kness, in crashing through them, killing many of the men
beneath. The experiment was also tried of throwing balls of Greek fire
down upon the wood; but as this was green and freshly felled it would not
take fire, but the flames dropping through, with much boiling pitch and
other materials, did grievously burn and scald the soldiers working below
it. Upon both sides every device was tried. The cross-bow men among the
mercenaries kept up a fire upon the walls to hinder the defenders from
interfering with the operations, while the archers above shot steadily,
and killed many of those who ventured within range of their bows.

After ten days' labour, a portion of the moat some twenty yards in
length was filled with bags of earth, and all was ready for the assault.
The besiegers had prepared great numbers of strong ladders, and these
were brought up under shelter of the screens. Then, all being ready, the
trumpets sounded for the assault, and the troops moved forward in a close
body, covering themselves with their shields so that no man's head or
body was visible, each protecting the one before him with his shield held
over him. Thus the body presented the appearance of a great scale-covered
animal. In many respects, indeed, the warfare of those days was changed
in no way from that of the time of the Romans. In the 1200 years which
had elapsed between the siege of Jerusalem and the days of the crusades
there had been but little change in arms or armour, and the operations
which Titus undertook for the reduction of the Jewish stronghold differed
but little from those which a Norman baron employed in besieging his
neighbour's castle.

Within Evesham Castle all was contentment and merriment during these
days. The garrison had no fear whatever of being unable to repel the
assault when it should be delivered. Huge stones had been collected in
numbers on the walls, cauldrons of pitch, beneath which fires kept
simmering, stood there in readiness. Long poles with hooks with which to
seize the ladders and cut them down were laid there; and all that
precaution and science could do was prepared.

Cuthbert passed much of the day, when not required upon the walls,
chatting with the Lady Margaret, who, attended by her maidens, sat
working in her bower. She had learnt to read from the good nuns of the
convent--an accomplishment which was by no means general, even among the
daughters of nobles; but books were rare, and Evesham boasted but f