The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military eventsBorthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
History
The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military events
Borthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
Battles; Military history
The King himself stood firm. “If one-fourth of his soldiers,” says
Froissart, “had behaved as well as he did, the day would have been
his own.” Again he says, “King John himself did wonders, he fought
with a battle-axe, with which he defended himself bravely.” The
English knew the value of such a prize, and they directed their
chief efforts to his capture. The Earl of Tancarville was made
prisoner close to him, as were the Earl of Ponthieu, and the Earl
of Eu. A little further on, the Lord Charles d’Artois and many
other knights were captured by the flank attack. “The English and
Gascons poured so fast upon the King’s division that they broke all
its ranks,” and now the last show of order was lost, and the whole
field was one confused mass. Every one was pressing forwards, eager
to seize the King; at last a young French knight, who had been
banished and had entered the English service, entreated the king to
surrender or he would lose his life. “To whom am I to surrender?”
said John, “where is my cousin the Prince of Wales? Who are you?”
“I am Denis de Morbeque, knight of Artois,” said the Frenchman,
“surrender yourself to me and I will lead you to the Prince.”
“Well,” said the King, giving him his glove, “I surrender myself to
you.”
Sir John Chandos, who had remained by the Prince’s side all the
day, had now advised him to raise his banner on an elevated point,
and to pitch his tent, for there was no longer any French army in
sight. Accordingly, the banner was raised, a small pavilion was
pitched, wine was brought, the Prince took off his helmet, and the
trumpets began to sound. But now the Prince addressed the Earl of
Warwick and Lord Cobham, saying. “I pray you to mount your horses,
and ride over the field, that I may know, if possible, what has
become of the King.” These two lords immediately rode forth, and
they soon perceived a great crowd of knights and men-at-arms, all
striving with a great noise. More than ten knights were loudly
claiming the honour of having taken the King. “The two lords then
pushed through the crowd by main force, and ordered all to stand
aside. They commanded, in the Prince’s name, all to keep their
distance, on pain of death. They then, dismounting, approached the
King with profound reverence, and conducted him peaceably to the
Prince of Wales.” Edward received the King with a low obeisance,
and comforted him as well as he was able, ordering wines and
refreshments to be brought, which he presented to the King with
his own hand. “In the evening a supper was spread in the Prince’s
pavilion; and the King, his son Philip, with Bourbon, Artois, the
Earl of Tancarville, Estampes, Granville, and others, were seated
at an elevated table, while the Prince served the King with his own
hands. The French princes, struck with Edward’s courtesy, declared
that he would be one of the most gallant knights in Christendom, if
it please God to grant him life.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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