|
|
Previous | all pages
|
Next |
|
|
SIR JOHN FROISSART
Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the adjoining countries
from the latter part of the reign of Edward II to the coronation of Henry IV. Vol.8
page 229
their riders armed according to the cuftom of the country, with darts and javelins, and thirty thou* fand infantry, if not more, with flings. The french knights confidered all this, and faid it was certainly a great number of people, but it was ufelefs as an army j for they had formerly a&ed in f# eowardly a manner that no confidence could be placed in them. Through their cowardice, the prince of. Wales had won the bat^e of Najara ; and the Caf-tillians had been completely defeated by the Portu7 guefe at Aljubarota.
The count de Lerma took up" this fpeech, and fuppôrted the Caftillians. By way of excufe, he faid,—c With regard to the battle of Najara, I muft beg leave to fpeak to that. It is .true that many noble knights from Jrance were prefent with fir Bertrand de Guefclin, who fought valiantly, for they were all flain or captured ; but you muft |ilfo know, that the flower of knighthood, of the whole world, was under the command of the prince of Wales, whofe good fenfe, courage and prudence, were unrivalled. Such is not now the cafe with the duke of Lancafter. The prince had, at the battle of Najara, full ten thoufand fpears, and fix thou-fand archers ; and among his chivalry were three thoufand equal to the Rolands and • Olivers ; fuch as fir John Chandos, fir Thomas Felton, fir Oliver de Cliflbn, fir Hugh Calverley, fir Richard de Pont-chardon, fir Garfis du Châtel, the lord de Raix, the lord de Rieux, fir Louis de Harcourt, fir Guif-card d'Angle, and hundreds more whom I could »ame, who were then prefent, but who are either
dead
216
|
|
|
Previous |
First |
Next |
|
|
|