verned by a person of inferior rank, growing difobedient to his commands, they feparated themselves from him. Thus weak

ened, Sir Robert was unable to penetrate into Guienne as he intended, but was obliged to take fhelter in Britany, where those who had continued under his conduct arrived fafe, whilft thofe who had withdrawn themselves from his protection became a prey to their enemies.

The following fummer the Dukes of Anjou and Berry attacked the principality of Acquitain in two places at once, each with a formidable army, intending to meet and besiege the Prince of Wales in his refidence, the city of Angoulefme. The Prince hearing of their intentions fummoned all his forces, and, ill as he was, publicly declared that his enemies fhould never find him immured in any fortress, but that he would meet them in the field and fight them fairly, however formidable their forces in confequence of this refolution he

took

took leave of his Lady the Princefs, who now parted from him with greater reluctance than ever, having none of those pleafing hopes to confole her, which had been her support when he departed from her on his expedition to Spain: then he went from her in health and vigour, with affurances of fuccefs, and with the greatest probability of acquiring additional renown; but now fhe could call none of thefe cheerful expectations to her aid: his weak frame deprived him of that fire which used to animate his troops and enfure them victory, confequently dejection, unallayed by hope, preyed on her fufceptible heart, and caufed her unceasingly to mourn the absence of her Lord.

The Prince having fet up his ftandard at Cogniac, those who retained their loyalty reforted to it; and receiving at the fame time a reinforcement from his royal Father under the command of the Duke of Lancafter, he was once more enabled to take

the

the field, with a profpect of repelling the invaders of his dominions. In the interim, the Duke of Anjou penetrated without controul to La Linde, fituated on the river Dordonne, about a league from Bergerac. The town was commanded by Sir Thomas Battefoile, a Knight of Gascoigné, with a ftrong garrison, and every thing neceffary for its defence. The Duke laid fiege to it, and to intimidate the inhabitants declared, he would not leave the place till he had them all at his devotion; but at the fame time he offered to receive them under his protection, if they would fubmit themselves without force to his mercy. The people of the town wifhed to follow the example of their neighbours, and to return to their former Sovereigns the French; they therefore admitted emiffaries from the Duke, who prevailed on the Governor by a confiderable fum then paid him, and the promise of an annual penfion, to deliver up This agreement had not been kept so fecret, but that fome of the Knights who retained

the town.

their loyalty to the Prince of Wales gained intelligence of it, and informed the Earl of Cambridge, then at Bergerac, of the intended treachery, the night before it was to be carried into execution.

Enraged at the difloyalty of the Gover nor, the Earl, the Lord Thomas Felton, and Sir John Greilly, Captal de Busche, fwore they would be present at the delivery of the town: accordingly before it was light they fet out from Bergerac, of day reached La Linde.

and by break On a fignal given, a gate was opened to them by the loyal part of the troops in the town, through which they marched with their forces, and arrived at the oppofite gate as the French were about to take poffeffion of it. Sir Thomas Battefoile ftood amazed at this fudden appearance of the Knights, and wondered how they could have received intelligence of his defign; but Sir John Greilly gave him not time to indulge his conjectures long, for alighting from his

horfe

horfe he came up to him, and with one blow of his fword ftruck him breathlefs to the ground. The party of the French who were to have taken poffeffion of the town, finding their plot difcovered, haftily withdrew from the gate and fled to their army. The English Lords judged it more prudent to fecure the town than to pursue them; which being done, they were inclined to put all the inhabitants to the fword for their treacherous conduct, but on their alledging that they were over-awed, and compelled by the Governor to act as they had done, they were pardoned. The Lord Felton and the Captal de Bufche ftaid in the town till the Duke of Anjou, hearing of the Prince of Wales's approach, thought it prudent to

retire.

A council was now called by the French General, at which Sir Bertrand du Guefclin, afterwards ftyled the Reftorer of France, was prefent, to deliberate whether they fhould give battle to the Prince fome alledged,

U