Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/217

Rh but slender hopes of being able to effect such a result, secured the pontiff’s permission to attach himself to whichever party was willing to accept his mediation should the opposing side decline his services. In the course of his negotiations he discovered that the king of France was desirous of ridding himself, upon any terms, of the English invaders, and was therefore most willing to accept his good offices. On the other hand, when he visited the British camp, he found Edward in a very different mood. His offers of mediation were peremptorily refused, and he himself treated with the coolest disdain. Irritated at this behaviour on the part of the English monarch, he announced that, in pursuance of the permission he had received from the Pope, he should join the ranks of the French king in the struggle which he perceived to be impending.

Within a few days the battle of Crecy was fought. Heredia, under the French banner, displayed the most conspicuous gallantry, and, towards the close of the engagement, was the means of saving the life of the French king. Philip had been unhorsed and surrounded, when the grand-prior cut his way into the midst, gave the king his own horse, and arrested his pursuers, thus enabling him to make his way to the Chateau de Broye. Heredia was desperately wounded in the effort, and lay for some time in a very dangerous condition. Before his recovery was complete it came to his ears that some of the chivalry of England in the hostile camp had expressed themselves in no measured terms as to the impropriety of an envoy having taken an active part in the battle. Heedless of his own enfeebled condition, he at once despatched a herald to Edward, offering the gage of battle to any one who considered his conduct unbecoming the character of his office. This gage would undoubtedly have been accepted had not Edward at once published the declaration made to him by Heredia before the battle, and therefore honourably acquitted him of all impropriety. As soon as he was sufficiently recovered from his wounds he once more resumed his office of negotiator. It is to his good services on that occasion that the truce, which was shortly afterwards concluded between the two monarchs, has been generally attributed.

During the pontificate of Innocent VI., the successor of