Sir
John led the way, the devoted six followed, while the remainder of the
towns-people made their progress woful with tears and cries of grief.
Months of suffering had not caused them deeper sorrow than to see these
their brave hostages marching to death.
The gate opened. Sir John and the six burgesses passed through. It
closed behind them. Sir Walter stood waiting.
"I deliver to you, as captain of Calais," said Sir John, "and by the
consent of all the people of the town, these six burgesses, who I swear
to you are the richest and most honorable burgesses of Calais.
Therefore, gentle knight, I beg you pray the king to have mercy on them,
and grant them their lives."
"What the king will do I cannot say," answered Sir Walter, "but I shall
do for them the best I can."
The coming of the hostages roused great feeling in the English host.
Their pale and wasted faces, their miserable state, the fate which
threatened them, roused pity and sympathy in the minds of many, and not
the least in that of the queen, who was with Edward in the camp, and
came with him and his train of nobles as they approached the place to
which the hostages had been led.
When they were brought before the king the burgesses kneeled and
piteously begged his grace, Eustace saying,--
"Gentle king, here be we six, who were burgesses of Calais, and great
merchants.
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