he days of chivalry,--in war all
cruelty, in peace all courtesy; ruthless in the field, gentle and
ceremonious at the feast. Thus the picturesque old chronicler limns
it,--

"The prince made the king and his son, the Lord James of Bourbon, the
Lord John d'Artois, the earl of Tancarville, the Lord d'Estampes, the
Earl Dammartyn, the earl of Greville, and the earl of Pertney, to sit
all at one board, and other lords, knights, and squires at other tables;
and always the prince served before the king as humbly as he could, and
would not sit at the king's board, for any desire that the king could
make; but he said he was not sufficient to sit at the table with so
great a prince as the king was; but then he said to the king, 'Sir, for
God's sake, make none evil nor heavy cheer, though God did not this day
consent to follow your will; for, sir, surely the king my father shall
bear you as much honor and amity as he may do, and shall accord with you
so reasonably, and ye shall ever be friends together after; and, sir,
methinks you ought to rejoice, though the journey be not as you would
have had it; for this day ye have won the high renown of prowess, and
have passed this day in valiantness all other of your party. Sir, I say
not this to mock you; for all that be on our party, that saw every man's
deeds, are plainly accorded by true sentence to give you the prize and
chaplet."

So ended that great day at Poitiers. It ended miserably enough for
France, the routed soldiery themselves becoming bandits to ravage her,
and the people being robbed for ransom till the whole realm was given
over to misery and woe.

It ended famously for England, another proud chaplet of victory being
added to the crown of glory of Edward III. and his valiant son, the
great day at Crecy being matched with as great a day at Poitiers.
Agincourt was still to come, the three being the most notable instances
in history of the triumph of a handful of men well led over a great but
feebly-handled host. The age of knighthood and chivalry reached its
culmination on these three memorable days. It ended at Agincourt,
"villanous gunpowder" sounding its requiem on that great field. Cannon,
indeed, had been used by Edward III. in his wars; but not until after
this date did firearms banish the spear and bow from the "tented
field."

_WAT TYLER AND THE MEN OF KENT._

In that year of woe and dread, 1348, the Black Death fell upon England.
Never before had so