Tudor Jenks

“ The Count's men, being the more numerous, were trying to pass through the gateway; while Edgar's men, knowing that in open ground they would have much less chance against their assailants, resisted desperately, resolved to hold their place at any cost. Thus the battle raged with great fury around the gateway, and whenever the assailants succeeded in pushing Edgar and his soldiers a pace or two backward, the defenders would rally and regain the ground they had lost. ”

“ These men were often within range of Hugh's archers, and many of them lost their lives, for they were compelled to lean over the bulwarks whenever a flame caught upon the front of the tower.
Considerable damage was inflicted by the marksmen of the castle, but not enough to disable the tower in any essential portion, and the loss of men on the part of the defenders during this brief struggle was more than had been suffered at any time during the siege, and yet little harm was done to their enemies. ”

“ This machine delivered heavy blows, but the men who operated it were protected only by their shields; and several of them were slain, their places being at once taken by others, for when men become warmed by the excitement of battle, there are plenty who will attempt any achievement or risk any danger.
Seeing the terrific blows delivered by the swinging ram, some of the garrison upon the wall above brought from a tower, grappling-irons or hooks which they lowered until they were able to catch the head of the ram, thus pulling it aside, and causing its blows to be less effective. ”

“ But the advantage of numbers was so greatly on the side of the besiegers that Hugh decided, after he had kept up the struggle for the gateway a short time longer, to withdraw his men rather than suffer any further loss in killed and wounded. The garrison could not afford, he considered, to lose men even at the rate of one for two, since they were hardly a quarter as strong in numbers. ”

“ Hugh called his men about him, and gave them his orders:
"We must retire," said he "into the two towers at the ends of the rampart. It is too late to prevent them from lowering their bridge and gaining a foothold on the walls; but from the side towers we can command its whole extent, and unless they are in great force, we may drive them back into their tower. ”