Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/506

 470 Readings in European History suffer him this day to win his spurs ; for if God be pleased, I will that this expedition be his, and the honor thereof, and to them that be about him." II. How KING JOHN OF FRANCE WAS TAKEN PRISONER BY THE ENGLISH AT POITIERS 198. Cap- Ofttimes the adventures of amours and of war are more tureofKing f or t u nate and marvelous than any man can think or wish. (From Truly this battle, the which was near to Poitiers in the fields Froissart's of Beauvoir and Maupertuis, was right great and perilous, Chronicles.) ^^ many deeds of arms there were done the which all came not to knowledge. The fighters on both sides endured much pain. King John with his own hands did that day marvels in arms. He had an ax in his hands wherewith he defended himself and fought in the breaking of the press. . . . The pursuit endured to the gates of Poitiers. There were many slain and beaten down, horse and man, for they of Poitiers closed their gates and would suffer none to enter; wherefore in the street before the gate was horrible murder, men hurt and beaten down. The Frenchmen yielded them- selves as far as they might know an Englishman : there were divers English archers that had four, five, six prisoners. . . . Then there was a great press to take the king, and such as knew him cried, " Sir, yield you, or else ye are but dead." [A PYench knight in the service of the English king made his way through the press] and said in good French, " Sir, yield you." The king beheld the knight and said, " To whom shall I yield me ? Where is my cousin, the prince of Wales ? If I might see him, I would speak with him." The knight answered and said, " Sir, he is not here ; but yield you to me and I shall bring you to him." " Who be you ? " quoth the king. " Sir," quoth he, " I am Denis of Morbeke, a knight of Artois ; but I serve the king of England because I am banished from the realm of France and have forfeited all that 1 had there." Then the king gave him his right gauntlet, saying, " I yield me to you."