difperfed into the feveral provinces of France, and poffeffed of many fortreffes, they refused to lay down their arms, or relinquifh a course of life to which they were accustomed, and by which alone they could gain a fubfiftence. These, by the acceffion of numbers who were reduced to mifery and despair from the devastations of war, amounted in the whole to near forty thousand, and under the name of Compa-. nions committed depredations on the peaceable inhabitants of the kingdom. Some English and Gafcon Gentlemen were not afhamed to take command of these ruffians; they fought several regular battles with the troops of France, in many of which they were victorious, and in one of them a Prince of the blood loft his life. This evil was every day increasing, nor could a sentence of excommunication, which was iffued by the Pope against them, put a stop to their outrages.

As Charles the French King was unable to fupprefs them by force, he politicly contrived to find them employ against fome foreign power; an opportunity foon offered ; for Pedro, King of Caftile, termed with great propriety the Cruel, having filled his own family and his kingdom with bloodshed, his natural Brother, Henry Count de Tranftamara, affifted by those fubjects who were difgufted at the King's cruelty, took up arms against him: the Count however being unfuccefsful in the attempt, fled into France, where he found not only an afylum, but affiftance; for King Pedro having, at the inftigation of his mistress Maria de Padrilla, put to death his Wife who was Sifter to the Queen of France, the whole French nation were greatly exafperated against him, and ready to revenge her murder. Charles took advantage of this difpofition of his people to affift the Count, and at the fame time to employ the Companions who had given him fo much trouble; he accordingly fent amongst

amongst them Sir Bertrand du Guefclin, who was by this time ranfomed from the English. The high character this General poffeffed induced them to rely on his promifes, and to enlift under his ftandard, though they knew not the destination of their arms; the only condition they required before their engagement was, that they should not be led against the Prince of Wales in Guienne. Sir Bertrand agreeing to this reftriction, foon raised a fufficient number of forces, and marched into Spain, where the universal deteftation King Pedro was held in by his fubjects, made his expulfion eafy to hardy and experienced foldiers, led on by fo able a General. Henry was accordingly feated on his Brother's throne, and the exiled King obliged to feek a refuge in Guienne.

Don

Whilft this was tranfacting the Prince of Wales employed himself in the regulation of his principality: he conftituted the Lord John Chandos Constable of all Acquitain, and

the Lord Guischard d'Angle his Marshal; the other great offices he diftributed without partiality to the English and Gafcon Knights according to their merit, choosing those whofe fidelity he was affured of, and who were moft celebrated for their virtues. Perhaps there never lived a Prince of greater integrity or ftricter honour; the poffeffion of fimilar qualities was confequently a sure recommendation to his favour: and fo great was his penetration, that he was feldom mif taken in his judgment of perfons,

He now became as famous for the propriety of his government in peace, as for his heroic atchievements in war. Peter of Lufignan, King of Cyprus and Jerufalem, having been foliciting feveral of the European Potentates to affift him in a crufade for the recovery of Jerufalem, was so struck with the brilliancy of the Prince of Wales's character, that he declared he should ef teem every thing he had feen or done of little moment, till he had been perfonally witnefs

witnefs to the excellencies of fo renowned a perfon; he therefore took a journey to Angoulefme, where the Prince then kept and arrived at the time he

his court, held a grand tournament in honour of the birth of his fon Edward, 1364. The King of Cyprus beheld with admiration this celebrated Hero, and was foon convinced that Fame had not been too lavish in his praifes after being nobly entertained and greatly careffed by the Prince, he procured leave on his departure for the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Roos, and upwards of three hundred valiant Knights of England and Gascoigné, to affift him in the holy wars.

It was in the fourth year of the Prince's refidence in France that Don Pedro, King of Caftile, implored his protection. Whilst that King remained at Corunna he sent a letter to the Prince of Wales, declaring his misfortunes, his danger, and his poverty; and intreating, in the humblest manner, that he would grant him fuccour. Q3 Having