Editing Edward the Black Prince (section)

== Early campaigns (1346–53) ==

===Battle of Crécy===
[[File:The Black Prince of Crecy.jpg|thumb|''The Black Prince at Crécy'' by [[Julian Russell Story]], 1888, shows the prince contemplating his slain opponent, [[John of Bohemia|King John of Bohemia]].<br/> [[Telfair Museums]], [[Savannah, Georgia]]]]
Edward, Prince of Wales, sailed with King Edward III on 11 July 1346, and as soon as he landed at [[Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue|La Hougue]] he received [[Knight Bachelor|knighthood]] from his father in the local church of [[Quettehou]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=91}} cites ''Fœdera'', iii. p. 90; letter of Edward III to Archbishop of York, ''Retrospective Review,'' i. 119; [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000020573638&seq=169 ''Rot. Parl.'' ii. 163]; Chandos, l. 145.</ref> Then he "made a right good beginning", for he rode through the [[Cotentin Peninsula|Cotentin]], burning and ravaging as he went. Edward distinguished himself at the [[Battle of Caen (1346)|taking of Caen]] and in the [[Battle of Blanchetaque]] with the force under Sir [[Godemar I du Fay]], which endeavoured to prevent the English army from crossing the [[Somme (river)|Somme]].<ref name="Hunt 1889 91, Crecy">{{harvnb |Hunt|1889|p=91}} cites Baron Seymour de Constant, ''Bataille de Crécy'', ed, 1846; Louandre, ''Histoire d'Abbeville; Archæologia'', xxviii. 171.</ref>

Early on 26 August 1346, before the start of the [[Battle of Crécy]], Edward [[Eucharist|received the sacrament]] with his father at [[Crécy-en-Ponthieu|Crécy]], and took the command of the right, or van, of the army with the earls of [[Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick|Warwick]] and [[John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford|Oxford]], Sir [[Geoffroy d'Harcourt]], Sir [[John Chandos]], and other leaders, and at the head of 800 men-at-arms, 2,000 archers, and 1,000 Welsh foot soliders, though the numbers are by no means trustworthy. When the Genoese bowmen were discomfited and the front line of the French was in some disorder, Edward apparently left his position to attack their second line. At this moment, however, the [[Charles II, Count of Alençon|Count of Alençon]] charged his division with such fury that Edward was in great danger, and the leaders who commanded with him sent a messenger to tell Edward III that he was in great straits and to beg for assistance.{{sfn|Hunt|1889|p=91}} When Edward III learned that his son was not wounded, he responded that he would send no help, for he wished to give Edward the opportunity to "win his [[spur]]s" (he was in fact already a knight), and to allow him and those who had charge of him the honour of the victory. Edward was thrown to the ground and was rescued by Sir [[Richard Fitz-Simon]], his [[standard-bearer]], who threw down the banner, stood over his body, and beat back his assailants while he regained his feet.{{sfn|Barber|1978|p=67}} Harcourt sent to [[Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel|Earl of Arundel]] for help, and he forced back the French, who had probably by this time advanced to the rising ground of the English position.<ref name="Hunt 1889 91, Crecy" />

A [[Flanking maneuver|flank attack]] on the side of [[Wadicourt]] was next made by the Counts of [[Count of Alençon|Alençon]] and [[Count of Ponthieu|Ponthieu]], but the English were strongly entrenched there, and the French were unable to penetrate the defences and lost the [[Duke of Lorraine]] and the Counts of [[Count of Alençon|Alençon]] and [[Count of Blois|Blois]].<ref name="Hunt 1889 91, Crecy" /> The two front lines of their army were utterly broken before King Philip's division engaged. Then Edward III appears to have advanced at the head of the reserve, and the rout soon became complete. When Edward III met his son after the battle was over, he embraced him and declared that he had acquitted himself loyally, and Edward bowed low and did reverence to his father. The next day he joined the king in paying funeral honours to King [[John of Bohemia]].<ref name="Hunt 1889 91, Crecy" />{{efn|name="ostrich feathers"|As regards the story that the prince took the '''crest of three ostrich feathers''' and the motto "''Ich dien''" from the King John of Bohemia, who was slain in the battle of Crécy, it may be noted, first, as to the '''ostrich feathers''', that in the manuscript of [[John Arderne|John of Arderne's]] ''Medica'', written by William Seton,<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Sloane MS.'' 56, f. 74, 14th cent.</ref> is an ostrich feather used as a mark of reference to a previous page, on which the same device occurs, "''ubi depingitur penna principis Walliæ''", with the remark: "''Et nota quod talem pennam albam portabat Edwardus, primogenitus E. regis Angliæ, super cristam suam, et illam pennam conquisivit de Rege Boemiæ, quem interfecit apud Cresy in francia''",<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} notes: see also John of Arderne's ''Miscellanea medica et chirurgica'',' in ''Sloane MS.'' 335, f. 68, 14th cent.; but not, as asserted in ''Notes and Queries'', 2nd ser. xi. 293, in Arderne's 'Practice,' ''Sloane MS.'' 76, f. 61, written in English 15th cent.</ref> Although the reference and remark in Sloane MS. 56 may be by Seton and not by Arderne, the prince's physician, it is evident that probably before the prince's death the ostrich feather was recognised as his peculiar badge, assumed after the battle of Crécy. While the crest of John of Bohemia was the entire wings of a vulture "''besprinkled with linden leaves of gold''"<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites a poem in Baron Reiffenburg's ''Barante'', ''Ducs de Bourgogne''; Olivier de Vrée, ''Généalogie des Comtes de Flandre'', pp. 65–67.</ref> the ostrich seems to have been the badge of his house; it was borne by Queen [[Anne of Bohemia]], as well as by her brother [[Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia]], and is on her effigy on her tomb.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Archæologia'', xxix, 32–59.</ref> The feather badge occurs as two feathers on four seals of the prince ,<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Archæologia'', xxxi. 361.</ref> and as three feathers on the alternate escutcheons placed on his tomb in accordance with the directions of his will The prince in his will says that the feathers were "for peace",{{sfn|Hunt|1889|p=92}} ie for jousts and tournaments, and calls them his badge, not his crest. Although the ostrich feather was his special badge, it was placed on some plate belonging to his mother, was used in the form of one or more feathers by various members of the royal house, and (by grant of Richard II), by [[Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Archæologia'', xxxi. 354–379.</ref> The story of the prince's winning the feathers was printed, probably for the first time, by Camden in his ''Remaines'' In his first edition (1605) he states that it was "at the battle of Poictiers",<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites Camden p. 161.</ref> but corrects this in his next edition (1614),<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites Camden 1614, p. 214.</ref> Secondly, as to the motto, it appears that the prince used two mottoes, "''Houmout''" and "''Ich dien''", which are both appended as signature to a letter under his privy seal.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Archæologia'', xxxi. 381.</ref> In his will he directed that "Houmout" should be written on each of the escutcheons round his tomb. But it actually occurs only over the escutcheons bearing his arms, while over the alternate escutcheons with his badge, and also on the escroll upon the quill of each feather, are the words ''ich diene'' {{sic}}. "Houmout" is interpreted as meaning high mood or courage.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}} cites ''Archæologia'', xxxii. 69.</ref> No early tradition connects "''Ich dien''" with John of Bohemia. Like "Houmout", it is probably old Flemish or Low German. Camden in his 'Remaines' (in the passage cited above) says that it is old English, "''Ic die''", that is "I serve", and that the prince "adjoyned" the motto to the feathers, and he connects it, no doubt rightly, with the prince's position as heir, referring to Ep. to ''Galatians'', iv. 1.{{sfn|Hunt|1889|p=92}}<!--end efn-->}}

[[File:Edward the Black Prince 1430.jpg|thumb|Edward as a [[Knight of the Garter]], 1453, illustration from the ''[[Bruges Garter Book]]'', [[British Library]]]]
Edward was present at the [[siege of Calais (1346–1347)]], and after the surrender of the town [[wikt:harry|harried]] and burned the country for {{convert|30|mi|km}} around, and he brought much booty back with him.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=92}}cites Knighton, c. 2595.</ref> He returned to England with his father on 12 October 1347, took part in the [[Jousting|jousts]] and other festivities of the court, and was invested by the king with the new [[Order of the Garter]] in 1348.{{sfn|Hunt|1889|pp=92–93}}

===Siege of Calais and Battle of Winchelsea===
Prince Edward shared in the king's [[Siege of Calais (1348)|expedition to Calais]] in the last days of 1349, came to the rescue of his father, and when the combat was over and the king and his prisoners sat down to feast, he and the other English knights served the king and his guests at the first course and then sat down for the second course at another table.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=93}} cites [[Froissart]], iv. p. 82.</ref> When the king embarked at [[Winchelsea]] on 28 August 1350 to intercept the fleet of [[La Cerda]], the Prince sailed with him, though in another ship, and in company with his brother, the young [[John of Gaunt]], [[Earl of Richmond]]. During the [[Battle of Winchelsea]] his ship was grappled by a large Spanish ship and was so full of leaks that it was likely to sink, and though he and his knights attacked the enemy manfully, they were unable to take her. [[Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster|Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Lancaster]], came to his rescue and attacked the Spaniard on the other side; she was soon taken, her crew were thrown into the sea, and as the Prince and his men got on board her their own ship foundered.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|pp=93}} cites [[Froissart]], iv. p. 95; Nicolas, ''Royal Navy'', ii. 112.</ref>

===Cheshire expedition===
In 1353 some disturbances seem to have broken out in [[Cheshire]], for the Prince as [[Earl of Chester]] marched with Henry of Grosmont, now [[Duke of Lancaster]], to the neighbourhood of [[Chester]] to protect the justices, who were holding an assize there. The men of the earldom offered to pay him a heavy fine to bring the assize to an end, but when they thought they had arranged matters the justices opened an inquisition of [[trailbaston]], took a large sum of money from them, and seized many houses and much land into the prince's, their earl's, hands. On his return from Chester the prince is said to have passed by the [[Abbey of Dieulacres]] in Staffordshire, to have seen a fine church which his great-grandfather, [[Edward I of England|Edward I]], had built there, and to have granted five hundred marks, a tenth of the sum he had taken from his earldom, towards its completion; the abbey was almost certainly not Dieulacres but [[Vale Royal Abbey|Vale Royal]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hunt|1889|p=93}} cites Knighton, c. 2606; ''Monasticon'', v. 626, 704; {{harvnb|Barnes|1688|p=468}}.</ref>