a, who always wore three white feathers in
his helmet. When the battle was at its height the blind king had
his followers lead him into the thick of the fight, and he dealt
heavy blows upon his unseen foes until he fell mortally wounded.
The three white feathers were taken from his helmet by the Black
Prince, who ever after wore them himself.

As soon as he could King Edward rode over the field to meet his
son. "Prince," he said, as he greeted him, "you are the conqueror
of the French." Turning to the soldiers, who had gathered around
him, the king shouted, "Cheer, cheer for the Black Prince! Cheer
for the hero of Crecy!"

What cheering then rose on the battle-field! The air rang with the
name of the Black Prince.

Soon after the battle of Crecy King Edward laid siege to Calais;
but the city resisted his attack for twelve months. During the
siege the Black Prince aided his father greatly.

After the capture of Calais, it was agreed to stop fighting for
seven years, and Edward's army embarked for England.

II

In 1355 Edward again declared war against the French. The Black
Prince invaded France with an army of sixty thousand men. He captured
rich towns and gathered a great deal of booty. While he was preparing
to move on Paris, the king of France raised a great army and marched
against him.

The Black Prince had lost so many men by sickness that he had only
about ten thousand when he reached the city of Poitiers. Suddenly,
near the city, he was met by the French force of about fifty-five
thousand, splendidly armed and commanded by the king himself.

"God help us!" exclaimed the prince, when he looked at the long
lines of the French as they marched on a plain before him.

Early on the morning of September 14, 1356, the battle began. The
English were few in number, but they were determined to contest
every inch of the ground and not surrender while a hundred of them
remained to fight. For hours they withstood the onset of the French.
At last a body of English horsemen charged furiously on one part
of the French line, while the Black Prince attacked another part.

This sudden movement caused confusion among the French. Many of
them fled from the field. When the Black Prince saw this he shouted
to his men, "Advance, English banners, in the name of God and St.
George!" His army rushed forward and the French were defeated.
Thousands of prisoners were taken, including the king of France
and many of his nobles.