THE GOLDEN SPURS
That night the victorious troops spent in possession of the captured
castle. Sir Oliver and Sir Thomas Carberry were brought within the
fortress, and every possible care was bestowed upon the disabled
leaders.
Sir Oliver's wound, though not dangerous, would prevent his taking the
field for many weeks to come, while the Constable of Portchester's
condition gave cause for great anxiety. It was, therefore, decided to
remove the two knights and the two score and nine wounded soldiers to
the Castle of Taillemartel, that had long since been occupied by the
English invaders.
Accordingly this was done, and the helpless men were sent thither in
wains under a suitable guard; the Castle of Malevereux was thoroughly
plundered, and afterwards given to the flames; and the Irish kernes,
each man with a goodly bundle of loot thrown across his wiry steed, rode
off to find fresh openings for their activity.
Mustering his scanty force, Geoffrey gave the word to march, and with
eight wagons, piled high with booty, the column set off towards the
King's camp before Rouen, leaving a tall pillar of smoke in their rear
as a token that their mission was accomplished, and that the accursed
pile of Malevereux would no more be a terror to the countryside.
Without interruption the two companies arrived at Pont de l'Arche, where
Geoffrey handed over the spoil to the custody of the keeper of warlike
stores. This done, the march was resumed towards their quarters on the
left bank of the Seine.
At a bend in the road Geoffrey perceived a large body of horsemen riding
towards him. Knowing not whether they were friend or foe, since
straggling parties of Frenchmen frequently assailed the English
outposts, the squire ordered his men-at-arms to dismount and the archers
to make ready.
"Canst discern their banners?" he asked of Oswald, who was riding at his
left.
"Nay, the sun is behind them," replied Sir Oliver's squire. "Yet, for
their numbers there is no lack of standards and banners."
As he spoke a horseman was observed to leave his party and ride rapidly
in the direction of the Hampshire men.
"Hold!" he shouted, when he came within hailing distance. "Who and what
are ye?"
"We are of the companies of Sir Oliver Lysle and of Sir Thomas
Carberry," replied Oswald, "and are for the camp before Rouen, having
completed some small enterprise at the Castle of Malevereux."
"Then why are not the banners of these two gentle knights displayed?"
returned the horseman. "But delay thine explanations: yonder is none
other than King Henry. To him thou must needs give account of thyself."
With fast-beating heart and rising colour, Geoffrey ordered his men to
redress their ranks, and with Oswald at his side, and Gripwell, bearing
the furled banner of Malevereux, close behind him, the young leader rode
to meet his royal master.
The King had that morning made a circuit of the entrenchments, and
accompanied by the Dukes of Exeter, Gloucester, and Clarence, and a
galaxy of gaily attired nobles and clerics—amongst the latter being the
warlike Cardinal Beaufort—was on the point of returning to his quarters
when the sight of a column of armed men marching from the direction of
Malevereux arrested his attention.
"By my halidom!" exclaimed the King. "We would know why yon body of
soldiers should approach our lines without displaying the banner of the
knight in command. 'Tis contrary to our express orders. Therefore, Sir
Gilbert, ride over and ask their leader why our commands are
disregarded. Bid them also approach, so that we may see what manner of
men they are."
"From Malevereux!" exclaimed Henry on the return of his messenger. "Then
Sir Oliver hath failed to carry out our commands? Dare he return with
defeat written broad upon his features?"
Impatiently the King awaited the approach of the leader of the
expedition, the absence of the knight's banner having misled him as to
the issue of the enterprise.
"Where is Sir Oliver Lysle?" he demanded.
"Sire, he hath been wounded and hath been left at the Castle of
Taillemartel, as also hath Sir Thomas Carberry," replied Geoffrey.
"And the rebel Sir Denis of Malevereux: hath he been hanged on the
battlements of his own castle, according to our commands?"
"Nay, Sire——"
"Then thou hast ventured to return hither branded with the unpardonable
disgrace of defeat?"
"Sire," replied Geoffrey, pointing to the captured standard that Arnold
Gripwell had unfurled, "Sir Denis is dead, slain by his own act, ere we
could work thy will upon him. We were, by the grace of God, able to
carry the castle after one repulse." And in a few words the squire gave
a plain account of what had occurred during the expedition, modestly
omitting the gallant part he had played in the final assault.
"Thy name, squire?" demanded the King, and Geoffrey gave it.
"By our Lady! Thou art the same that served us right well at
Southampton, and again on the eve of our victory at Agincourt, though at
the end of that thou didst wellnigh place thy neck in a halter. By the
soul of my father we have a good memory for such matters. Now, return to
thy company, young sir. Sir Gilbert, bring before us the two squires
whom we perceive stand at the head of the column."
The King listened attentively to Oswald's version of the capture of
Malevereux, the squire mentioning several details that Geoffrey had
purposely omitted, while young Talbot stoutly praised Geoffrey's bravery
in rallying the discomfited stormers at the termination of the first
onslaught.
"Then 'tis to Squire Lysle that the credit of the successful assault is
due?" remarked Henry. "Are we to understand that both Sir Oliver and the
Constable of Portchester were sore hurt before the second attempt was
made? And is this the reason why their banners are not displayed?"
"Such is the case, Sire," replied Oswald.
Once again Geoffrey was called before his sovereign, while the
men-at-arms and archers were formed up in a double line twenty paces
from where the King and his retinue were standing.
"Geoffrey Lysle, squire to that right worthy knight, Sir Thomas
Carberry," began the King, "it hath been our pleasure to receive from
the hand of thy master no slight account of thy deeds and thy devotion
to duty in times past. Moreover, under divers circumstances, we
ourselves have witnessed thy courage on the field of battle.
"Concerning this latter we are judging by the outward appearance, which,
as we know to our cost, is apt to be deceptive. E'en the sweetest flower
may harbour a vile worm gnawing at its stalk unperceived; a brave coat
of mail may conceal a craven heart, a closed visor a face graven with
treachery. Yet, on the other hand, Sir Thomas hath had ample
opportunities to study thee at the festive board, in the camp, and in
the hour of peril. Courage alone counteth for little; yet, when
consorting with loyalty, truthfulness, and humanity, 'tis a fitting
quality for a knight.
"Thou hast found thyself in petty disgrace ere now, young squire, yet
for this we must make due allowance withal. By our Lady, we can call to
mind divers misdeeds committed in our youth, the which our enemies have
thought fit to make much of. Hence we can lightly pass over thy
transgressions and reward thy good and gallant deeds in the past." Then
turning to Sir Gilbert the King asked for his sword.
"Kneel, young sir."
With bowed head and overflowing heart Geoffrey sank on his knee. The
long-hoped-for guerdon was his.
"Arise, Sir Geoffrey Lysle!" exclaimed the King in a ringing voice,
bringing the blade lightly down upon the young warrior's shoulder.
Amid loud shouts of delight and redoubled cries of "Long live the King!"
Geoffrey arose, and, with more words of good cheer and advice, Henry
re-mounted his charger, and accompanied by his suite resumed his way to
the camp.
* * * * *
With the passing of Geoffrey Lysle the Squire our story draws to a
close.
It remains to be said that the newly-made knight bore himself right
valiantly throughout the long-drawn siege of Rouen and the stern
conflict before Pontoise, adding to his laurels in a manner worthy of a
man whom the King had delighted to honour.
After the Perpetual Treaty of Troyes, Geoffrey followed the example of
his royal master, and took unto himself a wife from the Land of the
Fleurs de Lys, the fair bride being Aimée, daughter of the chivalrous
Raoul d'Aulx.
Oft-times did Sir Geoffrey Lysle cross the Channel under the banner of
England, and, in the dark pages of history relating to the undoing of
all that King Henry V had achieved, his deeds, together with those of
numerous warriors, both of high and low degree, serve to show that in
the hour of defeat the spirit of the English nation can still remain
undaunted.
Oswald Steyning, too, won his spurs, by a signal act of devoted
gallantry at Verneuil. Throughout the long-drawn contest for the
possession of the realm of France the two knights maintained the bond of
friendship cemented in their early days, and on their retirement from
service in the field no joust or spear-running held in the counties of
Hampshire and Sussex was considered a success unless honoured by the
presence of the veteran knights, Sir Geoffrey Lysle and Sir Oswald
Steyning.
The valiant old man-at-arms, Arnold Gripwell, settled down to a quiet
life upon his freehold farm purchased by the hard-earned spoils of the
field of battle. But his martial instincts oft reasserted themselves,
especially when, surrounded by an eager crowd of boys—the future
guardians of the sea-girt realm of England—he would relate the story of
how the young Squire of Warblington won his spurs in the glorious days
of Agincourt.
[Illustration]
THE END
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Transcriber's Note
The original spelling and punctuation have been retained. Except were
noted.
Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
Italicized words and phrases in the text version are presented by
surrounding the text with underscores.
The illustration caption for the frontispiece does not fully contain
the text listed in the List of Illustrations for the frontispiece. The
difference was retained.
End of Project Gutenberg's Under King Henry's Banners, by Percy F. Westerman