118 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS sage, landed at Sandwich on October 12. All England was filled with the spoils of Edward's expedition, so that there was not a woman who did not wear some ornament, or have in her house fine linen or some goblet, part of the booty the king sent home from Caen or brought back from Calais. One more great sea-fight there was in 1349, when the Spanish fleet was de- feated, and now, indeed, the English were masters of the sea. From this time Edward, as a warrior, retires somewhat into the background, his place being taken by the Prince of Wales, who in 1356 won the battle of Poitiers, and took King John prisoner. In 1359 Edward again invaded France, and in 1360 he signed the peace of Bretigny, according to which the French agreed to pay for King John a ransom of three million crowns, and Edward renounced his title to the throne of France, but retained his full sovereignty over the whole of the ancient duchy of Aquitaine, the counties of Ponthieu and Guignes, and the town of Calais. Peace was again broken in 1369 by Charles of France, and when he concluded a truce with England in 1375 all of France that remained in Edward's hands was Bayonne and Bordeaux in the south, and Calais in the north. The last years of Edward's reign form a sad and gloomy close to a career which had had a vigorous and energetic commencement, and had afterward been rendered illustrious by great achievements. His empire in France was virtually over- thrown ; the vast expenditure which had had such a fruitless result was sorely burdening his subjects, and awakening increasing discontent ; and he himself, through the gradual decay of his mental faculties, had become a mere tool in the hands of Anne Travers, and of ministers whose only aim was their own aggran- dizement. In 1367 the "Good Parliament" virtually seized the helm of the state from the hands of the king and his ministers. The Black Prince was the chief agent in urging these reforms, but his death, in the midst of the Parlia- ment's deliberations, for a time rendered almost abortive the good work he had begun. Edward died June 21, 1377. Both in his home and foreign relations he showed considerable prudence and sagacity, and he may be allowed the merit of having endeavored as much as possible to keep on good terms with his subjects. His expeditions were planned on a scale of great magnificence, but he entered on his campaigns without any definite aim, and his splendid victories were mere iso- lated achievements, won partly by good fortune, but chiefly by the valor of Welsh and Irish yeomen and the skill of English archers. It has been observed, in regard to Edward III., by Sir James Mackintosh, that " though his victories left few lasting acquisitions, yet they surrounded the name of his country with a lustre which produced strength and safety ; which perhaps also gave a loftier tone to the feelings of England, and a more vigor- ous activity to her faculties." " During a reign of fifty years," it is added, " Edward III. issued writs of summons, which are extant to this day, to assemble seventy parliaments or great councils : he thus engaged the pride and passions of the parliament and the peo- ple so deeply in support of his projects of aggrandizement, that they became his zealous and enthusiastic followers. His ambition was caught by the nation, and
