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forbidding the men to wear any precious furs or rich stuffs; and ordering that all the Ladies fhould lay afide the gorgeous attire of their heads, and wear neither pearls, gold, nor filver about their clothes, or upon their girdles, fo long as their King should remain a prifoner: and further to testify their unhappiness on account of the public calamity, they laid afide all banquets, entertainments, dances, and every other diverfion during his captivity. But these laudable regulations were of no effect, as most of the other provinces entered into the views of the metropolis, whofe Provost, fupported by feveral thoufand artificers, flew three of the Dauphin's Counsellors in his prefence, and were ready to fhake off all regal authority.

During this confufion in the Dauphin's affairs, King Edward feemed to have miffed a favourable opportunity for pushing his conquefts; but the ftate of the English finances would not at prefent permit him to make

any

any regular or continued efforts. It has been also esteemed bad policy in the Prince of Wales to keep the French King and the other prifoners fo long at Bourdeaux, whereby more than a year was spent in. pleasure and inactivity; but a rumour having been spread, that the three eftates by which the kingdom of France was then governed, had views of refcuing their King on his paffage to England, it was neceflary he should raise a fleet fufficient to convey him with fafety. This, and the dangers of a winter's voyage, retarded the Prince till the twenty-fourth of April following, near feven months after the battle of Poictiers, when he fet fail for England: on the fifth of May he landed at Sandwich, from whence, after a fhort ftay to refresh himfelf and his companions from the fatigues of the voyage, he proceeded on the twentyfourth to London.

Sir Henry Picard, then Lord Mayor, was commanded by the King to prepare for N 4 their

their reception in the most honourable manner; and in Southwark they were met by a thousand of the Citizens on horseback. The King of France, clothed in royal apparel, was mounted on a large white courfer in token of Sovereignty, whilft his generous Conqueror, with his usual modesty and unparalleled greatnefs of foul, rode by his fide on a little black horfe, industriously avoiding every appearance of triumph. They took their way over London Bridge, and rode directly to Westminster, and in the ftreets through which they paffed the Citizens difplayed their plate, tapestry, and valuable ornaments; but they more particularly expofed their warlike furniture, as fuitable to the occafion, and expreffive of their triumphant joy. The concourfe of people to behold this uncommon fight was fo great, that the proceffion continued from five o'clock in the morning till noon, about which time the Prince got to Westminsterhall, where he prefented to the King his Father, then fitting in great ftate on a royal throne,

throne, the person of King John his prifoner. The English Monarch arose, and advancing to meet him, received him with the fame courtesy as if he had been a neighbouring Potentate voluntarily come to pay him a friendly vifit. He then embraced his Son, and publicly thanked him for the services he had done the kingdom; in which all the people joined with the loudest acclamations. The King concluded the day with a magnificent entertainment, and ordered apartments for the principal of his captives in his own palace, till the Savoy * could be prepared for their reception.

Never was joy more fincere and unbounded than that which diffused itself through the whole nation on this glorious occafion; and the rejoicings were continued

* The Savoy at that time was a noble structure, belonging to Henry Duke of Lancaster; but the first founder being Peter Earl of Savoy, it retains his name to, this day,

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for several weeks, with the utmost splendor. Those troops who had been present at the battle of Poitiers were welcomed, treated, and highly careffed wherever they came, and in all respects preferred to others of equal rank and condition: on the contrary, all the Lords, Knights, and 'Squires of France, who had fled from the battle, were fo hated, reviled, and pointed at, that they forbore to appear at any public place of refort: fo certainly is honour and the public approbation the reward of virtuous and gallant actions; and fo affuredly will infamy and reproach pursue the coward or the villain. The ambitious Tyrant or his defpotic Ministers may affect to despise the cenfures of the people, and term them the clamours of an ill-judging mob; the difgraced General may impute his retreat to accident, to miftake, or to prudence, and vaunt of his magnanimity whilft the enemy are at a diftance; but the tyranny of the one, and the cowardice of the other, will appear through the thin difguife, and excite

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