the towers, made a rush at the outwork in the
centre. The instant they arrived they fell to work with axes upon
the palisades. Many were struck down by the blows dealt them by the
defenders, but others caught up the axes and in less than a minute
several of the palisades were cut down and the assailants poured in. The
defenders fought gallantly, but they were overpowered by numbers. Some
were struck down, others taken prisoners by main force, and the
rest driven across the drawbridge, just as the gates were opened and
Pembroke, at the head of the defenders, swarmed out to their assistance.

There was a desperate fight on the bridge, and it was well that the
armour was stout, and the arms that wielded the weapons had not yet
attained their full strength. Several were knocked off the bridge into
the moat, and these were, by the rules, obliged at once to retire and
take no further part in the contest. Walter and Ralph the smith, fought
in front of their men, and hard as Pembroke and his followers struggled,
they could not drive them back a foot. The court party were galled by
the heavy fire of arrows kept up by the apprentices along the side of
the moat, and finding all his efforts to regain the earth-work useless,
Pembroke withdrew his forces into the castle, and in spite of the
efforts of the besiegers managed to close the gates in their faces. The
assailants, however, succeeded in severing the chains of the drawbridge
before it could be raised.

From the tower above, the defenders now hurled over great stones,
which had been specially placed there for the purpose of destroying
the drawbridge should the earthwork be carried. The boards were soon
splintered, and the drawbridge was pronounced by the Earl of Talbot, who
was acting as judge, to be destroyed. The excitement of the spectators
was worked up to a great pitch while the conflict was going on, and the
citizens cheered lustily at the success of the apprentices.

"That was gallantly done," the king said to Queen Philippa, "and the
leader of the assailants is a lad of rare mettle. Not a captain of
my army, no, not Sir Walter Manny himself, could have done it more
cleverly. You see, by placing his forces at the ends of the wall he drew
all the garrison thither to withstand the assaults from them, and thus
by his sudden movement he was able to carry the outwork before they
could recover from their surprise, and come down to its aid. I am
curious to know what he will