object of the company was to provide tea for the English market: of this they had the exclusive monopoly until 1834, when the British Government passed an Act which threw open the tea trade to all disposed to engage in this important branch of

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and grey:
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you

For every day.

Be good, sweet maid. and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them, all day long; And so make life, death, and that vast for ever One grand, sweet song. Charles Kingsley.

When I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent, which is death to hide, Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,-
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work or His own gifts: who best
Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best: His state
Is kingly; thousands at His bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest :-
They also serve who only stand and wait.

It is not growing like a tree

In bulk, doth make Man better be, Or standing long an oak, three hundred year, To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:

A lily of a day

Is fairer far in May,

Although it fall and die that night— It was the plant and flower of Light. In small proportions we just beauties see; And in short measures life may perfect be. Ben Jonson.

The English, who were drawn up in three divisions, and seated on the ground, on seeing their enemies advance, rose boldly up, and fell into their ranks. That of the prince was the first to do so; his archers were placed in the front, with the men-at-arms in the rear. The Earls of Southampton and Arundel, who commanded the second division, had posted themselves in good order on his wing, to assist the prince if neces

sary.

You must know that these kings, earls, barons, and lords of France, did not advance in any regular order, but one after the other, or any way most pleasing to themselves. As soon as the King of France came in sight of the English, his blood began to boil, and he cried out to his marshals, "Order the Genoese forward, and begin the battle in the name of God and Saint Denis."

There were about fifteen thousand Genoese cross-bowmen; but they were quite fatigued, having marched on foot that day six leagues, completely armed, and with their cross-bows. They told the constable that they were not in fit condition to do any great things that day in battle. The Earl of Alençon hearing this, said,

a

"This is what one gets by employing such scoundrels, who fall off when there is any need for them." During this time a heavy rain fell, accompanied by thunder, and a very terrible eclipse of the sun, and before this rain a great flight of crows hovered in the air over all those battalions, making a loud noise. Shortly afterwards it cleared up, and the sun shone very bright, but the Frenchmen had it in their faces, and the English at their backs. When When the Genoese were somewhat in order, and approached the English, they set up a loud shout, in order to frighten them; but they remained quite still, and did not seem to attend to it. They then set up a second shout, and advanced little forward; but the English never moved. They hooted a third time, advancing with their cross-bows presented, and began to shoot. The English archers then advanced one step forward, and shot their arrows with such force and quickness, it seemed as if it snowed. When the Genoese felt these arrows, which pierced their arms, heads, and through their armour, some of them cut the strings of their cross-bows, others flung them on the ground, and all turned about and retreated quite discomfited. The French had a large body of men at arms on horseback, richly dressed, to support the Genoese. The King of France seeing them thus fall back, cried out, "Kill me these scoundrels! for they stop up our road without any reason. You would then have seen the above-mentioned men

at-arms lay about them, killing all they could of these runaways.

The English continued shooting as vigorously and quickly as before. Some of their arrows fell among the horsemen who were sumptuously equipped, and killing and wounding many, made them caper and fall among the Genoese, so that they were in such confusion they could never rally again. In the English army there were some Cornishmen and Welshmen on foot, who had armed themselves with large knives; these came upon the French when they were in this danger, and falling upon earls, barons, knights, and squires, slew many, at which the King of England was afterwards very angry,

PART II.

The Earl of Alençon advanced in regular order upon the English, as did the Earl of Flanders in another part. These two lords, with their detachments, coasting, as it were, the archers, came to the prince's battalion, where they fought valiantly for a long time. The King of France was eager to march to the place where he saw the banners displayed, but there was a hedge of archers before him. Early in the day some French, Germans, and Savoyards, had broken through the archers of the prince's battalion, and had engaged with the men-at-arms, upon which the second battalion came to his aid; and it was time, for otherwise he would have been hard pressed.

The first division seeing the danger they were