How, when the king s army was assembled, the legate encouraged then all to battle.
At length, on the sixth day of Whitsun week, after the performance of the holy sacrament, the legate rose and set forth to all of them how unjust was the cause of Louis, and the barons who had joined him, for which they bad been excommunicated and alienated from the community of the church. In order to animate the army to battle, he put on his white robes, and, in company with the whole clergy there, excommunicated Louis by name, together with all his accomplices and abettors, and especially all those who were carrying on the siege of Lincoln against the king of England, together with the whole provinces, inclusive and included. To those who had undertaken to assist in this war personally, he, by the power granted to him from the omnipotent God and the apostolic see, granted full pardon for their sins, of which they had made true confession, and as a reward to the just he promised the reward of eternal salvation. Then, after all had received absolution and the blessing of God, they flew to arms, mounted their horses at once and struck their camp rejoicing.
On their arrival at Stowe, eight miles from Lincoln, they there passed the night without fear. In the morning, seven dense and well appointed battalions were formed, and they marched against the enemy, only fearing that the latter would take to flight before they reached the city. The crossbow men all the time kept in advance of the army almost a mile; the baggage wagons and sumpter horses followed altogether in the rear with the provisions and necessaries, whilst the standards and bucklers glittered in all directions, and struck terror into those who beheld them.
How the barons went out of the city of Lincoln and reconnoitred the king s army.
The barons who were in the city and the French felt such great confidence of success in their cause, that when their messengers told them of the approach of their adversaries they only laughed at them, and continued to hurl missiles from their mangonells, to destroy the walls of the castle. When Robert Fitz Walter, and S. Earl of Winchester heard that the enemy were approaching the city, they both went out to watch their approach and to count their numbers and when they had made a careful survey of the approaching enemy they returned to the city to their companions, telling them, “The enemy are coming against us in good order, but we are much more numerous than they are; therefore, our advice is that we sally forth to the ascent of the hill to meet them, for, if we do, we shall catch them like larks. In reply to them, the count of Perche and the Mareschal said, You have reckoned them according to your own opinion. We also will now go out and count them in the French fashion.”
Keep a look out for further articles coming soon, dealing with the history of Lincoln.
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