vouring each time to aroufe their courage by these pathetic remonstrances :

66

66

My

"Lords, I am your King; made fo by 66 your free choice; and you have fworn to support me on the throne you have given 66 me; for Heaven's fake, therefore, be "mindful of your promifes, and acquit yourselves loyally unto me." Another time would he fay, "Where is the courage of thofe noble Spaniards who, under my Father King Alphonfo, have so often conquered the Moors? Do not now dif

66

grace your former glory." By thefe and fimilar expreffions he infpired many of his Knights with unufual courage, and they facrificed their lives to his fervice. But the fuperior fortune of the Prince of Wales prevailed pity that it had not been exerted in a better cause, and against a less-deserving foe.

The English hero behaved in this battle as he had done in thofe of Creffy and Poitiers, with great intrepidity and confummate

fummate prudence: he was always in the hottest place of action, and wherever the greatest stress lay thither he constantly hastened, carrying with him affurance to his friends, and terror to his enemies.

When the fight was ended, he caused his ftandard to be erected on a hill to direct his men on their return from the chace: thither, among the other Chiefs, came Don Pedro, who alighted from his horse the moment he faw the Prince, and to fhew his gratitude would have proftrated himself before him; but the Prince ran hastily to prevent it, and catching him by the hand would not permit him to kneel; then, with that noble humility and unaffected piety which had ever graced his life, he cried, "Kneel not to me, Sir, but pay your "thanks to God, and give him all the

praife, for through him alone, and not by me, have you obtained this victory."

Notwithstanding

The

Notwithstanding this great example, the morning after the battle, Don Pedro, by nature favage and blood-thirsty, desired the 'Prince to deliver to him the Duke of Sancelloni, his illegitimate Brother, and fuch other prisoners as were natives of Spain, that he might put them to death. Prince, fhocked a propofal fo unworthy a truly brave mind, inftead of complying with his requeft, advised him rather to grant a general pardon to all his fubjects, and by that means endeavour to conciliate their minds, than by a continuance of the fame inhuman conduct that had already occafioned their revolt, render his throne fill infecure. Thus was every dictate of this excellent Prince's heart conformable to the ftricteft rules of genuine heroifm. By this timely interpofition he faved the lives of many Spanish Noblemen; from whence a greater fatisfaction muft arife to a mind like his, than from the victory he had just obtained. The Caftilian King, from the want of power to effect his fanguinary purpofes

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purposes in oppofition to the Prince of Wales, rather than from conviction of the impropriety of fuch a ftep, laid afide his intentions, and pardoned all the prisoners on renewing their oath of allegiance to him.

Nothing now remained to confummate the Prince of Wales's glory: by his exalted prowess he had atchieved three fuch enter ́prizes as any one fingly was fufficient to render his name immortal. First, at the battle of Creffy, where the whole power of France was broken, two Kings flain, and a third put to flight, and this at an age before other Princes have learned the rudiments of war, or are able to wield a weapon; fecondly, at the battle of Poitiers, ten years after, when with an inferior force he again overthrew the French, and took their King with all the flower of his Nobility prisoners; thirdly, at Najara, as just recited, where at one blow he decided the fate of a kingdom; for the Spaniards terrified at this defeat, voluntarily returned to

their duty, and again accepted Don Pedro as their lawful Sovereign. But this laft exploit, though nothing inferior in honour to the former, was attended with the most fatal confequences; for during his stay in Spain in expectation of Don Pedro's fulfilling his promises, through the heat of the climate he fell fick of an incurable disease, which put an end to his life, after lingering ten years under it.

When the news of the Prince's fuccefs arrived in England, rejoicings equal to those made on his former victories fpread throughout the land; the city of London in particular celebrated it with great folemnity, and his royal Parents prided themselves in this accumulation of fame to their favourite Son. But a different fcene prefented itself in the kingdom of France; unfeigned forrow fat on every brow for the lofs of fo many of their braveft countrymen, who having followed the fortunes of Sir Bertrand du Guefclin were flain in the battle:

the