self waited at one of the gates of
the town with the principal portion of his force.

No sooner had the French entered the castle than the drawbridge
was raised. The English soldiers poured out from their places of
concealment, and the party which had entered the castle were forced
to lay down their arms. In the meantime the Black Prince issued with a
small body of troops from a gate near the sea, while De Manny, with
the king under his banner, marched by the sally-port which led into
the fields. A considerable detachment of the division was despatched to
dislodge the enemy at the bridge of Nieullay, and the rest, joining the
party of the Black Prince, advanced rapidly upon the forces of Jeffrey
de Charny which, in point of numbers, was double their own strength.

Although taken in turn by surprise the French prepared steadily for
the attack. De Charny ordered them all to dismount and to shorten their
lances to pikes five feet in length. The English also dismounted and
rushing forward on foot a furious contest commenced. The ranks of both
parties were soon broken in the darkness, and the combatants separating
into groups a number of separate battles raged around the different
banners.

For some hours the fight was continued with unabating obstinacy on both
sides. The king and the Black Prince fought with immense bravery, their
example encouraging even those of their soldiers who were ignorant
of the personality of the knights who were everywhere in front of the
combat. King Edward himself several times crossed swords with the famous
Eustace de Ribaumont, one of the most gallant knights in France. At
length towards daybreak the king, with only thirty companions, found
himself again opposed to De Ribaumont with a greatly superior force, and
the struggle was renewed between them.

Twice the king was beaten down on one knee by the thundering blows
of the French knight, twice he rose and renewed the attack, until De
Charny, seeing Sir Walter Manny's banner, beside which Edward fought,
defended by so small a force, also bore down to the attack, and in the
struggle Edward was separated from his opponent.

The combat now became desperate round the king, and Sir Guy Brian, who
bore De Manny's standard, though one of the strongest and most gallant
knights of the day, could scarce keep the banner erect. Still Edward
fought on, and in the excitement of the moment, forgetting his
incognito, he accompanied each blow with his cus