7. The prince offered to give up all the castles and prisoners he had taken, and to swear not to fight in France again for seven years. But the king would hear of nothing but his absolute surrender of himself and his army on the spot. The cardinal laboured till the very last moment, and then rode back to Poictiers, having equally offended both parties.

8. The story of the battle, if we remember the position of the armies, is told in a moment. The prince remained firm in his position; the French charged with their usual chivalrous ardour-charged up the lane. The English archers, whom the prince had stationed behind the hedges on each side, let fly their showers of arrows, as at Crecy. In an instant the lane was choked with the dead, and the first check of such headstrong confidence was fatal.

9. Here, as at Crecy, was exemplified the truth of the remark of the medieval historian, "We now no longer contest our battles as did the Greeks and Romans: the first stroke decides all." The prince in his turn charged; a general panic seized the whole French army; the first and second divisions fled in the wildest confusion; the third alone, where King John stood, made a gallant resistance.

10. King John, on his part, proved himself a good knight, and if the fourth of his people had behaved as well, the day would have been his own. Those, however, who remained with him, acquitted themselves to the best of their

power, and were either slain or taken prisoners. King John himself did wonders; he was armed with a battle-axe, with which he fought and defended himself.

11. His youngest son Philip, a boy of fourteen, clung obstinately to his side, crying out every instant, "Father, ware right! father, ware left!" There was much pressing through eagerness of taking the king; and those that were nearest to him and knew him cried out, "Surrender yourself, surrender yourself, or you are a dead man!

12. Denis de Morbeque pushed through the crowd and said in good French, "Sire, sire, surrender yourself!" The king turning to him asked, "To whom shall I surrender myself? Where is my cousin the Prince of Wales? If I could see him I would speak to him." "Sire," replied Sir Denis, "he is not here, but surrender yourself to me, and I will lead you to him.” "Who are you?" said the king. "Sire, I am Denis de Morbeque, a knight from Artois; but I serve the King of England, because I cannot belong to France, having forfeited all I possessed there."

13. The king then gave him his right-hand glove, and said, "I surrender myself to you." There was much crowding and pushing about, for every one was eager to cry out, "I have taken him!" Neither the king nor his youngest son Philip were able to get forward and free themselves from the throng.

P

14. The prince who had gained the battle was still only twenty-six-that is, a year younger than Napoleon at the beginning of his campaigns-and the battle was distinguished from all others by the number, not of the slain, but of the prisoners, one Englishman often taking four or five Frenchmen.

15. The day of the battle, at night, the prince gave a supper in his lodgings to the French king, and to most of the great lords that were prisoners. The prince caused the king and his son to sit at one table, and other lords, knights, and squires at the others; and the prince always served the king very humbly, and would not sit at the king's table, although he requested him. He said he was not qualified to sit at the table with so great a prince as the king was.

16. Then he said to the king, "Dear sir, make no bad cheer, though your will was not accomplished this day; for, sir, the king, my father, will certainly bestow upon you as much honour and friendship as he can, and will agree with you so reasonably that you will ever after be friends.

17. "And, sir, I think you ought to rejoice, though the battle be not as you will, for you have this day gained the high honour of prowess, and have surpassed all others on your side in valour. Sir, I say not this in raillery, for all our party, who saw every man's deeds, agree in this, and give you the palm and chaplet."

18. Therewith the Frenchmen whispered

among themselves that the prince had spoken nobly, and that most probably he would prove a great hero, if God preserved his life to persevere in such good fortune.

1. Up with me! up with me into the clouds! For thy song, Lark, is strong;

Up with me, up with me into the clouds!
Singing, singing,

With all the heavens about thee ringing,