Military History From Primary Sources [00] Medieval Warfare by James Grant

Author:James Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Published: 2013-08-19T04:00:00+00:00

Early cannon.

This message added to the ardour of Warwick and the prince. Afresh charge with redoubled vigour was made upon the French, by which the whole line of cavalry was thrown into disorder, and the Count d’Alençon was killed; and then flight followed the confusion. Philip of France remained on the field till the last, when the evening was closing in, unwilling to believe that all was lost. When no more than threescore knights remained about him, one, named Sir John of Heynault, who had remounted him after his horse had been killed by an arrow, said, “Sire, depart while there is yet time; lose not yourself wilfully. If this field is lost, you shall recover it again another season.” They galloped away, and now the flight became general. The Welsh infantry rushed into the throng, and, with their long knives, cut the throats of all who had fallen; nor was any quarter given that day by the victors.”

Philip rode to the castle of La Broyes, where he found the gates closed, for the night was dark; but the captain came to the walls, and asked, “Who calleth there at this time of night?”

“Open your gate quickly,” cried Philip, “for this is the fortune of France.”

The sorrowful captain recognised the king; he let down the bridge and opened the gate: and when Philip entered he had with him but Sir John of Heynault and five other barons.

On his return to camp the Black Prince, who had distinguished himself in a manner so remarkable, was embraced by the king his father.

“My brave son!” he exclaimed, “persevere in your honourable course. You are indeed my son, for valiantly have you acquitted yourself this day, and shown yourself worthy of empire.”

The young prince then went on his knees and craved his father’s blessing, and the night was spent in feasting and rejoicing. The recorded results of this battle would seem exaggeration, were they not so well authenticated. Won as it was chiefly by the bow, the English loss was so small that it has never been stated; but that of the French was terrible. Besides the Kings of Bohemia and Majorca and the Count d’Alen on, there fell the Duke of Lorraine; Lewis de Creci, Count of Flanders; and eight other counts two archbishops, the Count de Blois, 1,200 knights, and 30,000 soldiers. Such was the cost to humanity of one day’s proceedings, in the unjust endeavour to conquer France.

Eighty standards were taken. Among these was the beautiful banner of the King of Bohemia, embroidered in gold, charged with three ostrich feathers, and the German motto “Ich Dien” which, says Rapin (after Camden probably), was brought to the Prince of Wales, who assumed therefrom his well-known crest and motto. But this favourite tradition is unsupported by history; for on the seal appended to a grant of the prince’s to his brother, John of Gaunt, dated 1370, twenty-four years after Cressy, he appears with a single feather, while the crest of John of Bohemia in that battle was a single eagle’s pinion.

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