King Edward had taken his ftation at the head of his corps de referve, which was drawn up on the fummit of the hill, from whence he had a view of the field of battle. He had obferved the French ftandards drop apace, and was forming to himself pleafing hopes of his Son's fuccefs, fuccefs, when the Knight came to defire aid; he therefore haftily enquired whether the Prince was dead, wounded, or felled to the ground: on his receiving an answer in the negative, the King replied, "Go back and tell the "Lords who fent you, that whilft my Son "is alive they will require my aid in vain';

for I am refolved that the renown of "this glorious day fhall belong to him, "and those brave Knights who fhare the danger with him. Let him therefore

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"take pains to win his fpurs, and to deferve the honour of Knighthood which I "have fo lately conferred upon him."

Before the return of the meffenger the Prince had behaved fo gallantly, and was

fo well feconded by his troops, that the Lords were forry they had betrayed any apprehenfions: but no fooner was the answer of his Majesty reported, than they all found their spirits exhilarated, and with one mind they determined to fupport the expectations of their King, or die in the attempt. The forces which had attacked them with fo much impetuofity were confequently repelled, and in a little time broken and defeated.

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This fuccefs encouraged the Prince, who hitherto had acted on the defenfive, to advance; and being joined by the divifion under the Earls of Arundel and Northampton, the archers were ordered to fall into wings on each fide. In this firm battalion they marched towards the French, who met them with a gallant resolution; pleased with the thought that their deaths should not be fent them at a distance, but that now they might hand to hand contend for the victory:

victory yet here alfo they found themselves unequal to the task.

The Marquis of Moravia, fon to the King of Bohemia, was the first who renewed the battle; but being wounded in three places, his ftandard beaten to the ground, and his men flain in heaps around him, he with difficulty turned his horfe and rode out of the field, having cast away his armour that he might not be known.

The French King in perfon, with fome felect troops, now made the laft effay to turn the fortune of the day; but with fuch ill fuccefs, that he was obliged to quit the field with only fixty perfons in his company; yet not before he had given con

vincing proofs of his valour: he was - wounded both in the neck and thigh, and had one horse killed under him; he was

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difmounted alfo from a fecond, and had undoubtedly been flain or taken prifoner, if Lord John of Hainault, his brother-in-law,

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had not a third time remounted him, and then taking hold of his horse's bridle, almoft by force compelled him to leave the battle. The royal ftandard of France was beaten to the ground, the standard-bearer being killed in fight of the King; and whilft both nations warmly contended for it, a French Knight difmounted from his horfe, ripped it from its fhaft with his fword, and wrapping it in folds about his body, rode out of the field. From this time the French made little or no oppofition; and night coming on, it gave an opportunity to more than half their army to efcape this they did in fuch small parties, as plainly fhewed that their defeat was decifive and complete.

The Prince of Wales, unwilling to hazard fo glorious a victory by breaking his ranks, thought it not prudent to purfue them he wifely confidered that the numbers which had efcaped were ftill fuperior to his own forces; and that being augmented

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by thofe troops which were marching from different quarters with all expedition to join the French army before the battle, they might rally and return to the charge. The King his father approved of his conduct in this refpect, and ordered his army to pafs the night on the field of battle,

It is almoft incredible with how little lofs this memorable victory was obtained; neither the French or English hiftorians take notice of more than three Knights and one 'Squire killed in the battle on the fide of the English; and it is evident, from the history of the baronage of England, that not one of the Nobility fell that day, though most of them, as appears from the fame authority, accompanied the King in this expedition. On the part of the French their lofs was irreparable; not so much from the number of troops flain, though at leaft thirty thousand lay dead on the field of battle, as from the great flaughter of their prime Nobility and Knights. There F 3

fell