The prince of Wales, who was courageous and cruel as a lion, took that
day great pleasure to fight and to chase his enemies. The lord John
Chandos, who was with him, of all that day never left him nor never
took heed of taking of any prisoner: then at the end of the battle he
said to the prince: 'Sir, it were good that you rested here and set
your banner a-high in this bush, that your people may draw hither, for
they be sore spread abroad, nor I can see no more banners nor pennons
of the French party; wherefore, sir, rest and refresh you, for ye be
sore chafed.' Then the prince's banner was set up a-high on a bush,
and trumpets and clarions began to sown. Then the prince did off his
bassenet, and the knights for his body and they of his chamber were
ready about him, and a red pavilion pight up, and then drink was
brought forth to the prince and for such lords as were about him, the
which still increased as they came from the chase: there they tarried
and their prisoners with them. And when the two marshals were come to
the prince, he demanded of them if they knew any tiding of the French
king. They answered and said: 'Sir, we hear none of certainty, but we
think verily he is other dead or taken, for he is not gone out of the
battles.' Then the prince said to the earl of Warwick and to sir
Raynold Cobham: 'Sirs, I require you go forth and see what ye can
know, that at your return ye may shew me the truth.' These two lords
took their horses and departed from the prince and rode up a little
hill to look about them: then they perceived a flock of men of arms
coming together right wearily:[3] there was the French king afoot in
great peril, for Englishmen and Gascons were his masters; they had
taken him from sir Denis Morbeke perforce, and such as were most of
force said, 'I have taken him,' 'Nay,' quoth another, 'I have taken
him': so they strave which should have him. Then the French king, to
eschew that peril, said: 'Sirs, strive not: lead me courteously, and