throne, the perfon of King John his pri foner, The English Monarch arofe, and advancing to meet him, received him with the fame courtesy as if he had been a neigh bouring Potentate voluntarily come to pay him a friendly vifit. He then embraced his Son, and publicly thanked him for the fervices 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 un bounded than that which diffused itfelf through the whole nation on this glorious occafion; and the rejoicings were continued

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

for feveral weeks with the utmoft fplendor. Thofe troops who had been prefent at the battle of Poitiers were welcomed, treated, and highly careffed wherever they came, and in all refpects 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 vir tuous and gallant actions; and fo affuredly will infamy and reproach purfue the coward or the villain. The ambitious Tyrant or his defpotic Ministers may affect to defpife the cenfures of the people, and term them the clamours of an ill-judging mob; the dif graced General may impute his retreat to accident, to mistake, or to prudence, and vaunt of his magnanimity whilft the enemy are at a distance; but the tyranny of the one, and the cowardice of the other, will appear through the thin difguife, and excite

the

the murmurs of the multitude, whofe determinations are feldom erroneous. The admiration and refpect which the noble and generous deeds of King Edward and his godlike Son attracted, not only from their own fubjects but from the whole world, fhould incite fucceeding Princes to an imitation of their virtues, as they bid fairest to procure them efteem at home, and honour from their neighbouring Potentates. The acclamations of a few may be purchased, obedience might be enforced by rigid laws and fubfervient mercenaries; but how unlike the cheerful huzzas and willing fervice of a happy people!

The Prince of Wales fhewed fuch a generous concern for the French Monarch, that he promised him, both in his tent the night of the late battle, and frequently afterwards, that he would endeavour by his entreaties and influence to prevail on his Father to lay aside his enmity, and liften to reasonable terms of accommodation: he accordingly,

accordingly, as a preparatory ftep, procured a truce to be made till the twenty-fourth of June 1359, in expectation that a peace would be concluded in the interim.

The Pope alfo again ftrove to mediate between thefe Princes by his Legates, but they were fo notoriously partial to the French, that King Edward would by no means comply with the terms they offered; to enforce their propofals, and to make a peace the more neceffàry to the English King, they demanded, in the name of his Holinefs, the annuity of one thousand marks, granted by his predeceffor King John to the court of Rome when he refigned his crown; and that fum having been withheld for fome years, they infifted likewise on payment of the arrears. But depending on the duty of his Clergy, the loyalty of his Barons, and his own valour, he told them without hesitation," That as he ac "knowledged no fovereignty but that of "Heaven, he would never pay tribute or

"live in fubjection to any mortal whatever. This refolute reply put an end to

the negotiation, and a ceffation of arms, as before agreed, was all that could be accomplished.

Some months before the expiration of the truce, King Edward with his Son the Prince of Wales, and the King of France with Lord James of Bourbon, held a friendly meeting at Westminster, when a treaty of peace was agreed to by the two Kings on the following terms:

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Firft, That Acquitain fhould remain entirely to King Edward and his heirs for ever, together with Gafcoigné, Poitou, Touraine, Sanctone, Perigort, Quercy, Limofin, Angoulefmois, Calais, Guifnes, Boulognois, and the county of Ponthieu, without any homage or tribute being required of him; and holding it by the fame abfolute fovereignty as he held his kingdom of England.