rse and rider fell
heavily to the ground. The confusion was rendered still more dreadful
by means of a weapon which King Edward used for the first time in
battle; small 'bombards,' or cannon, as they were afterwards called,
'which with fire threw little iron balls to frighten the horses.'

While the battle raged with great fury on both sides, King Edward was
sending out his orders from a windmill from which he could overlook the
progress of the fight.

Presently a messenger came from the Earl of Warwick, beseeching the
king to send aid to his son, the Black Prince.

[Illustration: Warwick's messenger asking for aid to be sent to the
Black Prince.]

'Is my son killed?' asked the king.

'No, Sire, please God,' replied the messenger.

'Is he wounded?'

'No, Sire.'

'Is he thrown to the ground?'

'No, Sire, not so; but he is very hard pressed.'

'Then,' said the king, 'go back to those that sent you, and tell them
that he shall have no help from me. Let the boy win his spurs; for I
wish, if God so order it, that the day may be his.'

The messenger carried back these words to the prince, who fought harder
than ever, and drove off his assailants.

For hours the battle raged, both sides fighting with great fury and
determination. On the French side was the old blind King of Bohemia,
who remained somewhat apart, mounted upon his warhorse, listening to
the din and noise of the battle in which his son was engaged.

After some time he heard a French knight approaching, and asked him how
the fight was going.

'The Genoese have been routed,' was the reply; 'and your son is
wounded.'

Then the king called to him two of his vassals and said to them,
'Lords, you are my vassals, my friends, and my companions; I pray you
of your goodness to lead me so far into the fight that I may at least
strike one blow with my sword.'

Then the two knights drew up, one on each side of their aged king; and
all three fastened their bridle-reins together and rode into the fray.

'The king,' says the old story-teller, 'struck one blow with his sword;
yea, and more than four; and fought right valiantly'; until he and his
knights disappeared under the heaving, struggling mass of men, never to
rise again.

In the meantime the King of France was fighting as hard as any man on
the field. Twice he was wounded, and once he had his horse shot under
him; but after having had his wounds bound up, he mounted again and
rode back into the