65
kill both their spouses. The
Countess is horrified; the king
finally sees sense and apologizes.
Off Sluys on the Belgian coast,
the English rout the French navy,
Prince Edward triumphs on land,
and the French king, encamped at
Crécy, tries to buy him off. When
Prince Edward demands the crown
instead, battle ensues. News
reaches the king that his son is
in danger. He refuses to send help,
insisting that this is his son’s
chance to prove himself. Prince
Edward returns triumphant and
is knighted by the king. The king
besieges Calais while the Prince
pursues King John. In Brittany, the
Countess of Salisbury’s husband
offers the French prisoner Villiers
freedom in exchange for a safe
passage to Calais. A captain of
Calais offers to surrender the town
to the king, but the king insists he
will only accept the surrender if six
wealthy citizens are sent to him.
A prophecy that says John
will appear in England seems
favorable to the French. Faced
with a large French army, Prince
Edward turns down a French offer
of mercy. Bad omens appear in theTHE FREELANCE WRITER
8
91117
10 14 18
King Edward refuses
to send aid to the
beleaguered Prince
Edward, but the
Prince is victorious
in battle.Salisbury honorably
negotiates with his
prisoner Villiers for safe
conduct to Calais.A French prophecy
foretells that
King John will
advance into
England.Seemingly trapped again,
Prince Edward is victorious
and conquers the French forces.The forces of
Queen Philippa, King
Edward’s wife, capture
the King of Scotland.King John of France
dispatches
Salisbury with
a warning to
Edward, who is
besieging Calais.King Edward demands
that Calais send him its
six wealthiest
burgesses in their
underwear. Queen
Philippa persuades him
to be merciful.18
News comes that
Prince Edward is
dead, but he soon
arrives triumphant
with King John as
his prisoner.Scenes 7–9 Scenes 10–14 Scenes 15–18
sky and the French panic.
The captured Salisbury is spared
on the intervention of Villiers.
Prince Edward is victorious and
captures King John.
The six wealthy men of Calais
are brought to the king. The queen
urges mercy and he spares their
lives. Salisbury arrives with the
news that Prince Edward has been
killed at Crécy. The king comforts
the distraught queen, but suddenly,
Prince Edward arrives, with King
John as his prisoner. The excited
Prince Edward promises more
foreign adventures. ❯❯