This news was told to the King, how
the traitor had escaped with all his forces, and that he had
carried off from the city so many supplies that the distressed
citizens were impoverished and destitute. Then the King replied
that he would not take a ransom for the traitor, but rather hang
him, if he could catch him or lay hands on him. Thereupon, all
the army proceeded to Windsor. However it may be now, in those
days the castle was not easy to take when any one chose to defend
it. The traitor made it secure, as soon as he planned his
treacherous deed, with a triple line of walls and moats, and had
so braced the walls inside with sharpened stakes that catapults
could not throw them down. They had taken great pains with the
fortifications, spending all of June, July, and August in
building walls and barricades, making moats and drawbridges,
ditches, obstructions, and barriers, and iron portcullises and a
great square tower of stone. The gate was never closed from fear
or against assault. The castle stood upon a high hill, and
around beneath it flows the Thames. The host encamped on the
river bank, and that day they have time only to pitch camp and
set up the tents.
(Vv. 1261-1348.) The army is in camp beside the Thames, and all
the meadow is filled with green and red tents.
Pages:
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265