red far more than 60,000.
On the English side 2000 men-at-arms and 1500 archers had fallen.
Upon the French side 11,000 men-at-arms, besides an immense number of
footmen, had been killed. A king, a prince, an archbishop, 13 counts,
66 barons, and more than 2000 knights were prisoners in the hands of
the English, with a number of other soldiers, who raised the number
of captives to double that of their conquerors. All the baggage of the
French army was taken, and as the barons of France had marched to the
field feeling certain of victory, and the rich armour of the prisoners
became immediately the property of the captors, immense stores of
valuable ornaments of all kinds, especially jewelled baldrics, enriched
the meanest soldier among the conquerors.

The helmet which the French king had worn, which bore a small coronet of
gold beneath the crest, was delivered to the Prince of Wales, who sent
it off at once to his father as the best trophy of the battle he could
offer him.

Its receipt was the first intimation which Edward III received of the
great victory.

As the prince had no means of providing for the immense number of
prisoners, the greater portion were set at liberty upon their taking an
oath to present themselves at Bordeaux by the ensuing Christmas in order
either to pay the ransom appointed, or to again yield themselves as
prisoners.

Immediately the battle was over, Edward sent for the gallant Sir James
Audley, who was brought to him on his litter by his esquires, and the
prince, after warmly congratulating him on the honour that he had that
day won as the bravest knight in the army, assigned him an annuity of
five hundred marks a year.

No sooner was Audley taken to his own tent than he called round him
several of his nearest relations and friends, and then and there made
over to his four gallant attendants, without power of recall, the
gift which the prince had bestowed upon him. The prince was not to be
outdone, however, in liberality, and on hearing that Audley had assigned
his present to the brave men who had so gallantly supported him in the
fight, he presented Sir James with another annuity of six hundred marks
a year.

CHAPTER XXI: THE JACQUERIE

ON the evening after the battle of Poitiers a splendid entertainment was
served in the tent of the Prince of Wales to the King of France and
all the principal prisoners. John, with his son and six of his highest
nobles were seated at a table ra