here he was.

The prince gave orders that the French peasants were to be made to tell
him where their king lay encamped; but these poor people were so loyal
that neither money nor threats could make them give any information.

Prince Edward was in great perplexity, for his army was now reduced to
about ten thousand men; and if the King of France had a larger force,
the prince felt that it might be more prudent for him to retire.

One day, quite unexpectedly, the English came in view of the French
army, encamped near the town of Poitiers. The whole country, far and
near, seemed to be occupied by the force which was to oppose the
Prince's little body of ten thousand men.

'There was all the flower of France,' says the historian, 'for there
was none durst abide at home without he were shamed for ever.'

'God help us,' said the Black Prince; 'we must make the best of it.'

He posted his army very strongly upon a hill, while the French king
marshalled his forces upon the plain below.

That night the two armies lay, strongly guarded, within sight of each
other.

In the morning the battle was about to begin when a cardinal came
riding in haste to the French king, and implored him to give him leave
to try to save the small body of English from rushing upon certain
destruction.

'Sire,' he said, 'you have here all the flower of your realm against a
handful of people, for so the English are as compared to your company.
I pray you that you will allow me to ride to the prince and show him
what danger you have him in.'

The king gave permission, and the cardinal came riding over to the
Black Prince, who received him courteously.

'Save my honour,' he said, when the cardinal offered to try to arrange
terms for him, 'and the honour of my army, and I will make any
reasonable terms.'

He offered to give up all the towns and castles he had taken, and to
make a truce with the French king for seven years; and the cardinal
rode back to his own side with this message.

After an interval of suspense he came riding to the English camp again.

'The King of France consents to make peace,' said the cardinal, 'on
condition that you will yield yourself up a prisoner, with a hundred of
your knights.'

The prince's face darkened.

Here would be shameful news to send to his father and the people of
England!

As the King of France refused to make peace upon any other conditions,
Prince Edward broke off the treaty and turned to hi