572 MATTHEW 07 WESTMUTSTEB. A.D. 1304. contained stream of stones was hurled against the wall and over the wall. But those which struck against the wall, bounded back vainly. Those, however, which were borne over the wall, fell into the castle, and injured the garrison greatly. For they hurled fire-brands and stones into the castle so continually, that they burnt many of their stores of corn, and the stones, by their weight, entirely destroyed many of the buildings of the castle. But by all these disasters, the accursed madness of the garrison was not subdued, because they were obstinate, and at the same time the energy of the English besiegers did not relax, because they were brave. But within the castle there were hollow caverns and caves, some natural, some artificial, and above them there was a very strong wall, and in the wall there were arches and hollow places in which they deposited the provisions which they had, protecting themselves with eaves from the blows of the stones. And when ninety days of this siege had elapsed, and yet the garrison did not surrender, the king said, " As the Lord liveth, we will not depart from hence, till either we have subdued them, or they have succeeded in driving us away, and routing us." And some one comforting the king, replied, " My lord, do whatever is in thy heart, because the Lord is with thee." And truly the Lord was with him, preserving him in a most marvellous way, in the sight of all the people. For while he was animating his army to fight bravely, and was himself always the first, and constantly coming very near to the wall of the castle, and riding unarmed on his destrier, lo ! the angel of Satan, put into the heart of one of the Scots to put forth his hand against the Lord's anointed ; so he, observing the king from the tower, bent his arbalist, and aimed a javelin at the heart of the king But the angel of the Lord frustrated his aim. Hear the miracle. The arrow of the devil was shot at the Lord's anointed. But, 0 Satan, you have only wounded the king with an arrow, you have not slain him. You have pierced the king's robe, without in the least hurting his flesh. Nor could you even kill the horse of the rider, though you passed between the reins with a horrible whistling. You pierce the saddle, but you do not hurt the skin. And frequently, during the continuance of the siege, did these Scots, from their high position, in their citadel, shoot forth arrows of most cruel torment, which are called in English &tyrmgfKDl, to slay the unarmed king. But, by the grace of God, they