e extent, for the kingdom of France, the losses he had
caused it.

[Illustration: John II., called the Good----318]

His successor, John II., called the Good, on no other ground than that he
was gay, prodigal, credulous, and devoted to his favorites, did nothing
but reproduce, with aggravations, the faults and reverses of his father.
He had hardly become king when he witnessed the arrival in Paris of the
Constable of France, Raoul, Count of Eu and of Guines, whom Edward III.
had made prisoner at Caen, and who, after five years' captivity, had just
obtained, that is, purchased, his liberty. Raoul lost no time in
hurrying to the side of the new king, by whom he believed himself to be
greatly beloved. John, as soon as he perceived him, gave him a look,
saying, "Count, come this way with me; I have to speak with you aside."
"Right willingly, my lord." The king took him into an apartment, and
showing him a letter, asked, "Have you ever, count, seen this letter
anywhere but here?" The constable appeared astounded and troubled.
"Ah! wicked traitor," said the king, "you have well deserved death, and,
by my father's soul, it shall assuredly not miss you;" and he sent him
forthwith to prison in the tower of the Louvre. "The lords and barons of
France were sadly astonished," says Froissart, "for they held the count
to be a good man and true, and they humbly prayed the king that he would
be pleased to say wherefore he had imprisoned their cousin, so gentle a
knight, who had toiled so much and so much lost for him and for the
kingdom. But the king would not say anything, save that he would never
sleep so long as the Count of Guines was living; and he had him secretly
beheaded in the castle of the Louvre, whether rightly or wrongly; for
which the king was greatly blamed, behind his back, by many of the barons
of high estate in the kingdom of France, and the dukes and counts of the
border." Two months after this execution, John gave the office of
constable and a large portion of Count Raoul's property to his favorite,
Charles of Spain, a descendant of King Alphonso of Castille and
naturalized in France; and he added thereto before long some lands
claimed by the King of Navarre, Charles the Bad, a nickname which at
eighteen years of age he had already received from his Navarrese
subjects, but which had not prevented King John from giving him in
marriage his own daughter, Joan of France. From that moment a deep
hatred sprang up