70AN of ARC. THE SEVENTH BOOK. Strong were the English *forts, by daily toil *The patience and perseverance of a besieging army in those ages appear almost incredible to us now. The camp of Ferdinand before Granada swelled into a city. Edward III. made a market town before Calais. Upon the Captain's refusal to surrender, says Barnes "he began to entrench himself strongly about the city, setting his own tent directly against the chief gates at which he intended to enter; then he placed bastions between the town and the river, and set out regular streets, and rear'd up decent buildings of strong timber between the trenches, which he covered with thatch, reed, broom and skins. Thus he encompassed the whole town of Stretch'd the wide circle, massy as the fence Of Caledonia rais'd, for, soul-enslaved Her hireling plunderers fear'd the car-borne chiefs Who rush'd from Morven down. Strong battlements Crested the mighty bulwark, on whose top Calais, from Risban on the northwest side to Courgaine on the northeast, all along by Sangate, at Port and Fort de Niculay, commonly by the English called Newland bridge, down by Hammes, Cologne and Marke; so that his camp looked like a spacious city, and was usually by strangers, that came thither to market, called New Calais. For this Prince's reputation for justice was so great, that to his markets (which he held in his camp twice every week, viz: on Tuesdays and Saturdays for flesh, fish, bread, wine and ale, with cloth and all other necessaries) there came not only his friends and allies from England, Flanders and Aquitain, but even many of King Philip's subjects and confederates conveyed thither their cattle and other commodities to be sold. Lifted aloft their turret-crowned heads, All firm and massy. But of these most firm, Of thousands slaughter'd, and the doom'd death-place Rush'd in his wrath and scattered their pale tribes, Nunc lentus, celsis adstans in collibus, intrat Silius Italicus. xii. 567. But cowering now amid their sheltering forts Did he not rightly areed; tho' vain the attempt They wait the morn; the soldiers pride was gone, * Abjecere madentes, Sicut erant, clypeos; nec quisquam spicula tersit, Nec laudavit equum, nitidæ nec cassidis altam Statius. The morning came. The martial Maid arose. Hung on his sinewy arm. "Maiden of Arc, "So as he spake approaching," cried the Chief, "The stern Theologists forgot their doubts, "Yon well-fenced forts protect the fugitives, "And seem as in their strength they mock'd our force. "Yet must they fall." "And fall they shall !" replied The Maid of Orleans. "Ere the sun be set "The lily on that shattered wall shall wave "Triumphant.-Men of France! ye have fought well |