Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-14
CHAPTER xxxvII.
How the White Company Came to Be
Disbandad

CHAPTER xxXvII.
How the White Company Came to Be
Disbanded
Then uprose from the hill in the rugged
Calabrian valley sound such as had not
been heard in those parts before. nor was
again. until the streams which rippled amid
the rocks had been frozen by over four
hundred winters and thawed by as many
returning springs. Deep and full and strong
tt Numbered down the ravine, the fierce
battle call of a warrior race, the last
stern welcome to whose should join with
them in that world-old game where the
stake is death. Thrice 1t swelled forth and
thrice 1t sunk away, echoing and reverbe-
rating amid the crags. Then, with set faces.
the company rose up among the storm of
stones, and looked down upon the THOUSANDS
who sped swiftly up the slope against them.
Horse and spear had been set aside, but on
foot. with sword and battle-ax. their broad
shields slung In front of them. the chivalry
of Spain rushed to the attack.
And now arose struggle SO fell, so long,
so evenly sustained, that even now the
memory Of 1t Is handed down among the
Calabrian mountaineers. and the ill-omened
knoll is still pointed out by fathers to their
children as the "Altura de los Inglesos,"
where the men from across the sea fought
the great fight with the knights OF the
south. The last arrow was quickly shot,
nor could the singers hurl their stones so
close were friend and foe From side to side
stretched the thin line Of the English. light
ly armed nd quick-footed. while against 1t
stormed and ragged the pressing throng OF
fiery Spaniards and of gallant Bretons. The
clink of crossing sword blades the dull
thudding of heavy blows. the painting and
gasptng of weary and wounded men, all
rose together in a wild, long-drawn note,
which swelled upward to the ears of the
wondering peasants who looked down from
the edges of the cliffs upon the swaying
turmoil of the battle beneath them. Back
and forward reeled the leopard banner,
now borne up the slope by the rush and
weight of the onslaught, now pushing
downward again as Sir Nigel. Burley and
Black Simon, with their veteran men-at-
arms flung themselves madly into the fray.
Alleyne, at his lords right hand, found
himself swept htther and thither In the
desperate struggle. exchanging savage
thrusts one instant with a Spanish cavalier,
and the next torn away by the whirl of
men and dashed up against some new an
tagonist. To the right Sir Oliver. Aylward,
Horde John and the bowmen of the COM
pany fought furiously against the monkish
Knights of Santiago, who were led up the
| hill by their prtor-a great, deep chested
man. who wore brown monastic habit
over his suit of mail. Three archers he
slew in three giant strokes, but Sir OIL
yer flung his arms round him. and the
two. staggering and straining, reeled back
ward and fell, locked in each others grasp,
over Tie euS6 Oh Tic steep CHI winch Uanh-
ed the hill. In vain his knights stormed
and raved against the thin line which
barred their path; the sword Of Awkward
and the great ak of John cleaned in the
pieces Of rock. hurled by the strong arms
Of the bowmen crashed and hurtled amid
their ranks. Slowly. they gave back
| down the hill. the archers still
ter Of writhing and twisted figures to mark
| the course which they had taken. At the
same instant the Welshmen upon the left,
| led on by the Scotch earl. had charged out
from among the rocks which sheltered
them. and by the fury of their outfal had
driven the Spaniards In front OF them In
headlong flight down the hill In the CEN
ter only, things seemed to be going i'll with
the defenders. Black Simon was down.
dying, as he would wish to have died. like
| a grim old wolf in its lair. with ring
OF his slain around him. Twice Sir Nigel
had been overborne, and twice Alleyne had
fought over him until he had staggered to
his feet once more. Burley lay senseless.
stunned by blow from a mace, and half
of the men-at-arms lay Uttered upon the
ground around him. Sir NigelS shield was
broken, his crest shorn, his aruor cut and
smashed, and the viZor torn from his he'll
met; yet he sprung hither and thither with
light foot and ready hand. engaging two
Bretons and Spaniard at the same instant
-thrusting, STOPPING, dashing in, springing
out-while Alleyne still fought by his side,
stemming with a handful of men the fierce
Tue WHICH SuTSeO up against them. ct IL
would have Jared i'll with them had not the
archers from either side closed in upon the
TANKS of the attackers, and pressed them
very slowly and foot by foot down the long
slope, until they We're on the plain once
more where their fellows were already
rallying for fresh assault.
But terrible indeed was the cost at which
the last had been repealed. OF the three
hundred and seventy men who had held the
crest, one hundred and seventy-two were
left standing, many of whom were sorely
wounded and weak from loss of blood. Sir
Oliver Buttesthorn. Sir Richard Causton,
Sir Simon Burnley Black Simon, Johnson, q
hundred and fifty archers. and forty-seven
men-at-arms had fallen, while the pitiless
hail OF stones was already whizzing and
piping once more about their ears, threat
ening every instant to further reduce their
numbers,
Sir Nigel looked about him at his shatter-
ed ranks, and his face flushed with a sol
dier's pride.
BY st. Paulr' he cried. II have fought
in many little pickering, but never one
that l would be more loath to have missed
than this. But you are wounded Alleyne"
1T is naught," answered his squire
stanching the blood which dripped from a
sword-cut across his forehead
These gentlemen of Spain seem to be
most courteous and worthy people. 1 see
that they are already forming to continue
this debate with U.s. Form up the bowmen
two deep instead OF four. BY my faith,
some very brave men have gone from
among U.S. AyiWard. you are a trusty SOL
der for all that your shoulder has never
felt accolade nor your heels worn the gold
spurs. Do you take charge of the right; l
will hold the center and you. my Lord Of
Angus. the left"
'Ho! for Sir Samkin Aylward" cried a
rough voice among the archers, and a roar
of laughter greeted their new leader
by my hllti" said the old bowman, Il
never thought to lead wing in. "A stricken
field. Stand close, camarades for by these
fnger-bones! We must play the man this
day"
Come hitler. Alleyne," said Sir Nigel,
walking back to the edge of the cliff, which
formed the rear Of their position. And
you, Northbury," he continued, reckoning
to the squire of Sir Oliver do you also
come here"
The two squires hurried across to him,
and the three stood looking down into the
rocky ravine which lay hundred and fifty
feet beneath them
The prince must hear of how things are
with u.s. said the knight Another onfall
we may Withstand. but they are many and
we are few, so that the time must come
when we can no longer form a line across
the hill. Yet If help were brought us we
might hold the crest until 1t comes See
yonder horses which stray among the rocks
beneath us?''
II see them. my fair lord