ed all the ships they
could from the Cinque Ports, though the whole did not amount to more
than half that of the French fleet. The latter was under the command of
Eustace the monk, who had formerly been in the pay of John, but had
lately transferred his services to Louis. The English ships were armed
with strong beaks, like those of the Roman galleys, and their mode of
attack consisted, as of yore, in charging the vessels of the enemy, and
endeavouring to pierce their sides with their iron rams. They were
impelled chiefly by oars, but also carried sails, to enable them to bear
down with greater speed on the enemy; hence the importance of obtaining
the weather-gage. The two fleets came in sight of each other in the
Straits of Dover, on the 24th of August, 1217. The English admirals
having by their skilful manoeuvres obtained the weather-gage, bore down
on the enemy with irresistible force. In addition to other means of
offence, they had brought on board a number of barrels of unslaked lime;
on nearing the enemy they poured water on the lime, so as to slake the
whole mass, and the smoke thus created being borne by the wind into the
faces of the French, prevented them from seeing the operations of the
foe till it was too late to avoid them. The English boarded, their
first endeavour being to cut away the rigging and halliards of the
French ships, when the masts and sails went over the side. Most of the
French knights, preferring death to imprisonment, leaped overboard.
Throwing their grapnels on board, the English made a furious onslaught
on the enemy, the crossbow-men and archers, under Sir Philip D'Albiney,
discharging their bows and arrows, did immense execution. Out of the
whole fleet, fifteen only escaped. De Burgo's great aim, however, was
to obtain possession of the traitor Eustace, and diligent search being
made, the quondam ecclesiastic was found in the hold of one of the
captured vessels, when he was immediately killed. The French fleet was
put to flight, the crews of those which escaped landed on the Kentish
coast. The victory prevented Louis from obtaining further
reinforcements from France, and showed the English barons, who had
hitherto adhered to his cause, that it would be hopeless to attempt the
subjugation of England. They, therefore, at once made their peace with
the king, and Louis was glad to get off by renouncing all claim to the
English crown. We now come to the long reign of Henry the Th