126 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS thousand men, who had not yet drawn a sword. Panic seemed to seize them ; and these fresh troops, instead of aiding their companions, fled disgracefully with their commander, the Duke of Orleans. This probably decided the day. King John was now seen advancing with his reserve, in numbers still double the forc9 of the English at the commencement of the battle. He saw his nobles flying, but though indignant, felt no alarm ; then, dismounting with all his men, he led them, battle-axe in hand, against the English charge. The black armor of the young leader of the English rendered him also conspicuous ; and, while the French king did feats of valor enough to win twenty battles if courage could have done all, the prince was seen raging like a young lion amid the thickest of the enemy. Knight to knight, and hand to hand, the battle was now fought. The French were driven back, step by step, till John found himself nearly at the gates of Poitiers, now shut against him. While, however, the oriflamme waved over his head, he would not believe the day lost ; but, at length it went down, and his hopes fell with it. Surrounded on every side by foes eager to make him prisoner, he still wielded his battle-axe, clearing at each stroke the space around him and his little son, who had accompanied him through the fatal field. A knight of Artois, of gigantic height, who had been outlawed and had taken service with England, seeing that the monarch's life would be lost if he protracted his resist- ance, suddenly rushed into the circle. "Yield, sire, yield !" he exclaimed in French. " Who art thou ? " inquired John. " I am Denis de Mortbec, a poor knight of Artois," answered the outlaw, " but now in the service of England, because a banished man from my own country." " Well, I yield me to you," cried the king, giving him in sign of surrender, his right gauntlet. By this time nothing was seen but dead and dying on the field, with groups of prisoners, and parties of fugitives escaping over the distant country. The prince, by the advice of Chandos, now pitched his banner on a high spot ; and, while the trumpets sounded a recall to the standard he dismounted, and, unbrac- ing his helmet, took a draught of wine with the band of knights who had ac- companied him throughout the arduous day. The unfortunate French king was soon brought to him by the Earl of War- wick and Lord Cobham. The prince received his vanquished adversary with deep and touching respect. Bending his knee before John, he called for wine, and, with his own hands, presented the cup to the unhappy king. By mid-day the battle was over ; but, as the pursuing parties did not return till evening, it was only then that the prince learned the greatness of his victory. With eight thousand men he had vanquished more than sixty thousand, and the captives were double the number of the conquerors. At night a sumptuous entertainment was served in the tent of the Black Prince to the King of France and the principal prisoners. John, his son, and six of his chief nobles, were seated at a table raised higher than the rest ; but no place was reserved for the prince himself. Great was the surprise when the victor ap-
