Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/205

Rh them, it was not enough to check their advance. The pile of broken rocks offered a poor foothold, but supporting themselves with the staves of their spears or the handles of their long poleaxes, or helping one another as they could, the Count's men came bravely on, despite the loss inflicted by the well-aimed shots of the archers opposed to them. The few of the garrison who had hoped to defend the outer wall were easily driven back, and Edgar and his men could make a stand only at the inner gate, which was defended by a light portcullis Ordering all his men to retire within this gateway, Edgar caused the portcullis to be lowered, hoping to resist the attack from within that barrier since, being so greatly outnumbered, he did not hope to hold his own outside.

Once behind the strong bars Edgar's archers sent so thick a hail of arrows upon the vanguard of their pursuers that it was forced to retreat and to find shelter out of range. But at this moment arrived the men the Friar had sent to aid Edgar in his defense, and these, taking convenient stations upon the battlements above, assailed the invaders with whatever could be hurled on them from above. The Count's men protected themselves as well as they could by cowering under their shields, but their leader—the Count himself in full armor—saw that it would not do to delay