When they reached the street only one man was to be seen. The soldier of
the guard had been sent away to order them some breakfast. The
prisoner, seeing one man only where he had looked for a troop,
struggled to escape and called loudly for help.
It was evident that he could not be carried off; the moment was
critical; a few minutes might bring a force that it would be madness to
resist; but they had not come thus far and taken this risk for nothing.
He would not go; they had no time to force him; only one thing remained:
they ran him through with their swords and left him dead upon the
ground. Then, mounting, they rode in haste for the bridge.
Those there knew what they were to do. The approach of their comrades
was the signal for action. They immediately drew their weapons and
attacked those with whom they had been in pleasant conversation. In a
brief time several of the guard were killed and the others in full
flight. The road was clear. The others came up. A minute more and they
were away, in full flight, upon the shortest route to Pontefract,
leaving the soldiers of the town in consternation, for the general was
soon found dead, with no one to say how he had been killed. Not a soul
had seen the tragic deed.
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