battle for feveral days, and contented him self with thus setting them at defiance.

The armies in the fouthern parts confined themselves to fieges, taking and retaking towns and caftles from each other; and in this manner they were employed for feveral campaigns, during which nothing more than the ufual occurrences happened, except the lofs of two gallant Knights, which befel the Prince of Wales about this time.

The Lord James Audeley, who had be haved with so much bravery at the battle of Poitiers, and on many other occasions, being bereaved by fickness of his Son Sir James Audeley, a hopeful young Gentleman, he defired leave of the Prince to retire to England. The Prince confented, but with great reluctance; for though his Lordship's eminent fervices demanded this indulgence, he could not suffer fo useful and T 2 beloved

beloved a Nobleman to leave him without feeling the extremest regret.

Lord John Chandos, who equalled Lord Audeley in merit, being appointed Senefchal of Poitou on the refignation of that Nobleman, he took every opportunity of annoying the French. Returning one day from an expedition against them, flightly attended, he fell in unexpectedly with a party of the enemy, and a fharp encounter enfued it was early in the morning, and the ground happening to be flippery from a hoar froft, Lord Chandos ftriking violently at one of his adverfaries with a maffy battle-axe, flid and fell down; before he could rife, a rapier was thruft through the fight of his vifor, and entered his face just - below his eye; the blow was given by fo ftrong an arm that it penetrated his head, and his Lordfhip, after a few ftruggles, thewed no fymptoms of life. Sir Edward Clifford who was near at hand haftened to his aid; but though he arrived too late,

yet

yet he valiantly defended the body of his friend, and put the French to flight. After the action was over, Sir Edward perceiving figns of life in the wounded Knight, caused him to be carefully difarmed, and to be borne foftly on the fhields of his men to a neighbouring fortrefs, where, notwithftanding every affiftance, he expired the next day in great agonies.

The Prince of Wales and all the English fincerely lamented the lofs of this brave Nobleman: even the King of France, his enemy, is faid to have greatly grieved at his death, remarking, that there was not a perfon living fo likely to have renewed the peace between the two crowns as Lord John Chandos, he being greatly valued by King Edward, and univerfally esteemed and beloved. No Knight ever acquired greater renown, either for valour. or judicious conduct in the battles of Creffy, of Poitiers, of Najara, and all the other actions in which he had a fhare, none behaved more gallantly

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gallantly, or maintained with greater firmnefs the English name; at the fame time he poffeffed fo much candour and impartiality, as never to deny his enemies their juft praife; with fuch prudence and moderation, that before a battle he never contemned them, and when they were conquered, he never infolently triumphed over them in war he was a rigid exacter of difcipline, but in peace courteous and affable. To fum up his character, being on the first lift of Knights of the Garter, he supported the dignity of that inftitution, by obferving his vows with the utmost punctuality, and preserving his honour unfpotted. To fhew the respect he bore his dear Lord the Prince of Wales (to whofe excellencies no one nearer approached than himself) he left him all his poffeffions in Normandy, the yearly revenues of which amounted to forty thousand franks, or four thousand pounds fterling.

After

After the death of Lord Chandos, whofe courage and vigilance had hitherto kept them in awe, fome other Barons of Gafcoigné and Poictou fell from their allegiance to the English government. The Prince of Wales through his illness being unable to exert himself, this defection every day increased to his great mortification : his mighty foul began to bend beneath the weight of his diseased body, and his name no longer appeared tremendous to his enemies; but ftill his troops frequently gave proofs that their invincible fpirit was not diminished.

The Companions on the English fide having taken the Castle of Belle Pêche, belonging to Lewis Duke of Bourbon, they found therein the Lady his Mother, whom they made prifoner in expectation of receiving a confiderable ransom for her. The Duke hearing of this event was fo incenfed, that he left Paris, where he then refided, and haftened to her relief, refolving not to leave

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