by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER V
AN HEROIC DEFENCE
The plan Roger Browne suggested was carried out. Geoffrey wasfirst lowered to his place by the side of the window, and bracinghimself against its side with a foot on the sill he managed tostand upright, leaning against the rope that Job Tredgold held fromabove. Job had instructions when Geoffrey lifted his arm to easethe rope a few inches so as to enable the lad to lean forward. Aftertwo or three attempts Geoffrey got the rope to the exact lengthwhich would enable him to look round the corner and to strike a blowwith his right hand, in which he held a stout club. Roger Brownethen descended by the aid of the other rope, and fastening it roundhis body lay down astride of the roof of the window with his headand shoulders over the end, and his pistol held in readiness.
It seemed an age to Geoffrey before he heard the sound of a footstepin the loft beside him. He grasped his cudgel firmly and leanedslightly forward. For ten minutes there was quiet within, and Geoffreyguessed that the traitor was writing the missive he was about tosend to the enemy; then the footstep approached the window, and amoment later a crossbow was thrust out. A glance at it sufficed toshow that the bolt was enveloped in a piece of paper wound round itand secured with a string. Steadying himself as well as he couldGeoffrey struck with all his force down upon the crossbow. Theweapon, loosely held, went clattering down the tiles. There wasan exclamation of surprise and fury from within the window, and atthe same moment Job Tredgold, seeing that Geoffrey's attempt hadbeen successful, hauled away at the rope and began to drag himbackward up the tiles.
The lad saw a man lean out of the window and look up at him, thena pistol was levelled; but the report came from above the window,and not from the threatening weapon. A sharp cry of pain was heard,as the pistol fell from the man's hand and followed the crossbowdown the roof. A few seconds later Geoffrey was hauled up to theridge, where he was at once joined by Roger Browne. Shifting theropes they moved along till above the window from which they hadissued. Geoffrey was first lowered down. As soon as he had gotin at the window he undid the rope and Job Tredgold followed him,while Roger Browne slid down by the rope attached to the grapnel;then they ran downstairs.
As soon as they sallied out below they saw that Lionel and themen with him had captured a prisoner; and just as they joined theparty the guard came round from the other side of the warehouse,bringing with them the crossbow, its bolt, and the pistol. Theprisoner, whose shoulder was broken by Roger Browne's shot, wasat once taken to Captain Vere's quarters. That officer had justarrived from the walls, knowing the time at which the capture wouldprobably be made.
"So you have succeeded," he said. "Well done, lads; you have earnedthe thanks of all. We will take this man at once to the governor,who is at present at the town hall."
By the time they issued out quite a crowd had assembled, for thenews that William Von Arnig had been brought a prisoner and woundedto Captain Vere's quarters had spread rapidly. The crowd increasedas they went along, and Captain Vere and his party had difficultyin making their way to the town hall, many of the people exclaimingloudly against this treatment of one of the leading citizens. Thegovernor was, when they entered, holding council with the Englishleader, Sir Roger Williams.
"Why, what is this, Captain Vere?" he asked in surprise as thatofficer, accompanied by the two boys and followed by Roger Browneand Job Tredgold guarding the prisoner, entered.
"I have to accuse this man of treacherously communicating with theenemy," Francis Vere said.
"What?" Arnold de Groenvelt exclaimed in surprise. "Why, this isMynheer Von Arnig, one of our most worshipful citizens! Surely,Captain Vere, there must be some error here?"
"I will place my evidence before you," Captain Vere said; "and itwill be for you to decide upon it. Master Geoffrey Vickars, pleaseto inform the governor what you know about this matter."
Geoffrey then stated how he and his brother, being at the upperwindow of the warehouse, had on two days in succession seen acrossbow discharged from a neighbouring window, and had noticed aSpanish soldier come out of a battery and pick up something whichthey believed to be the bolt, and how he and his brother had reportedthe circumstances to Captain Vere. That officer then took up thestory, and stated that seeing the evidence was not conclusive, andit was probable that if an attempt was made to arrest the person,whomsoever he might be, who had used the crossbow, any evidenceof treasonable design might be destroyed before he was seized, hehad accepted the offer of Master Vickars to climb the roof, lowerhimself to the window from which the bolt would be shot, and, ifpossible, strike it from the man's hands, so that it would falldown the roof to the courtyard below, where men were placed toseize it.
Geoffrey then related how he, with the two soldiers guarding theprisoner, had scaled the roof and taken a position by the window;how he had seen the crossbow thrust out, and had struck it fromthe hands of the man holding it; how the latter had leaned out,and would have shot him had not Roger Browne from his post abovethe window shot him in the shoulder.
"Here are the crossbow and pistol," Captain Vere said; "and thisis the bolt as it was picked up by my men. You see, sir, there isa paper fastened round it. I know not its contents, for I judged itbest to leave it as it was found until I placed it in your hands."
The governor cut the string, unrolled the paper and examined it.It contained a statement as to the state of the wall, with remarkswhere it was yielding, and where the enemy had best shoot againstit. It said that the defenders had in the night begun to form a halfmoon behind it, and contained a sketch showing the exact positionof the new work.
"Gentlemen, what think you of this?" the governor asked the Englishofficers.
"There can be no doubt that it is a foul act of treachery," Williamssaid, "and the traitor merits death."
"We will not decide upon it ourselves," the governor said. "I willsummon six of the leading citizens, who shall sit as a jury withus. This is a grave matter, and touches the honour of the citizensas well as the safety of the town."
In a few minutes the six citizens summoned arrived. The evidencewas again given, and then the prisoner was asked what he had tosay in his defence.
"It is useless for me to deny it," he replied. "I am caught in theact, and must suffer for it. I have done my duty to the King ofSpain, my sovereign; and I warn you he will take vengeance for myblood."
"That we must risk," the governor said. "Now, gentlemen, you citizensof this town now attacked by the Spaniards, and you, sir, who arein command of the soldiers of the queen of England, have heard theevidence and the answer the prisoner has made. What is your opinionthereon? Do you, Sir Roger Williams, being highest in rank andauthority, first give your opinion."
"I find that he is guilty of an act of gross treason and treachery.For such there is but one punishment--death." And the six citizensall gave the same decision.
"You are found guilty of this foul crime," the governor said, "andare sentenced to death. In half an hour you will be hung in themarketplace, as a punishment to yourself and a warning to othertraitors, if such there be in this town of Sluys. As to you, youngsirs, you have rendered a great service to the town, and haveshown a discernment beyond your years. I thank you in the name ofthe city and of its garrison, and also in that of the States, whoseservant I am."
A guard of armed citizens were now called in, the prisoner was handedto them, and orders given to their officer to carry the sentenceinto effect. A statement of the crime of the prisoner, with thenames of those who had acted as his judges, and the sentence, wasthen drawn out, signed by the governor, and, ordered by him to beaffixed to the door of the town hall. The two lads, finding thatthey were no longer required, hastened back to their quarters,having no wish to be present at the execution of the unhappy wretchwhose crime they had been the means of detecting.
A few days later considerable portions of the battered wall fell,and shortly afterwards a breach of two hundred and fifty paceslong was effected, and a bridge of large boats constructed by theenemy from the dyke
to the foot of the rampart.
This was not effected without terrible loss. Hundreds of the bravestSpanish soldiers and sailors were killed, and three officers whosucceeded each other in command of the attack were badly wounded.The Spanish had laboured under great difficulties owing to the lackof earth to push their trenches forward to the edge of the moat,arising from the surrounding country being flooded. They onlysucceeded at last by building wooden machines of bullet proof plankson wheels, behind each of which four men could work. When all wasprepared the Spaniards advanced to the attack, rushing up the breachwith splendid valour, headed by three of their bravest leaders; butthey were met by the English and Dutch, and again and again hurledback.
Day and night the fighting continued, the Spaniards occasionallyretiring to allow their artillery to open fire again upon theshattered ruins. But stoutly as the defenders fought, step by stepthe Spaniards won their way forward until they had captured thebreach and the west gate adjoining it, there being nothing now beyondthe hastily constructed inner work between them and the town. Thefinest regiment of the whole of the Spanish infantry now advancedto the assault, but they were met by the defenders--already sadlydiminished in numbers, but firm and undaunted as ever,--and theirpikes and their axes well supplied the place of the fallen walls.
Assault after assault was met and repulsed, Sir Roger Williams,Thomas Baskerville, and Francis Vere being always in the thick ofthe fight. Baskerville was distinguished by the white plumes ofhis helmet, Vere by his crimson mantle; and the valour of theseleaders attracted the admiration of the Duke of Parma himself,who watched the fight from the summit of the tower of the westerngate. Francis Vere was twice wounded, but not disabled. Sir RogerWilliams urged him to retire, but he replied that he would ratherbe killed ten times in a breach than once in a house.
Day by day the terrible struggle continued. The Spaniards wereable constantly to bring up fresh troops, but the defenders hadno relief. They were reduced in numbers from 1600 to 700 men, andyet for eighteen days they maintained the struggle, never onceleaving the breach.
The pages brought their food to them, and when the attacks werefiercest joined in the defence, fighting as boldly and manfully asthe soldiers themselves. Geoffrey and Lionel kept in close attendanceupon Francis Vere, only leaving him to run back to their quartersand bring up the meals cooked for him and his two officers by FrauMenyn and her handmaids. Both kept close to him during the fighting.They knew that they were no match in strength for the Spanishpikemen; but they had obtained pistols from the armoury, and withthese they did good service, several times freeing him from someof his assailants when he was sorely pressed. On one occasion whenFrancis Vere was smitten down by a blow from an axe, the boys rushedforward and kept back his assailants until some of the men of thecompany came to his aid.
"You have done me brave service indeed," Captain Vere said to themwhen he recovered; for his helmet had defended him from seriousinjury, though the force of the blow had felled him. "It was ahappy thought of mine when I decided to bring you with me. This isnot the first time that you have rendered me good service, and Iam sure you will turn out brave and valiant soldiers of the queen."
When each assault ceased the weary soldiers threw themselves downbehind the earthen embankment, and obtained such sleep as theycould before the Spaniards mustered for fresh attack. When, aftereighteen days' terrible fighting, the Duke of Parma saw that evenhis best troops were unable to break through the wall of steel, hedesisted from the assault and began the slower process of mining.The garrison from their lookout beheld the soldiers crossing thebridge with picks and shovels, and prepared to meet them in thisnew style of warfare. Captain Uvedale was appointed to command themen told off for this duty, and galleries were run from several ofthe cellars to meet those of the enemy.
As every man was employed either on the rampart or in mining, manyof the pages were told off to act as watchers in the cellars, andto listen for the faint sounds that told of the approach of theenemy's miners. As the young Vickars were in attendance on theofficers, they were exempted from this work; but they frequentlywent down into the cellars, both to watch the process of mining bytheir own men and to listen to the faint sounds made by the enemy'sworkmen. One day they were sitting on two wine kegs, watching foursoldiers at work at the end of a short gallery that had been driventowards the Spaniards. Suddenly there was an explosion, the minerswere blown backwards, the end of the gallery disappeared, and acrowd of Walloon soldiers almost immediately afterwards rushed in.
The boys sprang to their feet and were about to fly, when an ideaoccurred to Geoffrey. He seized a torch, and, standing by theside of a barrel placed on end by a large tier, shouted in Dutch,"Another step forward and I fire the magazine!"
The men in front paused. Through the fumes of smoke they saw dimlythe pile of barrels and a figure standing with a lighted torchclose to one of them. A panic seized them, and believing they hadmade their way into a powder magazine, and that in another instantthere would be a terrible explosion, they turned with shouts of "Amagazine! a magazine! Fly, or we are all dead men!"
"Run, Lionel, and get help," Geoffrey said, and in two or threeminutes a number of soldiers ran down into the cellar. The Walloonswere not long before they recovered from their panic. Their officersknew that the wine cellars of the city were in front of them, andreassured them as to the character of the barrels they had seen.They were, however, too late, and a furious conflict took place atthe entrance into the cellar, but the enemy, able only to advancetwo or three abreast, failed to force their way in.
Captain Uvedale and Francis Vere were soon on the spot, and when atlast the enemy, unable to force an entrance, fell back, the formersaid, "This is just as I feared. You see, the Spaniards drove thisgallery, and ceased to work immediately they heard us approachingthem. We had no idea that they were in front of us, and so theyonly had to put a barrel of powder there and fire it as soon asthere was but a foot or two of earth between us and them."
"But how was it," Francis Vere asked, "that when they fired it theydid not at once rush forward? They could have captured the wholebuilding before we knew what had happened."
"That I cannot tell," Captain Uvedale replied. "The four men atwork must have been either killed or knocked senseless. We shallknow better another time, and will have a strong guard in eachcellar from which our mines are being driven."
"If it please you, Captain Uvedale," Lionel said, "it was my brotherGeoffrey who prevented them from advancing; for indeed several ofthem had already entered the cellar, and the gallery behind wasfull of them."
"But how did he do that?" Captain Uvedale asked in surprise.
Lionel related the ruse by which Geoffrey had created a panic inthe minds of the Spaniards.
"That was well thought of indeed, and promptly carried out!"Captain Uvedale exclaimed. "Francis, these pages of yours are trulypromising young fellows. They detected that rascally Dutchman whowas betraying us. I noticed them several times in the thick ofthe fray at the breach; and now they have saved the city by theirquickness and presence of mind; for had these Spaniards once gotpossession of this warehouse they would have speedily broken a wayalong through the whole tier, and could then have poured in uponus with all their strength."
"That is so, indeed," Francis Vere agreed. "They have assuredlysaved the town, and there is the greatest credit due to them. Ishall be glad, Uvedale, if you will report the matter to our leader.You are in command of the mining works, and it will come betterfrom you than from me who is their captain."
Captain Uvedale made his report, and both Sir Roger Williams andthe governor thanked the boys, and especially Geoffrey, for thegreat service they had rendered.
Very shortly the galleries were broken into in several other places,and the battle became now as fierce and continuous down in thecellars as it had before been on the breach. By the light of torches,in an atmosphere heavy with the fumes of gunpowder, surrounded bypiled up barrels of wine, the defenders and assailants maintaineda ter
rible conflict, men staggering up exhausted by their exertionand by the stifling atmosphere while others took their places below,and so, night and day, the desperate struggle continued.
All these weeks no serious effort had been made for the relief ofthe beleaguered town. Captains Hall and Allen had several timesswum down at night through the bridge of boats with letters fromthe governor entreating a speedy succour. The States had sent afleet which sailed some distance up the Zwin, but returned withoutmaking the slightest effort to break through the bridge of boats.The Earl of Leicester had advanced with a considerable force fromOstend against the fortress of Blankenburg, but had retreatedhastily as soon as Parma despatched a portion of his army againsthim; and so the town was left to its fate.
The last letter that the governor despatched said that longerresistance was impossible. The garrison were reduced to a mereremnant, and these utterly worn out by constant fighting and thewant of rest. He should ask for fair and honourable terms, but ifthese were refused the garrison and the whole male inhabitants inthe city, putting the women and children in the centre, would sallyout and cut their way through, or die fighting in the midst of theSpaniards. The swimmer who took the letter was drowned, but hisbody was washed ashore and the letter taken to the Duke of Parma.
Three days afterwards a fresh force of the enemy embarked in fortylarge boats, and were about to land on an unprotected wharf bythe riverside when Arnold de Groenvelt hung out the white flag.His powder was exhausted and his guns disabled, and the garrisonso reduced that the greater portion of the walls were left whollyundefended. The Duke of Parma, who was full of admiration at theextraordinary gallantry of the defenders, and was doubtless alsoinfluenced by the resolution expressed in his letter by the governor,granted them most honourable terms. The garrison were to march outwith all their baggage and arms, with matches lighted and coloursdisplayed. They were to proceed to Breskans, and there to embarkfor Flushing. The life and property of the inhabitants were to berespected, and all who did not choose to embrace the Catholic faithwere to be allowed to leave the town peaceably, taking with themtheir belongings, and to go wheresoever they pleased.
When the gates were opened the garrison sallied out. The Duke ofParma had an interview with several of the leaders, and expressedhis high admiration of the valour with which they had fought, andsaid that the siege of Sluys had cost him more men than he had lostin the four principal sieges he had undertaken in the Low Countryput together. On the 4th of August the duke entered Sluys in triumph,and at once began to make preparations to take part in the greatinvasion of England for which Spain was preparing.
After their arrival at Flushing Captains Vere, Uvedale, and others,who had brought their companies from Bergen op Zoom to aid in thedefence of Sluys, returned to that town.
The Earl of Leicester shortly afterwards resigned his appointmentas general of the army. He had got on but badly with the StatesGeneral, and there was from the first no cordial cooperation betweenthe two armies. The force at his disposal was never strong enoughto do anything against the vastly superior armies of the Dukeof Parma, who was one of the most brilliant generals of his age,while he was hampered and thwarted by the intrigues and duplicityof Elizabeth, who was constantly engaged in half hearted negotiationsnow with France and now with Spain, and whose capricious temperwas continually overthrowing the best laid plans of her councillorsand paralysing the actions of her commanders. It was not untilshe saw her kingdom threatened by invasion that she placed herselffairly at the head of the national movement, and inspired hersubjects with her energy and determination.
Geoffrey Vickars had been somewhat severely wounded upon the lastday of the struggle in the cellar, a Spanish officer having beatendown his guard and cleft through his morion. Lionel was unwounded,but the fatigue and excitement had told upon him greatly, and soonafter they arrived at Bergen Captain Vere advised both of them toreturn home for a few months.
"There is nothing likely to be doing here until the spring. Parmahas a more serious matter in hand. They talk, you know, of invadingEngland, and after his experience at Sluys I do not think he willbe wasting his force by knocking their head against stone walls.I should be glad if I could return too, but I have my company tolook after and must remain where I am ordered; but as you are butvolunteers and giving your service at your pleasure, and are notregularly upon the list of the pages of the company, I can undertaketo grant you leave, and indeed I can see that you both greatly needrest. You have begun well and have both done good service, and havebeen twice thanked by the governor of Sluys and Sir Roger Williams.
"You will do yourselves no good by being shut up through the winterin this dull town, and as there is a vessel lying by the quay whichis to set sail tomorrow, I think you cannot do better than go inher. I will give you letters to my cousin and your father sayinghow well you have borne yourselves, and how mightily Sir RogerWilliams was pleased with you. In the spring you can rejoin, unlessindeed the Spaniards should land in England, which Heaven forfend,in which case you will probably prefer to ride under my cousin'sbanner at home."
The boys gladly accepted Francis Vere's proposal. It was but threemonths since they had set foot in Holland, but they had gone througha tremendous experience, and the thought of being shut up for eightor nine months at Bergen op Zoom was by no means a pleasant one.Both felt worn out and exhausted, and longed for the fresh keen airof the eastern coast. Therefore the next morning they embarked onboard ship. Captain Vere presented them each with a handsome braceof pistols in token of his regard, and Captains Uvedale, Baskerville,and other officers who were intimate friends of Vere's, and had metthem at his quarters, gave them handsome presents in recognitionof the services they had rendered at Sluys.
The ship was bound for Harwich, which was the nearest English port.Landing there, they took passage by boat to Manningtree and thenceby horse home, where they astounded their father and mother bytheir sudden appearance.
"And this is what comes of your soldiering," Mrs. Vickars saidwhen the first greeting was over. "Here is Geoffrey with plastersall over the side of his head, and you, Lionel, looking as pale andthin as if you had gone through a long illness. I told your fatherwhen we heard of your going that you ought to be brought backand whipped; but the earl talked him over into writing to CaptainFrancis to tell him that he approved of this mad brained business,and a nice affair it has turned out."
"You will not have to complain of our looks, mother, at the endof a week or two," Geoffrey said. "My wound is healing fast, andLionel only needs an extra amount of sleep for a time. You see, fornearly a month we were never in bed, but just lay down to sleep bythe side of Captain Vere on the top of the ramparts, where we hadbeen fighting all day.
"It was a gallant defence," Mr. Vickars said, "and all Englandis talking of it. It was wonderful that 800 English and as manyDutchmen should hold a weak place for two months against full twelvetimes their number of Spaniards, led by the Duke of Parma himself,and there is great honour for all who took part in the defence.The governor and Sir Roger Williams especially mentioned FrancisVere as among the bravest and best of their captains, and althoughyou as pages can have had nought to do with the fighting, you willhave credit as serving under his banner."
"I think, father," Geoffrey said, touching the plasters on hishead, "this looks somewhat as if we had had something to do withthe fighting, and here is a letter for you from Captain Vere whichwill give you some information about it."
Mr. Vickars adjusted his horn spectacles on his face and openedthe letter. It began: "My dear Master and Friend,--I have hadno means of writing to you since your letter came to me, havinghad other matters in mind, and being cut off from all communicationwith England. I was glad to find that you did not take amiss mycarrying off of your sons. Indeed that action has turned out morehappily than might have been expected, for I own that they werebut young for such rough service.
"However, they have proved themselves valiant young gentlemen.They fought stoutly by my side during o
ur long tussle with theSpaniards, and more than once saved my life by ridding me of foeswho would have taken me at a disadvantage. Once, indeed, when Iwas down from a blow on the pate from a Spanish axe, they rushedforward and kept my assailants at bay until rescue came. Theydiscovered a plot between a traitor in the town and the Spaniards,and succeeded in defeating his plans and bringing him to justice.
"They were also the means of preventing the Spaniards from breakinginto the great wine cellars and capturing the warehouses, and foreach of these services they received the thanks of the Dutch governorand of Sir Roger Williams, our leader. Thus, you see, althoughso young they have distinguished themselves mightily, and shouldaught befall me, there are many among my friends who will gladlytake them under their protection and push them forward. I havesent them home for a time to have quiet and rest, which they needafter their exertions, and have done this the more willingly sincethere is no chance of fighting for many months to come. I hope thatbefore the Spaniards again advance against us I may have them bymy side."
"Well, well, this is wonderful," Mrs. Vickars said when her husbandhad finished reading the letter. "If they had told me themselves Ishould not have believed them, although they have never been givento the sin of lying; but since it is writ in Master Vere's own handit cannot be doubted. And now tell us all about it, boys."
"We will tell you when we have had dinner, mother. This brisk Essexair has given us both an appetite, and until that is satisfied youmust excuse us telling a long story. Is the earl at the castle,father? because we have two letters to him from Captain Francis--one,I believe, touching our affairs, and the other on privatematters. We have also letters from him to his mother and his brotherJohn, and these we had better send off at once by a messenger, asalso the private letters to the earl."
"That I will take myself," Mr. Vickars said. "I was just going upto him to speak about my parish affairs when you arrived."
"You had better have your dinner first," Mrs. Vickars said decidedly."When you once get with the earl and begin talking you lose allaccount of the time, and only last week kept dinner waiting for twohours. It is half past eleven now, and I will hurry it on so thatit will be ready a few minutes before noon."
"Very well, my dear; but I will go out into the village at once andfind a messenger to despatch to Crepping Hall with the letters toDame Elizabeth and John Vere."
The boys' story was not told until after supper, for as soon asdinner was over Mr. Vickars went up to the castle with the lettersfor the earl. The latter, after reading them, told him that hiscousin spoke most highly of his two sons, and said they had beenof great service, even as far as the saving of his life. The earltold Mr. Vickars to bring the boys up next day to see him in orderthat he might learn a full account of the fighting at Sluys, andthat he hoped they would very often come in, and would, while theywere at home, practise daily with his master of arms at the castle.
"I know, Mr. Vickars, that you had hoped that one of them wouldenter the church; but you see that their tastes lie not in thatdirection, and it is evident that, as in the case of my cousinFrancis, they are cut out for soldiers."
"I am afraid so," Mr. Vickars said; "and must let them have theirown way, for I hold, that none should be forced to follow theministry save those whose natural bent lies that way."
"I don't think they have chosen badly," the earl said. "My cousinFrancis bids fair to make a great soldier, and as they start inlife as his pages they will have every chance of getting on, andI warrant me that Francis will push their fortunes. Perhaps I maybe able to aid them somewhat myself. If aught comes of this vapouringof the Spaniards, before the boys return to Holland, they shallride with me. I am already arming all the tenantry and having thempractised in warlike exercises, and in the spring I shall fit outtwo ships at Harwich to join the fleet that will put to sea shouldthe Spaniards carry out their threats of invading us."