“Fight, to defend our name, for ourselves and for our
loved ones, our wives and children, to defend our land and win for ourselves
the highest honour. The French have come to take for themselves the lands of
our men. They seek our total destruction. Let us make sure there is no coward
amongst us, for it is God’s wish that we defend ourselves. The road that lies
ahead must be freed with blades of iron and steel. Seize this chance to free
our land and feel no fear because any that fall would soon find themselves in paradise.
God knows who are his loyal servants. He will reward the faithful, while
sending the French down to Hell”.
These are the words of William Marshal, before
the battle of Lincoln in 1217, when he led the English forces to defeat the
French invasion of Prince Louis. He was about 70 at the time and was assisted by the
stout defence of Lincoln castle by its chatelaine, Nicola de la Haye, aged 65.
