John Copeland fell on one knee and replied: "If God out of his great goodness has given me the King of Scotland, and permitted me to conquer him in arms, no one ought to be jealous of it, for God can, if He please, send His grace to a poor squire as well as to a great lord. Sire, do not take it amiss if I did not surrender King David to the orders of my lady queen, for I hold my lands of you and not of her, and my oath is to you and not her, unless indeed through choice."
The king thanked him warmly for his valor, and ordered him to go home and hand his prisoner, the King of Scotland, over to Philippa, adding, "and I assign lands as near your house as you can choose them to the amount of five hundred pounds a year for you and your heirs." The squire obeyed, and the excuses he made were so acceptable to the queen that she bore him no ill-will. She ordered King David to be conducted in grand procession through the streets mounted on a tall black war-horse, so that every one might know him and recognize him in case he attempted to escape, and then to be locked up in the Tower of London. Next day, accompanied by a large number of her ladies, she sailed for Calais, where Edward gave a magnificent fête to welcome his victorious queen.
Meantime the defenders of Calais were so much reduced by famine that they offered to surrender. At first Edward resolved to kill them every one, but in compliance with the request of Sir Walter Mauny, one of the Knights of the Garter, who begged him to be merciful, he softened somewhat, and sent this message: "Tell the Governor of Calais that the garrison and inhabitants shall be pardoned excepting six of the principal citizens, who must surrender themselves to death with ropes round their necks, bareheaded and barefooted, bringing the keys of the town and castle in their hands."
Sir Walter carried the cruel verdict to the governor. He wept bitterly; he was compelled, however, to break the dreadful news to the inhabitants, who at the loud peals of the alarm-bell assembled in the town-hall. When they heard the king's message, they broke into loud lamentations of grief and despair. The hardest heart could not have failed to be touched by such a scene. Men stared at each other, scarcely knowing what to say or do. After a pause, Eustace St. Pierre, the most wealthy citizen of Calais, arose and offered himself as one of the six to make the horrible sacrifice for his fellow-townsmen. Five others followed this noble example amid the blessings and thanks of the assembly, and the number was completed. Mounted on a horse, the governor slowly and solemnly conducted them to the barriers, where Sir Walter Mauny awaited them, and said: "I deliver up to you, as Governor of Calais, these six citizens, and swear to you they are the most wealthy and respectable men of the town. I beg of you, gentle sir, that
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you would beseech the king that they may not be put to death."
"I cannot answer what the king will do with them," replied Sir Walter; "but you may depend upon this, that I will do all I can to save them."