The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16
THE BLACK PRINCES PRISONER.
How John the Good OF France Fared In DnG
Innd while waiting His Ransom.

lnnd while waiting His Ransom.
LONDON. Jan. 5.-John the Good was one Of
the worst kings that France ever had. He was
King of France from 1880 to 1854. during which
time his country suffered terribly from war and
from his exactions, but he got his title of Good
because he kept his faith with his enemy, Ed.
ward tho Black Prince. The Black Prince. with
5000 men. polished Off King Johns army of
10000 at Poitiers, Sept. 10. 1856, as easily as q
good bowler polishes Off the ten pins at the
other end Of the alley. Then John went to-Eng.
land as n prisoner.
Tit plain people had no quarter in war In those
days. but a nobleman who could be held for ran
som had q good time of 1t as a prisoner. So with
KIM John. He reached England on May 4.
1857. and was lodged in the Savoy Palace for
two years. He made little trips around London.
seeing his relatives and friends, and had q nice
time. In August. 1853, certain restrictions
which had begun near the end of 1858 cul-
minated in his being moved from the Savoy
Palace to Somerton Castle In Lincolnshire. He
retainers, but no still kept about az many.
wants. Undoubtedly. he felt himself a much
abused mar when no sent the unfortunate
be thai as It may be. while he was lodged at
Somerton he had these retainers: two chap
lSina. a secretary, e clerk Of the chapel. a ply
cts. three wardrobe men. three %furriers, six
grooms, two cooks. a fruiterer. a sPiceman, a
barber, and a washer, besides some higher Off.
GERS, and a roy de menestereulx" lwho was q
member of musical instruments and clocks. as
we'll as a mlnstrell, and q fool who was called
tables. chairs, stable fittings, firewood. and
| peat, and fitted up his room, his sons room, the
chapel. and Master Johns room with all desira-
BILE comfort.
He lived, too, in a style bodttlng his rank and
HIS train. He imported claret. as much as lao
tuns at a time: part OF 1t he drank. and part he
sold for money to keep up his state; perhaps he
was the original nobleman In trade. He bought
sugar in London. Lincoln. and Boston, and
spices in large quantities. Sugar was an e1-
pensive luxury In those days, and his Majesty's
candy cost s3 the pound. about 80 shillings. or
He liked to dress we'll, and caused to he set up
in LincOlntown a regular tailoring establish
ment, over which q Mr.. Tlassin presided. With
and tho Comtesso de Boulogne sent him a ninth
suit. His Easter suit. In 1860. was made in
Brussels, of marbled violet velvet. lined with
scarlet velvet, lined with blue ~taffeta. The
Easter suit took 9, $50 skins to line Il suitably;
or say $1,000. The King amused himself by
reading novels, listening to music, and playing
chess and backgammon. His son; Prince Philip,
lighting cocks. and perhaps King John put his
novels down occasionally, long enough to go
out with his son to see agentle main. or a little
course by tho dogs. He was n constant aims
giver, too. and never travelled without tipping
the parish priest or the monks.
4. f1ss57. TO MAY 10. 1851. King 4 John paid CO., 8
900 crowns out Of his agreed ransom OF
$1,000 O05about $1,000. leaving his
buck 10 France. But In December. 1868. the
Duke broke his parole and returned Ia. France,
WShereupon John again surrendered himself to
rather grleved the Prince, as II de clear to him
that the rest of the ransom would not DO forth.
died there in about four months. So the Prince
didn't get his ransom.