Part 35 (1/2)

Thus it befell that, when Richard of Gloucester reached the first house of Shoreby, he was met in the mouth of the street by a mere handful of lances, whom he swept before his onset as the storm chases the bark

A hundred paces into the town, dick Shelton touched the duke's arathered his reins, put the shrill tru a concerted point, turned to the right hand out of the direct advance Swerving like a single rider, his whole coallop of the chargers, swept up the narrow bye-street Only the last score of riders drew rein and faced about in the entrance; the footmen, whom they carried behind thean, some to bend their bows, and others to break into and secure the houses upon either hand

Surprised at this sudden change of direction, and daunted by the firuard, the few Lancastrians, after a momentary consultation, turned and rode farther into town to seek for reinforcements

The quarter of the town upon which, by the advice of dick, Richard of Gloucester had now seized, consisted of five s a very gentle e open towards the back

The five streets being each secured by a good guard, the reserve would thus occupy the centre, out of shot, and yet ready to carry aid wherever it was needed

Such was the poorness of the neighbourhood that none of the Lancastrian lords, and but few of their retainers, had been lodged therein; and the inhabitants, with one accord, deserted their houses and fled, squalling, along the streets or over garden walls

In the centre, where the five ways all n of the Chequers; and here the Duke of Gloucester chose his headquarters for the day

To dick he assigned the guard of one of the five streets

”Go,” he said, ”win your spurs Win glory for me: one Richard for another I tell you, if I rise, ye shall rise by the sa hione, he turned to a little shabby archer at his elbow

”Go, Dutton, and that right speedily,” he added ”Follow that lad If ye find him faithful, ye answer for his safety, a head for a head Woe unto you, if ye return without him! But if he be faithless--or, for one instant, ye misob him--stab him from behind”

In the meanwhile dick hastened to secure his post The street he had to guard was very narrow, and closely lined with houses, which projected and overhung the roadway; but narrow and dark as it was, since it opened upon the market-place of the town, the main issue of the battle would probably fall to be decided on that spot

Thein disorder; but there was as yet no sign of any foeed he had some time before him to make ready his defence

The two houses at the end stood deserted, with open doors, as the inhabitants had left theht, and from these he had the furniture hastily tossed forth and piled into a barrier in the entry of the lane A hundred men were placed at his disposal, and of these he threw the ht lie in shelter and deliver their arrows from the s With the rest, under his own immediate eye, he lined the barricade

Meanwhile the uthout the town; and ith the hurried clashi+ng of bells, the sounding of trumpets, the swift movement of bodies of horse, the cries of the commanders, and the shrieks of wo to the ear Presently, little by little, the tuan to subside; and soon after, files of an to assemble and fore portion of this body were in ht who ordered their array dick recognised Sir Daniel Brackley

Then there befell a long pause, which was followed by the al of four tru in answer froan to move, and a shower of arrows rattled about the barricade, and sounded like blows upon the walls of the two flanking houses

The attack had begun, by a conal, on all the five issues of the quarter Gloucester was beleaguered upon every side; and dick judged, if he would ood his post, he must rely entirely on the hundred men of his command

Seven volleys of arrows followed one upon the other, and in the very thick of the discharges dick was touched fro out to hiht plates of e ”He hath observed, Sir Richard, that ye went unar so addressed, got to his feet and, with the assistance of the page, donned the defensive coat Even as he did so, two arrows rattled hare, mortally wounded, at his feet

Meanti nearer across the market-place; and by this tiave the order to return their shot Immediately, from behind the barrier and from the s of the houses, a counterblast of arrows sped, carrying death But the Lancastrians, as if they had but waited for a signal, shouted loudly in answer; and began to close at a run upon the barrier, the horse back, with visors lowered

Then followed an obstinate and deadly struggle, hand to hand The assailants, wielding their falchions with one hand, strove with the other to drag down the structure of the barricade On the other side, the parts were reversed; and the defenders exposed themselves like madmen to protect their raed al one upon another But it is always the easier to destroy; and when a single note upon the tucket recalled the attacking party from this desperate service, much of the barricade had been removed pieceht, and tottered to a general fall

And now the footmen in the market-place fell back, at a run, on every side The horse in a line two deep, wheeled suddenly, andadder, the long, steel-clad column was launched upon the ruinous barricade

Of the first two horsemen, one fell, rider and steed, and was ridden down by his companions The second leaped clean upon the su an archer with his lance Aled from the saddle and his horse despatched