EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE 123 The youthful hero had hitherto, in the excitement and energy of the battle, felt only the necessity of immense exertion, and had been unmindful of all but the immediate efforts of the moment ; but now, the thought of his great victory which his father's praise seemed first to bring fully to his mind overcame him, and he sank on his knees before the king, and entreated his blessing, after a day of such glory and peril. And thus ended the battle of Cre'cy. The prince had now fully established his character as a warrior. Two or three years afterward, he showed that he could display equal courage at sea as on land ; this was in an engagement with the Spaniards. Peter the Cruel as he was termed was at that time King of Castile, and encouraged, to a great extent, the pirates who infested the English seas. His own fleet even, in passing through the British Channel, had captured a number of English merchantmen, returning from Bordeaux, and after putting into Sluys, were preparing to sail back in triumph with the prizes and merchandise. King Edward determined to oppose their return, and collected his fleet off the coast of Sussex, near Winchelsea. When he heard that the Spaniards were about putting to sea, he immediately embarked to command the expedition in person. The Black Prince, now in his twentieth year, accompanied him, and commanded one of the largest vessels. The day on which the Spanish fleet would make its appearance had been nicely calculated. Edward waited impa- tiently for its approach, and, to beguile the time, made the musicians play an air which the famous Chandos, who was now with him, had brought from Germany. During the concert, the king, from time to time, turned his eye to the watcher at the masthead. In a short time the music was interrupted by the cry of "A sail !" Ordering wine to be brought, Edward drank one cup with his knights, and, throwing off the cap he had worn till now, put on his casque, and closed his visor for the day. The Spanish ships came on in gallant trim. The number of fighting men which they contained was, compared with the English, as ten to one ; and their vessels were of a much greater size. They had also large wooden towers on board, filled with cross-bowmen, and were further provided with immense bars of iron, with which to sink the ships of their opponents. They approached, with their tops filled with cross-bowmen and engineers, the decks covered with men- at-arms, and with the banners and pennons of different knights and commanders flying from every mast. They came up, in order of battle, a few hours before night. King Edward immediately steered direct against a large Spanish ship ; endeavoring, according to the custom of ancient naval warfare, to run her down with his prow. The vessel, which was much superior to his own in magnitude, withstood the tremendous shock both ships recoiling from each other. The king now found his ship had sprung a leak, and was sinking fast. In the confu- sion the Spanish vessel passed on ; but Edward immediately ordering his ship to be lashed to another of the enemy, after a desperate struggle, made himself mas- ter of a sound vessel. The battle now raged on all sides. Showers of bolts and quarrels from the
