 Notion of any Excellence more admirable, in Heaven itself, than when a Man, in his present State of frail and depraved Nature, overbears his personal Fears of Pain and Mortality, and yields up his Body to assured Perdition, for public Good, or for the sake of those whom it delighteth him to preserve.
I shall pass over the Instances of the Roman
Regulus
and the
Decii,
as also that of
Leonidas
and his three Hundred
Spartans
who devoted their Lives for the Liberties of
Greece;
was that Candidate less a Hero who, being rejected from being one of these Self-devoted, exclaimed, the Gods be praised that there are three Hundred, in
Sparta,
better Men than myself! But, I come nearer our own Times and our own Nation, to exemplify this Disregard of SELF, the vital Source and Principle of every Virtue, in six Mechanics or Craftsmen of the City of
Calais.
Edward
the Third, after the Battle of
Cressy,
laid Siege to
Calais.
He had fortified his Camp in so impregnable a Manner, that all the Efforts of
France
proved ineffectual to raise the Siege, or throw Succours into the City. The Citizens however, under the Conduct of Count
Vienne
their gallant Governour, made an admirable Defence. Day after Day the
English
effected many a Breach which they repeatedly expected to storm by Morning; but, when Morning appeared, they wondered to behold new Ramparts raised, nightly erected out of the Ruins which the Day had made.
France
had now put the Sickle into her second Harvest since
Edward
with his victorious Army sat down before the Town. The Eyes of all Europe were intent on the Issue. The
English
made their Approaches and Attacks without Remission; but the Citizens were as obstinate in repelling all their Efforts.
At length, Famine did more for
Edward
than Arms. After the Citizens had devoured the lean Carcasses of their starved Cattle, they tore up old Foundations and Rubbish in search of Vermin. They fed on boiled Leather and the Weeds of exhausted Gardens, and a Morsel of damaged Corn was accounted Matter of Luxury.
In this Extremity they resolved to attempt the Enemy's Camp. They boldly sallied forth; the
English
joined Battle; and, after a long and desperate Engagement, Count
Vienne
was taken Prisoner; and the Citizens, who survived the Slaughter, retired within their Gates.
On the Captivity of the Governour, the Command devolved upon
Eustace Saint Pierre,
the Mayor of the Town, a Man of mean Birth but of exalted Virtue.
Eustace
now found himself under the necessity of capitulating and offered to deliver, to
Edward,
the City
