he assault, covering themselves as well as they could with
their shields. In vain, however, did they mount. The defenders poured
down showers of boiling pitch and oil, which penetrated the crevices of
their armor and caused intolerable torment. Great stones were toppled
over from the battlements upon them; and sometimes the ladders, seized
by the poles with hooks, were cast backward, with all upon them, on the
throng below. For half an hour, encouraged by the shouts of Sir Rudolph
and their leaders, the soldiers strove gallantly; but were at last
compelled to draw off, having lost nigh one hundred men, without one
gaining a footing upon the walls.

That evening another council of war was held without. Already some large
machines for which Sir Rudolph had sent had arrived. In anticipation of
the possibility of failure, two castles upon wheels had been prepared,
and between these a huge beam with an iron head was hung. This was upon
the following day pushed forward on the newly-formed ground across the
moat. Upon the upper part of each tower were armed men who worked
machines casting sheaves of arrows and other missiles. Below were those
who worked the ram. To each side of the beam were attached numerous
cords, and with these it was swung backward and forward, giving heavy
blows each stroke upon the wall. The machines for casting stones, which
had arrived, were also brought in play, and day and night these
thundered against the walls; while the ram repeated its ceaseless blows
upon the same spot, until the stone crumbled before it.

Very valiantly did the garrison oppose themselves to these efforts. But
each day showed the progress made by the besiegers. Their forces had
been increased, Prince John having ordered his captain at Gloucester to
send another one hundred men to the assistance of Sir Rudolph. Other
towers had now been prepared. These were larger than the first, and
overtopped the castle walls. From the upper story were drawbridges, so
formed as to drop from the structures upon the walls, and thus enable
the besiegers to rush upon them. The process was facilitated by the fact
that the battlements had been shot away by the great stones, and there
was a clear space on which the drawbridges could fall. The attack was
made with great vigor; but for a long time the besieged maintained their
post, and drove back the assailants as they poured out across the
drawbridges on to the wall. At last Cuthbert saw that the forc