the capture alfo of Sir Bertrand, their redoubted champion, proved a great corrofive to the minds of those who had gloried in his might, and fet his warlike actions in competition with those of his Conqueror.

Don Pedro being thus re-established on his throne, the Prince of Wales put him in mind of the conditions on which he had engaged in his caufe, entreating him to fulfil them that he might return to Guienne. The Spanish King excused himself for the prefent by pleading his inability, but promised to take a progrefs through his kingdom for the purpose of raifing contributions, with which he would repay every obligation to his auxiliaries. The Prince was obliged to be fatisfied with this evasion, and waited at Valladolid upwards of fix weeks with a tolerable degree of patience for Don Pedro's promised return: at the end of that time he fent three Knights to Seville, where he heard the Spanish King then was, to know the reafon why he had

not

not kept his appointment. They received no greater fatisfaction; for the King now imputing his delay to the frequent plunders of the Companions, which put it out of the power of his fubjects to affift him as he expected, defired the Prince to withdraw the whole of his troops from his dominions, only leaving behind him proper perfons to receive the ftipulated fums when he should be able to pay them. This at once convinced the Prince that he had nothing to expect from him; and he found he had too much reafon to repent the affociating himfelf with a man like Don Pedro, abandoned to all fenfe of virtue and honour he faw that these refusals proceeded rather from a want of principle than of ability, and was tempted fometimes to make ufe of force to recover the fums which were thus unjustly withheld from him; but finding his army daily diminishing by ficknefs, and his own* health

:

* Some Authors impute the Prince's illness to charms and incantations; others to the unwholefome air of Spain,

or

health greatly impaired by the climate, he was obliged to be content with these affur ances, and to return into Guienne.

At Bourdeaux he was received in triumph; he there met the Princefs and his Son Edward, now about three years of age: the Princess's joy was greatly damped by the visible alteration in her much-loved Edward's health; nor could the increase of his glory compenfate for the baneful confequences with which it it was was attended: whilft fhe welcomed his return with inexpreffible rapture, the pallid hue which had fupplanted the glow of health that was wont to infpire cheerfulness, and to excite her love, in an inftant threw a gloom over her beauteous countenance, and checked

or to fome lingering poifon : the latter fuppofition is not improbable, and it may have been administered to him by order of the man on whom he had conferred undeserved favours, but who, infligated by ingratitude and his natural cruelty, took this method to acquit himfelf of them.

every rising transport. From that hour her tender apprehenfions were awakened, and fhe anticipated that fatal event which flowly crept on, and at length overwhelmed not only his amiable Confort, but the whole English nation with anguish and despair.

Soon after his arrival the Prince difbanded his army, and declaring his obligations to the Chiefs for their cheerful and efficacious affiftances, promifed, as foon as he could raise the neceffary fupplies, to pay them for their fervices, even though Don Pedro fhould not fulfil his engagements: "For my own part," continued this generous Prince, "Honour fhall be my only "reward." The troops, fatisfied of the punctuality of their beloved General who bad never forfeited his word to them, retired without murmuring; and he affigned quarters to the Companions till they should receive the ftipulated pay.

According

According to the established custom, he foon allowed fuch of the French and Spanish Knights as could procure fufficient ranfom to return to their homes: but Sir Bertrand du Guefclin, the French champion, who had feated Don Henry on the throne of Caftile, remained a prifoner with the Prince fome time, till an accidental circumstance procured him that liberty, which neither the offer of a confiderable ransom nor the folicitations of his friends were able to obtain. The Prince, who treated all his

置

prifoners with great affability, converfing one day with this General faid, "How "does your fpirit "Sir Bertand ?" turned the Knight;

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brook this confinement,

Very well, Sir," re

"how can I be diffa

"tisfied, fince I am in the hands of the "moft generous Prince living, and made

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prifoner by the most renowned Knight in "the world ?" "Lord John Chandos is "indeed fo," anfwered the Prince; " but though it is no difhonour to be conquered by a gallant man, what comfort have

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