The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-09-02
The DoIngs of a Good queen.

In q large nalI NUMBER oI drneu
soldiers, captains and officers, were
met together-but, oh! what poor
sad facesl what thin cheeks and
sunken eyes; what shaking hands had
they, while outside were crowds OF
haggard people, all trying to get in,
all eager to hear what was going on
within.
But it can never be truel it can
never be trueln sobbed one poor
workwoman, as she held her baby
closer and closer to her poor beating
heart.
"What cannot be true ?" asked a
man fercely. at is true enough,
dame, ca tell thee, that Edward OF
England is cruel, and harsh, and vim
dictive.n
"As cruel as they say ?" questioned
the woman, grumbling. and now as
number of others were all crowding
reund the soldier to hear what he
would say.
GAS cruel? Av, and worse, too.
For eleven months now, we have de-
Tended our beautiful Calais against
him, and just because he knows we
are starving and at our last gasp, he
will show no mercy"
"But what has be said? Will he
accept no te ms ?"
"No, none p and the man almost
screamed with rage. "They sent
and asked him to give safety to the
women and children and pardon to
the men, who, after all, have only
done what be himself would have
done-defenGed their own city-and
he would hear nothing, not a word.
He will grant nothing, promise moth
ing, and only commands that the city
be given up to his tender mercies,
and that six of our principal citizens
shall go out to him and place the keys
of the gates in his hands, and that
they shall be barefoot. and with ropes
round their necks, ready for him to
hang them. Is not this shame and
cruelty? Is he not unworthy to call
himself great king, who is SO want
ing in mercy and goodness? Curse
him!" he cried, bitterly
The whole crowd of people caught
up his words, and groaned, and call
ed for vengeance to fall on Edward
III of England.
In the midss of this tumult, the
door of the hall was opened, and a
man-at-arms proclaimed in a loud
voice that the senators and citizens
within begged the good people Of
Calais to be silent while they delib-
Grated on the awful command which
the English king had sent by his her
aids. A deep silence fell, and only
whispers and suppressed voices chok-
ed with sobs and tears were to be
heard in the old hall.
But within they had already de-
cided that they must give up at last
to Edward His army, fresh and
strong, was still in battle array around
their city, and able and willing to re-
main there for months longer, while
they themselves had exhausted all
their provisions, water was failing,
their soldiers were i'll, their women
and little children dying-their only
chance was to surrender.
They bad made up their minds
thus far, and now came the fearful
question:
(Which of the citizens will give
up their lives ?"
1t seemed as if this were the hard
est part of all How could the city
give up its best and noblest men, who
had borne and suffered so much, ard
so well and patiently, to certain dis
graceful death2 They remained ST.
lent. First looking around in each
others eager, anxious white faces,
and then dropping their eyes, as they
asked, silently, each in his own heart,
"Will you? or you !? or you? ? or shall
I?n
The question came again, (Which
of the citizens will offer themselves to
sudden death ?" and the same solemn
silence continued.
No one answered or stirred, till
fine, handsome man, with furrowed
cheek. sitting at the further end of
the hall, looked up, and forward, and
then, with his eyes glowing as if with
slow FIRE, be sprang to his feet.
"Here am ], ready to be the first lv
be cried, lifting his pale, noble face,
and stretching his hands upward.
"No, mo- !" cried several, in hush
ed, fearful manner; "any one-any
one but Eustace de St. Pierrel'
Tears gathered in many a strong
mans eyes, and all were still.
At last one said, falteringly:
"Enstsce we cannot spare our
best, our very best"
- No, not our noblest, our bravest!n
echoed many voices. leave him TO
us He is ton ralued too 0ood