fpecial orders throughout the kingdom, to all his yaffals, under pain of death, that each, according to his rank, fhould immediately come to his afhftance, and to defend the realm. This king Henry was much beloved, as the Caftillans had exerted them-felves in aiding him to drive don Pedro out of the kingdom : they therefore willingly obeyed his fum-mons, and flocked in great numbers every day to the rendezvous he had appointed at St. Domingo de la Calçada. They amounted in all to upwards of fixty thoufand, as well horfe as foot, ready to aft for him, and refolved to live or die for his fervice. "•" Upon king Henry having fure intelligence that the prince of Wales, with his whole army had pafled the ftraits of Roncefvalles, and was in the kingdom of Navarre, whence he was about to ad-vance towards him, he knew that a battle muft be the confequence. " This feemed to, give him great pleafure, and he faid aloud ; * The prince of Wales is a valiant and worthy knight ; * and in order that he may know I am waiting for him, to defend my right, I will write him a part of my mind/ He then called for a fecretary, who advancing into his pre-. fence, 6 Write/ faid king Henry to him, « a letter in fuch terms as thefe : c To the high, puiflant and honorable lord, the prince of Wales and of Acquitaine. ' 6 My lord,—We have been informed, that you have with an army pafled the mountains, and have entered into treaties and alliances with our enemy, to make war upon, and to harafs us : all this has tr^ufçd in us much" aftonifhment : for we have no^