The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-28
4 SCRAP SCR FROM HISTORY.

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SCRAP. d From y HISTORY,
The Siege Of Calais.
Edward III. after ebattle Of Cressy,
in the year l347, laid siege to Calais.
: He had ,forti6ed his camp in so impreg,.
:nable manner, that all the efforts OF
France proved Intellectual to raise the
s;aoa:. or throw succors into the city.
The Iitizsns: under Count Vienne,- their
Gallant governor, made an admirable de.
fence, france had now put the sickle
into her second harvest, since, Edward,
with hist victorious army, sat down before
The towr. The eyes of all Europe were
: intent On the issue. At length famine
5 sdia more for Edward than arms. After
.mffarinp unheards Of scalamities, they re-
olgeds Id Sattempt the enemy camp.
They boldly sailed forth the English
sioined battle and after along and des-
: ynerata engagement, Count Vienne was
takenspfis6ner and the citizens who sur
yiived the slaughter retired within their
I gates The command devolving upon
Enstsce st, Pierre, 9 man of mean blrth,
sbnnfs fsexalted aiirine, he offered toscapit-
snlate with Edward, provided he permit
tea him to depart with life and liberty.
Edward. to avoid the imputation OF
cruelty, consented to spare the bulk OF
the plebeians; provided they delivered up
to him Six Of their principal citizens,
with halters about their necks, as victims
of due atonement for that spirit of rebel
lion with which they had infamed the
vulgar. When,his messenger, SiraWal-
ter Manny. delivered the terms, conster;
nation and pale dismay were impressed
son every countenance. To long and
dead silence, deep sighs and groans sue
ceeded, till Epstace Sc. Pierre, gettlng
up to 8 little eminence, thus addressed
the assembly-.My friends, we are
brought to great strait. this day. We
must either yield to the, terms OF our
cruel and unsparing conqueror, 2or give
I'm IN our tender infants, our wives ana
daughters. to the bloody and brutal lusts
5 Of the violating soldiers. is there any
expedient: left, whereby we may avoid
the guilt and infamy; of delivering up
those who have suffered every misery
with Won. on the;one hand-or the desc
lation and horror of sacked city on the
other 7 There is, my friends, there is
one expedienti lefs "a gracious, an excel.
lent; "a godlike expedient! Is there any
here to whom virtue is dearer than life?
Eat, him offer. himself an oblation for
the safety of his peoplel He shall not
fail of q, blessed appreciation from that
Power, who offered up his only Son for
the salvation Humankind r.
He spoke-but an universal silence
sensued. Each man looked around Tor
the example of that magnanimity and
virtue, which all wished to approve in
themselves, though they wanted the res,
olution. AT length, st. Pierre resumed
-ssI doubt not but there are many here.
as ready, nay more zealons OF this mar
.-tyrdom. than I can be; though the sta
tion to.which am raised, by the cap
tiyity Of lord Vienne, imparts a right to
be the first in giving my life for your
sakes. Itgiye it freeiy-l give 1t cneer-
fully. Who comes next? Five others,
equally patriotic, soon followed DIS ex-
ample, These six, self, devoted victims
then went outof the. town ibare-footed,
with halters about their necks, and pre-
sented the;keys to Sir Walter. He took
the prisoners into his custody; then or
dered the gates to be opened, and gave
charge to his attendants to conduct the
remaining citizens, with their families,
through the camp of the English.
Before they departed, however, they
desired permission to take their last
adieu of their deliyerers. What part
ingl What l a. scene! They crowded,
with their wives snd children, about st.
Pierre and his fellow prisoners. They
embraced-they clung around-they fell
prostrate before them. They groaned,
thew wept aloud and the joint clamor
of their mourning passed the gates OF the
city. and was heard throughout the
English camp. The English, by this
time. were apprized of what passed with
in Calais. They heard the voice of la.
mentation, and their souls were touched
with compassion. Each of the soldiers
prepared portion of his own victuals,
to welcome and entertain the half FAM
ished inhabitants; and they loaded them
with as smuch,as their present weakness
Was able to bear, in order to supply them
with sustenance by the wey. At length
ST. Pierre and his fellow victims appear
ed under the conduct of Sir Walter and
8 guard. All the tents of the English
were instantly emptied. The soldiers
poured from all parts, and arranged
themselves on each side, to behold, to
conitemplate,.s ,.sto admire this little band
of patriots as they passed. They bowed
down to them on all sides. They muir
INJURED their applause of that virtue,
which they could not but revere, even
in enemies ]; and they regarded those
ropes which they had voluntarily assum'
ed about their necks, as ensigns of great
or dignity than that of the British gar
ter.
Assoon as they reached his presence,
.'Mauny," says the monarch, ARE these s.,
the priacipal inhabitants OF Calais T.
eThey are" says Mauny-' they are not
only the principal men of Calais-thsy
sre the principal men of France, my
lord. if virtue has any share in the act
eff ennobling." "Were they delivered
reaceably?' says Edward. "Was there
no resistance, no commotion among the
people 2" "Not in the least, my lore ;
the people would all have perished,
rather than have delivered the least Of
these to your majesty. They are self
delivered, self: devoted; and come TO oiier
up their inestimable heads, as an ample
Equivalent for the ransom OF thousands:
Edward was secretly piqued at this reply
OF Sir Walter. But he knew the prlvl,,
lege of q British subject, and suppressed
his resentment. Experience" says he,
"has ever shown, that lenity only serves