St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers — John Shaqi
St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and PoitiersHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Great Britain -- History -- Edward III, 1327-1377 -- Fiction
"No harm is done," the prince said, "though your sport is of the
roughest; but I fear that your leader is hurt, he moves not; lift his
head from the ground." The boy was indeed still insensible. "My lords,"
the prince said to the knights who had now ridden up, "I fear that this
boy is badly hurt; he is a gallant lad, and has the spirit of a true
knight in him, citizen's son though he be. My Lord de Vaux, will you bid
your squire ride at full speed to the Tower and tell Master Roger, the
leech, to come here with all haste, and to bring such nostrums as may be
needful for restoring the boy to life?"
The Tower was but half a mile distant, but before Master Roger arrived
Walter had already recovered consciousness, and was just sitting up when
the leech hurried up to the spot.
"You have arrived too late, Master Roger," the prince said; "but I doubt
not that a dose of your cordials may yet be of use, for he is still
dazed, and the blow he got would have cracked his skull had it been a
thin one."
The leech poured some cordial from a vial into a small silver cup and
held it to the boy's lips. It was potent and nigh took his breath away;
but when he had drunk it he struggled to his feet, looking ashamed and
confused when he saw himself the center of attention of so many knights
of the court.
"What is thy name, good lad?" the prince asked.
"I am known as Walter Fletcher."
"You are a brave lad," the prince said, "and if you bear you as well as
a man as you did but now, I would wish no better to ride beside me in
the day of battle. Should the time ever come when you tire of the
peaceable life of a citizen and wish to take service in the wars, go to
the Tower and ask boldly for the Prince of Wales, and I will enroll you
among my own men-at-arms, and I promise you that you shall have your
share of fighting as stark as that of the assault of yon heap. Now, my
lords, let us ride on; I crave your pardon for having so long detained
you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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