the throne, because his mother was the sister of the late king.
50. But the French thought otherwise, and chose another prince for their king, so Edward invaded France, where he commenced a long and destructive war, which lasted nearly forty years, and was carried on, for a great part of that time, by his eldest son, who was called the Black Prince, because he wore black armour.
51. He made great conquests in the south of France, and, at the celebrated battle of Poictiers, took the French king prisoner, and brought him to England, where he remained a captive for the rest of his life, but was treated with so much kindness and respect, that he had little to complain of but the loss of his liberty.
52. The Black Prince was not only a brave warrior, but was a good and clever man; there. fore, his death, which happened a few months before that of his father, was a great grief to the English people.
53. Edward the Third died in 1377, after a long reign of fifty years. He had been a pretty good king, had made the people obey the laws, and, in general, observed them himself.
54. When he wanted money for the French wars, he had allowed the villeins and serfs, on his manors, or crown lands, to buy their freedom, so
