Life of Edward the Black Prince

The most important and the most difficult point in historical teaching is to awaken a real interest in the minds of beginners. For this purpose concise handbooks are seldom useful. General sketches, however accurate in their outlines of political or constitutional development, and however well adapted to dispel false ideas, still do not make history a living thing to the young. They are most valuable as maps on which to trace the route beforehand and show its direction, but they will seldom allure any one to take a walk.

The object of this series of Historical Biographies is to try and select from English History a few men whose lives were lived in stirring times. The intention is to treat their lives and times in some little detail, and to group round them the most distinctive features of the periods before and after those in which they lived.

It is hoped that in this way interest may be awakened without any sacrifice of accuracy, and that personal sympathies may be kindled without forgetfulness of the principles involved.

It may be added that around the lives of individuals it will be possible to bring together facts of social life in a clearer way, and to reproduce a more vivid picture of particular times than is possible in a historical handbook.

By reading short biographies a few clear ideas may be formed in the pupil's mind, which may stimulate to further reading. A vivid impression of one period, however short, will carry the pupil onward and give more general histories an interest in their turn. Something, at least, will be gained if the pupil realises that men in past times lived and moved in the same sort of way as they do at present.

The series contains the following Biographies:

SIMON DE MONTFORT. [Price 2s. 6d. THE BLACK PRINCE. [Price 2s. 6d. SIR WALTER RALEIGH. OLIVER CROMWELL. THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

LIFE OF EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE

BY LOUISE CREIGHTON

WITH MAP AND PLANS

RIVINGTONS WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON Oxford and Cambridge

MDCCCLXXVI

"In war, was never lion rag'd more fierce, In peace, was never gentle lamb more mild, Than was that young and princely gentleman; ... when he frown'd it was against the French, And not against his friends; his noble hand Did win what he did spend, and spent not that Which his triumphant father's hand had won: His hands were guilty of no kindred's blood, But bloody with the enemies of his kin."

SHAKESPEARE, Richard II. Act ii. Scene 2.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

EARLY YEARS OF THE BLACK PRINCE.

Page

1330 Birth 1 Position of Edward III. 2 Fall of Mortimer 3 Scottish Affairs 4 1333 Edward's Claim to the French Crown 7 Prince Edward's Education 9

CHAPTER II.

BEGINNING OF THE FRENCH WAR.

1336 Flanders and Jacques van Arteveldt 12 1338 Edward III. sails for Flanders 14 His Journey to Coblentz 15 He leads an army into France 16 1339 He grants Charters to the Flemings 16 1340 Birth of John of Gaunt 17 Edward III.'s Money Difficulties 17 Battle of Sluys 19 Edward III. Invests Tournai 20 Truce with France 21 1344 Earl of Derby sent to Guienne 22 English Possessions in France 22 1345 Edward III. goes to Flanders again 24 Murder of Van Arteveldt 25

CHAPTER III.

CRESSY.

Constitution of Edward III.'s Army 27 1346 Edward III. sails from Portsmouth 31 He lands at La Hogue 32 Capture of Caen 33 Edward III. marches up the Seine 34 Pursuit of Philip 35 Battle of Cressy 37

CHAPTER IV.

THE SIEGE OF CALAIS.