e expedition into Spain were
prosecuted in a very vigorous manner. Don Pedro was destitute of means
as well as of men, and Edward was obliged to raise a large sum of
money for the provisioning and paying of his troops. His vassals, the
nobles and barons of his principality, were obliged to furnish the
men, it being the custom in those times that each vassal should bring
to his lord, in case of war, as many soldiers as could be spared from
among his own tenants and retainers--some fifty, some one hundred, and
some two hundred, or even more, according to the extent and
populousness of their estates. One of the nobles in Prince Edward's
service, named Lord D'Albret, had offered to bring a thousand men. The
prince had asked him on some public occasion, in presence of other
knights and noblemen, how many men he could furnish for the
expedition.

"My lord," replied Lord D'Albret, "if you really wish for all the
strength that I can furnish, I can bring you a thousand lances, and
still have enough at home to guard the country."

The prince was surprised at this answer. He did not know, it seems,
how powerful the barons of his principality were.

"By my head!" said he, addressing Lord D'Albret and speaking in
French, which was, of course, the language of Aquitaine, "that will be
very handsome."

He then turned to some English nobles who were near, and speaking in
English, said it was worth while to rule in a country where one baron
could attend his lord with a thousand lances. He was ashamed not to
accept this offer, for, according to the ideas of these times, it
would not be at all consistent with what was expected of a prince that
he should not be able to maintain and pay as many troops as his barons
could bring him. So he said hastily, turning to D'Albret, that he
engaged them all.

Although, in the end, Don Pedro, if he succeeded in regaining his
kingdom, was to refund the expenses of the war, yet, in the first
instance, it was necessary for the prince to raise the money, and he
soon found that it would be very difficult for him to raise enough. He
was unwilling to tax too heavily the subjects of his principality, and
so, after collecting as much as he thought prudent in that way, he
sent to England to his father, explaining the nature and design of
the proposed expedition, and soliciting his father's approval of it,
and, at the same time, asking for aid in the way of funds. King Edward
replied, cordially approving of