Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/52

 the siege of Calais which lasted nearly a year. When the town was taken in 1347, Edward was so angry at the resistance the inhabitants made that he would have hanged six of the chief citizens who offered themselves with halters around their neck, as a sacrifice for the people, had not Queen Philippa begged their lives, and Edward, to please her, spared them. The French inhabitants were, however, turned out of the city, and English people put in their place, so that the city remained English until retaken by the French in 1558.

4. Second Campaign.—The war began again in 1355. Philip was dead, and John II. was King of France. The Black Prince now led the English, and once more the English archers showed their skill and prowess by defeating a large army, composed of the flower of French chivalry, at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. The English had but 12,000 men to the French 60,000; but the Black Prince drew up his men at the end of a narrow lane among the vineyards, and posted his archers so that they could shoot down the French as they came on. Sad havoc was made in the ranks of the knight who fell from their horses, and, cumbered with their armour, could | offer but little resistance. King John was taken prisoner and carried to London where he died. To nobles and knights mercy and courtesy were shown; to the poor peasants there came nothing but the ravages and cruelties of a rude soldiery. At last the peace of Bretigny was made in 1360, and Edward gave up his claim to the French crown, keeping, however, Aquitaine, Poitou, Gascony, and Calais.

5. Third Campaign.—What was gained in the second campaign was lost in the third. The Black Prince foolishly plunged into a war in Spain, and the French king, Charles V., took advantage of it to recover his lost territory. Charles would not come to open battle, but harassed the English in every possible way. The Black Prince was ill, and this made him irritable and cruel, so that people turned from him. Finally, he had to return to England, and then the English gradually lost ground until all Edward’s gains were gone except Calais, Bordeaux, and Bayonne. So ended Edward’s attempt to win a French kingdom.

6. Rise of the People.—There were, however, some good results of this foolish and costly war. The barons and knights spent a great