Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 1, 1851).djvu/92

lxiv him, Weyasit), was sent into Asia. On the overthrow of Bajazet by Timur, he fell into the hands of the latter, whom he attended in all his expeditions until his death in 1405. Thus Schildberger passed from one master to another, and traversed in his wanderings Georgia, Persia, and the whole of Tartary, of which he relates many wonderful things.

their only food—was exhausted. Rats were sold at a crown each. In the year 1356 he attended the Black Prince in the campaign which preceded the battle of Poictiers; [sic] and on the morning of that eventful fight, Prince Edward honoured him with the important charge of bearing the English standard. The battle is described with considerable animation. The hostile armies advanced on foot, the archers forming the vanguard. ‘This was not a time,’ says the poet, ‘for the interchange of chivalric civilities, for friendly greetings, and cordial love: no man asked his fellow for a violet or a rose; and many a hero, like the ostrich, was obliged to digest both iron and steel, or to overcome, in death, the sensations inflicted by the spear and the javelin. The field resounded with the clash of swords, clubs, and battle-axes, and with shouts of Nater Dam and Sand Jors.’ But von Traun, mindful of the trust reposed in him, rushed forward to encounter the standard-bearer of France. ‘He drove his spear through the vizor of his adversary: the enemy’s banner sunk to the earth never to rise again. Von Traun planted his foot upon its staff, when the King of France was made captive, and the battle was won.’ For his gallantry displayed on this day, Edward granted him a pension of a hundred marks. He is afterwards mentioned as being intrusted by Edward III with the defence of Calais during a ten weeks’ siege; and, at a subsequent period, as crossing the channel, and capturing a (French?) ship, which he brought into an English port, and presented to Edward.—It is to be hoped these poems will be published.—[They were published three years afterwards, as above mentioned, but this fact is not noticed in the last edition of Warton published in 1840.]—The slight analysis of their contents given by Mr. Primisser, and on which this note is founded, is just sufficient to excite, without gratifying, curiosity.”