Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/200

172 the towers to right and left of them, and meanwhile clustered close to the doorways that they might be protected from the shots of at least some of the loopholes. They attacked the heavy iron-studded doors with their axes, but could make little impression upon them.

Hugh had counted upon all this, and he and his men, shooting deliberately and with good aim, caused much loss to the attacking party, suffering little in return. Besides falling under the volleys of the archers, many of the Count's men were slain or disabled by stones and beams tumbled upon them from the tower-roofs above. And, bad as was the condition of these men who had first secured a foothold upon the castle-walls, it soon became worse. For in making their attack, they had naturally left their drawbridge down, revealing the inside of the tower through the great opening which the bridge had masked.

Of this, Hugh and the Friar, who had expected it, took full advantage. As soon as the Count's forces had advanced in the attack on the southward, too near the castle for the mangonels to be effective, the Friar and his men left most of their engines in order that they might give aid where aid was needed. Part of the men joined those who, under Edgar's command were back of the nearly breached wall; but the Friar with a