The prince indéed was verie desirous to take this enterprise vpon him, both of a certeine pitifull affection to relieue the miserable state of king Peter, and also of an ardent desire which he had to purchase a glorious fame thorough martiall déeds, and noble acts of chiualrie. Therfore hauing this occasion to imploie his time in such exercises, and now commanded thereto of his father, he was excéedinglie glad in his mind, and with all spéed that might be, made his prouision both of a sufficient armie of men of warre, and also of all other things necessarie for the furniture of such an enterprise: but first, he tooke good assurance of king Peter, for the paiment of the soldiers wages: so the king left at Baionne thrée of his daughters, Beatrice, Constance, and Isabell as pledges, for performance of all the couenants agréed betwixt him and the prince.
[Sidenote: The prince setteth forward towards Spaine. He entreth into Nauarre.]
Thus when the prince, by the aduise and counsell of sir Iohn Chandois, and sir Robert Knols (by whome he was much ruled) had taken direction in his businesse, for that his iournie into Spaine, in each condition as was thought behoouefull, he with the king of Spaine in his companie, passed foorth with a puissant armie, and came to the streicts of Ronceualle, at the entrie into Nauarre, and obteining so much fréendship of the king of Nauarre, as to haue the passages of his countrie opened, they entered into his realme through the same, as fréends, without finding any resistance. In this meane time, Henrie king of Spaine, hauing knowledge that the prince of Wales was thus comming against him, to restore his brother king Peter to his former degrée, by aduise of sir Berthram de Cleaquin, got a great number of soldiers out of France, by whose aid he might the better defend himselfe against his enimies.
[Sidenote: The king of Nauarre taken by the Frenchmen.]
Now it chanced, that whilest the prince of Wales was passing thorough Nauarre, toward the entrie of Spaine, certeine of those Frenchmen, vnder the leading of sir Oliuer Mannie, tooke the king of Nauarre prisoner, as he was riding from one towne to an other. Manie maruelled at that chance, and some there were that thought he suffered himselfe to be taken for a cautele, bicause he would not aid the prince of Wales any further, nor conduct him through his realme, as he had promised to doo. But the prince nothing dismaid herewith, passed forward, by the guiding of a knight of Nauarre, called sir Martin de Care, and finallie came to the confines of Spaine, and lodged at Victoria, not far from his enimies. For king Henrie of Spaine, vnderstanding which waie the prince drew, came forward to incounter him, and pight downe his field, not far from the borders of his realme, at a place called saint Muchaule: and thus were both the hosts lodged within a small distance the one against the other.