deliver to you, as captain of Calais," said Sir John, "and by the
consent of all the people of the town, these six burgesses, who I swear
to you are the richest and most honorable burgesses of Calais.
Therefore, gentle knight, I beg you pray the king to have mercy on them,
and grant them their lives."

"What the king will do I cannot say," answered Sir Walter, "but I shall
do for them the best I can."

The coming of the hostages roused great feeling in the English host.
Their pale and wasted faces, their miserable state, the fate which
threatened them, roused pity and sympathy in the minds of many, and not
the least in that of the queen, who was with Edward in the camp, and
came with him and his train of nobles as they approached the place to
which the hostages had been led.

When they were brought before the king the burgesses kneeled and
piteously begged his grace, Eustace saying,--

"Gentle king, here be we six, who were burgesses of Calais, and great
merchants. We bring you the keys of the town and the castle, and submit
ourselves fully to your will, to save the remainder of our people, who
have already suffered great pain. We beseech you to have mercy and pity
on us through your high nobleness."

His words brought tears from many persons there present, for naught so
piteous had ever come before them. But the king looked on them with
vindictive eyes, and for some moments stood in lowering silence. Then he
gave the harsh command to take these men and strike off their heads.

At this cruel sentence the lords of his council crowded round the king,
begging for compassion, but he turned a deaf ear to their pleadings.
Sir Walter de Manny then said, his eyes fixed in sorrow on the pale and
trembling victims,--

"Noble sire, for God's sake restrain your wrath. You have the renown of
all gentleness and nobility; I pray you do not a thing that can lay a
blemish on your fair fame, or give men cause to speak of you
despitefully. Every man will say it is a great cruelty to put to death
such honest persons, who of their own will have put themselves into your
hands to save the remainder of their people."

These words seemed rather to heighten than to soften the king's wrath.
He turned away fiercely, saying,--

"Hold your peace, Master Walter; it shall be as I have said.--Call the
headsman. They of Calais have made so many of my men to die, that they
must die themselves."

The queen had listened sadly to these words, w