Soon after the prince’s arrival at Bordeaux the Cardinal de Perigord came thither, as, it was said, ambassador from the pope. It was upward of a fortnight before the prince would speak to him, on account of the castellan of Amposta and his people having been engaged against him at the battle of Poitiers. The prince believed that the cardinal had sent them thither; but the cardinal, through the means of his relations, the Lord of Chaumont, the Lord of Montferrant, and the Captal of Buch, gave such good reasons for his conduct to the prince, that he admitted him to an audience. Having obtained this, he exculpated himself so clearly that the prince and his council were satisfied, and he regained the place he before held in the prince’s affection. All his people were set at liberty at moderate ransoms: the castellan’s amounted to ten thousand francs, which he paid. The cardinal soon after began to touch upon the deliverance of King John; but I shall say little on that head, as nothing was done in the business. The prince, with his Gascons and English, remained all that winter at Bordeaux, where was much feasting and merriment; and they foolishly expended the gold and silver they had gained. In England also there were great rejoicings when the news arrived of the affair of Poitiers and of the defeat of the French; solemn thanksgivings were offered up in all the churches, and bonfires made in every town and village. Those knights and squires who returned to England after having been in this battle were honored in preference to any others. CHAPTER LXXXIV. THE PRINCE OF WALES CONDUCTS THE KING OF FRANCE FROM BORDEAUX TO ENGLAND. When the season was sufficiently advanced, and every thing was ready for the prince’s departure, he sent for the great barons of Gascony. He then informed them of his intention of going to England; that he should take some of them with him, and the rest he should leave in different parts of the province to guard the frontiers against the French, and should put all the cities and castles under their management, as if they were their own property. After this he nominated four of them as governors of the country until his return,--the Lords d’Albret, de l’Esparre, de Pumiers, and de Rosem. This being done, the prince embarked on board a handsome ship, and took with him a great many Gascons: among them were the Captal de Buch, Sir Aymery de Tarse, the Lord de Tarse, the Lord de Landuras, the Lord de Mucident, the Souldich de la Trane, and many others.