POICTIERS, 1356.--“Ten years after the victory of Crecy, a similar event took place in one of the south-west districts of France, at Poictiers, the capital of Poiteau. Edward “the Black Prince,” now in the prime of his early manhood, regarding his country as at war with France, sallied forth from the Gascon province in the summer of 1356, on a ravaging expedition, to do his enemy all the damage in his power. He left Bourdeaux with about 12,000 men; ascended the Garonne as far as Agen, and then, turning to the left, entered central France, and overran the fertile provinces of Limousin, Querci, Auvergne, and Berri. It was harvest-time, and everywhere the harvest was seized, the towns plundered, and all captives able to pay a ransom were carried to Bourdeaux. One account states that the English army sent off no fewer than 5000 cartloads of plunder to Bourdeaux. This employment doubtless had its attractions for the army; but its commander seems to have forgotten that he was invading and exasperating a powerful kingdom, whose people and sovereign might be expected to take vengeance for such an inroad as this. Philip of Valois was now dead, and John, his son, a high-spirited but indiscreet prince, had succeeded him. Hearing of young Edward’s performances in Limousin and Berri, “he instantly declared with an oath,” says Froissart, “that he would forthwith set out after him, and would fight him whenever he could find him. He therefore issued forth a general summons to all his nobles and vassals of every kind, that they should set forth to meet him on the borders of Touraine and Blois, for he was determined to fight the English.” He soon marched from Paris, having with him a considerable body of troops, and went to Chartres to be nearer the enemy, and to gain quicker intelligence of his proceedings. Here he rested some days, and “great crowds of knights and men at arms daily joined him, from Auvergne, Berri, Burgundy, Lorraine, Hainault, Picardy, and other provinces.” But as yet neither of these two Princes seems to have been well informed of the other’s movements. “The Prince,” says Froissart, “having with him 2000 men-at-arms and 6000 archers, rode on at his ease, having all things at his command. They found Auvergne, which they were now overrunning, very rich and teeming with abundance; and when they entered any town, they rested there for some days to refresh themselves, consuming what they pleased, and destroying the rest, whether of corn, wine, or other provisions.” “They kept advancing, and found plenty everywhere, for the provinces of Berri, Poiteau, Touraine and Maine,” says Froissart, “were very rich, and full of provisions for an army.”