Under a fire so straight and true that none of the enemy dared show himself, the Irish kernes ran up to the dry moat and threw down their burdens, till a swaying yet passable causeway took the place of the raised drawbridge.
"Men-at-arms! In the name of St. George and for Merrie England—forward!" shouted Sir Oliver, and with one accord squires and common soldiers ran steadily towards the walls, keeping decorously behind the two mail-clad knights, whose armour greatly retarded their speed.
Mingled with the men-at-arms were several archers, whose special duty it was to carry the scaling ladders up to the walls, while in the rear their comrades maintained their steady fire.
The mass of panting, shouting, and excited men gained the edge of the moat, and, with swords and axes brandished above their heads, prepared to follow Sir Oliver and Sir John across the temporary bridge, when a cross-bowman more daring than his fellows showed himself for an instant above the battlements and shot his bolt.
The next instant he toppled over the parapet, pierced by half-a-score of arrows; but the mischief was already done, for the quarrel transfixed Sir Oliver's leg just above the left genouillère, or metal knee-cap.
With a crash the knight fell to the ground, but as two men-at-arms rushed to his assistance he waved them off.
"To the walls," he exclaimed. "Ye can do much service there. As for me, I will tarry here till we gain the castle."
In spite of this momentary check the stormers pressed forward, and scaling ladders were reared, and, led by Sir Thomas Carberry, the men-at-arms clambered impetuously up the swaying and creaking timber.
Hitherto the English archers had kept the garrison well in check, but now, fearful of harming friend as well as foe, they desisted. In a moment the battlements were thronged by the desperate defenders, foremost of whom was Sir Denis.
With spear thrust and sweep of axe they fell upon the stormers ere the latter could gain a footing on the walls. Many an Englishman and Norman, clasped in a deadly embrace, were tumbled from the battlements; to the hoarse shouts of the combatants were added the shrieks of the maimed and wounded, while the steady stream of ascending men continued without any appreciable sign of a lodgement being obtained upon the fiercely-defended wall.