Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 1.djvu/191

EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE men of the humblest station became proud of his brilliant victories. To form and keep up this state of public temper was the mainspring of his domestic administration, and satisfactorily explains the internal tranquillity of England dur ing the forty years of his effective reign. It was the natural consequence of so long and watchful a pursuit of popularity that most grievances were redressed as soon as felt, that parliamentary authority was yearly strengthened by exercise, and that thfi minds of the turbulent barons were exclusively turned toward a share in their sovereign's glory. Quiet at home was partly the fruit of fame abroad." EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE BY L. DRAKE E' (1330-1376) IDWARD, Prince of Wales, commonly called the Black Prince, was born in 1330. He was the eldest son of Edward III., and a model of the high- est virtues of his times, a loyal son, and a brave, yet merciful, warrior. He sailed with his father to attack the French in 1346, and though only sixteen was knighted by the king immediately on reach- ing France. He "made a right good beginning," for he rode with a small force on a daring foray, and then distinguished himself at the taking of Caen and in the engagement with the force under Gonde- mar du Fay, which endeavored to prevent the English army from crossing the Somme. King Edward and his small army compelled to face a far larger French force, made some of the most daring and successful marches on record in the annals of warfare. At length they encamped in a forest, a little to the west of the small town of Cre"cy. The French army, outnumbering them some say as four, some say as twelve to one, was not far distant ; but, confident in his troops and himself, and animated by the memory of many triumphs, the English king resolved to make a stand. The field of Cre"cy, from the capabilities of the ground, was made choice of for the expected battle ; and the plan being drawn out by Edward and his counsellors, the king, as the greatest and most chivalrous favor he could confer, determined to yield the place 'of danger and of honor to the prince, and in his own words, " to let the day be his." To insure his success, most of the famous knights were placed in the division which the Black Prince (as he was now called, from the sable suit of armor he usually wore) was to command ; while the Earl of Warwick and the celebrated