A Child's History of England.86

The French King, Philip, was now dead, and was succeeded by his son John. The Black Prince, called by that name from the colour of the armour he wore to set off [通过对比使...更有吸引力] his fair complexion, continuing to burn and destroy in France, roused John into determined opposition; and so cruel had the Black Prince been in his campaign, and so severely had the French peasants suffered, that he could not find one who, for love, or money, or the fear of death, would tell him what the French King was doing, or where he was. Thus it happened that he came upon the French King's forces, all of a sudden, near the town of Poitiers, and found that the whole neighbouring country was occupied by a vast French army. 'God help us!' said the Black Prince, 'we must make the best of it.'

So, on a Sunday morning, the eighteenth of September, the Prince whose army was now reduced to ten thousand men in all - prepared to give battle to the French King, who had sixty thousand horse alone. While he was so engaged, there came riding from the French camp, a Cardinal [红衣主教], who had persuaded John to let him offer terms, and try to save the shedding of Christian blood. 'Save my honour,' said the Prince to this good priest, 'and save the honour of my army, and I will make any reasonable terms.' He offered to give up all the towns, castles, and prisoners, he had taken, and to swear to make no war in France for seven years; but, as John would hear of nothing but his surrender, with a hundred of his chief knights, the treaty was broken off, and the Prince said quietly - 'God defend the right [正确的]; we shall fight to-morrow.'

engage: be doing or to become involved in an activity; begin to fight an enemy

would hear of nothing: will/would not hear of sth: refuse to allow

Therefore, on the Monday morning, at break of day, the two armies prepared for battle. The English were posted [部署] in a strong place, which could only be approached by one narrow lane, skirted [go around the outside edge] by hedges on both sides. The French attacked them by this lane; but were so galled [annoyed] and slain by English arrows from behind the hedges, that they were forced to retreat. Then went six hundred English bowmen round about, and, coming upon the rear of the French army, rained arrows on them thick [稠密] and fast. The French knights, thrown into confusion, quitted their banners and dispersed in all directions. Said Sir John Chandos to the Prince, 'Ride forward, noble Prince, and the day is yours. The King of France is so valiant a gentleman, that I know he will never fly [flee], and may be taken prisoner.' Said the Prince to this, 'Advance, English banners, in the name of God and St. George!' and on they pressed until they came up with the French King, fighting fiercely with his battle-axe, and, when all his nobles had forsaken [遗弃] him, attended [陪伴] faithfully to the last by his youngest son Philip, only sixteen years of age. Father and son fought well, and the King had already two wounds in his face, and had been beaten down, when he at last delivered [放弃] himself to a banished French knight, and gave him his right-hand glove in token [作为证据] that he had done so.

banner: a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff [权杖] and used by a leader (such as a monarch or feudal lord) as a standard [军旗]

……乃令骑皆下马步行，持短兵接战。独籍所杀汉军数百人。项王身亦被十余创，顾见汉骑司马吕马童，曰：“若非吾故人乎？”马童面之，指王翳yì曰：“此项王也。”项王乃曰：“吾闻汉购我头千金，邑万户，吾为若德。”乃自刎而死。王翳取其头，余骑相蹂践争项王，相杀者数十人。…… 《史记-项羽本纪》

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来源： https://www.cnblogs.com/funwithwords/p/15759086.html