ratulations on the
great deliverance which they had achieved. A great many prisoners were
brought in by the returning knights to be held for ransom.

While the knights and nobles were thus rejoicing together around the
prince's tent, the prince asked if any one knew what had become of the
King of France. No one could answer. So the prince dispatched two
trusty barons to ride over the field and see if they could learn any
tidings of him. The barons mounted their horses at the door of the
pavilion and rode away. They proceeded first to a small hillock which
promised to afford a good view. When they reached the top of this
hillock, they saw at some distance a crowd of men-at-arms coming along
together at a certain part of the field. They were on foot, and were
advancing very slowly, and there seemed to be some peculiar excitement
among them, for they were crowding and pushing each other in a
remarkable manner. The truth was, that the men had got the King of
France and his youngest son Philip in their possession, and were
attempting to bring them in to the prince's tent, but were quarreling
among themselves as they came along, being unable to decide which of
them was entitled to the custody of the prisoners. The barons
immediately put spurs to their horses, and galloped down the hill to
the spot, and demanded what was the matter. The people said that it
was the King of France and his son who had been made prisoners, and
that there were no less than ten knights and squires that claimed
them. These men were wrangling and contending together with so much
violence and noise that there was danger that the king and the young
prince would be pulled to pieces by them. The king, in the mean time,
was entreating them to be quiet, and begging them to deal gently with
them, and take them at once to Prince Edward's tent.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said he, "I pray you to desist, and conduct me
and my son in a courteous manner to my cousin the prince, and do not
make such a riot about us. There will be ransom enough for you all."

The contending knights and barons, however, paid little heed to these
words, but went on vociferating, "It is _I_ that took him."

"I tell you he is _my_ prisoner."

"No, no, _we_ took him. Let him alone. He belongs to _us_."

The two barons pressed their horses forward into the midst of the
crowd, and drove the knights back. They ordered them all, in the name
of the prince, to let go the prisoners and reti