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A short-lived peace suspends a weak campaign,

Till quarrels, for the duchy of Bretagne,

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Cry havock! and let loose the war" again.

EDWARD to 'venge his friend, the slain ARTOIS,

Joins MONTFORT's party against CHARLES DE BLOIS:

While valiant JANE DE MONTFORT leads the fight,
To vindicate a captive husband's right;

Sustaining 'gainst DE BLOIS' superior powers,
A fierce blockade and siege in HENNEBONNE
Towers,

Where, nearly forced by famine to give place,
Sir WALTER MANNY saves her from disgrace;
From conquest almost gain'd, her foes retreat,
Aw'd by the presence of an ENGLISH FLEET!
The muse to aid with mingled power of pen,
Cou'd time, fame, vict'ry, furnish each a wing,
She might essay, but faintly even then,

The laurels won on CRECY's plains to sing.
With what success then shall her humble plume
Of goose-quill uninspired, the task asume?
Dare she attempt the praise of England's King,
Who like the lion cross'd in wish'd retreat,

Turn'd sudden on his hunters? dare she tell

How

How the BLACK PRINCE, high thron'd in valour's

seat,

Directed fortune as by magic spell,

And saw BOHEMIA'S MONARCH at his feet, While round him Gallia's choicest leaders fell?

Alas! she knows not or to praise or blame
The King, who cared but for the Prince's fame,
And valued less his safety than his name.

When nearly overpower'd the youthful chief,
(His age fifteen,) sought from his sire relief;
No, cried the father, with demeanour stern,
My aid would snatch the laurel he may earn,
More worthy he to grace a future throne,
Who can in danger make success his own,
And owe the glory to himself alone.
Bohemia's King, eleven leaders more,

Who regal ensigns on their armour bore,

With eighty bannerets, twelve hundred knights,
Of nobles, fifteen hundred-men of name:

Four thousand (so undoubted hist'ry writes),
With thirty thousand soldiers of less fame,

* Four thousand men at arms, which implies a distinction, are given in the list; besides thirty thousand common soldiers.

Fell

Fell on that ever memorable day:

While EDWARD's loss was only, strange to say, Three knights, one valiant squire, and few indeed Of private station who were known to bleed.

Calais, besieged, great EDWARD's pow'r defies, Till "famine cling them," and the King enraged, Soon as the city at his mercy lies,

To punish those whom self-defence engaged In patriot warfare, to their pray'r for peace, Decrees from slaughter 'ere the sword shall cease, Six of their noblest with disgrace shall die: Six, self-devoted, to the threat reply ;

But great and good PHILLIPPA's suppliant breath,*
Saves EDWARD from dishonour, them from death;
PHILLIPPA Who from England came,

With more of wreaths for EDWARD's name.
The SCOTTISH KING who vainly thought,
He, in the royal absence, might invade

Phillippa on more than one occasion had the happiness to be successful in the amiable character of an intercessor. In the fourth year of this reign, a scaffold on which the Queen and many ladies were seated to see a tournament in Cheapside, fell down, and the royal and noble auditresses were precipitated from a considerable height; thecar penters would have inevitably suffered death, but the stern Edward was softened by the prayers and tears of the amiable Phillippa.

Our

Our land, with loss of crown the effort bought, And by PHILLIPPA's arm was prisoner made At NEVILL'S CROSS, where, fatal to his reign, Of valiant Scots are fifteen thousand slain.

His son and comrades to reward,
For triumphs won in contest hard,
O'er EDWARD's oft defeated foes,

The ORDER OF THE GARTER rose.

'Tis said of gayer origin it came,

The story coupled with a lady's name,'

*

Yet, with due rev'rence to the lovely dame,
(We delicately touch so soft a string)
Tho' great effect from little cause may spring,
"Twere better here to have it understood,
As royal guerdon for the great and good.
GLORY, untired of decking EDWARD's helm,
(And with her beams his enemies to whelm)

* Though many give credit to what ANDREWS calls the picturesque story of this order, originating from the Countess of Salisbury's garter, yet he adds from RASTELL'S Chronicle, that "Some do affirme that this order beganne fyrst by King Richard "Cœur de Lyon, at the siege of the citie of Acres, where in his "greate necessytie there were but twenty-five knights that firmlye "and surelye abode by him, where he caused all them to wear "thonges of blue leythere aboute their legges, and afterwards "they were called knights."

Again

Again illumes the SABLE PRINCE, who gains
Another day, unmatch'd in former reigns:
A second CRECY to the first succeeds,

At POICTIERS, scene of more than mortal deeds;
With front unmoved, the Prince beholds advance,
To crush his little band, the power of France:
Attacked by Monarch, Princes, Nobles, all,
He sees their Princes, Nobles, Warriors, fall;
Hears their King own himself in grief's despite,
Surpass'd in curtesy as foil'd in fight;*
While England views her sovereign mildly greet
Two captive Monarchs kneeling at his feet.

A cloud at length obscures the brilliant day, YOUNG EDWARD, after deeds excelled by none, 'Mid dazzling career was snatch'd away,

And with him, for a while, set England's sun! Scarcely a year his mourning sire survived The darling son in whom his glory lived;

at arms.

* The number of French slain were, two Dukes, nineteen Earls, many Knights and Gentlemen, with several thousand men The prisoners were still more numerous, at the head of whom was their King John, who was treated with the most delicate respect by his conqueror, after his arrival in England. Henry Picard, Lord Mayor of London, had the honour to entertain the captive Kings of France and Scotland, and the King of Cyprus at one table, with most hospitable magnificence.

And

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