Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/302

274 all day, and if there was any time to spare from their household duties, they made themselves useful in carying [sic] sheaves of arrows or even baskets of stones for the mangonels, or in seeing that the sentries or the men on duty in various portions of the building were provided with food and drink. Even the sewing and mending of the men's clothing and the washing of soiled garments or the serving at table sometimes gave employment to the maidens, wives, and widows, who were assisted by the older boys and girls. Now that all were forced to withdraw into the narrow quarters of the keep, every space was filled to overflowing, and strict discipline was necessary in order that the non-combatants might not interfere with the work of the defenders.

The cooking was done in great fireplaces, of which there were several in the keep, and the women and children were gathered in the upper rooms mainly, while the lower floors were allotted to the men. The Friar's own room—being but a small apartment—was set aside for Edgar and himself alone, though few of the rooms had less than four or five occupants, and some had more. The top of the keep, being protected by heavy battlemented walls, gave the garrison room for air and exercise, though there was some danger to them at times when the bowmen of the besiegers