THE WAR WITH FRANCE (_continued_)
Calais was the great port of Northern France. It was a strong town and
the King besieged it. For eleven months it held out against him. The
King was sore displeased that he should tarry so long before its gates,
and when the citizens desired to make peace he demanded that six
burgesses, bare headed, bare footed, in their shirts, with halters
about their necks and with the keys of the castle and town in their
hands, should give themselves as a ransom for the inhabitants.
The bell in the market place was sounded and the people assembled. When
they heard this "they began to weep and make much sorrow." At last the
richest burgess of all the town, called Eustace of Saint Pierre, rose
up and said openly, "Sirs, great and small, great mischief it should be
to suffer such people as be in this town to die by famine or otherwise,
wherefore to save them, I will be the first to put my life in
jeopardy."
Then another honest burgess rose and said: "I will keep company with my
gossip Eustace," and so the six offered themselves and went and
apparelled them as the King desired.
When they were brought into the camp, they begged for mercy, "then all
the earls and barons and others that were there wept for pity. The King
looked felly (cruelly) on them, for greatly he hated the people of
Calais for the great damages and displeasures they had done him on the
sea before."
Then he commanded their heads to be stricken off. Every man requested
the King for mercy but he would hear no one on their behalf.
"They of Calais have caused many of my men to be slain, wherefore shall
they die like-wise."
Then the Queen kneeled down and sore weeping said, "Ah, gentle sir,
since I passed the sea in great peril, I have desired nothing of you,
therefore now I humbly require you in honour of the Son of the Virgin
Mary, and for the love of me, that ye will take mercy on these six
burgesses."
The King beheld the Queen and stood still in a study a space and then
said: "Ah dame, I would ye had been now in some other place, ye make
such request to me that I cannot deny you. Wherefore I give them to you
and do your pleasure with them."
"Then the Queen caused them to be brought into her chamber and made
their halters to be taken from their necks and caused them to be new
clothed and gave them dinner at their leisure and then gave them each
some gold and made them to be brought out of the host in safeguard and
set at their liberty."
This is the story told by Froissart, who attended on the Queen, and
thus did Calais fall into the hands of the English, and over its
portals the conquerors inscribed the proud boast,
Then shall the Frenchmen Calais win
When iron and lead like cork shall swim.