Lancaster, who was defirous of feeing his Brother and ferving under him in this expedition, back with the Knights.

The Prince of Wales now fummoning the Lords of Acquitain, imparted to them his designs, and his Father's orders for their affiftance they prepared to obey the commands of their Sovereign, but as it was a war to be carried on in a diftant country, for the benefit of a foreign Potentate, and not a fervice due to their own Lord, they defired to know to whom they were to apply for the ufual fubfidies. The Prince, turning to the Spanish King who was prefent, told him, that as the undertaking was on his account, it lay with him to fatisfy the Lords on this head; he represented to him at the same time the justice of their enquiry, alledging, that though he was willing to affift him with forces inured to hardships, and accustomed to conquer, yet it was not within the compafs of his revenues to pay and provide for fuch an army,

nor

nor could they expect it from him as they were not raised for his own fervice. The Caftilian readily offered to diftribute among them all the money he had brought with him, and folemnly repeated his promifes of an ample recompence on the recovery of his kingdom and his treasure. The Prince of Wales approved of his intentions, and that none of his troops may be diffatisfied with the fcantinefs of their prefent allowance, advanced the King a very confiderable fum, to be repaid at the fame time.

The first step the Prince took to distress the enemies of his new ally was by recalling all the English and Gafcon Companions who had enlifted themselves under the banner of Sir Bertand du Guefclin, and remained yet in Spain. Sir Hugh Caverley, Sir John Devereux, Sir Mathew Gournay, and other Knights who commanded thefe freebooters, immediately obeyed the fummons, and fo much reverence did the whole corps bear to the name

of

of Edward, that they cheerfully followed their leaders, though they were then engaged in a very advantageous employ. As yet Don Henry was unacquainted with the Prince's intentions; he therefore granted them paffports, and fuffered them to depart. When he was informed of the active part the Prince propofed taking in the cause of his adversary, he treated it with contempt; and had it not been for the advice of the French General Sir Bertrand, who was well acquainted with the activity and irrefiftible power of the Prince of Wales, he would have taken few precautions for his defence.

Before the Prince entered on this expedition it was neceffary to gain the consent of the King of Navarre for a paffage through his dominions, which lay between Acquitain and Caftile: fome apprehensions arose of his acquiefcence; for though during the wars between France and England, from a turbulent and fickle difpofition, he had al

ways

ways favoured the latter, yet, as he had lately entered into a ftrict alliance with Don Henry, the Prince was apprehenfive of fome obftructions from him. But Don Pedro, who during his adverfity was very lavish of his promises, agreeing to restore feveral towns which he had taken from the King of Navarre, and also to pay him immediately fifty-fix thousand florins of gold, he confented to permit the army to pafs through his territories. The repayment of this fum, which the Prince of Wales advanced to fatisfy the King of Navarre, was the only contract which the perfidious Caftilian ever performed *, and that probably he would have evaded, had he not given a a bond for it dated at Libourne near Bour

* This was the only confideration the Prince ever received for the money he advanced, and his friendly exertions in favour of this King, exclufive of fome moveables which he left in his hands: among them was a rich table decked with gold and precious ftoncs, that fome years after fell into the poffeffion of Thomas Arundel, Bishop of Ely, who left it by will to his fucceffors.

6

deaux,

deaux, 23d September 1366, and left his three Daughters as a fecurity.

Don Pedro at the fame time, by a deed dated alfo at Libourne, as a perpetual teftimony of his gratitude, and as a lasting monument of his acknowledgments for fuch fingular grace and goodness extended to him, as well as for the greatest increase of honour he could poffibly fancy for the Prince of Acquitain and Wales, and for the Crown of England (thus it is expreffed) granted unto King Edward, to the Prince his Son, and to their heirs and fucceffors, Kings and Princes of England for ever, that whenever it fhould pleafe any of them to be in perfon in the wars with any King of Castile against an enemy of the Christian faith, that the faid King and his three eldeft Sons fhould have the chief command in the van-guard above all other Princes in Christendom and although at fuch time neither of them should be there in person, yet there fhould always be provided by the