144

KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.—1349.

14. Whilst they were deliberating on what was to be done, Euscace de St. Pierre, one of the richest merchants of the town, offered himself as the first of the six victims. His example inspired five others with equal courage, and, after a sorrowful parting with their friends, they appeared before Edward, who ordered them at once to be executed.

15. It was in vain that the Black Prince and the nobles interceded for these victims: the king remained inexorable. At length Queen Philippa, who had just arrived from England, where she had, at the head of the English troops, just gained a great victory over the Scots, and taken King David prisoner, threw herself on her knees before the king, and besought him, as a reward for the service she had done him, that he would pardon them.

16. The king yielded to her solicitations, and she had them conducted to her tent, where she entertained them honorably, and sent them back to the town, loaded with presents. Edward took possession of Calais, August 4th, 1347, and, turning out all the old inhabitants, peopled it entirely with his own subjects.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

The Knights of the Garter.-Strange Fancy of some young Knights.— Origin of the Charter-House School.

1. THE successes of Edward in France were checked by the appearance of a terrible pestilence, which raged throughout Europe for six years, and was so terrible as to be called the Black Death. We may take advantage of this pause to suspend our account of battle and bloodshed, and to say something of the manners and customs of this age.

2. Edward III., as we may readily conceive, from his conduct towards his son in the battle of Cressy, had a great deal of the chivalric spirit. He sought to inspire his subjects with the like feeling. With this view, he held several pompous tournaments, and loaded such as excelled in these martial sports with honors and rewards.

3. With the same view, he instituted, in the year 1349, an order of knights, called Knights of the Garter. There is a common story, but it is not supported by authority, that at a court ball the Countess of Salisbury dropped her garter. The king, seeing the lady's confusion, good-naturedly took up the garter, and bound it round means,

66

his own leg, saying, Honi soit qui mal y pense,' "which

to him who evil thinks."

"Evil

4. It was in memorial of this event, as the story proceeds, that

grant on its surrender? 14. Who was the first to offer his life for his fellow-citizens? 15, 16. What became of the six victims? When did Edward take possession of Calais? LXXXI.-1. What checked Edward's war in France? 2. What did Edward do to encourage a martial spirit? 3. What is the common story of the origin of the Knights of the Garter? 4. What other origin is assigned to it? 5. What is said of this order?

ORIGIN OF THE CHARTER-HOUSE SCHOOL.-1341.

145

the order of the Garter was instituted, and the above words adopted as the motto. But a much more honorable, if less gallant origin, is generally assigned to it. It is supposed to be derived from Richard I., who gave a leathern strap to gird around the knee, as a distinction to some of the brave knights who fought with him in Palestine.

5. Edward limited the number of knights to twenty-five, of whom the Black Prince was the first named, and the others were the most distinguished of his generals. The number of the knights has never been increased, and none but nobles of the highest rank and greatest distinction have ever been admitted to it. There are orders of knighthood in every kingdom, but this is esteemed the most honorable in the world. The knights have sometimes been called Knights of St. George.

6. There is a peculiar dress worn by the knights on state occasions, but the particular badges are the garter of blue velvet worn on the left leg, just below the knee, and a golden medal, bearing an image of St. George, sitting on horseback, with the dragon under the horse's feet: this medal is suspended to a blue ribbon worn over the left shoulder, and passing under the right arm. A star of silver and gold, with the red cross of St. George upon it, is worn upon the left breast of the outside garment.

7. The color of the garter and ribbon was originally sky blue, but was changed for a deep blue by Charles II., in compliment to an Italian lady, the Duchess of Mazarine, who visited England during his reign; this kind of blue being her favorite color, and from whom it derived its name of Mazarine Blue.

8. These incidents of history will enable us better to understand the allusions which are frequently made to "stars," "garters," and "blue ribbons," in English writings; for these terms are frequently used to denote any honors which a nobleman may be supposed to aspire to, and which the sovereign can bestow.

9. The young knights of ancient times sometimes took strange whims into their heads. A number of these, who accompanied Edward in an expedition into France, put a black patch over one eye, each one making a vow not to take it off till he had performed some brave action. One of these, named Walter Maury, proved a very beneficent knight, as well as a very valiant one.

10. Amongst other things, he founded a monastery called the Chartreuse. At the reformation of religion in England, this became private property, and was soon afterwards purchased by a rich merchant, named Sutton, who established a public school and hospital there, furnishing them with funds for their perpetual maintenance. This is the origin of the Charter-House School, an institution which still exists, the name being a corruption of that of the old monks.

6. What of their dress and badges? 7. Whence the name of Mazarine Blue? 9. What ridiculous thing did some young knights do? 10. What was the origin of the CharterHouse School?

13

146 DRESS IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD III.--1327-1377.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

The Dress of fashionable Men and Women in the Reign of Edward III.

1. THE dress of a fine gentleman of the age of Edward III. would trike us as rather fantastic. He wore long pointed shoes, fastened to his knees by gold or silver chains; a stocking of one color on one leg, and one of another color on the other; short breeches which did not reach to the middle of his thighs; a coat, one half white, and the other half blue or black; a long beard; a silk hood buttoned under his chin, embroidered with grotesque figures of animals.

2. The fashionable females are thus described by an old writer: "The tournaments are attended by many ladies of the first rank and greatest beauty, dressed in party-colored tunics. Their tippets are very short, their caps remarkably small, and wrapped about their heads with cords; their girdles are ornamented with gold and silver, and they wear short swords, like daggers, hanging across their breasts."

3. An old German writer tells us of the English, "that they are very fond of noises, such as the ringing of bells, and the beating of drums." Indeed, all the diversions of the English were of a very noisy character. When a nobleman opened his castle to his guests, on occasions of public festivity, the halls and courts were crowded with minstrels, mimics, jugglers, and tumblers; and there was a strange confusion of feasting, drinking, dancing, singing, and tumbling.

4. There were at that time no such things as theatres or playhouses. The jugglers and tumblers used to travel about the country, and when they were not invited into private houses, they exhibited their tricks in carts in the open streets. The streets seem to have been scenes of great gayety; for we are told that the servants of the citizens of London used in summer evenings to dance in the streets before their masters' doors.

5. They were in no danger from the carriages, for such things were not in use. The usual way for ladies, as well as gentlemen, "to go about," was on horseback, both sexes sitting alike, astride the horse; side-saddles not being invented till the next reign. Queens, and persons of high rank, were occasionally conveyed on horse litters; these were like a bedstead, fastened by shafts before and behind to two horses; something in the manner in which handbarrows are carried by men.

6. Over the litter there was a canopy held, supported on four long poles, each pole carried by a man on foot; so that this mode of travelling was not a very expeditious one. The lord-mayor and aldermen of London, on occasion of an annual merrymaking in the country, used to go on horseback, while their wives went in wagons.

LXXXII.-1. Describe the dress of a gentleman of Edward III.'s time. 2. What of the ladies? 3. What of the diversions of the English? 4. What of stage plays'

BATTLE OF POICTIERS.-1356.

147

7. The ardor for study in this reign was very great, for we are informed that there were 30,000 students at Oxford alone. But very little attention was paid to useful sciences. Of the ignorance in geography, we may judge from this story. In 1344, Pope Clement VI. created Louis of Spain Prince of the Fortunate Isles, meaning the Canaries, then newly discovered.

8. The English ambassador at Rome, and his retinue, were seized with an alarm that Louis had been created King of England, and they immediately hurried home, in order to convey this important intelligence.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

Battle of Poictiers.-King John of France taken Prisoner.—Generous Conduct of the Black Prince.

EDWARD, THE BLACK PRINCE, WAITING UPON KING JOHN.

1. THE animosity between the French and English was so intense, that not even the dreadful pestilence could for any length of time prevent its breaking out into open hostilities, and in 1352 the war was renewed, Philip de Valois having been succeeded in 1350 by his son John.

2. For four years the contest went on without any very distinguished action on either side, the English, however, gradually ex

5. What was the usual mode of conveyance? 7,8 What instance of the ignorare of geography?

LXXXIII.-1. When was the war with France renewed? Who reigned in France 2. When was the battle of Poictiers fought? 3 What were the forces on each side

148 KING JOHN OF FRANCE TAKEN PRISON ER.-1356.

tending their territories in France. At length, on the 19th of September, 1356, a battle was fought at Poictiers, which had a most decisive effect on the condition of France.

3. On the 17th of that month, the Black Prince, who, through the whole war, had distinguished himself by his valor and discretion, encamped with an army of 12,000 men near the town of Poictiers. The same evening, the King of France, with an army of 60,000 men, encamped within a mile of the prince, who, when he saw the French army advance thus unexpectedly upon him, exclaimed, "God help us! it only remains for us to fight bravely."

4. The Cardinal of Perigord, who was with the French army, was very desirous to make peace, and rode backwards and forwards several times between John and the prince with that view. The prince said to him, "Save my honor, and the honor of my army, and I will readily listen to any reasonable conditions." But John would consent to nothing, unless the prince and a hundred of his knights would surrender themselves prisoners of war.

5. The reply of the prince to this was, that "he would never be made a prisoner but sword in hand." The cardinal, finding his endeavors unavailing, retired to Poictiers, and the two armies prepared themselves for battle. We shall not give you a particular account of this engagement; it will be enough to say that the English gained a most complete victory.

6. King John, deserted by the larger part of his knights, fought bravely for his liberty. By his side was his son Philip, scarcely fourteen years old, who did wonders in defence of his father. The king, wearied, and overwhelmed by numbers, might easily have been slain; but every English gentleman was ambitious of taking alive the royal prisoner, and exhortations to surrender were heard on all sides.

7. The king still cried out, "Where is my cousin, the Prince of Wales?" and seemed unwilling to surrender to any person of inferior rank. But, being told that the prince was at a distance, he at length yielded himself to a French knight, named Morbec, who had been obliged to fly his country for murder. The young prince, Philip, who acquired the surname of the Hardy, from his conduct in this battle, also surrendered.

8. The Black Prince, who was reposing in his tent after the fatigues of the day, felt very anxious about the fate of the French king, and sent the Earl of Warwick to bring him intelligence. That nobleman found the captive at a fortunate moment, for his life was exposed to more danger than it had been during the heat of the action.

9. The prisoner had been taken by force from Morbec by the Eng. lish, and a contest had arisen among the prince's followers, as to whom the prisoner belonged to. Some brutal soldiers, rather than yield the prize to their rivals, had threatened to put him to death. Warwick overawed all parties, and, rescuing the king from their turbulence, led him to the prince, who received him with every mark of respect and sympathy; seeking by his conduct to soothe and comfort him.

4. Who ried to make peace? What prevented its being made? 5. What was the result a the battle? 6, 7, 8. What was the fate of King John? 9. 10. How was he