After the battle, many men were captured and later ransomed. Around the same time, a squire from Picardy, named John of Helenes, had fled from the battlefield. As he escaped, he met his page, who brought him a fresh and strong horse. With this new horse, John quickly rode away alone, hoping to reach safety The Fierce Fighting Around the King.
The Pursuit by Lord Berkeley
During that same season, a young and brave English knight named Lord Berkeley was also in the field. He had raised his banner for the first time that very day, showing his courage and readiness for battle. While riding, he noticed John of Helenes fleeing and decided to chase him.
Lord Berkeley followed John for about a league (a long distance). After riding for some time, John suddenly turned his horse around. Instead of using a spear, he held his sword firmly and prepared to fight.
The Fight Between the Two Men
John charged quickly toward Lord Berkeley. The English knight raised his sword and tried to strike him. However, John moved swiftly and avoided the blow, causing Berkeley to miss his attack.
As John passed by, he struck Lord Berkeley on the arm with his sword. The blow was strong enough to knock Berkeley’s sword out of his hand, and it fell to the ground. Seeing this, Lord Berkeley quickly got off his horse and rushed to pick up his weapon Sofia Day Trips.
But as he bent down to grab his sword, John attacked again. This time, he thrust his sword forward and, by chance, struck Berkeley through both thighs. The injury was serious, and the knight fell to the ground, unable to stand or defend himself.
Capture and Honor
John then dismounted from his horse and picked up Berkeley’s sword. He approached the wounded knight and asked if he would surrender.
Before answering, Lord Berkeley asked for his opponent’s name.
“Sir,” said the squire, “my name is John of Helenes. What is yours?”
The knight replied, “My name is Thomas, Lord of Berkeley, and I come from a great castle by the River Severn, near the borders of Wales.”
John then said, “Sir, you shall be my prisoner. I will keep you safe, and I will make sure your wounds are treated.”
Lord Berkeley agreed and said, “I accept being your prisoner, for by the law of arms, you have fairly defeated me.” He then gave his word to remain a prisoner, whether he would later be rescued or not.
Care for the Wounded Knight
After this, John carefully removed his sword from the knight’s wounds. The injuries were open and painful. Despite the battle, John showed kindness and respect. He wrapped and bound the wounds to stop the bleeding and to help Lord Berkeley recover.
In this way, even in the middle of war, honor and mercy were shown between enemies.
