rds
round their necks and each with a bunch of the keys of the city and of
the castle, were conducted outside the gates by John de Vienne, who rode
a small hackney, for he was in such ill plight that he could not go
a-foot. He gave them up to Sir Walter, who was awaiting him, and said to
him, "As captain of Calais I deliver to you, with the consent of the poor
people of the town, these six burghers, who are, I swear to you, the most
honorable and notable in person, in fortune, and in ancestry, in the town
of Calais. I pray you be pleased to pray the King of England that these
good folks be not put to death." "I know not," answered De Manny, "what
my lord the king may mean to do with them; but I promise you that I will
do mine ability." When Sir Walter brought in the six burghers in this
condition, King Edward was in his chamber with a great company of earls,
barons, and knights. As soon as he heard that the folks of Calais were
there as he had ordered, he went out and stood in the open space before
his hostel and all those lords with him; and even Queen Philippa of
England, who was with child, followed the king her lord. He gazed most
cruelly on those six poor men, for he had his heart possessed with so
much rage that at first he could not speak. When he spoke, he commanded
them to be straightway beheaded, All the barons and knights who were
there prayed him to show them mercy. "Gentle sir," said Walter de Manny,
"restrain your wrath; you have renown for gentleness and nobleness; be
pleased to do nought whereby it may be diminished; if you have not pity
on yonder folk, all others will say that it was great cruelty on your
part to put to death these six honorable burghers, who of their own free
will have put themselves at your mercy to save the others." The king
gnashed his teeth, saying, "Sir Walter, hold your peace; let them fetch
hither my headsman; the people of Calais have been the death of so many
of my men that it is but meet that yon fellows die also." Then, with
great humility, the noble queen, who was very nigh her delivery, threw
herself on her knees at the feet of the king, saying, "Ah gentle sir, if,
as you know, I have asked nothing of you from the time that I crossed the
sea in great peril, I pray you humbly that as a special boon, for the
sake of Holy Mary's Son and for the love of me, you will please to have
mercy on these six men."

[Illustration: Queen Philippa at the Feet of the King----314]