[**]
[* Higden, p. 286]
[** W. Malms, p. 101. De Gest Angl. p. 332]
On the morning, the duke called together the most considerable of
his commanders, and made them a speech suitable to the occasion. He
represented to them, that the event which they and he had long wished
for, was approaching; the whole fortune of the war now depended on their
swords, and would be decided in a single action; that never army had
greater motives for exerting a vigorous courage, whether they
considered the prize which would attend their victory, or the inevitable
destruction which must ensue upon their discomfiture; that if their
martial and veteran bands could once break those raw soldiers, who had
rashly dared to approach them, they conquered a kingdom at one blow,
and were justly entitled to all its possessions as the reward of their
prosperous valor; that, on the contrary, if they remitted in the least
their wonted prowess, an enraged enemy hung upon their rear, the sea
met them in their retreat, and an ignominious death was the certain
punishment of their imprudent cowardice; that by collecting so numerous
and brave a host, he had insured every human means of conquest; and
the commander of the enemy, by his criminal conduct, had given him just
cause to hope for the favor of the Almighty, in whose hands alone
lay the event of wars and battles; and that a perjured usurper,
anathematized by the sovereign pontiff, and conscious of his own breach
of faith would be struck with terror on their appearance, and would
prognosticate to himself that fate which--his multiplied crimes had so
justly merited.
Pages:
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318