CHAPTER XXII.
A DASTARDLY STRATAGEM.
The return of Sir Rudolph's party to Evesham was not unmarked byincident, for as they passed along the road, from an ambush in a woodother archers, whose numbers they could not discover, shot hard uponthem, and many fell there who had escaped from the square at Worcester.When the list was called upon the arrival at the castle, it was foundthat no less than thirty of those who had set out were missing, whilemany others were grievously wounded.
The noise of the tumult in the square of the convent aroused the wholetown of Worcester. Alarm bells were rung; and the burgesses, hastilyarming themselves, poured into the streets. Directed by the sound, theymade their way to the square, and were astonished at finding it entirelydeserted, save for some twenty men, lying dead or dying in front of thegate of the convent, pierced with long arrows. They speedily found thatSir Rudolph and his troop had departed; and further inquiry revealed thefact that the burgher guard at one of the gates had been overpowered andwere prisoners in the watchroom. These could only say that they weresuddenly seized, all being asleep save the one absolutely on guard. Theyknew nothing more than that a few minutes later there was a greatclatter of horsemen and men on foot leaving the city. Unable to find anysolution to this singular circumstance, but satisfied that Sir Rudolphhad departed, and that no more disturbance was likely to arise thatnight, the burgesses again betook themselves to their beds, havingclosed the gates and placed a strong guard over them, determining nextmorning to sift the affair to the bottom.
In the morning the leading burgesses met in council, and finding nonewho could give them any information, the mayor and two of the councilorsrepaired to the convent, where they asked for an interview with the ladyabbess. Mightily indignant were they at hearing that Sir Rudolph hadattempted to break into the convent, and to carry off a boarder residingthere. But the abbess herself could give them no further news. She saidthat after she retired from the window she heard great shouts and cries,and that almost immediately afterward the whole of the party in fronthastily retired.
That Sir Rudolph had been attacked by a party of archers was evident;but whence they had shot, or how they had come upon the spot at thetime, or whither they had gone, were mysteries that could not be solved.In the search which the authorities made, however, it was discoveredthat the house of the draper, Master Nicholas, was closed. Finding thatsummonses to open were unanswered, the door was broken in, and thepremises were found in confusion. No goods of any kind were discoveredthere, but many bales filled with dried leaves, bark of trees, and otherworthless matters. Such goods as had been displayed in the window hadclearly been carried away. Searching the house, they found signs that aconsiderable number of men had been concealed there, and although notknowing whence the body of archers could have come, they concluded thatthose who defeated the attempt of Sir Rudolph must have been hidden inthe draper's house. The singularity of this incident gave rise to greatexcitement; but the indignation against Sir Rudolph was in no waylessened by the fact that his attempt had been defeated, not by thetownsmen themselves, but by some unknown force.
After much consultation on the part of the council, it was resolved thata deputation, consisting of the mayor and the five senior councilors,should resort to London, and there demand from the prince redress forthe injury put upon their town by Sir Rudolph. These worthy merchantsbetook themselves to London by easy stages, and upon their arrival therewere kept for some days before they could obtain an interview with KingJohn. When they appeared before him and commenced telling their storythe prince fell into sudden rage.
"I have heard of this matter before," he said, "and am mightily angrywith the people of Worcester, inasmuch as they have dared to interfereto prevent the carrying out of my commands. The Earl of Evesham haswritten to me, that thinking to scare the abbess of St. Anne's into acompliance with the commands which I had laid upon her, and to securethe delivery of a contumacious ward of the crown, he had pretended touse force, having, however, no idea of carrying his threats into effect.When, as he doubted not, the abbess was on the point of yielding up theward, the good knight was suddenly set upon by the rascals of the town,who slew some of his companions and followers, and did grievouslyill-treat the remainder. This," said the prince, "you now pretend wasdone by a party of men of whose presence in the town you had nocognizance. Your good sense must be small, if you think that I shouldbelieve such a tale as this. It is your rascaldom at Worcester whichinterfered to prevent my will being carried out, and I have a goodlymind to order the troop of Sir Charles Everest, which is now marchingtoward Evesham, to sack the town, as a punishment for its rebellion. As,however, I am willing to believe that you and the better class ofburgesses were in ignorance of the doings of the rougher kind, I willextend mercy toward the city, and will merely inflict a fine of threethousand golden marks upon it."
The mayor attempted humbly to explain and to entreat; but the prince wasseized with a sudden passion, and threatened if he said more he would atonce cast him and his fellows into durance. Therefore, sadly crestfallenat the result of their mission, the mayor and councilors returned toWorcester, where their report caused great consternation. This washeightened by the fact that upon the following day Sir Charles Everest,with five hundred mercenaries of the prince, together with Sir Rudolphand his following, and several other barons favorable to the cause ofthe prince, were heard to be approaching the town.
Worcester was capable of making a stout defense, but seeing that no helpwas likely to be forthcoming, and fearing the utter ruin of the townshould it be taken by storm, the council, after sitting many hours indeliberation, determined to raise the money required to pay the fineinflicted by the prince. The bolder sort were greatly averse to thisdecision, especially as a letter had been received, signed "Cuthbert,Earl of Evesham," offering, should the townspeople decide to resist theunjust demands of Prince John, to enter the town with one hundred andfifty archers to take part in its defense. With this force, as the moreardent spirits urged, the defeat of any attempt to carry it by stormwould be assured. But the graver men argued that even if defeated forthe first time further attempts would be made, and as it was likely thatKing Richard would not return for a long time, and that Prince Johnmight become sovereign of England, sooner or later the town must betaken, and, in any case, its trade would for a long time be destroyed,and great suffering inflicted upon all; therefore, that it was better topay the fine now than to risk all these evils, and perhaps theinfliction of a heavier impost upon them.
The abbess was kept informed by friends in the council of the course ofthe proceedings. She had in the meantime had another interview with SirCuthbert and had determined, seeing that Prince John openly supportedthe doings of his minion, it would be better to remove the Lady Margaretto some other place, as no one could say how the affair might terminate;and with five hundred mercenaries at his back, Sir Rudolph would be socompletely master of the city that he would be able in broad daylight,did he choose, to force the gates of the convent and carry off theking's ward.
Accordingly, two days before the arrival of the force before the wallsof Worcester, Lady Margaret left the convent by a postern gate in therear, late in the evening. She was attended by two of the sisters, bothof whom, as well as herself, were dressed as country women. Mules werein readiness outside the city gates, and here Sir Cuthbert, with anescort of archers, was ready to attend them. They traveled all night,and arrived in the morning at a small convent situated five miles fromthe city of Hereford. The abbess here was a cousin of the Superior ofSt. Anne's, and had already consented to receive Lady Margaret. Leavingher at the door, and promising that, as far as possible, he would keepwatch over her, and that even in the worst she need never despair, SirCuthbert left her and returned to the forest.
The band there assembled varied considerably in numbers, for provisionscould not be found continually for a large body of men. The forest wasindeed very extensive, and the number of deer therein large. Still, forthe feeding of one
hundred and fifty men many animals are required, andother food. The franklins in the neighborhood were all hostile to SirRudolph, whom they regarded as a cruel tyrant, and did their utmost inthe way of supplies for those in the forest. Their resources, however,were limited, and it was found necessary to scatter the force, and for anumber of them to take up their residence in places a short distanceaway, forty only remaining permanently on guard.
Sir Rudolph and his friends entered Worcester, and there received withgreat hauteur the apologies of the mayor and council, and the assurancethat the townspeople were in nowise concerned in the attack made uponhim. To this he pretended disbelief. The fine demanded was paid, theprincipal portion in gold, the rest in bills signed by the leadingmerchants of the place; for after every effort it had been foundimpossible to collect such a sum within the city.
The day after he arrived he again renewed his demand to the abbess forthe surrender of the Lady Margaret; this time, however, coming to herattended only by two squires, and by a pursuivant bearing the king'sorder for the delivery of the damsel. The abbess met him at the gate,and informed him that the Lady Margaret was no longer in her charge.
"Finding," she said in a fearless tone, "that the holy walls of thisconvent were insufficient to restrain lawless men, and fearing thatthese might be tempted to acts of sacrilege, which might bring down uponthem the wrath of the church and the destruction of their souls, I havesent her away."
"Whither has she gone?" Sir Rudolph demanded, half-mad with passion.
"That I decline to say," the lady abbess replied. "She is in good hands;and when King Richard returns his ward shall be delivered to him atonce."
"Will you take oath upon the Bible that she is not within these walls?"Sir Rudolph exclaimed.
"My word is sufficient," the lady abbess replied calmly. "But should itbe necessary, I should be ready to swear upon the relics that she is nothere."
A few hours later Sir Rudolph, attended by his own party and by onehundred of Sir Charles Everest's mercenaries, returned to his castle.
Three days afterward, as Cuthbert was sitting at a rude but hearty mealin the forest, surrounded by Cnut and his followers, a hind enteredbreathless. Cuthbert at once recognized him as one of the servitors ofhis mother.
"What is it?" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet.
"Terrible news, Master Cuthbert, terrible news!" exclaimed the man. "Thewicked earl came down this morning, with fifty of his men, set fire tothe house, and all its buildings and stacks, and has carried off thelady, your mother, a prisoner to the castle, on a charge, as he said, ofharboring traitors."
A cry of fury broke from Cnut and his men.
"The false traitor shall bitterly regret this outrage," Cuthbertexclaimed.
He had in the first excitement seized his arms, and his followerssnatched up their bows, as if for instant warfare. A few moments'reflection, however, showed to Cuthbert the impossibility of hisattacking a fortress like Evesham, garrisoned by a strong body ofwell-armed men, with only the archers of the forest, without implementsnecessary for such an assault.
"Send at once, Cnut," he said, "and call in all the band. We cannot takethe castle; but we will carry fire and sword round its walls. We willcut off all communication from within or from without. If attacked bylarge forces, we will retire upon the wood, returning to our postswithout the walls as soon as the force is withdrawn. These heavily armedmen can move but slowly, while we can run at full speed. There cannot bemore than some twenty horsemen in the castle; and methinks with ourarrows and pikes we can drive these back if they attempt to fall uponus."
Cnut at once sent off swift-footed messengers to carry out Cuthbert'sorders, and on the following day the whole of the band were againassembled in the woods. Just as Cuthbert was setting them in motion adistant blast of a horn was heard.
"It is," Cuthbert exclaimed, "the note calling for a parley. Do you,Cnut, go forward, and see what is demanded. It is probably a messengerfrom Sir Rudolph."
After half an hour's absence Cnut returned, bringing with him apursuivant or herald. The latter advanced at once toward Cuthbert, who,now in his full knightly armor, was evidently the leader of the party.
"I bear to you, Sir Cuthbert, falsely calling yourself Earl of Evesham,a message from Sir Rudolph. He bids me tell you that the traitress, DameEditha, your mother, is in his hands, and that she has been found guiltyof aiding and abetting you in your war against Prince John, the regentof this kingdom. For that offense she has been condemned to die."
Here he was interrupted by a cry of rage which broke from the assembledforesters. Continuing unmoved, he said:
"Sir Rudolph, being unwilling to take the life of a woman, howeverjustly forfeited by the law, commands me to say that if you will deliveryourself up to him by to-morrow at twelve the Dame Editha shall beallowed to go free. But that if by the time the dial points to noon youhave not delivered yourself up, he will hang her over the battlements ofthe castle."
Cuthbert was very pale, and he waved his hand to restrain the fury whichanimated the outlaws.
"This man," he said to them, "is a herald, and, as such, is protected byall the laws of chivalry. Whatsoever his message, it is none of his. Heis merely the mouthpiece of him who sent him." Then, turning to theherald, he said, "Tell the false knight, your master, on my part, thathe is a foul ruffian, perjured to all the vows of knighthood; that thisact of visiting upon a woman the enmity he bears her son will bring uponhim the execration of all men; and that the offer which he makes me isas foul and villainous as himself. Nevertheless, knowing his character,and believing that he is capable of keeping his word, tell him that byto-morrow at noon I will be there; that the lady, my mother, is to leavethe castle gates as I enter them; and that though by his foul device hemay encompass my death, yet that the curse of every good man will lightupon him, that he will be shunned as the dog he is, and that assuredlyHeaven will not suffer that deeds so foul should bring with them theprize he seeks to gain."
The herald bowed, and, escorted by two archers to the edge of theforest, returned to Evesham Castle.
After his departure an animated council took place. Cnut and theoutlaws, burning with indignation, were ready to attempt anything. Theywould, had Cuthbert given the word, have attacked the castle that verynight. But Cuthbert pointed out the absolute impossibility of theircarrying so strong a place by such an assault, unprovided with enginesfor battering down the gates. He said that surprise would be impossible,as the knight would be sure to take every precaution against it; andthat in the event of such an attack being attempted, he would possiblycarry his threat into execution, and murder Dame Editha before theireyes. Cnut was like a madman, so transported with fury was he; and thearchers were also beside themselves. Cuthbert alone retained hiscalmness. Retiring apart from the others, he paced slowly backward andforward among the trees, deliberating upon the best course to bepursued. The archers gathered round the fire and passed the night inlong and angry talk, each man agreeing that in the event of theirbeloved leader being sacrificed by Sir Rudolph, they would one and allgive their lives to avenge him by slaying the oppressor whensoever heventured beyond the castle gates.
After a time, Cuthbert called Cnut to him, and the two talked long andearnestly. Cnut returned to his comrades with a face less despairingthan that he had before worn, and sent off at once a messenger with allspeed to a franklin near the forest to borrow a stout rope some fiftyfeet in length, and without telling his comrades what the plans of SirCuthbert were, bade them cheer up, for that desperate as the positionwas, all hope was not yet lost.
"Sir Cuthbert," he said, "has been in grievous straits before now, andhas gone through them. Sir Rudolph does not know the nature of the manwith whom he has to deal, and we may trick him yet."
At eleven o'clock the next day from the walls of Evesham Castle a bodyof archers one hundred and fifty strong were seen advancing in solidarray.
"Think you, Sir Rudolph," one of his friends, Sir Hubert of Gloucester,said to him,
"that these varlets think of attacking the castle?"
"They might as well think of scaling heaven," Sir Rudolph said. "Eveshamcould resist a month's siege by a force well equipped for the purpose;and were it not that good men are wanted for the king's service, andthat these villains shoot straight and hard, I would open the gates ofthe castle and launch our force against them. We are two to one asstrong as they, and our knights and mounted men-at-arms could alonescatter that rabble."
Conspicuous upon the battlements a gallows had been erected.
The archers stopped at a distance of a few hundred yards from thecastle, and Sir Cuthbert advanced alone to the edge of the moat.
"Sir Rudolph of Eresby, false knight and perjured gentleman," he shoutedin a loud voice, "I, Sir Cuthbert of Evesham, do denounce you asforesworn and dishonored, and do challenge you to meet me here beforethe castle in sight of your men and mine, and decide our quarrel asHeaven may judge with sword and battle-ax."
Sir Rudolph leaned over the battlements, and said: "It is too late,varlet. I condescended to challenge you before, and you refused. Youcannot now claim what you then feared to accept. The sun on the dialapproaches noon, and unless you surrender yourself before it reaches themark, I will keep my word, and the traitress, your mother, shall swingfrom that beam."
Making a sign to two men-at-arms, these brought forward Dame Editha andso placed her on the battlements that she could be seen from below. DameEditha was still a very fair woman, although nigh forty years had rolledover her head. No sign of fear appeared upon her face, and in a firmvoice she cried to her son:
"Cuthbert, I beg--nay, I order you to retire. If this unknightly lordventure to carry out his foul threats against me, let him do so. Englandwill ring with the dastardly deed, and he will never dare show his faceagain where Englishmen congregate. Let him do his worst. I am preparedto die."
A murmur rose from the knights and men-at-arms standing round SirRudolph. Several of his companions had from the first, wild andreckless as they were, protested against Sir Rudolph's course, and itwas only upon his solemn assurance that he intended but to frighten SirCuthbert into surrender, and had no intention of carrying his threatsagainst the lady into effect, that they had consented to take part inthe transaction. Even now, at the fearless words of the Saxon ladyseveral of them hesitated, and Sir Hubert of Gloucester stepped forwardto Sir Rudolph.
"Sir knight," he said, "you know that I am your true comrade and thefaithful servant of Prince John. Yet in faith would I not that my nameshould be mixed up in so foul a deed. I repent me that I have for amoment consented to it. But the shame shall not hang upon the escutcheonof Hubert of Gloucester that he stood still when such foul means weretried. I pray you, by our long friendship, and for the sake of your ownhonor as a knight, to desist from this endeavor. If this lady be guilty,as she well may be of aiding her son in his assaults upon the soldiersof Prince John, then let her be tried, and doubtless the court willconfiscate her estates. But let her son be told that her life is in nodanger, and that he is free to go, being assured that harm will not cometo her."
"And if I refuse to consent to allow my enemy, who is now almost withinmy hand, to escape," Sir Rudolph said, "what then?"
"Then," said the knight, "I and my following will at once leave yourwalls, and will clear ourselves to the brave young knight yonder of allhand in this foul business."
A murmur of agreement from several of those standing round showed thattheir sentiments were in accordance with those of Sir Hubert.
"I refuse," said Rudolph passionately. "Go, if you will. I am master ofmy actions, and of this castle."
Without a word, Sir Hubert and two others of the knights present turned,and briefly ordering their men-at-arms to follow them, descended thestaircase to the courtyard below. Their horses were brought out, the menfell into rank, and the gates of the castle were thrown open.
"Stand to arms!" Sir Cuthbert shouted to the archers. "They are going toattempt a sortie." And hastily he retired to the main body of his men.