A short-lived peace suspends a weak campaign, Till quarrels, for the duchy of Bretagne, 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, Sustaining 'gainst DE BLOIS' superior powers, Where, nearly forced by famine to give place, The laurels won on CRECY's plains to sing. 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 When nearly overpower'd the youthful chief, Who regal ensigns on their armour bore, With eighty bannerets, twelve hundred knights, Four thousand (so undoubted hist'ry writes), * 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,* With more of wreaths for EDWARD's name. 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, 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, * 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 At POICTIERS, scene of more than mortal deeds; 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 |