1357-59. du Guesclin. A.D. pagne and Lorraine, and drove them out of Champagne; the death of Picquini, one of their leaders, who was assassinated by one of his own men, freed Picardy; the Duke of Normandy attacked Melun, a town occupied by a Navarrese band of these robbers. At this siege the Duke of Normandy availed himself of the services of a man, whom, with rare discrimination, he picked out, against the opinion of almost all the Bertrand lords who accompanied him. He was a person rough in looks, rude in his manners, and unmistakably a peasant in appearance. But the Duke saw the genius of the man, and secured Bertrand du Guesclin to his cause.1 His value to the Royal arms soon became apparent. Melun however was not taken, and the Duke opened negotiations with the King of Navarre. He succeeded to such an extent, and so suddenly, that his brother Philip of Evreux believed he had been subjected to sorcery. The King himself declared he was inspired by the Holy Ghost, and was resolved to be a good Frenchman and no longer make war on France. His protestations were lies, as his subsequent conduct proved; and it is difficult to imagine what can have induced him thus to pretend a change of policy which he, almost immediately, abandoned. His utter falsity and want of principle is the only solution of the problem. His temporary defection from the opponents of the Duke of Normandy had but little effect, except to induce his mercenary troops to range themselves under the banner of the English. Still, when Edward landed at Calais on October 28th, 1359, France, though unable to offer a successful opposition to the English arms, was yet, not so utterly defenceless, as he would have found it in the previous year. Edward lands at Calais. 1 See Martin's France, vol. i. p. 243, for an interesting account of Du Guesclin. CHAP. III. THE SECOND INVASION OF FRANCE. 41 CHAPTER III. EDWARD'S SECOND INVASION OF FRANCE-THE PEACE OF BRETIGNI, AND RELEASE OF KING JOHN. England battle of Poitiers. DURING the two years which elapsed between the A.D.1359. arrival of the King of France in England as a prisoner, and the recommencement of the war between the two countries, England was peaceful and prosperous. The enmity between England and Scotland State of had been put an end to by the release of King after the David; the disturbed state of Ireland did not affect the tranquillity of England; and there are no traces to be found of remarkable events, or important legislative enactments, during this period. Labourers indeed were still striving with employers about the rate of wages-as they have striven to this very day, and will continue to strive to the world's end, unless some master mind should discover the true principle for its settlement-and trade was struggling against vain attempts to regulate its course by governmental action, but during all this time there was nothing to disturb the peaceful progress of the nation. of King The royal prisoners were well and courteously Treatment treated, and no restraint was put on them beyond John in what was absolutely necessary for their safe keeping. England. From the palace of the Savoy where they were first lodged, John and his son Philip were allowed to go to Windsor, where they followed the chase, and |