3. When night with wings of starry gloom, O'ershadows all the earth and skies,

Like some dark, beauteous bird, whose
plume

Is sparkling with unnumbered eyes;—
That sacred gloom, those fires Divine,
So grand, so countless, Lord! are Thine.

4. When youthful spring around us breathes,
Thy Spirit warms her fragrant sigh;
And every flower the summer wreathes
Is born beneath that kindling eye.
Where'er we turn Thy glories shine,
And all things fair and bright are Thine.

THE BATTLE OF CRECY. (A.D. 1346.)

Nor-man-dy, the district in the north-west of France.

Gen-o-a, a city in the north of Italy.

1. The next thing Edward did was to declare war against France. The French king, Charles IV., was dead, and he had no son; and in France there can be no queens; owing to a law called the Salic law, which says that women are not fit to govern a kingdom.

2. Two people claimed the crown of France. Edward, who was grandson to Philip the Hardy, through his mother Isabella; and Philip of Valois, who was his cousin. The French chose Philip of Valois; because, as they truly said, Edward's mother could not give him a right to the crown, when she had none herself.

3. Edward had to raise a great deal of money from the people for the French war. He took all the wool that was shorn that year, and raised a great deal from the clergy. Philip seized all the salt from his subjects; and a great many jokes were made by the two

kings about these ways of raising money. Edward said that Philip ruled by the Salic law (sal, sel, salt); and Philip called Edward "the Wool-merchant."

4. Philip had a very large army. It was eight times as numerous as Edward's; and he made sure of driving the English into the sea.

The

two kings met near the little village of Crecy in Normandy; and Edward said that, though his army was so small, he would fight and trust

in God.

5. Philip had been marching from Abbeville that morning, and his troops were straggling in great disorder. He would not stop to arrange them, but attacked the English as soon as he saw them, in great haste and anger. He had a large body of Genoese archers, whom he ordered to begin the battle.

6. It was a very awful sight. The sun was nearly eclipsed, so that a strange darkness came over the earth; great flocks of birds flew screaming over the armies; and it rained in torrents, with thunder and lightning. Amidst all this the little handful of English stood firm, feeling sure that God would fight for them.

7. The Genoese set up great shouts, and discharged their cross-bows. It is a noticeable fact that, though it is so long ago, the English showed then exactly the same character as they do now. They stood quite silent, and returned a volley of long arrows with such force that the Genoese gave way.

8. The Welshmen cut down as many as they could, and soon the Genoese were forced to fly.

The Black Prince was in the thickest part of the battle. Lord Warwick and Lord Oxford were taking care of him; and they sent to the king to ask for some help. The king asked if the

F

Prince was killed or hurt. They said "No." "Then," said Edward, "he shall have no help

"You have shown yourself worthy of me and of the crown!" from me.

Let the boy win his spurs. He

shall have the whole glory of the day." 9. Philip fought with the greatest bravery.

His brother and the Earl of Flanders were killed; and John of Hainault at last took his horse by the bridle and led him off the field of battle by force. He escaped to Amiens with only a few soldiers and friends.

10. It was now quite dark. Edward ordered fires to be lighted, and his men to stand firm at their posts; for he did not know that Philip had fled. At last he met his son; and going forward to greet him, he cried: "Fair son, go on as you have begun; you have shown yourself worthy of me and of the crown!" But the Black Prince knelt down for his father's blessing, and said, very modestly, that all the merit he had was owing to his father, who had taught him so well.

11. It gave Edward much more pleasure to see his son so brave and modest, than it would have done to have gained all France.

The number of French who were killed was frightful. Eleven princes, 1200 knights, and 30,000 men were left upon the field of battle.

12. The King of Bohemia was one of the princes killed. He was quite blind; yet he would go into the battle, as he said, "to have a stroke at the English." He had his horse's bridle hooked to the bridles of four knights, who took care of him; and they all rode together into the thickest part of the battle, and were killed.

13. The Black Prince admired his courage and devotion so much, that he took his crest