saint george for england-第47章

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o　his　new　possessions　many　of　the　knights　and　nobles　who　had　served　with　him；　and　offered　to　Walter　a　high　post　in　the　government　of　the　province　if　he　would　accompany　him。　This　Walter　begged　to　be　excused　from　doing。　　Two　girls　had　now　been　added　to　his　family；　and　he　was　unwilling　to　leave　his　happy　home　unless　the　needs　of　war　called　him　to　the　prince's　side。　He　therefore　remained　quietly　at　home。

When　King　John　returned　to　France；　four　of　the　French　princes　of　the　blood…royal　had　been　given　as　hostages　for　the　fulfilment　of　the　treaty　of　Bretigny。　They　were　permitted　to　reside　at　Calais；　and　were　at　liberty　to　move　about　as　they　would；　and　even　to　absent　themselves　from　the　town　for　three　days　at　a　time　whensoever　they　might　choose。　The　Duke　of　Anjou；　the　king's　second　son；　basely　took　advantage　of　this　liberty　to　escape；　in　direct　violation　of　his　oath。　The　other　hostages　followed　his　example。

King　John；　himself　the　soul　of　honour；　was　intensely　mortified　at　this　breach　of　faith　on　the　part　of　his　sons；　and　after　calling　together　the　states…general　at　Amiens　to　obtain　the　subsidies　necessary　for　paying　the　remaining　portion　of　his　ransom；　he　himself；　with　a　train　of　two　hundred　officers　and　their　followers；　crossed　to　England　to　make　excuses　to　Edward　for　the　treachery　of　the　princes。　　Some　historians　represent　the　visit　as　a　voluntary　returning　into　captivity；　but　this　was　not　so。　The　English　king　had　accepted　the　hostages　in　his　place；　and　was　responsible　for　their　safe…keeping；　and　had　no　claim　upon　the　French　monarch　because　they　had　taken　advantage　of　the　excess　of　confidence　with　which　they　had　been　treated。　　That　the　coming　of　the　French　king　was　not　in　any　way　regarded　as　a　return　into　captivity　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　he　was　before　starting　furnished　by　Edward　with　letters　of　safe…conduct；　by　which　his　secure　and　unobstructed　return　to　his　own　country　was　expressly　stipulated；　and　he　was　received　by　Edward　as　an　honoured　guest　and　friend；　and　his　coming　was　regarded　as　an　honour　and　an　occasion　for　festivity　by　all　England。

At　the　same　time　that　John　was　in　London　the　King　of　Cyprus；　the　King　of　Denmark；　and　the　King　of　Scotland　were　also　there；　and　the　meeting　of　four　monarchs　in　London　was　the　occasion　of　extraordinary　festivities　and　rejoicing；　the　king　and　his　royal　guests　being　several　times　entertained　at　sumptuous　banquets　by　the　lord…mayor；　the　ex…mayor　Henry　Pickard；　and　several　of　the　aldermen。

Six　weeks　after　John's　arrival　in　London　he　was　seized　with　illness　at　the　palace　of　the　Savoy；　and　died　on　the　8th　of　April；　1364。　The　Dauphin；　Charles；　now　succeeded　him　as　Charles　V；　and　the　war　between　the　houses　of　Navarre　and　Valois　was　carried　on　with　greater　fury　than　ever。　The　armies　of　Navarre　were　commanded　by　the　Captal　de　Buch；　who　was　a　distant　relation　of　the　king；　while　those　of　Charles　were　headed　by　the　Marechal　de　Boucicault　and　Bertrand　du　Guesclin；　one　of　the　most　gallant　of　the　French　knights。　　A　great　battle　was　fought　near　Cocherel。　Contrary　to　the　orders　of　the　Captal；　his　army；　which　consisted　principally　of　adventurers；　descended　from　the　strong　position　he　had　chosen；　and　gave　battle　in　the　plain。　They　were　completely　defeated；　and　the　Captal　himself　taken　prisoner。

In　Brittany　John　of　Montford　and　Charles　of　Blois　had　renewed　their　struggle；　and　King　Charles；　seeing　the　danger　of　Brittany　falling　into　the　hands　of　De　Montford；　who　was　a　close　ally　of　England；　interfered　in　favour　of　Charles　of　Blois；　and　sent　Du　Guesclin　to　his　assistance。

This　was　a　breach　of　the　treaty　of　Bretigny；　and　De　Montford　at　once　sent　to　the　Black　Prince　for　assistance。　　The　Prince　did　not　treat　the　conduct　of　Charles　as　a　breach　of　the　treaty；　and　took　no　part　himself　in　the　war；　but　permitted　Sir　John　Chandos；　who　was　a　personal　friend　of　De　Montford；　to　go　to　his　aid。　De　Montford's　army；　after　the　arrival　of　Chandos　with　200　spears；　amounted　to　but　1600　men…at…arms　and　from　800　to　900　archers；　while　Charles　of　Blois　had　4000　men…at…arms　and　a　proportionate　number　of　infantry。　De　Montford　tried　to　negotiate。　He　offered　to　divide　the　dukedom；　and　to　agree　that　in　case　he　died　childless　it　should　revert　to　the　family　of　Charles。　Charles；　however；　refused　all　terms；　even　to　grant　his　adversary's　request　to　put　off　the　battle　until　the　morrow；　so　as　to　avoid　violating　the　Sabbath；　and　having　given　orders　that　all　prisoners　taken　in　the　battle　should　be　hung；　he　advanced　upon　De　Montford。

Both　forces　were　divided　in　four　bodies。　The　first　on　De　Montford's　side　was　commanded　by　Sir　Robert　Knolles；　the　second　by　Oliver　de　Clisson；　the　third　by　Chandos　and　De　Montford；　the　fourth　by　Sir　Hugh　de　Calverley。　Du　Guesclin　led　the　front　division　of　Charles's　army；　the　Counts　of　Auxerre　and　Joigny　the　second；　Charles　himself　the　third；　and　the　Lords　of　Roye　and　Rieux　the　reserve。　　The　ducal　arms　of　Brittany　were　displayed　on　both　sides。


By　slow　degrees　the　two　armies　closed　with　each　other　in　deadly　strife。　Both　parties　had　dismounted　and　fought　on　foot　with　lances　shortened　to　five　feet。　Du　Guesclin　and　his　division　attacked　that　of　Knolles。　Auxerre　fell　upon　De　Clisson；　while　the　divisions　of　the　two　rival　princes　closed　with　each　other。　　After　desperate　fighting　numbers　prevailed。　　De　Montford　was　driven　back；　but　Calverley　advanced　to　his　aid；　fell　upon　the　rear　of　the　French；　threw　them　into　disorder；　and　then　having　rallied　De　Montford's　men；　retired　to　his　former　position　in　readiness　to　give　succour　again　where　it　might　be　needed。

In　the　meantime　Clisson　had　been　engaged　in　a　desperate　struggle　with　the　Count　of　Auxerre；　but　was　obtaining　no　advantage。　Clisson　himself　had　received　the　blow　of　a　battle…axe　which　had　dashed　in　the　vizor　of　his　helmet　and　blinded　for　ever　one　of　his　eyes。　He　was　still　leading　his　men；　but　the　enemies'　superior　numbers　were　pressing　him　back；　when　Chandos；　the　instant　the　assistance　of　Calverley　had　relieved　De　Montford's　division；　perceiving　his　danger；　drew　off　a　few　men…at…arms；　and　with　them　fell　upon　the　rear　of　the　Count　of　Auxerre；　and　dashing　all　who　opposed　him　to　the　ground　with　his　battle…axe；　cleft　his　way　to　the　very　centre　of　the　enemy。　Pressed　by　De　Clisson　in　front　and　broken　by　the　sudden　attack　of　Chandos　in　the　rear；　the　French　division　gave　way　in　every　direction。　Auxerre　was　desperately　wounded；　and　he　and　Joigny　both　taken　prisoners。

Chandos　then　returned　to　De　Montford；　who　had　gallantly　followed　up　the　advantage　gained　by　the　confusion　into　which　Charles's　division　had　been　thrown　by　the　attack　of　Calverley。　Charles　was　routed；　he　himself　struck　down　and　slain　by　an　English　soldier；　and　the　division　defeated　with　great　slaughter。　De　Montford's　whole　force　now　gathered　round　Du　Guesclin's　division；　which　now　alone　remained；　and　after　fighting　gallantly　until　all　hope　was　gone；　the　brave　French　knight　and　his　companions　yielded　themselves　as　prisoners。

The　battle　of　Auray　terminated　the　struggle　between　the　houses　of　Blois　and　Montford。　More　than　1000　French　men…at…arms　died　on　the　field；　among　whom　were　many　of　the　noblest　in　Brittany。　Two　counts；　27　lords；　and　1500　men…at…arms　were　made　prisoners。　De　Montford　now　took　possession　of　the　whole　of　Brittany；　and　at　the　suggestion　of　King　Edward　himself　did　homage　to　Charles　V　for　the　duchy；　which　he　afterwards　ruled　with　wisdom。



CHAPTER　XXII：　VICTORY　AND　DEATH


While　the　Black　Prince　was　with　difficulty　governing　his　province　of　Aquitaine；　where　the　mutual　jealousies　of　the　English　and　native　officers　caused　continual　difficulties；　King　Edward　turned　all　his　attention　to　advancing　the　prosperity　of　England。　He　fostered　trade；　commerce；　and　learning；　was　a　munificent　patron　of　the　two　universities；　and　established　such　order　and　regularity　in　his　kingdom　that　England　was　the　admiration　of　all　Europe。　Far　different　was　the　state　of　France。　　The　cessation　of　the　wars　with　England　and　the　subsequent　disbandment　of　troops　had　thrown　upon　their　own　resources　great　numbers　of　men　who　had　been　so　long　engaged　in　fighting　that　they　had　no　other　trade　to　turn　to。　The　conclusion　of　the　struggle　in　Brittany　after　the　battle　of　Auray　and　the　death　of　Charles　of　Blois　still　further　added　to　the　number；　and　these　men　gathered　in　bands；　some　of　which　were　headed　by　men　of　knightly　rank；　and　scattered　through　France　plundering　the　country　and　extracting　heavy　sums　from　the　towns。

These　〃great　companies；〃　as　they　were　called；　exceeded　50；000　men　in　number；　and　as　almost　all　were　trained　soldiers　they　set　the　king　and　his　nobles　at　defiance；　and　were　virtually　masters　of　France。　The　most　tempting　offers　were　made　to　them　to　lay　down　their　arms；　and　the　pope　sent　legates　threatening　excommunication；　but　the　great　companies　laughed　alike　at　promises　and　threats。　　At　last　a　way　of　deliverance　opened　to　France。　Pedro；　named　the　Cruel；　of　Castile；　had　alienated　his　people　by　his　cruelty；　and　had　defeated　and　driven　into　exile　his　half…brother；　Henry　of　Trastamare；　who　headed　an　insurrection　against　him。　Pedro　put　to　death　numbers　of　the　nobles　of　Castile；　despoiled　the　King　of　Arragon；　who　had　given　aid　to　his　brother；　plundered　and　insulted　the　clergy；　and　allied　himself　with　the　Moors。

His　quarrel　with　the　clergy　was　the　cause　of　his　ruin。　　The　pope　summoned　him　to　appear　before　him　at　Avignon　to　answer　to　the　crimes　laid　to　his　charge。　Pedro　refused　to　attend；　and　the　pope　at　once　excommunicated　him。　The　King　of　Arragon　and　Henry　of　Trastamare　were　then　summoned　to　Avignon；　and　a　treaty　of　alliance　was　concluded　between　them；　and　the　pope　declared　the　throne　of　Castile　vacant　owing　to　the　excommunication　of　Pedro；　and　appointed　Henry　to　it。

These　measures　would　have　troubled　Pedro　little　had　it　not　been　that　France　groaned　under　the　great　companies；　and　the　French　king　and　the　pontiff　at　once　entered　into　negotiations　with　them　to　support　Henry　in　his　war　against　his　brother。　It　was　necessary　that　a　leader　in　whom　the　companies　should　have　confidence　should　be　chosen；　and　Du　Guesclin；　still　a　prisoner　of　Chandos；　who　had　captured　him　at　Auray；　was　selected；　and　the　pope；　the　King　of　France；　and　Don　Henry；　paid　between　them　the　100；000　francs　demanded　for　his　ransom。　Du　Guesclin　on　his　release　negotiated　with　the　leaders　of　the　great　companies；　and　as　the　pope　and　king　promised　them　large　gratuities　they　agreed　to　march　upon　Spain。　They　were　joined　by　a　great　number　of　French　knights　and　men…at…arms。

The　expedition　was　under　the　nominal　command　of　John　of　Bourbon；　but　the　real　guidance　was　in　the　hands　of　Du　Guesclin。　As　the　army　marched　past　Avignon　they　worked　upon　the　terrors　of　the　pope　until　he　paid　them　200；000　francs　in　gold。　　France　was　filled　with　joy　at　the　prospect　of　a　riddance　of　the　free　companies　which　had　so　long　been　a　prey　upon　them。　They　were；　too；　eager　to　avenge　upon　the　cruel　King　of　Spain　the　murder　of　his　queen；　who　was　a　princess　of　France。　　The　same　feeling　animated　the　people　of　Aquitaine；　and　Calverley；　D'Ambrecicourt；　Sir　Walter　Hewitt；　Sir　John　Devereux；　Sir　John　Neville；　and　several　other　distinguished　knights；　with　a　large　train　of　men…at…arms；　joined　the　adventurers。　The　great　army　moved　through　Arragon；　whose　king　in　every　way　facilitated　their　progress。　　As　the