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All the band were, indeed, pledged by a most solemn oath; and death, by torture, was the penalty awarded for any act of treachery. The greater portion of the force were now provided with European arms. The negroes had musketoons or arquebuses, the natives still retained the bow, while all had pikes and spears.
I have arranged several leaders, each of whom has five men well mounted to act under him. They will be well-armed with blunderbusses, musketoons, pistols, and well-sharpened swords. There is a spot at Turnham Green where the road is narrow, with high hedges and ditches on each side, so that a coach and six horses cannot easily turn on a sudden.
Still the Spaniards charged courageously, and several of the front rank were cut down, while others were killed or wounded by the discharge of their musketoons. The places of those who were killed were instantly supplied by others from the rear, and once more the cavalry had to retreat.
The wall pieces were also cleaned, and placed in position at the corners of the walls; and the boys, having seen that the musketoons and arquebuses of the garrison were in excellent order, and ready for service, felt that all had been done that was possible to prepare for an attack.
The Imperialists heralded their advance by opening fire with pistols and musketoons against the wall, and the defenders at once replied. So heavy was the fire that the head of the column wavered, many of the leading files being at once shot down, but, encouraged by their officers, they rallied, and pushed forward at a run.
On the walls hung all manner of musketoons, fusils, and the like, with drawings of mortars and field and siege artillery, with specimens of horses' bits and saddles and stirrups, and everything relating to the equipment of a soldier. There were a plenty of maps besides.
"Never say die, lads!" he shouted, as they were driven back. "Give them a taste of our powder in return!" On this, the boats poured a hot fire of musketoons and small-arms through the brig's stern and quarter-ports. It told with tremendous effect, for not a shot was now fired upon the boats.
They were armed with swords and musketoons, and had more the air of a royal bodyguard than of a company of attendant servants. Our coming was in a way well timed. I doubt if we could have stayed the execution of Saint-Eustache's warrant even had we arrived earlier. But for effect to produce a striking coup de theatre we could not have come more opportunely.
Then it came to the hour of eight and his anxieties passed. The army was now drawn up before its tents in line, but the enemy was not yet ready and so they had to wait. When the signal at length was given and the cannoniers fired their pieces, and the musketoons were shot off, many men fell.
"Now, by this light," said Sir Geoffrey, "they are the pikes, musketoons, and pistols, that have been hidden in the garret ever since Naseby fight!" "And here," said the Captain's yoke-fellow, Everett, "are proper priest's trappings antiphoners, and missals, and copes, I warrant you ay, and proper pictures, too, for Papists to mutter and bow over."
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