saint george for england- 第49部分

Having　routed　the　French　and　German　cavalry　in　advance；　the　English　now　fell　upon　the　Dauphin's　division。　　This　had　been　already　confused　by　the　attacks　of　the　Captal　De　Buch；　and　when　its　leaders　beheld　the　complete　rout　of　the　marshals　and　the　Germans；　and　saw　the　victorious　force　galloping　down　upon　them；　the　responsibility　attached　to　the　charge　of　the　three　young　princes　overcame　their　firmness。　The　Lords　of　Landas；　Vaudenay；　and　St。　Venant；　thinking　the　battle　lost；　hurried　the　princes　from　the　field；　surrounded　by　eight　hundred　lances；　determined　to　place　them　at　a　secure　distance；　and　then　to　return　and　fight　beside　the　king。　The　retreat　of　the　princes　at　once　disorganized　the　force；　but　though　many　fled　a　number　of　the　nobles　remained　scattered　over　the　field　fighting　in　separate　bodies　with　their　own　retainers　gathered　under　their　banners。　Gradually　these　fell　back　and　took　post　on　the　left　of　the　French　king's　division。　The　Constable　and　the　Duke　of　Bourbon　with　a　large　body　of　knights　and　men…at…arms　also　opposed　a　firm　front　to　the　advance　of　the　English。　　The　king　saw　with　indignation　one　of　his　divisions　defeated　and　the　other　in　coward　flight；　but　his　forces　were　still　vastly　superior　to　those　of　the　English；　and　ordering　his　men　to　dismount；　he　prepared　to　receive　their　onset。　　The　English　now　gathered　their　forces　which　had　been　scattered　in　combat；　and　again　advanced　to　the　fight。　The　archers　as　usual　heralded　this　advance　with　showers　of　arrows；　which　shook　the　ranks　of　the　French　and　opened　the　way　for　the　cavalry。　These　dashed　in；　and　the　ranks　of　the　two　armies　became　mixed；　and　each　man　fought　hand　to　hand。　The　French　king　fought　on　foot　with　immense　valour　and　bravery；　as　did　his　nobles。　The　Dukes　of　Bourbon　and　Athens；　the　Lords　of　Landas；　Argenton；　Chambery；　Joinville；　and　many　others　stood　and　died　near　the　king。

Gradually　the　English　drove　back　their　foes。　The　French　forces　became　cut　up　into　groups　or　confined　into　narrow　spaces。　Knight　after　knight　fell　around　the　king。　De　Ribaumont　fell　near　him。　Jeffrey　de　Charny；　who；　as　one　of　the　most　valiant　knights　in　the　army；　had　been　chosen　to　bear　the　French　standard；　the　oriflamme；　never　left　his　sovereign's　side；　and　as　long　as　the　sacred　banner　floated　over　his　head　John　would　not　believe　the　day　was　lost。　At　length；　however；　Jeffrey　de　Charny　was　killed；　and　the　oriflamme　fell。　John；　surrounded　on　every　side　by　foes　who　pressed　forward　to　make　him　prisoner；　still　kept　clear　the　space　immediately　around　himself　and　his　little　son　with　his　battle…axe；　but　at　last　he　saw　that　further　resistance　would　only　entail　the　death　of　both；　and　he　then　surrendered　to　Denis　de　Montbec；　a　knight　of　Artois。

The　battle　was　now　virtually　over。　The　French　banners　and　pennons　had　disappeared；　and　nothing　was　seen　save　the　dead　and　dying；　groups　of　prisoners；　and　parties　of　fugitives　flying　over　the　country。　Chandos　now　advised　the　prince　to　halt。　His　banner　was　pitched　on　the　summit　of　a　little　mound。　The　trumpets　blew　to　recall　the　army　from　the　pursuit；　and　the　prince；　taking　off　his　helmet；　drank　with　the　little　body　of　knights　who　accompanied　him　some　wine　brought　from　his　former　encampment。

The　two　marshals　of　the　English　army；　the　Earls　of　Warwick　and　Suffolk；　were　among　the　first　to　return　at　the　call　of　the　trumpet。　Hearing　that　King　John　had　certainly　not　left　the　field　of　battle；　though　they　knew　not　whether　he　was　dead　or　taken；　the　prince　at　once　despatched　the　Earl　of　Warwick　and　Lord　Cobham　to　find　and　protect　him　if　still　alive。　They　soon　came　upon　a　mass　of　men…at…arms；　seemingly　engaged　in　an　angry　quarrel。　On　riding　up　they　found　that　the　object　of　strife　was　the　King　of　France；　who　had　been　snatched　from　the　hands　of　Montbec；　and　was　being　claimed　by　a　score　of　men　as　his　prisoner。　The　Earl　of　Warwick　and　Lord　Cobham　instantly　made　their　way　through　the　mass；　and　dismounting；　saluted　the　captive　monarch　with　the　deepest　reverence；　and　keeping　back　the　multitude　led　him　to　the　Prince　of　Wales。　The　latter　bent　his　knee　before　the　king；　and　calling　for　wine；　presented　the　cup　with　his　own　hands　to　the　unfortunate　monarch。

The　battle　was　over　by　noon；　but　it　was　evening　before　all　the　pursuing　parties　returned；　and　the　result　of　the　victory　was　then　fully　known。　With　less　than　8000　men　the　English　had　conquered　far　more　than　60；000。　On　the　English　side　2000　men…at…arms　and　1500　archers　had　fallen。　Upon　the　French　side　11；000　men…　at…arms；　besides　an　immense　number　of　footmen；　had　been　killed。　A　king；　a　prince；　an　archbishop；　13　counts；　66　barons；　and　more　than　2000　knights　were　prisoners　in　the　hands　of　the　English；　with　a　number　of　other　soldiers；　who　raised　the　number　of　captives　to　double　that　of　their　conquerors。　All　the　baggage　of　the　French　army　was　taken；　and　as　the　barons　of　France　had　marched　to　the　field　feeling　certain　of　victory；　and　the　rich　armour　of　the　prisoners　became　immediately　the　property　of　the　captors；　immense　stores　of　valuable　ornaments　of　all　kinds；　especially　jewelled　baldrics；　enriched　the　meanest　soldier　among　the　conquerors。

The　helmet　which　the　French　king　had　worn；　which　bore　a　small　coronet　of　gold　beneath　the　crest；　was　delivered　to　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　sent　it　off　at　once　to　his　father　as　the　best　trophy　of　the　battle　he　could　offer　him。

Its　receipt　was　the　first　intimation　which　Edward　III　received　of　the　great　victory。

As　the　prince　had　no　means　of　providing　for　the　immense　number　of　prisoners；　the　greater　portion　were　set　at　liberty　upon　their　taking　an　oath　to　present　themselves　at　Bordeaux　by　the　ensuing　Christmas　in　order　either　to　pay　the　ransom　appointed；　or　to　again　yield　themselves　as　prisoners。

Immediately　the　battle　was　over；　Edward　sent　for　the　gallant　Sir　James　Audley；　who　was　brought　to　him　on　his　litter　by　his　esquires；　and　the　prince；　after　warmly　congratulating　him　on　the　honour　that　he　had　that　day　won　as　the　bravest　knight　in　the　army；　assigned　him　an　annuity　of　five　hundred　marks　a　year。

No　sooner　was　Audley　taken　to　his　own　tent　than　he　called　round　him　several　of　his　nearest　relations　and　friends；　and　then　and　there　made　over　to　his　four　gallant　attendants；　without　power　of　recall；　the　gift　which　the　prince　had　bestowed　upon　him。　The　prince　was　not　to　be　outdone；　however；　in　liberality；　and　on　hearing　that　Audley　had　assigned　his　present　to　the　brave　men　who　had　so　gallantly　supported　him　in　the　fight；　he　presented　Sir　James　with　another　annuity　of　six　hundred　marks　a　year。



CHAPTER　XXI：　THE　JACQUERIE


ON　the　evening　after　the　battle　of　Poitiers　a　splendid　entertainment　was　served　in　the　tent　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　to　the　King　of　France　and　all　the　principal　prisoners。　John；　with　his　son　and　six　of　his　highest　nobles　were　seated　at　a　table　raised　above　the　rest；　and　the　prince　himself　waited　as　page　upon　the　French　king。　John　in　vain　endeavoured　to　persuade　the　prince　to　be　seated；　the　latter　refused；　saying；　that　it　was　his　pleasure　as　well　as　his　duty　to　wait　upon　one　who　had　shown　himself　to　be　the　best　and　bravest　knight　in　the　French　army。　The　example　of　the　Black　Prince　was　contagious；　and　the　English　vied　with　each　other　in　generous　treatment　of　their　prisoners。　All　were　treated　as　friends；　and　that　night　an　immense　number　of　knights　and　squires　were　admitted　to　ransom　on　such　terms　as　had　never　before　been　known。　The　captors　simply　required　their　prisoners　to　declare　in　good　faith　what　they　could　afford　to　pay　without　pressing　themselves　too　hard；　〃for　they　did　not　wish；〃　they　said；　〃to　ransom　knights　or　squires　on　terms　which　would　prevent　them　from　maintaining　their　station　in　society；　from　serving　their　lords；　or　from　riding　forth　in　arms　to　advance　their　name　and　honour。〃

Upon　the　following　morning　solemn　thanksgivings　were　offered　up　on　the　field　of　battle　for　the　glorious　victory。　Then　the　English　army；　striking　its　tents；　marched　back　towards　Bordeaux。　They　were　unmolested　upon　this　march；　for　although　the　divisions　of　the　Dauphin　and　the　Duke　of　Orleans　had　now　reunited；　and　were　immensely　superior　in　numbers　to　the　English；　encumbered　as　the　latter　were；　moreover；　with　prisoners　and　booty；　the　tremendous　defeat　which　they　had　suffered；　and　still　more　the　capture　of　the　king；　paralysed　the　French　commanders；　and　the　English　reached　Bordeaux　without　striking　another　blow。

Not　long　after　they　reached　that　city　the　Cardinal　of　Perigord　and　another　legate　presented　themselves　to　arrange　peace；　and　these　negotiations　went　on　throughout　the　winter。　　The　prince　had　received　full　powers　from　his　father；　and　his　demands　were　very　moderate；　but　in　spite　of　this　no　final　peace　could　be　arranged；　and　the　result　of　the　conference　was　the　proclamation　of　a　truce；　to　last　for　two　years　from　the　following　Easter。　During　the　winter　immense　numbers　of　the　prisoners　who　had　gone　at　large　upon　patrol；　came　in　and　paid　their　ransoms；　as　did　the　higher　nobles　who　had　been　taken　prisoners；　and　the　whole　army　was　greatly　enriched。　At　the　end　of　April　the　prince　returned　to　England　with　King　John。　The　procession　through　the　streets　of　London　was　a　magnificent　one；　the　citizens　vying　with　each　other　in　decorating　their　houses　in　honour　of　the　victor　of　Poitiers；　who；　simply　dressed；　rode　on　a　small　black　horse　by　the　side　of　his　prisoner；　who　was　splendidly　attired；　and　mounted　on　a　superb　white　charger。　The　king　received　his　royal　prisoner　in　state　in　the　great　hall　of　his　palace　at　Westminster；　and　did　all　in　his　power　to　alleviate　the　sorrows　of　his　condition。　The　splendid　palace　of　the　Savoy；　with　gardens　extending　to　the　Thames；　was　appointed　for　his　residence；　and　every　means　was　taken　to　soften　his　captivity。

During　the　absence　of　the　Black　Prince　in　Guienne　the　king　had　been　warring　in　Scotland。　Here　his　success　had　been　small；　as　the　Scotch　had　retreated　before　him；　wasting　the　country。　David　Bruce；　the　rightful　king；　was　a　prisoner　in　England；　and　Baliol；　a　descendant　of　the　rival　of　Robert　Bruce；　had　been　placed　upon　the　throne。　As　Edward　passed　through　Roxburgh　he　received　from　Baliol　a　formal　cession　of　his　rights　and　titles　to　the　throne　of　Scotland；　and　in　return　for　this　purely　nominal　gift　he　bestowed　an　annual　income　upon　Baliol；　who　lived　and　died　a　pe