saint george for england-第58部分

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ttany。　Two　counts；　27　lords；　and　1500　men…at…arms　were　made　prisoners。　De　Montford　now　took　possession　of　the　whole　of　Brittany；　and　at　the　suggestion　of　King　Edward　himself　did　homage　to　Charles　V　for　the　duchy；　which　he　afterwards　ruled　with　wisdom。



CHAPTER　XXII：　VICTORY　AND　DEATH


While　the　Black　Prince　was　with　difficulty　governing　his　province　of　Aquitaine；　where　the　mutual　jealousies　of　the　English　and　native　officers　caused　continual　difficulties；　King　Edward　turned　all　his　attention　to　advancing　the　prosperity　of　England。　He　fostered　trade；　commerce；　and　learning；　was　a　munificent　patron　of　the　two　universities；　and　established　such　order　and　regularity　in　his　kingdom　that　England　was　the　admiration　of　all　Europe。　Far　different　was　the　state　of　France。　　The　cessation　of　the　wars　with　England　and　the　subsequent　disbandment　of　troops　had　thrown　upon　their　own　resources　great　numbers　of　men　who　had　been　so　long　engaged　in　fighting　that　they　had　no　other　trade　to　turn　to。　The　conclusion　of　the　struggle　in　Brittany　after　the　battle　of　Auray　and　the　death　of　Charles　of　Blois　still　further　added　to　the　number；　and　these　men　gathered　in　bands；　some　of　which　were　headed　by　men　of　knightly　rank；　and　scattered　through　France　plundering　the　country　and　extracting　heavy　sums　from　the　towns。

These　〃great　companies；〃　as　they　were　called；　exceeded　50；000　men　in　number；　and　as　almost　all　were　trained　soldiers　they　set　the　king　and　his　nobles　at　defiance；　and　were　virtually　masters　of　France。　The　most　tempting　offers　were　made　to　them　to　lay　down　their　arms；　and　the　pope　sent　legates　threatening　excommunication；　but　the　great　companies　laughed　alike　at　promises　and　threats。　　At　last　a　way　of　deliverance　opened　to　France。　Pedro；　named　the　Cruel；　of　Castile；　had　alienated　his　people　by　his　cruelty；　and　had　defeated　and　driven　into　exile　his　half…brother；　Henry　of　Trastamare；　who　headed　an　insurrection　against　him。　Pedro　put　to　death　numbers　of　the　nobles　of　Castile；　despoiled　the　King　of　Arragon；　who　had　given　aid　to　his　brother；　plundered　and　insulted　the　clergy；　and　allied　himself　with　the　Moors。

His　quarrel　with　the　clergy　was　the　cause　of　his　ruin。　　The　pope　summoned　him　to　appear　before　him　at　Avignon　to　answer　to　the　crimes　laid　to　his　charge。　Pedro　refused　to　attend；　and　the　pope　at　once　excommunicated　him。　The　King　of　Arragon　and　Henry　of　Trastamare　were　then　summoned　to　Avignon；　and　a　treaty　of　alliance　was　concluded　between　them；　and　the　pope　declared　the　throne　of　Castile　vacant　owing　to　the　excommunication　of　Pedro；　and　appointed　Henry　to　it。

These　measures　would　have　troubled　Pedro　little　had　it　not　been　that　France　groaned　under　the　great　companies；　and　the　French　king　and　the　pontiff　at　once　entered　into　negotiations　with　them　to　support　Henry　in　his　war　against　his　brother。　It　was　necessary　that　a　leader　in　whom　the　companies　should　have　confidence　should　be　chosen；　and　Du　Guesclin；　still　a　prisoner　of　Chandos；　who　had　captured　him　at　Auray；　was　selected；　and　the　pope；　the　King　of　France；　and　Don　Henry；　paid　between　them　the　100；000　francs　demanded　for　his　ransom。　Du　Guesclin　on　his　release　negotiated　with　the　leaders　of　the　great　companies；　and　as　the　pope　and　king　promised　them　large　gratuities　they　agreed　to　march　upon　Spain。　They　were　joined　by　a　great　number　of　French　knights　and　men…at…arms。

The　expedition　was　under　the　nominal　command　of　John　of　Bourbon；　but　the　real　guidance　was　in　the　hands　of　Du　Guesclin。　As　the　army　marched　past　Avignon　they　worked　upon　the　terrors　of　the　pope　until　he　paid　them　200；000　francs　in　gold。　　France　was　filled　with　joy　at　the　prospect　of　a　riddance　of　the　free　companies　which　had　so　long　been　a　prey　upon　them。　They　were；　too；　eager　to　avenge　upon　the　cruel　King　of　Spain　the　murder　of　his　queen；　who　was　a　princess　of　France。　　The　same　feeling　animated　the　people　of　Aquitaine；　and　Calverley；　D'Ambrecicourt；　Sir　Walter　Hewitt；　Sir　John　Devereux；　Sir　John　Neville；　and　several　other　distinguished　knights；　with　a　large　train　of　men…at…arms；　joined　the　adventurers。　The　great　army　moved　through　Arragon；　whose　king　in　every　way　facilitated　their　progress。　　As　they　entered　Castile　the　whole　people　declared　in　favour　of　Henry；　and　Pedro；　deserted　by　all；　fled　to　Bordeaux　and　besought　aid　from　the　Prince　of　Wales。

Between　Pedro　and　the　English　court　a　firm　alliance　had　existed　from　the　time　when　the　former　so　nearly　married　the　Princess　Joan；　and　immediately　the　king　heard　of　the　expedition　against　him　he　issued　orders　that　no　English　knights　should　take　part　in　it。　The　order；　however；　came　too　late。　The　English　knights　had　already　marched　into　Spain　with　Du　Guesclin。　As　for　the　English　who　formed　no　inconsiderable　portion　of　the　great　companies；　they　had　already　declined　to　obey　the　king；　when；　at　the　insistence　of　the　pope　and　the　King　of　France；　he　had　ordered　them　to　disband。

On　Pedro's　arrival　at　Bordeaux　with　his　three　daughters　and　his　son；　they　were　kindly　received　by　the　Black　Prince；　courtesy　and　kindness　to　those　in　misfortune　being　among　the　leading　characteristics　of　his　nature。　Pedro；　cruel　and　ruthless　as　he　was；　was　a　man　of　great　eloquence　and　insinuating　manners；　and　giving　his　own　version　of　affairs；　he　completely　won　over　the　prince；　who　felt　himself；　moreover；　bound　in　some　degree　to　support　him；　inasmuch　as　he；　an　ally　of　England；　had　been　dethroned　by　an　army　composed　partly　of　English。　Pedro　made　the　most　magnificent　promises　to　the　prince　in　return　for　his　aid；　ceding　him　the　whole　of　the　province　of　Biscay；　and　agreeing　to　pay　the　British　troops　engaged　in　his　service　when　he　regained　his　throne；　the　Black　Prince　engaging　to　pay　them　in　the　meantime。

King　Edward　aided　his　son　by　raising　an　army　in　England；　which　sailed　for　Bordeaux　under　the　command　of　the　prince's　brother；　John　of　Gaunt；　Duke　of　Lancaster。　Walter　formed　part　of　this　expedition。　The　king　had　issued　his　writs　to　him　and　other　barons　of　the　southern　counties；　and　the　Black　Prince　had　himself　written　to　ask　him　to　join　him；　in　memory　of　their　former　deeds　of　arms　together。

As　it　was　now　some　years　since　he　had　taken　the　field；　Walter　did　not　hesitate；　but　with　thirty　retainers；　headed　by　Ralph；　joined　the　army　of　John　of　Gaunt。

The　Black　Prince's　first　step　was　to　endeavour　to　recall　the　Englishmen　of　the　free　companies；　estimated　to　amount　to　at　least　30；000　men。　The　news　that　he　was　taking　up　arms　and　would　himself　command　the　army　caused　Calverley　and　the　whole　of　the　other　English　knights　to　return　at　once；　and　10；000　of　the　English　men…　at…arms　with　the　great　companies　also　left　Don　Henry　and　marched　to　Aquitaine。　　The　road　led　through　the　territory　of　the　King　of　Navarre；　and　the　Black　Prince　advanced　56；000　florins　of　gold　to　pay　this　grasping　and　treacherous　king　for　the　right　of　passage　of　the　army。

By　Christmas；　1366；　the　preparations　were　complete；　but　the　severity　of　the　weather　delayed　the　advance　for　some　weeks。　Fresh　difficulties　were　encountered　with　Charles　the　Bad；　of　Navarre；　who；　having　obtained　the　price　for　the　passage；　had　now　opened　negotiations　with　Don　Henry；　and　the　governors　of　the　frontier　towns　refused　to　allow　Sir　Hugh　Calverley　and　the　free　companies；　who　formed　the　advance；　to　pass。　These　were　not；　however；　the　men　to　stand　on　ceremony；　and　without　hesitation　they　attacked　and　captured　the　towns；　when　the　King　of　Navarre　at　once　apologized　for　his　officers；　and　renewed　his　engagements。　As；　however；　the　Black　Prince　had　received　intelligence　that　he　had　formed　a　plan　for　attacking　the　English　as　they　passed　through　the　terrible　pass　of　Roncesvalles；　he　compelled　him　to　accompany　the　army。　The　invitation　was　couched　in　language　which　was　friendly；　but　would　yet　admit　of　no　denial。

On　the　17th　of　February　the　English　army；　30；000　strong；　reached　the　pass。　It　marched　in　three　divisions；　the　first　commanded　by　the　Duke　of　Lancaster　and　Lord　Chandos；　the　second　by　the　Black　Prince；　the　third　by　the　King　of　Majorca　and　the　Count　of　Armaguac。　The　divisions　crossed　over　on　different　days；　for　the　pass　was　encumbered　by　snow　and　the　obstacles　were　immense。　Upon　the　day　when　the　prince's　division　were　passing　a　storm　burst　upon　them；　and　it　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　they　succeeded　in　crossing。　On　the　20th　of　February；　however；　all　arrived　safe　on　the　other　side　of　the　Pyrenees。　Du　Guesclin；　who；　seeing　the　storm　which　was　approaching　from　Aquitaine；　had　returned　to　France　and　levied　a　French　army；　was　nigh　at　hand；　and　kept　within　a　few　miles　of　the　English　army　as　it　advanced；　avoiding　an　engagement　until　the　arrival　of　Don　Henry；　who　was　marching　to　join　him　with　the　great　companies　and　60；000　Spanish　troops。

Du　Guesclin　kept　up　secret　communications　with　the　King　of　Navarre；　who　was　still　forced　to　accompany　the　English　army。　The　latter　accordingly　went　out　from　the　camp　under　pretence　of　hunting　and　was　captured　by　a　detachment　of　French　troops。

On　the　1st　of　April；　the　Spanish　army　having　joined　the　French；　the　Black　Prince　sent　letters　to　Don　Henry；　urging　him　in　mild　but　dignified　language　to　return　to　obedience；　and　to　resign　the　throne　he　had　usurped；　offering　at　the　same　time　to　act　as　mediator　between　him　and　his　brother；　and