Walter；　fighting　close　beside　the　prince；　parried　more　than　one　blow　intended　for　him；　and　the　prince　himself　slew　the　Count　of　Blois；　whose　followers　all　fell　around　him。　The　Count　of　Flanders　was　also　slain；　and　confusion　began　to　reign　among　the　assailants；　whose　leaders　had　now　all　fallen。　　Phillip　himself　strove　to　advance　with　his　division　into　the　fight；　but　the　struggle　between　the　Genoese　and　the　men…at…arms　was　still　continuing；　and　the　very　multitude　of　his　troops　in　the　narrow　and　difficult　field　which　the　English　had　chosen　for　the　battle　embarrassed　his　movements。
  Charles　of　Luxembourg；　King　of　the　Romans；　and　afterwards　Emperor　of　Germany；　son　of　the　old　King　of　Bohemia；　with　a　large　body　of　German　and　French　cavalry；　now　assailed　the　English　archers；　and　in　spite　of　their　flights　of　arrows　came　to　close　quarters；　and　cutting　their　way　through　them　joined　in　the　assault　upon　the　men…at…arms　of　the　Black　Prince。　Nearly　40；000　men　were　now　pressing　round　the　little　body；　and　the　Earls　of　Northampton　and　Arundel　moved　forward　with　their　divisions　to　his　support；　while　the　Earl　of　Warwick；　who　was　with　the　prince；　despatched　Sir　Thomas　of　Norwich　to　the　king；　who　still　remained　with　his　powerful　reserve；　to　ask　for　aid。
  〃Sir　Thomas；〃　demanded　the　king；　〃is　my　son　killed；　overthrown；　or　wounded　beyond　help？〃
  〃Not　so；　sire；〃　replied　the　knight；　〃but　he　is　in　a　rude　fight；　and　much　needs　your　aid。〃
  〃Go　back；　Sir　Thomas；　to　those　who　sent　you　and　tell　them　from　me　that　whatsoever　happens　they　require　no　aid　from　me　so　long　as　my　son　is　in　life。　　Tell　them　also　that　I　command　them　to　let　the　boy　win　his　spurs；　for；　God　willing；　the　day　shall　be　his；　and　the　honour　shall　rest　with　him　and　those　into　whose　charge　I　have　given　him。〃
  The　prince　and　those　around　him　were　filled　with　fresh　ardour　when　they　received　this　message。　Each　man　redoubled　his　efforts　to　repel　the　forces　that　were　incessantly　poured　down　upon　them　by　the　French。　On　all　sides　these　pressed　around　them；　striving　desperately；　but　ever　in　vain；　to　break　through　the　solid　ranks　of　the　English。　The　French　men…at…arms　suffered；　moreover；　terribly　from　the　attacks　of　the　Welsh　infantry。　These　men；　clad　in　thick　leather　jerkins；　nimble　of　foot；　accustomed　to　a　life　of　activity；　were　armed　with　shortened　lances　and　knives；　mingled　fearlessly　among　the　confused　mass　of　French　cavalry；　creeping　beneath　the　horses'　bellies；　standing　up　when　they　got　a　chance；　and　stabbing　horses　and　men　with　their　knives　and　pikes。　Many　were　trampled　upon　or　struck　down；　but　numbering；　as　they　did；　6000；　they　pervaded　the　whole　mass　of　the　enemy；　and　did　terrible　execution；　adding　in　no　small　degree　to　the　confusion　caused　by　the　shower　of　arrows　from　the　archers　within　the　circle　of　the　men…at…arms。　The　instant　a　French　knight　fell；　struck　from　his　horse　with　a　battle…axe　or　arrow；　or　by　the　fall　of　a　wounded　steed；　the　half…wild　Welsh　were　upon　him；　and　slew　him　before　he　could　regain　his　feet。
  The　slaughter　was　immense。　The　Count　of　Harcourt；　with　his　nephew　the　Count　D'Aumale　and　his　two　gallant　sons；　fell　together；　and　at　last　Charles　of　Luxembourg；　seeing　his　banner　down；　his　troops　routed；　his　friends　slain；　and　the　day　irreparably　lost；　and　being　himself　severely　wounded　in　three　places；　turned　his　horse　and　fled；　casting　off　his　rich　emblazoned　surcoat　to　avoid　recognition。　In　the　meantime　Prince　Charles's　father；　the　veteran　King　of　Bohemia；　once　one　of　the　most　famous　warriors　of　Europe；　but　now　old　and　blind；　sat　on　horseback　at　a　little　distance　from　the　fight；　the　knights　around　him　told　him　the　events　as　they　happened；　and　the　old　monarch　soon　saw　that　the　day　was　lost。　He　asked　them　for　tidings　of　his　son　Charles　of　Luxembourg；　but　they　were　forced　to　reply　that　the　banner　of　the　King　of　the　Romans　was　no　longer　in　sight；　but　that；　doubtless；　he　was　somewhere　engaged　in　the　melee。
  〃Lords；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃you　are　my　vassals；　my　friends；　and　my　companions；　and　on　this　day　I　command　and　beseech　you　to　lead　me　forward　so　far　that　I　may　deal　one　blow　of　my　sword　in　the　battle。〃
  His　faithful　friends　obeyed　him；　a　number　of　knights　arranged　themselves　around　him；　and　lest　they　should　lose　him　in　the　fight　they　tied　their　horses　together　by　the　bridles　and　charged　down　into　the　fray。　Advancing　directly　against　the　banner　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　the　blind　monarch　was　carried　into　the　midst　of　the　thickest　strife。
  There　the　little　group　of　knights　fought　gallantly；　and　after　the　battle　was　over；　the　bodies　of　the　king　and　his　friends　were　found　lying　together；　their　dead　horses　still　linked　by　the　bridles。
  During　this　terrible　battle；　which　had　been　raging　since　three　o'clock；　Phillip　had　made　strenuous　efforts　to　aid　his　troops　engaged　in　the　front　by　continually　sending　fresh　bodies　to　the　assault。　It　was　now　growing　dark；　terror　and　confusion　had　already　spread　among　the　French；　and　many　were　flying　in　all　directions；　and　the　unremitting　showers　of　English　arrows　still　flew　like　hail　among　their　ranks。　As　the　king　made　his　way　forward；　surrounded　by　his　personal　attendants　to　take　part　himself　in　the　fight；　his　followers　fell　thick　around　him；　and　his　horse　was　slain　by　an　arrow。　John　of　Hainault；　who　had　remained　by　his　side　during　the　whole　day；　mounted　upon　a　fresh　horse　and　urged　him　to　fly；　as　the　day　was　lost。　Phillip；　however；　persisted；　and　made　his　way　into　the　melee；　where　he　fought　for　some　time　with　extreme　courage；　until　almost　all　around　him　were　slain；　the　royal　standard　bearer　killed；　and　himself　wounded　in　two　places。　　John　of　Hainault　then　seized　his　bridle　exclaiming　〃Come　away；　sire；　it　is　full　time；　do　not　throw　your　life　away　foolishly；　if　you　have　lost　this　day　you　will　win　another；〃　and　so　almost　forced　the　unwilling　king　from　the　field。　Phillip；　accompanied　by　the　lords　of　Montmorency；　Beaujeu；　Aubigny；　and　Mansault；　with　John　of　Hainault；　and　sixty　men…at…arms；　rode　to　the　Castle　of　Broye；　and　there　halted　for　a　few　hours。　At　midnight　he　again　set　out；　and　in　the　morning　arrived　safely　at　Amiens。
  The　Black　Prince　held　his　station　until　night　without　yielding　a　single　step　to　all　the　efforts　of　the　French。　　Gradually；　however；　the　assailants　became　less　and　less　numerous；　the　banners　disappeared；　and　the　shouts　of　the　leaders　and　the　clang　of　arms　died　away；　and　the　silence　which　prevailed　over　the　field　at　once　announced　that　the　victory　was　complete　and　the　enemy　in　full　flight。　An　immense　number　of　torches　were　now　lighted　through　the　English　lines；　and　the　king；　quitting　for　the　first　time　his　station　on　the　hill；　came　down　to　embrace　his　gallant　son。　　Edward　and　his　host　rejoiced　in　a　spirit　of　humility　over　the　victory。　No　songs　of　triumph；　no　feastings　or　merriment　were　permitted；　but　a　solemn　service　of　the　church　was　held；　and　the　king　and　his　soldiers　offered　their　thanks　to　God　for　the　victory　He　had　given　them。　The　English　army　lay　all　night　under　arms；　and　a　number　of　scattered　parties　of　the　French；　wandering　about　in　the　darkness；　entered　the　lines　and　were　slain　or　taken　prisoners。
  The　dawn　of　the　next　morning　was　thick　and　foggy；　and　intelligence　coming　in　that　a　large　body　of　the　enemy　were　advancing　upon　them；　the　Earls　of　Northampton；　Warwick；　and　Norfolk；　with　500　men…at…arms　and　2000　archers；　went　out　to　reconnoitre；　and　came　in　the　misty　twilight　upon　an　immense　force　composed　of　the　citizens　of　Beauvais；　Rouen；　and　some　other　towns；　led　by　the　Grand　Prior　of　France　and　the　Archbishop　of　Rouen；　who　were　approaching　the　field。
  By　some　extraordinary　accident　they　had　not　met　any　of　the　fugitives　flying　from　Cressy；　and　were　ignorant　that　a　battle　had　been　fought。　The　English　charged　them　at　once。　　Their　advance…guard；　consisting　of　burghers；　was　easily　overthrown。　The　second　division；　which　was　composed　of　men…at…arms；　fought　bravely；　but　was　unable　to　withstand　the　charge　of　the　triumphant　English；　and　was　completely　broken　and　defeated。　The　Grand　Prior　was　killed　and　a　vast　number　of　his　followers　slain　or　captured。　During　the　whole　of　the　morning　detached　parties　from　Edward's　army　scoured　the　country；　dispersing　and　slaughtering　bands　of　French　who　still　remained　together；　and　towards　night　the　Earl　of　Northampton　returned　to　the　camp　with　the　news　that　no　enemy　remained　in　the　vicinity　that　could　offer　a　show　of　resistance　to　the　English　force。
  It　is　said　that　a　far　greater　number　of　French　were　killed　upon　the　second　day　than　upon　the　first。　This　can　be　accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　on　the　first　day　but　a　small　portion　of　the　English　army　were　engaged；　and　that　upon　the　second　the　English　were　fresh　and　vigorous；　and　their　enemy　exhausted　and　dispirited。
  The　greater　number　of　the　French　nobles　and　knights　who　fell；　died　in　their　attempts　to　break　through　the　Black　Prince's　array。　Besides　the　King　of　Bohemia；　nine　sovereign　princes　and　eighty　great　nobles　were　killed；　with　1200　knights；　1500　men…at…arms；　and　30；000　foot；　while　on　the　English　side　only　three　knights　and　a　small　number　of　men…at…arms　and　infantry　were　killed。
  The　body　of　the　King　of　Bohemia　and　those　of　the　other　great　leaders　were　carried　in　solemn　pomp　to　the　Abbey　of　Maintenay。　Edward　himself　and　his　son　acco