throne　he　had　usurped；　offering　at　the　same　time　to　act　as　mediator　between　him　and　his　brother；　and　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　remove　differences　and　abuses。　　Henry；　confident　in　his　strength；　replied　haughtily　and　prepared　for　battle。
  The　forces　were　extremely　unequal。　The　Black　Prince　had　under　him　30；000　men；　while　under　Don　Henry　were　3000　men…at…arms　on　mail…clad　horses；　20；000　men…at…　arms　on　horses　not　so　protected；　6000　light　cavalry；　10；000　crossbow…men；　and　60；000　foot　armed　with　spear　and　sword。
  The　night　before　the　battle　the　Black　Prince　lodged　in　the　little　village　of　Navarretta；　which　had　been　deserted　by　its　inhabitants。　Walter　had　been　his　close　companion　since　he　started；　and　occupied　the　same　lodging　with　him　in　the　village。
  〃This　reminds　me；〃　the　prince　said；　〃of　the　day　before　Cressy。　They　outnumber　us　by　more　than　three　to　one。
  〃There　were　greater　odds　still；〃　Walter　replied；　〃at　Poitiers；　and　I　doubt　not　that　we　shall　make　as　good　an　example　of　them。〃
  〃They　are　more　doughty　adversaries；〃　the　prince　replied。　〃There　are　nigh　20；000　English　in　their　ranks　…　all　veterans　in　war　…　and　they　are　led　by　Du　Guesclin；　who　is　a　host　in　himself。〃
  〃Their　very　numbers　will　be　a　hindrance　to　them；〃　Walter　replied　cheerfully；　〃and　never　did　I　see　a　better　army　than　that　which　you　have　under　you。　I　would　we　were　fighting　for　a　better　man；　for　Don　Pedro　is　to　my　mind　treacherous　as　well　as　cruel。　He　promises　fairly；　but　I　doubt　if　when　he　has　gained　his　end　he　will　keep　his　promises。　He　speaks　fairly　and　smoothly；　but　his　deeds　are　at　variance　with　his　words。〃
  〃It　may　be；　my　lord；〃　the　prince　replied；　〃that　I　am　somewhat　of　your　opinion；　and　that　I　regret　I　so　quickly　committed　myself　to　his　cause。　However；　he　was　my　father's　ally；　and　having　fulfilled　all　his　engagements　had　a　right　to　demand　our　assistance。　I　am　a　bad　hand；　Walter；　at　saying　no　to　those　who　beseech　me。〃
  〃It　is　so；　Sir　Prince；〃　Walter　said　bluntly。　〃Would　that　your　heart　had　been　a　less　generous　one；　for　your　nobleness　of　disposition　is　ever　involving　you　in　debts　which　hamper　you　sorely；　and　cause　more　trouble　to　you　than　all　your　enemies！〃
  〃That　is　true　enough；〃　the　Black　Prince　said　with　a　sigh。　　〃Since　I　was　a　boy　I　have　ever　been　harassed　with　creditors；　and　though　all　Aquitaine　is　mine；　I　verily　believe　that　there　is　not　a　man　in　my　father's　dominions　who　is　so　harassed　and　straitened　for　money　as　I。〃
  〃And　yet；〃　Walter　said；　smiling；　〃no　sooner　do　you　get　it　than　you　give　it　away。〃
  〃Ah！〃　the　prince　laughed；　〃I　cannot　deny　it。　It　is　so　much　pleasanter　to　give　than　to　pay；　that　I　can　never　find　heart　to　balk　myself。　I　am　ever　surrounded　by　suitors。　Some　have　lost　estates　in　my　cause；　others　have　rendered　brilliant　services　in　the　field；　some　have　burdened　themselves　with　debts　to　put　their　retainers　in　arms　…　all　have　pleased　to　urge；　and　for　the　life　of　me　I　cannot　say　them　nay。　I　trust；　though；〃　he　added　more　seriously；　〃that　Don　Pedro　will　fulfil　his　promises　to　pay　my　army。　I　have　bound　myself　to　my　soldiers　for　their　wages；　besides　advancing　large　sums　to　Pedro；　and　if　he　keeps　not　his　engagements　I　shall　indeed　be　in　a　sore　strait。〃
  〃There　is　one　thing；〃　Walter　said；　〃if　he　fail　to　keep　his　promises；　we　will　not　fail　to　oblige　him　to　do　so。　If　we　win　a　kingdom　for　him；　we　can　snatch　it　from　him　again。〃
  〃We　have　not　won　it　yet；〃　the　prince　said。
  〃We　will　do　so　tomorrow；〃　Walter　rejoined　confidently。　　〃I　hope　the　fortunes　of　the　day　may　bring　me　face　to　face　with　Du　Guesclin。　I　am　thrice　as　strong　as　when　I　fought　at　Cressy；　and　I　should　like　to　try　my　hand　against　this　doughty　champion。〃
  The　next　morning　the　two　armies　prepared　for　battle；　the　Black　Prince　dividing　his　army　as　before。　The　divisions　were　commanded　as　in　the　passage　of　the　Pyrenees；　and　each　numbered　10；000　men。
  Don　Henry　had　also　divided　his　force　in　three　parts。　In　the　first　division；　commanded　by　Du　Guesclin；　were　4000　veteran　French　knights　and　men…at…arms　with　8000　foot…soldiers；　the　second　was　led　by　the　prince's　brother；　Don　Tillo；　with　16；000　horse；　while　he　himself　commanded　the　third；　in　which　were　a　multitude　of　soldiers；　making　up　the　gross　total　of　100；000　men。
  As　on　the　night　preceding　the　battle　of　Poitiers；　the　English　army　had　lain　down　supperless。　Soon　after　midnight　the　trumpets　sounded；　and　the　troops　soon　moved　forward。　　At　sunrise　the　prince　and　his　forces　reached　the　summit　of　a　little　hill；　whence　was　visible　the　approaching　host　of　Spain。　The　first　division；　under　the　Duke　of　Lancaster　and　Lord　Chandos；　immediately　quickened　its　pace　and　charged　the　division　of　Du　Guesclin；　which　received　it　with　great　steadiness；　and　a　desperate　conflict　ensued。　The　Black　Prince　charged　the　division　of　Don　Tillo；　which　gave　way　at　the　first　attack；　and　its　commander；　with　2000　horse；　at　once　fled。　The　remainder　of　the　division　resisted　for　some　time；　but　was　unable　to　withstand　the　steady　advance　of　the　English；　who　without　much　difficulty　dispersed　and　scattered　it　from　the　field。　The　King　of　Majorca　now　joined　his　division　with　that　of　the　Black　Prince；　and　the　two　advanced　against　the　great　division　led　by　Don　Henry。
  The　Spanish　slingers　opened　upon　the　advancing　force　and　for　a　time　annoyed　them　greatly；　but　when　the　English　archers　arrived　within　bow…shot　and　opened　fire　they　speedily　dispersed　the　slingers；　and　the　men…at…arms　on　both　sides　advanced　to　the　attack。　The　conflict　was　long　and　desperate；　and　both　sides　fought　with　great　gallantry　and　determination。　Don　Pedro　…　who；　although　vicious　and　cruel；　was　brave　…　fought　in　the　ranks　as　a　common　soldier；　frequently　cutting　his　way　into　the　midst　of　the　Spaniards；　and　shouting　to　Don　Henry　to　cross　swords　with　him。　Henry　on　his　part　fought　with　great　valour；　although；　as　he　had　the　burden　of　command　upon　him；　he　was　less　able　to　distinguish　himself　by　acts　of　personal　prowess。　Though　fighting　in　the　thickest　of　the　press；　he　never　lost　his　grasp　of　the　general　purpose　of　the　battle。　Three　times；　when　his　troops　wavered　before　the　assaults　of　the　Black　Prince　and　his　knights；　he　rallied　them　and　renewed　the　fight。
  While　this　battle　was　raging；　a　not　less　obstinate　fight　was　proceeding　between　the　divisions　of　Lancaster　and　Du　Guesclin。　For　a　long　time　victory　was　doubtful；　and　indeed　inclined　towards　the　side　of　the　French。　The　ranks　of　both　parties　were　broken；　and　all　were　fighting　in　a　confused　mass；　when；　in　the　midst　of　the　melee；　a　body　of　French　and　Spaniards　poured　in　upon　the　banner　of　Chandos。　He　was　struck　to　the　ground；　and　a　gigantic　Castilian　knight　flung　himself　upon　him　and　strove　to　slay　him　as　he　held　him　down。　Chandos　had　lost　sword　and　battle…axe；　but　drawing　his　dagger；　he　held　with　one　hand　his　opponent's　sword…arm；　and　at　last；　after　repeated　strokes　with　his　dagger；　he　found　an　undefended　part　of　his　armour　and　pierced　him　with　his　dagger　to　the　hilt。　The　Spaniard　relaxed　his　hold；　and　Chandos；　throwing　him　off；　struggled　to　his　feet　and　rejoined　his　friends；　who　had　thought　him　dead。　They　now　fought　with　more　enthusiasm　than　ever；　and　at　last；　driving　back　the　main　body　of　the　French　knights；　isolated　a　body　of　some　sixty　strong；　and　forced　them　to　surrender。　Among　these　were　Du　Guesclin　himself；　the　Marshal　D'Audenham；　and　the　Bigue　de　Vilaines。
  As　these　were　the　leaders　of　the　division；　the　main　body　lost　spirit　and　fought　feebly；　and　were　soon　completely　routed　by　Lancaster　and　Chandos。　These　now　turned　their　attention　to　the　other　part　of　the　field　where　the　battle　was　still　raging；　and　charged　down　upon　the　flank　of　Don　Henry's　army；　which　was　already　wavering。　The　Spaniards　gave　way　at　once　on　every　side；　and　ere　long　the　whole　were　scattered　in　headlong　rout；　hotly　pursued　by　the　English。　The　greater　portion　fled　towards　the　town　of　Najarra；　where　they　had　slept　the　previous　night；　and　here　vast　quantities　were　slaughtered　by　the　English　and　Gascons。　A　number　of　prisoners　were　taken；　and　the　palace　and　town　sacked。　The　pursuit　was　kept　up　the　whole　day；　and　it　was　not　until　evening　that　the　leaders　began　once　more　to　assemble　round　the　banner　of　the　Prince　of　Wales。　Among　the　last　who　arrived　was　Don　Pedro　himself。　Springing　from　his　charger　he　grasped　the　hand　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　thanking　him　for　his　victory；　which　he　felt　would　restore　him　to　his　throne。
  〃Give　thanks　and　praise　to　God；　and　not　to　me；〃　the　prince　replied；　〃for　from　Him；　and　not　from　me；　you　have　received　victory。〃
  About　8000　men　fell　in　the　battle；　the　loss　of　the　English；　French；　and　Spaniards　being　nearly　equal；　but　many　thousands　of　the　latter　fell　in　the　pursuit；　and　as　many　more　were　drowned　in　endeavouring　to　cross　the　river　Ebro。　　Don　Henry　escaped　after　fighting　till　the　last；　and　reaching　the　French　territory　in　safety　took　refuge　in　the　Papal　court　of　Avignon。
  Upon　the　morning　after　the　battle　Don　Pedro　requested　the　Black　Prince　to　give　him　up　all　the　Castilian　prisoners；　in　order　that　he　might　put　them　to　death。　　The　prince；　however；　was　always　opposed　to　cruelty；　and　asked　and　obtained　as　a　boon　to　himself　that　the　lives　of　all　the　Spanish　prisoners；　with　the　exception　of　one　whose　conduct　had　been　marked　with　peculiar　treachery；　should　be　spa