ten o'clock
They had a good many encounters with the freebooters . Two or three times strong parties that had landed from ships were attacked by the garrisons of both castles , joined by the tenantry near , and were driven to the boats with heavy loss . Once the beacon from the mouth of the Medway signalled that three ships had entered the mouth of that river . Edgar signalled to Cliffe , and when at ten o'clock the French landed just below Hoo , thinking to make an easy capture of the village , and , perhaps , even to carry the castle by surprise , they were allowed to ascend the hill undisturbed , and were then attacked by the sixty men-at-arms , led by the two knights , together with a number of villagers and countrymen armed with bows and bills . Although superior in numbers the French were driven down the hill with great slaughter . Only a few succeeded in regaining their ships ; but the tide had not yet turned , and there was little wind . Boats were obtained at Upnor , the vessels boarded , and all on board put to the sword .