the　son　of　that　King　Christopher　the　Old。　　〃If　so　ye　be；〃　said　they；　〃ye　may　escape　this　time；　but　ye　see　how　valiant　a　man　he　is；　and　how　lucky　withal；　and　happy　shall　they　be　whom　he　calleth　friends。　　Now　what　say　ye；　will　ye　take　up　your　weapons　again；　and　be　under　the　best　of　kings　and　a　true　one；　or　will　ye　depart　and　take　the　chance　of　his　wrath　in　the　coming　days？　We　say；　how　many　of　you　will　serve　King　Christopher。

Then　arose　from　them　a　mighty　shout：　　〃All！　All！　One　and　All！〃　Albeit　some　there　were　who　slunk　away　and　said　nought；　and　none　heeded　them。

So　then　all　the　sergeants　and　the　common　folk　swore　allegiance　to　King　Christopher；　but　of　the　knights　who　were　left　alive；　some　said　Yea；　and　some　Nay；　and　these　last　were　suffered　to　depart；　but　must　needs　ride　unarmed。

Now　by　the　time　all　was　done；　and　the　new　men　had　dined　along　with　the　rest　of　the　host；　and　of　the　new…comers　tale　had　been　taken；　the　day　was　wearing；　so　they　set　off　for　Woodwall；　and　on　the　way　they　met　the　Mayor　and　Aldermen　thereof；　who　came　before　King　Christopher　and　knelt　to　him；　and　gave　him　the　keys　of　their　town；　so　he　was　gracious　to　them；　and　thanked　them；　and　bade　see　to　the　victual　and　lodging　of　the　host；　and　that　all　should　be　paid　thereafter。　And　they　said　that　they　had　seen　to　all　this　before　they　came　forth　of　t