bravely defending the towns he had taken, retard the progrefs of the French towards Guienne, for the reduction of which great preparations had been made.

King Edward was no fooner informed by the Earl of this unexpected revolution, than he prepared to haften in person to his relief; but being detained at Southampton a confiderable time by contrary winds, and defpairing of arriving in time to fave Guienne, he was perfuaded by Geoffrey d'Harcourt, a Norman, to change the place of his destination. This Nobleman having difpleafed his mafter the King of France, to avoid his anger fled to England; where he was received by King Edward as a valuable acquisition. Urged by the fame motives as Robert d'Artois, he entered into the King's refentments, and advised him to the best methods of profecuting them. He pointed out to him, that an invafion by way of Normandy promised more certain fuccefs, than the intended expedition to Quienne

Guienne; the northern provinces of the kingdom being left almost defenceless by the departure of those troops which had been drawn towards the fouth: that this part of the country being exceedingly plentiful, would fupply his army with neceffaries; whilst the many rich cities with which it alfo abounded, would afford plunder fufficient to repay the expences of the war. These and many other reasons which this Nobleman gave the King, induced him to alter his plan; and he ordered his fleet, which confifted of near a thousand fail, to fteer for La Hogue in Normandy, where after a fhort paffage he fafely difembarked his army on the 12th of July 1'346.

In this expedition my hero the Prince of Wales, then only fixteen years old, first entered on that ftage, which he ever after trod with fo much reputation to himself, and glory to the kingdom which gave him birth. From this period therefore fhall I begin my account of him; as nothing wor

thy of notice can be supposed to have happened in the earlier part of his life; only remarking, that from his very childhood he gave proofs of strength, courage, and folidity of judgment far above his years. It is uncertain whether he acquired the name of Black Prince from the colour of the armour he ufually wore, as fome Hiftorians affert, or from that gloom which his dreadful deeds in war fpread over the whole kingdom of France, and induced that people to give him the appellation of Le Noir. The Prince, with feveral of the young Nobility, received the honour of Knighthood from his Royal Father on their landing; and every prudent difpofition being made by King Edward, the English army immediately marched towards Caen, a populous and commercial city.

The King of France was thrown into the greatest perplexity when he was informed of this unexpected invafion; he however iffued orders for raifing troops from

all

all quarters, and in the mean time difpatched the Count d'Eu, Constable of France, and the Count de Tankerville, to ftop the progrefs of his adversary.

The in

habitants of Caen receiving this reinforcement, animated by their numbers, ventured against the advice of the Constable to meet the English in the field; but their courage failing them on the firft fhock, they fled with precipitation, leaving the two Counts their Commanders to the mercy of the enemy. with the flying citizens, and a dreadful mafacre enfued; King Edward however put a stop to it as soon as it was poffible, but permitted his men to begin a plunder which lafted three days. The effects collected on this occafion were put on board the ships and fent over to England, with three hundred of the richest citizens, from whose ransom the captors expected a future profit.

The victors entered the city

The King marched next to Rouen, in hopes of treating that city in the fame manE 3

ner;

ner; but he found that Philip was arrived there with a confiderable force, and that he had already ordered the bridge to be broken down. Difappointed in this design he continued his march along the banks of the Seine in his rout to Paris, wifhing to get poffeffion of his enemy's capital. In this fcheme he was alfo fruftrated by the fame precautions; for he found all the bridges demolished both on that river and on the Somme,

Edward's fituation now became extremely hazardous; as on the oppofite banks of the river an army commanded by Lord Gondemar de Faye attended his motions, whilst Philip purfued him at the head of one hundred thoufand men. In this dilemma the King of fered a confiderable reward to any one that would give him intelligence of a fafe paffage oyer the Somme, A Peasant, tempted by the fum, betrayed the intereft of his country, and informed him of a ford below Abbeville which might be paffed at low water, The indefatigable