Others, whose armour protected them from this fate, were crushed to death by the pressure; but this was now so great that the timbers were yielding.

Walter, seeing that in another moment they would be levelled, gave the word, sprang back with Ralph and his party, and entered the keep just as with a crash the barrier fell and the French poured in a crowd into the courtyard.

Bolting the door the defenders of the keep piled against it the stones which had been laid in readiness.
The door was on the first floor, and was approached by a narrow flight of stone steps, up which but two abreast could advance.

In their first fury the French poured up these steps, but from the loopholes which commanded it the English bowmen shot so hard that their arrows pierced the strongest armour.

Smitten through vizor and armour, numbers of the bravest of the assailants fell dead.