"Prince," he said, as he greeted him, "you are the conqueror
of the French." Turning to the soldiers, who had gathered around
him, the king shouted, "Cheer, cheer for the Black Prince! Cheer
for the hero of Crecy!"
What cheering then rose on the battle-field! The air rang with
the name of the Black Prince.
Soon after the battle of Crecy King Edward laid siege to Calais;
but the city resisted his attack for twelve months. During the
siege the Black Prince aided his father greatly.
After the capture of Calais, it was agreed to stop fighting for
seven years, and Edward's army embarked for England.
II
In 1355 Edward again declared war against the French. The Black
Prince invaded France with an army of sixty thousand men. He
captured rich towns and gathered a great deal of booty. While he
was preparing to move on Paris, the king of France raised a great
army and marched against him.
The Black Prince had lost so many men by sickness that he had only
about ten thousand when he reached the city of Poitiers. Suddenly,
near the city, he was met by the French force of about fifty-five
thousand, splendidly armed and commanded by the king himself.
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