e year. All the English who were slain exceeded not forty;
though some writers, with greater probability, make the number more
considerable.

The three great battles of Crecy, Poictiers, and Azincour bear
a singular resemblance to each other in their most considerable
circumstances. In all of them there appears the same temerity in the
English princes, who, without any object of moment, merely for the sake
of plunder, had ventured so far into the enemy's country as to leave
themselves no retreat; and unless saved by the utmost imprudence in
the French commanders, were, from their very situation, exposed to
inevitable destruction. But allowance being made for this temerity,
which, according to the irregular plans of war followed in those ages,
seems to have been, in some measure, unavoidable there appears, in the
day of action, the same presence of mind, dexterity, courage, firmness,
and precaution on the part of the English; the same precipitation,
confusion, and vain confidence on the part of the French: and the events
were such as might have been expected from such opposite conduct. The
immediate consequences too of these three great victories were similar:
instead of pushing the French with vigor, and taking advantage of their
consternation, the English princes, after their victory, seem rather
to have relaxed their efforts, and to have allowed the enemy leisure to
recover from his losses. Henry interrupted not his march a moment after
the battle of Azincour; he carried his prisoners to Calais, thence to
England; he even concluded a truce with the enemy; and it was not till
after an interval of two years that any body of English troops appeared
in France.

The poverty of all the European princes, and the small resources of
their kingdoms, were the cause of these continual interruptions in their
hostilities; and though the maxims of war were in general destructive,
their military operations were mere incursions, which, without any
settled plan, they carried on against each other. The lustre, however,
attending the victory of Azincour, procured some supplies from the
English parliament; though still unequal to the expenses of a campaign.
They granted Henry an entire fifteenth of movables; and they conferred
on him for life the duties of tonnage and poundage, and the subsidies
on the exportation of wool and leather. This concession is more
considerable than that which had been granted to Richard II. by his last
parlia