[118] In Epirus, 150,000 persons are said to have been enslaved by L. Æmilius Paulus. In Cæsar’s Gallic wars 1,000,000 prisoners were taken and of course sold. (Plin. Hist. Nat. vii. 25.) Another million is said to have been slain: but these round numbers may be suspected to be much exaggerated. Upwards of 100,000 Jews, according to Josephus, were reduced to slavery by Titus. Cicero says of Britain, “It is well known that there is not a drachm of silver in the island, and no hope of booty except in slaves; and among them you will hardly find learned men or musicians.” Ad Att. iv. 16.
[119] It would be uncandid to pass in entire silence over the two deepest stains perhaps in modern history—the Spanish conquests in America, and the slave trade.
[120] See, below, the Black Prince’s address to John of France.
[121] Froissart, vol. ii. cap. 142, 145 (138, 141).
[122] Froissart, vol. ii., cap. 146 (142).
[123] We cannot deny this merit at least to what is called, vaguely enough, the age of chivalry. Few indeed merited the appellation of Bayard, “sans peur, et sans reproche,” but many were “sans peur,” and thereby escaped one most fruitful source of “reproche.”
[124] In the contest for the crown of Castile, between Don Pedro and Henry of Transtamara, the former was supported by the Black Prince, the latter by the French under Du Guesclin, who had been taken prisoner by Sir John Chandos.
[125] Froissart, vol. i. chap. 239. Subjoined to the chapter the reader will find another version of this story, taken from a most amusing book, entitled ‘Mémoires de Messire Bertrand du Guesclin.’ The passage from Froissart, which illustrates the same point in a much smaller compass, seemed better fitted for insertion in the text; but the other gives such a minute and pleasant representation of manners, that we cannot altogether omit it; and it is too long for a note.
[126] Lib. iv.
[127] Fr. journée—though the day has not gone, &c.