atch-fires, made merry on the field, and the King, riding
to meet his gallant son, took him in his arms, kissed him, and told him
that he had acted nobly, and proved himself worthy of the day and of the
crown. While it was yet night, King Edward was hardly aware of the great
victory he had gained; but, next day, it was discovered that eleven
princes, twelve hundred knights, and thirty thousand common men lay dead
upon the French side. Among these was the King of Bohemia, an old blind
man; who, having been told that his son was wounded in the battle, and
that no force could stand against the Black Prince, called to him two
knights, put himself on horse-back between them, fastened the three
bridles together, and dashed in among the English, where he was presently
slain. He bore as his crest three white ostrich feathers, with the motto
_Ich dien_, signifying in English 'I serve.' This crest and motto were
taken by the Prince of Wales in remembrance of that famous day, and have
been borne by the Prince of Wales ever since.

Five days after this great battle, the King laid siege to Calais. This
siege--ever afterwards memorable--lasted nearly a year. In order to
starve the inhabitants out, King Edward built so many wooden houses for
the lodgings of his troops, that it is said their quarters looked like a
second Calais suddenly sprung around the first. Early in the siege, the
governor of the town drove out what he called the useless mouths, to the
number of seventeen hundred persons, men and women, young and old. King
Edward allowed them to pass through his lines, and even fed them, and
dismissed them with money; but, later in the siege, he was not so
merciful--five hundred more, who were afterwards driven out, dying of
starvation and misery. The garrison were so hard-pressed at last, that
they sent a letter to King Philip, telling him that they had eaten all
the horses, all the dogs, and all the rats and mice that could be found
in the place; and, that if he did not relieve them, they must either
surrender to the English, or eat one another. Philip made one effort to
give them relief; but they were so hemmed in by the English power, that
he could not succeed, and was fain to leave the place. Upon this they
hoisted the English flag, and surrendered to King Edward. 'Tell your
general,' said he to the humble messengers who came out of the town,
'that I require to have sent here, six of the most distinguished
citizens,