Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times
nor I can mend what is gone amiss this day."
As Hugh was leaving the room, De Montfort called to him again, saying,
"Pray ask your uncle to spend an hour with me to-night. I want his
warlike counsels in our present strait; I know no one more fitted to
advise me."
"And none more willing, my lord," replied Hugh, quitting the room.
Bustle, activity, preparation, the movement of troops, rumours Of
strange events, some false, some true, portents, even miracles--for
those were times in which every man were the magnifying-glasses of
superstition--doubts, expectations, suppositions in regard to the
motions of every following day, filled up the next fortnight busily.
Every part of the country, from one end to the other, was stirred up to
fight for one party or the other; and bands of soldiers moving across
to join their several banners often encountered in the same village,
and by their contests "frighted the isle from its propriety."
According to the best accounts that could be obtained, the number of
troops which gathered round Prince Edward and the Earl of Gloucester
was considerably larger than that which joined De Montfort in Hereford,
and being principally composed of cavalry, these levies dropped much
more rapidly in; the foot soldiers, who were enrolling themselves for
the party of the Lords Commissioners, as De Montfort's faction was
called, though infinitely more numerous, being very much longer in
their march, and more easily intercepted and driven back by the enemy.
To counterbalance the depression, however, which the increasing
strength of Edward and Gloucester might have spread through Hereford,
rumours came daily of a great rising of the citizens of the capital, in
favour of De Montfort; and there was also on his side that great moral
support which is given by the assurance of being at the head of a great
popular movement--for, that the cause of De Montfort was the popular
one, no one can doubt who reads the ballads, the legends, or the
histories of the day. The people, beyond all question, looked upon that
renowned leader, not only as the champion of their rights and
liberties, but as a hero, which he really was, and as a saint, which he
probably was not.
Still the camp of De Montfort suffered many severe defections. In
political contests, the love of novelty and of change affects many more
men than one would at first sight suppose, causing them to seize any
pretext for abandoning a party to which they have been for some time
attached, and for going over to the other, which they have constantly
opposed. Dissensions with their leaders or their fellow partisans,
disgusts at trifling acts of neglect--even weariness of habitual
associations, will produce in others the same effect; and thus a great
number of the nobles, who before the famous battle of Lewes supported
the Earl of Leicester, now framed or discovered an excuse for following
the example of the Earl of Ashby and his son, and joining the forces of
Gloucester and Prince Edward. A few, too, really doubtful of De
Montfort's real intentions, and fearful of his growing power, either
retired from his party without espousing that of the Prince, or
abandoned him entirely, and prepared to oppose him in arms.
Many of his weaker partisans, though adhering still to his cause, were
alarmed at this defection, and looked grave and sorrowful at the
intelligence received of the enemy's movements; but the Earl, though as
serious in his demeanour as his age and character might require, was
still firm and cheerful, as were all his principal councillors and
companions.
None seemed less depressed than the old Earl of Monthermer, who had
always a hopeful and courteous answer to give to every one. "We shall
beat them yet, my good friend," he said, in answer to a somewhat timid
and news-seeking gentleman, who stopped him while riding down from the
castle to his inn. "We shall beat them yet, do not fear. Unless some
great and extraordinary error is committed on our side, or some
inconceivable piece of good fortune occurs upon theirs, they must be
defeated, as they were at Lewes."
"But I see," said his companion, "that the Earl has proclaimed----"
"Not the Earl, but the King," interrupted the old lord--"it is the King
who has proclaimed Gloucester and all his adherents traitors; but that
makes very little difference. In contentions like these, every man is
called a traitor in his turn, whatever side he takes; and as for those
who have gone over to the enemy, do not let their defection alarm you.
It is better always to have an open enemy than a false friend; and a
wise general gives all cowards and waverers a prompt order to quit the
ranks of his army, not only as a useless, but an injurious
incumbrance."
Such cheerful words, and a few gallant acts performed in a casual
skirmish here and there, kept up the spirits of the soldiery in
Hereford and the neighbouring towns, till at length such a number of
men were collected, as seemed to justify De Montfort in taking the
field, although the army of the Prince might be, perhaps, by one-half
more numerous than his own.
The movements of the great Earl after marching out of Hereford, became
of a strange and incongruous character, which greatly puzzled and
embarrassed many of his best supporters, and which have not been
clearly understood even in our own time; but De Montfort's countenance
remained calm and tranquil, even in the midst of what seemed, to
ordinary observers, checks and reverses; and it was remarked, that the
two or three noblemen who were in his most intimate councils,
maintained the same serene aspect, whatever circumstances occurred.
At the head of a large force, Edward interposed between the army of the
Lords Commissioners and London, moving as it moved, and practising with
consummate art, the science of strategy, as it was known in those days,
with the evident purpose of keeping his adversary at a distance from
his resources, without giving him battle, exactly at his own time and
place. De Montfort, in the meantime, affected to man[oe]uvre skilfully
for the purpose of passing Edward's superior force without fighting,
and making his way direct to London. But in all these operations, the
Prince seemed to have the advantage, turning his opponent at every
passage, as the greyhound does the hare.
Many facts have since been discovered, which have induced modern
historians to suppose that De Montfort sought merely to amuse his
adversary; but, at the time, two circumstances only, led the closer
observers in the Earl of Leicester's camp to believe that that great
man had a covert object in view, and that he was not actually so
completely frustrated by his opponent as appeared upon the surface. The
first was, that perfect equanimity to which we have alluded, and which
he maintained under every apparent reverse. The second, was a degree of
anxious impatience, which manifested itself upon the arrival of many of
the messengers who were constantly coming and going between his camp
and the south-eastern parts of the country. These facts, in those who
remarked them, created a suspicion that the Earl was waiting for
reinforcements, not choosing to risk a battle till they had joined him;
and at length a circumstance occurred which confirmed this opinion, and
quieted the anxiety of many who had begun to fear that ill success was
hanging over the very commencement of their career.
Towards the middle of July, the army approached the small town of
Newport, after having attacked and taken Uske, which was feebly
defended by some of the Earl of Gloucester's adherents. It seemed
evidently the intention of De Montfort and his councillors to cross the
Severn, a few miles above Newport, and take possession of Bristol; and
orders to that effect had been actually given. Few vessels, however,
capable of transporting the forces of the Earl, were found at the spot
where De Montfort had ordered them to be collected, and Edward himself
was known to be in the neighbourhood. But several ships and galleys of
a considerable size were to be seen moored at the opposite side; and
Hugh de Monthermer, who commanded an advance party, threw himself into
a passage boat with a small force, and crossed the estuary towards a
point where he believed he could make good his defence, while he
dispatched the vessels to the opposite shore, to bring over the main
army of the Earl.
His proceedings, as far as they were suffered to go, proved entirely
successful. He effected his landing, repulsed a body of the enemy who
attempted to dislodge him, and secured a place of disembarkation for
the rest of the forces; when, to his surprise, while he was
endeavouring to induce the seamen in the other vessels to cross to the
Welsh shore, a messenger reached him, in a small row-boat, commanding
his immediate return.
Hugh obeyed at once; and, proceeding to the head-quarters of De
Montfort, he found his uncle and Lord Ralph Basset in conference with
the Earl of Leicester. The young nobleman was about to explain the
motives of his conduct, but De Montfort stopped him, saying--"You did
quite right, my young friend; but Prince Edward and I, you must know,
are as two chess-players, where the game is life and power, and neither
he nor I must hazard one rash move, if we would avoid destruction. I
know my own game--he is not aware of it; and it is necessary that he
should not be so till the last moment."
These words were heard by many of the gentlemen round, and rumour soon
carried them through the whole host--one person repeating them in one
manner, and another in another, but all implying the same thing--that
De Montfort had some dark secret purpose in view; and such was the
confidence of the soldiery in their leader, that they never doubted
success would attend him, whatever that purpose was.
An immediate change of movements then took place. Suddenly turning into
South Wales, the army ravaged a district belonging to some of the
adherents of Gloucester; and in his progress, De Montfort entered into
a treaty with several of the Native Welsh princes, by which he obtained
the assistance of a considerable body of their light armed troops. A
short pause of total inactivity next succeeded, and the Earl remained
encamped for two or three days on the banks of the river Lug,
apparently with the purpose of giving some repose to his forces, in the
midst of the heats of July. Messengers, however, were continually
coming and going; the Earl was constantly employed, either in writing
or in training the troops to various military evolutions; and, after
all the camp except the sentinels were sound asleep, a light was seen
burning in his tent till two or three in the morning. "He used his
nights," says a historian of those times, "more for thought and labour,
than for sleep."
During the greater part of each day, and often during these nocturnal
vigils, the old Earl of Monthermer and the Lord le Despenser remained
with De Montfort, sometimes consulting with him, sometimes writing in
the same tent, sometimes examining the rude maps of that period,
measuring distances and tracing out lines, but not one word did either
of them utter, even to their nearest and dearest relations, in regard
to the plans and purposes of the general.
At length, one night towards eleven o'clock, while the army was what
was both technically and literally, "in the field," Hugh de Monthermer
received a summons, written in the hand of De Montfort himself,
desiring his immediate presence, The last words were, "Bring your dwarf
page with you."
Tangel was accordingly roused from the corner in which he slept, and
followed Hugh to the quarters of the Earl, whom they found sitting in
the outer tent in company with two or three noblemen. The flap of the