he had to encounter. Then taking off his chaplet, he presented it to Sir Eustace, desiring him to wear it in remembrance of the combat between them, and requesting him to declare the cause of his receiving it on all occasions. Besides which, he gave him his liberty without ransom.

At another time, we find this brave monarch stationed on the forecastle of his own ship, habited in a jacket of black velvet, with a small beaver hat on his head, impatiently waiting the approach of a hostile Spanish fleet, greatly superior to his own, and repeatedly enquiring of the seamen on the mast-head whether they were in sight. Anticipating the victory he afterwards obtained, Edward, in high spirits, commanded the minstrels to play the German tune suited to a dance then lately introduced by Sir John Chandos, and the knights to sing in company with them.

The enemy at length appeared, and advanced with great courage, and in perfect order. "Lay me alongside the Spaniard who is bearing down on us," he exclaimed to the master of the vessel; "for I will have a tilt with him." In attempting this, the two ships met with a violent shock; which damaged the king's greatly, and caused a serious leak. They separated, and another grappled with them; and, making fast with hooks, the battle commenced. The king and his people soon found their ship untenable, and that they must either sink with her, or take the Spanish

vessel;

vessel; in which they succeeded, and drove every man overboard.

The queen of Edward III. experienced some of the hardships in England which the king voluntarily endured in France, by taking the field against the king of Scotland, who had invaded this country. It does not appear that she took an active part in the hostilities which followed, but waited the event in the rear of her army.

The battle of Nevil's cross was fought on the 17th of October, 1346; when the king of Scotland was made a prisoner by John Copeland, an esquire of Northumberland; who, having met with much resistance from the monarch, and severely wounding him before he surrendered, was determined to make the most of his prize by conveying him immediately to Ogle castle, fifteen miles from the scene of action: there he boldly declared he would deliver the king to no other person but his sovereign, then employed in the siege of Calais.

Philippa, hearing of this extraordinary resolution, wrote to Copeland, demanding the king, and expressing some resentment at his conduct. Copeland, not in the least dismayed by her reproaches, repeated his assertion. Thus unexpectedly circumstanced, the queen informed her husband of the particulars of the esquire's behaviour. Edward commanded him to come to

him in France; with which Copeland complied, after placing his prisoner in a castle on the borders of Northumberland, under a strong guard.

Those who admire the manly independence of the British character will find, by the conversation that ensued between the king and his subject, it existed, in no trifling degree, so long since as 1346. "Ha!" said Edward, according to Mr. Johnes' Translation of Froissart, "Welcome, my squire, who, by his valour, has captured my adversary, the king of Scotland." John Copeland, falling on one knee, replied, "If God, out of his great kindness, has given me the king of Scotland, and permitted me to conquer him in arms, no one ought to be jealous of it; for God can, when he pleases, send his grace to a poor squire, as well as to a great lord. Sir, do not take it amiss, if I did not surrender him to the

orders of my lady the queen; for I hold my lands of you, and my oath is to you, not to her, except it be through choice." The king answered, "John, the loyal service you have done us, and our esteem for your valour, is so great, that it may well serve you as an excuse; and shame fall upon all those that bear you any ill will. You will now return home; and take your prisoner, the king of Scotland, and convey him to my wife: and by way of remuneration, I assign lands, as near your house as you can choose them, to the amount of five hundred pounds sterling a year, for

you

you and your heirs; and I retain you as a squire of my body, and of my household."

Thus encouraged and rewarded, Copeland returned to England; and soon after, in company with his friends, presented the king to Philippa, who received his apologies with complacency.

The romantic, unsuccessful, and unjustifiable affection, Edward III. indulged for the countess of Salisbury (who had entertained him with great hospitality at the earl's mansion, in his absence, when engaged in repelling an invasion from Scotland), induced him to order a magnificent tournament to be held in London; which he hoped would enable him to see and converse with her. Accordingly he dispatched messengers, with his proclamation, to different parts of the continent; inviting all knights and esquires to assist at the solemnity, without distinction of country, and promising them passports into his dominions.

The lords, knights, and esquires of England, were commanded to attend; and particularly the earl of Salisbury, who was charged to present his lady at court, with a number of young ladies in her train. The countess, the most faithful and virtuous of women, dared not explain the cause. of this distinguished honour to her husband. She, therefore, determined to appear before the king in the plainest dress she could devise, and treat his advances with frigid respect.

The tournament commenced in the usual man

ner,

ner, and continued for fifteen days without intermission, in presence of a vast concourse of personages of high military rank; and the ladies, in superb dresses, danced with as much spirit as the knights tilted. The lord John, eldest son of viscount Beaumont, lost his life in one of the contests.

The young English nobles, and others of rich and antient families, who travel during the short intervals of peace we have been blessed with, are well known on the Continent for their liberal and independent spirit, and indeed profuse expenditure. Their countrymen of the time of Edward III. had exactly similar habits: ten knights bannerets, and forty knights bachelors, were sent by the above monarch, with the bishop of Lincoln, to Valenciennes, to treat with the lords of the empire. "Among them," says Froissart, "were many young knights who had one of their eyes covered with a piece of cloth, so that they could not see with it. It was said they had made a vow to some ladies in their country, that they would never use but one eye, until they had personally performed some deeds of arms in France; nor would they make any reply to whatever questions were asked them; so that all marvelled at their strange demeanour." But they obtained great reputation for their liberality.

The impartial reader will excuse me for quoting the following passage verbatim from Froissart;

as