such skill as my experience has taught me, to lead them to the attack of these walls."
The parts being thus distributed to the leaders, they commenced the first assault, of which the eader has already heard the issue.
When the barbican was carried, the Sable Knight sent notice of the happy event to Locksley, requesting him, at the same time, to keep such an observation on the castle as might prevent the defenders from combining their force for a sudden sally, and recovering the out-work that they had lost. This the knight was chiefly desirous of avoiding, conscious that the men whom he led, being basty and untrained volunteers, imperfectly armed and unaccustomed to discipline, must upon any sudden attack fight at great disadvantage with the veteran soldiers of the Norman knights, who were well provided with arms both defensive and offensive; and who, to match the zeal and high spirit of the besiegers, had all the confidence which arises from perfect discipline and the habitual use of weapons.
The knight employed the interval in causing to be constructed a sort of floating bridge or long
