Richard II

le of Po

135

ince sets ou

hn, the Black Prince, when he was about twenty-five years of age, set out from England, at the head of a large body of men, to invade France on the so

s march by an immense number of nobles and barons, all splendidly equipped and armed, and full of enthusiastic expect

mou

the port, waiting for a fair wind and good weather. At length the favorable time arrived. The army embarked, and the ships set s

s of tho

at have come down to us, they were of very odd construction. On the adjoining page

an literally correct representations of them. Still, we can deduce from them some general

SENTATION OF

ravages t

little difference to them under whose reign they lived. It is not at all unlikely that far the greater portion of them had never even heard of the quarrel. They were quietly engaged in their various industrial pursuits, dreaming probably of no danger, until the advance of this army, coming upon them mysteriously, no one knew whither, like a plague, or a tornado, or a great conflagration, drove them from th

of his attendants in this campaign, a knight who served in the prince's household, in a letter whic

teine that since this warre began against the French king, he had never such losse or destruction as he hath had in this journie; for the countries and good townes

10

N OF PO

of the Bl

ntry la

t, and the prince advanced at the head of it in a very slow and cautious manner. He depended for the sustenance of his soldiers on the supplies which he could obtain from the country itself. Accordingly, he moved slowly from town to town, so as not to fatigue his soldiers by too long marches, nor exhaust them by too frequent battles. "When he was entered anie towne," says the old chronicler

ce comes to meet

t him. Large detachments from this army had already advanced as far as the banks of the Loire, and all the important points on that river had been taken possession of, and were strongly guarded by them. The king

the face of such an enemy, but of turning to the westward toward the province of Poitou, through which a way of retreat to the southward would be op

e near R

ft chargers. This squadron had been hovering in the neighborhood of the English army for some days, watching for an opportunity to attack them, but without success. Now, foreseeing that Edward would attempt to enter Romorantin,

oitrin

sh troop

ace, and ascertain whether the way was clear for the main body of the army to approach. Edward gave them permission, and they set forward. As might have been expected, they fell into the snare which the French knights had laid for them. The Frenc

surprised i

mewhat fewer in number than the French, seem to have been made desperate by their danger, and they fought like tigers. For a time it was uncertain which way the contest would turn, but at length, while the victory was still undecided, the van of the main body of the English army began to arrive upon the ground. The F

retreat to

the castle, and, as soon as they got in, they shut the gates and secured themselves there, but the English got possession of the town. As soon as Edward c

s continued all day, but without success on the part of the assailant

THE CASTLE O

stle b

d the men to make the greatest possible efforts to batter down the gates and to scale the walls. Edward was excited to a high degree of resentment and rage against the garrison of the castle, not only on account of the general obstinacy of their resistance, but because, on the preceding d

ng the

ould scarcely show themselves for an instant on the walls. Finally, they made hurdles and floats of various kinds, by means of which large numbers succeeded, half by swimming and half by floating, to

gi

astle

extraordinary combustible substance called Greek fire. It was this Greek fire that, in the end, turned the scale of victory, for it caught in the lower court of the castle, where it burned so furiously that it baffled

and his

n overwhelming army. King John advanced to the Loire, and sending different detachments of his army to different points, with orders to cross at any bridges that they could find, he himself came to Blois, where he

rmy, all young men. Their names we

gan to approach each other

Pope's legate

ringing them to a peace. At the time when the two armies had drawn near to each other and the battle seemed imminent, the cardinal was at Poictiers, and just as the King of France was marshaling his troops in the order of

leave to speak,

hatever terms with them you please, and it will be far more honorable and praiseworthy in you to spare their lives, and the lives of your gallant followers, by making peace with them on such terms as you may think right, without a battle, than to

g. "We have no objection. Go

s of the Po

nglis

reat measure concealed and protected among hedges, vineyards, and groves. The cardinal advanced through a narrow lane, and came up to the English prince a

hich the King of France had brought against him, and how imminent the danger was that he and all his forces would be totally destroyed in case o

uch negotiations, and that he was willing to accept of terms o

what the prince had said, and he entreated the king to grant a truce

nal obtai

roposal. They were fierce for the battle, and could not brook the idea of delay. But the cardinal wa

remain on the ground ready for the onset to-morrow mo

ng's p

on of red silk, and pitched it on the field for the king. The

ohn's

d will not y

to his will, and that the whole army should surrender themselves as prisoners of war. This Prince Edward would not consent to. He was willing, he said, to give up all the French prisoners that he had in custody, and also to restore all the castles and towns which he had taken from the French. He was also willing to bind himself for seven years not to take up arms against the King of France. But all this did not satisfy

the two

s of

s along the lines of the enemy, to see what was to be seen. In these cases they sometimes met each other, and held conversation together, both parties being bound in honor by the truce not to commit any act of hostility. There was a certain English knight, named Sir John Chandos, who in this way met a French knight named Clermont. Both these knights were mounted and fully arm

tween the

of the Virgin Mary embroidered in blue, and surrounded by a radiance of sunbeams. Clermont, on perceivi

nce you have taken the l

f who are wearing

were not for the truce, I would soon show

truce is over, you will find me on the field read

emen parted, and each ro

ons for t

n effort to renew the negotiations. But the king peremptorily refused to listen to him, and ordered him to be gone. He would not listen, he said, to any more pretended treaties or pacifications. So the cardinal perceived t

sh po

and the bar

red by hedges. The English archers were posted along these hedges, and when the French troops attempted to advance, the archers poured such a shower of barbed arrows into the horses' sides, that they soon threw them into confusion. The barbed arrows could not be withdrawn, and the horses, terrified with the stinging pain, would rear, and plunge, and turn round upon those behind them, until at length the lane was filled with horse

lish vi

the king

e as a commanding officer, or to all these causes combined, it is impossible to say. The result was, however, that the French were every where overcome, thrown into confusion, and put to flight. Three of the French king's sons were led off early from the field, their attendants excusing their flight by their anxiety to save the princes from being taken prisoners or put to death. A large squadron were driven off on the road to Poictiers. The inhabitants of Poictiers, seeing them comin

announced to

ith Prince Edward all the day, advanced to the prince,

ll in our men. They are getting greatly scattered. I have taken a survey of the ground, and I do not see any whe

n call

ther again around the prince's banner. They set up the banner upon a high bush, near where the prince was standing, and the minstre

at the pri

nd other refreshments; and as the knights, and barons, and other noble warriors arrived at the tent, the prince offered them refreshments, and received th

ent to look

nce and his son

l abou

a certain part of the field. They were on foot, and were advancing very slowly, and there seemed to be some peculiar excitement among them, for they were crowding and pushing each other in a remarkable manner. The truth was, that the men had got the King of France and his youngest son Philip in their possession, and were attempting to bring them in to the prince's tent, but were quarreling among themselves as they came along, being unable to decide which of them was entitled to the custody of the prisoners. The barons immediately put spurs to their horses

e and my son in a courteous manner to my cousin the prince, and do no

, paid little heed to these words, but wen

u he is my

im. Let him alone.

ake possession o

prince, to let go the prisoners and retire, and they threatened to cut down on the spot any man who refused to obey. The barons then dismount

in every respect with the utmost consideration. He provided him with every thing necessary for his comfort, and ordered refreshments to be

ny

ious adv

He had then gone to England, where he had entered into the service of the king, and, finally, had joined the expedition of the Prince of Wales. This Denys happened to be in the part of the field where the King of France and his son Philip were engaged. The king was desperately beset by his foes, who were calling upon him all around in English to surrender. They did not

l I surrender

was banished from France, and I now ser

d the king. "If I could se

tter surrender to me, and I will take you imm

s surrend

prisoner as theirs. Denys attempted to conduct the king to Prince Edward, all the knights accompanying him, and struggling to get possession of the prisoner by the way. I

akes a supper f

a few French nobles of high rank, were placed at an elevated table superbly appointed and arranged. There were side tables set for the squires and knights of lower degree. Prince Edward, instead of seating himself at the table with the king, took his place a

emeanor of

and boasting of the victory which he had achieved, he did every thing in his pow

in the decision of divine Providence, the battle has gone against you for the moment, you have nothing personally to fear either for yourself or for your son. You may rely with perfect confidence upon receiving the most honorable

on of the

y were warm in their praises of the magnanimity of their victorious enemy. He treated these knights themselves, too, in the same generous mann

h pris

rdinary escape f

apture in a very singular manner. He was standing in his armor among his captors late in the evening, at a place at some distance from the field, where the French had taken him and some other prisoners for safety, and the French were about to take off his armor, which, from its magnificen

rself out in this way in your master's armor? You have murder

and fear, he came to Ramsay and pulled off one of his boots. Ramsay took up the boot and struck

rd Douglas,

s his servant. He has killed his master, I suppose, and stolen his armor." T

find your master's body, and when you have found it come bac

o the Frenchmen as the ransom of the pretended servant, and

th you!

nt away with the air of a detected impostor,

veys the King of

sail with his prisoners for London. In the mean time, news of the victory, and of the coming of the King of France as prisoner to England, had reached London, and great preparations were made there for the reception of the prince. The prince took a fleet of ships and a large force of armed men with him on

e into

came out to meet them, all the different trades and companies of London appeared in their respective uniforms, with flags and

treatment of

his train, he gave the king the place of honor, while he himself took the station of one of his attendants. The king was mounted on a white charger very splendidly caparisoned, while Prince Edward rode a small black horse by his side. The procession moved in this way through the principal streets of the city to a palace on the banks of

en treated them with great consideration. They often visited King John at his palace, and they

war

ng ran

ll, no great progress was made on either side, and at length, when both parties had become wearied and exhausted in the struggle, a peace was concluded, and K

Edward'

eir apparent

as capturing the French king, and conducting him a prisoner to London, joined to the noble generosity which he displayed in his treatment of his prisoners, made his name celebrated throughout the wor

dward his father was drawing gradually into the later years