"Who
hath fought against these Spaniards?" he asked. "Is there anyone
here who can tell us what manner of men they be?"
A dozen hands went up into the air; but the King turned to the
Earl of Suffolk at his elbow.
"You have fought them, Thomas?" said he.
"Yes, sire, I was in the great sea-fight eight years ago at the
Island of Guernsey, when Lord Lewis of Spain held the sea against
the Earl of Pembroke."
"How found you them, Thomas?"
"Very excellent people, sire, and no man could ask for better. On
every ship they have a hundred crossbowmen of Genoa, the best in
the world, and their spearmen also are very hardy men. They would
throw great cantles of iron from the tops of the masts, and many
of our people met their death through it. If we can bar their way
in the Narrow Sea, then there will be much hope of honor for all
of us."
"Your words are very welcome, Thomas," said the King, "and I make
no doubt that they will show themselves to be very worthy of what
we prepare for them. To you I give a ship, that you may have the
handling of it. You also, my dear son, shall have a ship, that
evermore honor may be thine."
"I thank you, my fair and sweet father," said the Prince, with joy
flushing his handsome boyish face.
"The leading ship shall be mine. But you shall have one, Walter
Manny, and you, Stafford, and you, Arundel, and you, Audley, and
you, Sir Thomas Holland, and you, Brocas, and you, Berkeley, and
you, Reginald.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297