a strong town of France, in Lower Picardy, now called the department of the Straits of Calais, which has a citadel and a fortified harbour. It is built in the form of a triangle, one side of which is towards the sea. The citadel is as large as the town, and has but one entrance. It is a trading place, with handsome streets, and several churches and monasteries; the number of inhabitants is reckoned to be 4000.

Calais was taken by Edward III. in 1347. Hence he marched his victorious army from Creilly, and invested the town on the 8th of September. But finding that it could not be taken by force without the destruction of great multitudes of his men, he turned the siege into a blockade; and having made strong intrenchments to secure his army from the enemy, huts to protect them from the inclemency of the weather, and stationed a fleet before the harbour to prevent the introduction of provisions, he resolved to wait with patience till the place fell into his hands by famine. The besieged, discovering his intention, turned seventeen hundred women, children, and old people, out of the town, to save their provisions; and Edward had the goodness, after entertaining them with a dinner, and giving them two-pence a piece, to suffer them to pass. The garrison and inhabitants of Calais having at length consumed all their provisions, and eaten all the horses, dogs, cats, and vermin in the place, the governor John de Vienne appeared upon the walls, and offered to capitulate. Edward greatly incensed at their obstinate resistance, which had detained him eleven months under their walls, at an immense expense both of men and money, sent Sir Walter Mauny, an illustrious knight, to acquaint the governor that he would grant them no terms; but that they must surrender at discretion. At length, however, at the spirited remonstrances of the governor, and the persuasions of Sir Walter Mauny, Edward consented to grant their lives to all the garrison and inhabitants, except six of the principal burgesses, who should deliver to him the keys of the city, with ropes about their necks. When these terms were made known to the people of Calais, they were plunged into the deepest distress; and after all the miseries they had suffered, they could not think without horror of giving up six of their fellow-citizens to certain death. In this extremity, when the whole people were drowned in tears, and uncertain what to do, Eustace de St Pierre, one of the richest merchants in the place, stepped forth, and voluntarily offered himself to be one of these six devoted victims. His noble example was soon imitated by other five of the most wealthy citizens. These true patriots, barefooted and bareheaded, with ropes about their necks, were attended to the gates by the whole inhabitants, with tears, bleatings, and prayers for their safety. When they were brought into Edward's presence, they laid the keys of the city at his feet, and falling on their knees implored his mercy in such moving strains, that all the noble spectators melted into tears. The king's resentment was so strong for the many toils and losses he had suffered in this tedious siege, that he was in some danger of forgetting his usual humanity; when the queen, falling upon her knees before him, earnestly begged and obtained their lives. This great and good princess conducted these virtuous citizens, whose lives she had saved, to her own apartment, entertained them honourably, and dismissed them with presents. Edward took possession of Calais August 4.; and in order to secure a conquest of so great importance, and which had cost him so dear, he found it necessary to turn out all the ancient inhabitants, who had discovered so strong an attachment to their native prince, and to people it with English.

Calais remained in subjection to England till the reign of Queen Mary, when it was retaken by the duke of Guise. This general began the enterprise by ordering the privateers of Normandy and Bretagne to cruise in the Channel, more especially in the very straits of Calais; he then detached the duke of Nevers with a considerable army towards the country of Luxemburg; a motion which drew the attention of the Spaniards that way: when all things were ready, he procured an application from the people of Boulogne, for a body of troops to secure them against the incursions of the Spaniards; he sent a strong detachment at their request, which was followed by another, under colour of supporting them; then repaired thither in person, secure that his officers would follow his instructions: and thus, on the first day of the new year, 1557, Calais was invested. He immediately attacked Fort St Agatha, which the garrison quitted, and retired into the fort of Nicolai, which, together with the Ribank, the besiegers attacked at the same time, granted good terms to the officer who commanded in the former, but obliged the garrison of the latter to surrender prisoners of war. By these means he opened a communication with the sea: and having received from on board the ships an immense quantity of hurdles, his infantry, by the help of them, passed the moat that lay round the town. He then made a false attack at the water-gate, which drew the attention of the garrison, who fatigued themselves exceedingly in making intrenchments behind the breach; but when they had finished their work, he began to fire upon the cattle, where the walls were very old, and had been neglected on account of the breadth of the ditch, which was also very deep when the tide was in; but a great breach being made, the duke caused it to be attacked in the night, and during the ebb, the soldiers passing almost up to the shoulders. The place was easily carried, though the governor made three vigorous attacks before the break of day, in order to dislodge them; but the French, though they lost a considerable number of men, kept their posts. The governor then saw that it was impracticable to defend the place any longer, and therefore made the best terms for himself that he could obtain, which, however, were not very good: and thus in eight days the duke of Guise recovered a fortress which cost the victorious Edward III. a whole year's siege, and which had been now 210 years in the possession of the English, without so much as a single attempt to retake it. There are very different accounts given of this matter. Some English historians say, that King Philip penetrated the design of the French upon this fortress, gave notice of it in England, and offered to take the defence of it upon himself; but that this, out of jealousy, was refused, it being believed to be only an artifice to get a place of such consequence into his own hands. The truth of the matter seems to be this: The strength of Calais consisted in its situation and outworks, which required a very numerous garrison; but this being attended with a very large expense, the best part of the troops had been sent to join Philip's army, so that the governor had not above 500 men, and there were no more than 250 of the townsmen able to bear arms. As to ammunition, artillery, and provisions, the French found there abundance: but with so slender a garrison, it was impossible to make a better defence; and therefore when the Lord Wentworth, who was governor, and whom the French call Lord Dumfort, was tried by his peers for the loss of this place, he was acquitted. The duke obliged all the English inhabitants to quit Calais; and bestowed the government of it upon Dcs Termes, who was soon after made a marshal of France.

The fortifications of Calais are good; but its greatest strength is its situation among the marshes, which may be overflowed at the approach of an enemy. The harbour is not so good as formerly, nor will it admit vessels of any great burden. In times of peace, there are packet boats going backward and forward twice a week from Dover to Calais, which is 21 miles distant. E. Long. 2. 6. N. Lat. 50. 58.

Calais and Zetes, in fabulous history, sons of Boreas and Orythia, to whom the poets attributed wings; they went on the voyage to Colchis with the Argonauts; delivered Phineus from the harpies; and were slain by Hercules.