not undertake their Defence Upon all which Accounts they resolv'd by any means to divert the War for this time and so sent to King Edward a Bishop an Abbot and two Knights to desire a Truce of him for such a time on such and such Conditions These Messengers found the King in the beginning of December at Newcastle where they declared to him and his Council their business which was to require a Truce for six Moneths on these Conditions That the Scots should the mean while send into France to King David to protest unto him that unless He would return home by the Moneth of May next following with Power able to meet his Enemies of England in the Field and to defend his Realm then all Scotland would admit of King Edwards Government and never after own either David or any of his Posterity for their King and that thus to do upon King Davids failure all the Lords of Scotland had agreed Upon good security given these reasonable Conditions in so bad a juncture were accepted the Scotch Messengers return'd with a Ratification of the Truce into Scotland and King Edward having settled Affairs in those Parts towards London XVI Soon after the Scots agreed to send into France Sr. Robert Vescy Sr. Simon Fraiser and two other Knights to shew their King what they had resolv'd upon in case he should absent himself any longer from them 1342. An. Regni Angliae XVI Franciae III. They accordingly about the beginning of March by reason of the Truce took shipping at Dover in order to sail into France The mean while King David who had now been in that Kingdom upward of seven Years hearing daily unwelcome News of the Miseries and Ruines of his Country at last understood how his Captains at home had raised up some Light and Life in his Realm had recover'd almost all Scotland from his Enemies and had now extorted an half-Years Truce from the King of England althô as yet the Conditions thereof had not reach'd his Ears Whereupon being now about 21 Years of Age and fired with a generous Indignation against England as well as a due sense of Honour toward himself and an hearty Commiseration of his poor Subjects he determinately resolves the Redemption of his People thô with the hazard of his Life and Crown This his Resolution he communicates to his Friend King Philip of France who highly approving thereof furnishes him with Men Money and Vessels and vehemently inflames him to a cruel and perpetual Enmity with England Whereupon King David having taken his leave of the French King went on board with his Queen Joan King Edwards Sister and such Company as he had for Scotland His Admiral was the Loyal and brave Malcom Flemin of Cummirnald who had formerly with great Care and Conduct convey'd him into France and above a Year before had resign'd his strong Castle of Dumbriton to the Custody of the Lord Robert Stuart Viceroy of Scotland only to enjoy the Honour of waiting upon his Exil'd Prince in France King David landed at the Haven of Murray before any of his Subjects heard any thing of his Arrival For neither did he himself know of the Deputies about that time sent unto him into France nor did they know any thing that their King was then upon his Return home again When n Frois c. 74. the Arrival of King David was nois'd abroad in Scotland his glad Subjects flock'd unto him as if He had been sent from Heaven to work their Deliverance At first they brought him with great joy and solemnity to St. John's Town whither his loving Subjects came unto him from all Parts of the Kingdom to see and welcome him home Especially his Deputy the Lord Robert Stuart Sr. William Douglas Sr. Alexander Ramsey and other his Great Captains the Prime of his Nobility all whom he highly thanked for their constant Valour and Fidelity unto Him. These Lords declared then to their Master what terrible Devastation had been made in his Kingdom by the English to whose Complaints the young King only answer'd shaking his Head Well well my Lords by the Grace of God I will be sufficiently revenged for all or else it shall cost me both my Realm and Life in the Quarrel Then he straight sent forth his Summons to all his Subjects Friends and Allies to come unto Him to St. Johnston by such a day to aid Him against his Adversary of England At the time appointed there came thither the Potent Prince of Orkney who had married one of King Davids Aunts with a prodigious Number of Men of War in his Company and divers Lords and Knights of Sweeden Norway and Denmark some for Love and some for Wages So that in all He number'd in his Army no less than 60000 Foot and 13000 Horse armed after their Manner The time o Buchan says K. David return'd not till July thô he makes the time limiting the Truce to be May And yet that he came before the Deputies had been with him Preposterous of Cessation being therefore now expired hoping after all his troubles to have as good Success against England as his Father Robert had he began to march from St. Johnston with this terrible Army That day he reach'd Dumfermlin the next crossing a little Arm of the Sea and passing forth beyond Edenburgh He went over the Tweed leaving both Roxborough and Barwick both which held then for England unattempted For he thought to do a greater Feat before his Return So thrô the Marches he descended into Northumberland exercising all manner of Hostility and wasting and ravaging all before him for about 40 Miles in length till he came to Newcastle upon Tine which he resolved to besiege and so sat down with all his Forces before it The Captain p Frois c. 74. f. 39. of the Castle was the Lord John Nevill of Horneby a Person of great Conduct and Bravery who resolving to give the young King of Scotland a taste of the English Valour as soon as might be commanded 200 Lances to make a Sally very early the next Morning These dashing suddenly with great Fury into the Scotch Host on that Part where the Earl of Murray was who as they say was chief General for the time the King himself keeping private took the Earl himself in Bed drag'd him away naked out of his Tent and so having slain several of his Men and wan much Booty they return'd all safe into the Town with great joy and deliver'd the Earl of Murray Prisoner to Sr. John Nevill their Captain This Earl was a chief Prince of the blood in Scotland next of Quality to Prince Robert Stuart and the Earl of Southerland but for Valour and Conduct he yielded to none Froisard says his Arms were Argent three Oreills gules This daring enterprise having alarum'd the whole Camp the Scots ran like Madmen to the Barriers of the Town and began a fierce Assault which they continued a great while with much
them to be reasonable for the ease of his People That 3 s. 4 d. laid upon every Sack of Wooll at Calais and all other unreasonable Impositions may cease The King willeth that all unreasonable Impositions should cease It is agreed that One Staple be at l Melcomb Regis in 〈◊〉 Melcomb and another at Ipsewich and that all Merchants and others for their Ease may ship Woolls at Lewes where the Customers of Chichester shall take the Customs and the Customers of Yarmouth shall take in like manner at Lynn As for the Statutes made in this Parliament I shall refer those who desire to Inspect them to the Statute-Books in Print especially because those of this Year do more exactly agree with the Record Only for my self I must put in this Caution that whereas in the Record and Statute-Books this Parliament is rightly fixed to the 38 of Edward the Third considering that he began not to Reign till the 25 of January before which time the Parliament sat yet I have placed it here as well because I begin the Year constantly with January as because it was indeed the Thirty Ninth of this Kings Inchoate before the Parliament was adjourn'd For on the m Ita M.S. Feâ—â—rd Paâ—l â—â—d Sr. Rob. Câ—ttâ—â—'s Abrid pâ—â—ent Seventeenth legit Seventh of February after the King in Presence of the Lords and Commons had given his Royal Assent to all the Premises He gave his Thanks to the Three Estates and so gave them leave to depart VII Now is King Edward said to have finished all his Wars for he had full Peace with France and Scotland and all the Quarrels about the Dukedom of Bretagne were ended and Aquitaine gladly embraced the Government of his Son Prince Edward and his other Son the Duke of Clarence had brought Ireland to a very good Settlement Wherefore thô in the Midst of his Wars he always would find leisure to exercise Actions of Devotion Piety and Charity yet now he more seriously apply'd himself and in a manner wholly Dedicated his time to such Matters as in his Buildings at Windsor Castle Queenborough Castle and Town St. Stephen's Chappel at Westminster Aberconney in Wales Henley and East-Hamstead and his Royal Foundation of Kings-Hall in Cambridge which being afterwards augmented with the Addition of Two or Three other adjoyning Foundations was by King Henry VIII named Trinity-College and lastly by the Beautifull Accession of a Magnificent Building called the Library is rendred now the most August and Famous Structure that ever the Christian World hath seen Dedicated to the Studies of good Letters Which College is no less adorned with those Illustrious Lights of Learning that have continually shined there Nor have their Beams been confined to any Limits but have spread themselves like the Rays of the Sun over Earth and Heaven and enlightned the Church and State and the whole Universe 'T is now happily Govern'd by the Reverend Doctor John Montagu Brother to the Earl of Sandwich a Person no less conspicuous for his Eminent Parts and Vertues than for his Birth and Quality VIII This Flourishing Condition of our King Edward put the Pope it seems in mind of some Old Debts which he pretended to be due from England to the Apostolick See for the Kingdom of England and Lordship of Ireland which King John promised to hold of the Church as a Fee Farm for ever His n Extant apud Odor Rainald ad hunc an §. 13 Letters bear Date at Avignon Idibus Junii Ano. Pontif. III in which Letters it appears that the Sum demanded was but 1000 Marks sterling per annum and that the last payment was made by this King on the Seventh of July Ano. Dom. 1333 but had ever since by reason of the Wars been discontinued So that at this time there was due no less than 32000 Marks to the Apostolick Chamber Thô in good truth saving the Authority of these Letters I could never find o Vid. John Speed in the Reign of King John p. 500. §. 48. 49. that ever this Annual Pension was paid to Rome since the Days of King John. But in the next Year we shall see how King Edward now resented this Matter For the Pope had besides his foresaid Letters empower'd his Nuntio John Abbot of the Monastery St i Bavonis Gaudensis of the Order of St. Benedict in the Dioecese of Tournay by process to cite the King unto his Court to answer for his Default on Condition he should refuse to pay the Arrears But the effect of this daring Summons we shall see in the Parliament of the next Year IX At this time King Edward p Pat. 39. Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 8. Ashmole p. 669. Sandford p. 178 Dugd. p. 761. Mills Catal. Hon. p. 440. Knighton p. 2628. n. 40. c. gave his Daughter the Lady Isabella in Marriage to the Young Lord Ingelram de Guisnes the Rites being performed with Great Pomp and Splendor at the Famous Castle of Windsor The said Lord was by Birth a Baron both of England and of France and his Titles were Lord and Baron of Coucy of Oisey and Mount-Mirabel of Doüilly of Beauraine and of Barques Earl of Soissons and of Nide and some Years after Arch-Duke of Austria Besides which the King at this time created him Earl of Albemarle to have and to hold the said Earldom for him and the Heirs Male of his and her Body for ever He also confirmed unto him the Mannor of Moreholme the Moieties of the Mannors of Wyersdale and Ashton with the Third Part of the Lordship of Whittington in the County of Lancaster to him and to the said Isabell and to the Heirs of their Bodies lawfully begotten I say he confirmed them unto him For the q Robert Glover Somerset Herald set forth by Tho. Mills Author of the Catalogue of Honour mistakes in saying they were now given him in the name of a Dowry since we find the said Places or the greatest part of them did belong unto his Grandfather r Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 761. William de Guisnes Lord Coucy What further Honours he obtain'd we shall see next Year wherefore at this time we shall only add this that the King gave him Å¿ Dugd. ibid. ex Pat. 39. Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 8. leave to go over with his Lady into France declaring that whatever Children Male or Female they might have between them thô born beyond Sea they should enjoy and inherit all Lands descendible to them in this Realm as Freely as if they were born in England He bare for his Arms t Mill's Catal. Hon. p. 440. ubi haec Arma Periscelidi inveluta cernurtur the First and Fourth Barry of Viverry and Gules the Second and Third Gules A Fess Argent and in process of time he was elected into the Most Honourable Order of the Garter of which Grace he was well Worthy X. In these days King Edward caused the Lord
Lords and Knights to meet him These found King Edward at Monstreul where they received him in their Kings Name with high Expressions of Respect For the French are a wonderfull free and civil People when they design to do honour to any Person Thus both Nations rode very friendly together towards Amiens enterchanging many courteous Speeches with great Familiarity King Edward upon his Arrival at Amiens was honourably welcom'd by King Philip the Kings of Bohemia Navarre and Majorica with many Dukes Earls and Barons and the Eleven Peers of France he himself being the Twelfth who were all there to do him Honour as was pretended but indeed to bear witness to his Homage There for Fifteen Days together he was entertain'd with great Royalty many things being canvas'd and discours'd of the mean while at intervals in order to the present Affair But on the Day appointed King Edward came into the Cathedral of Amiens in order to his Homage in a long Robe of Crimson Velvet pouder'd with Leopards of Gold his Crown on his Head his Sword by his Side and Spurs of Gold on his Heels King Philip of Valois sat ready to receive him on his Royal Throne in a Robe of Violet-colour'd Velvet pouder'd with Flowers de Luce's of Gold his Crown on his Head his Scepter in his Hand with other Ensigns of Majesty besides his Royal Attendants When e Frois c. 24 fol. 14. a. Martin p. 105. King Edward saw in what scornfull manner King Philip sat to receive him his High Courage instantly resolv'd upon a different Way from what he had before intended so that only bending his Body a little toward the Throne he said aloud with a truly Royal Boldness I Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain do hereby do Homage to thee Philip King of France to hold the Dutchy of Guien as Duke thereof and the Earldom of Ponthieu and Monstreul as Earl thereof and as Peer of France in like manner as my Predecessors did Homage for the said Dukedom and Earldom to thy Predecessors At this unexpected Gallantry of King Edward's thô Philip of Valois inwardly repin'd yet he seem'd to take little notice of it but only order'd his Chancellor to direct the King his Cozen That the manner of his Predecessors was by Putting off the Crown and Laying aside both Sword and Spurs to do it Kneeling with their Hands between the King of France's Knees or his great Chamberlain's hands and this they were always to do either in Person or by sufficient Proxy of some high Prince or Prelate then and there promising Faith and Homage to the King of France as to their Soveraign Lord of whom they held those Lands and Honours But this King Edward would by no means yeeld to alledging that they could shew no such Precedent For one Crowned Head so to humble himself to another and that he was not as yet satisfied of any such matter Hereupon they produced some Old Memorials which were read to him purporting that certain Kings his Ancestors had done in like manner to the Kings of France when summon'd on the same Occasion But these Records the King of England would not allow to be Authentick and therefore said he was determin'd as then to proceed no further till he had consulted his own Records wherein if he should find that any thing more had been done he would recognize the same by his Letters Patents to the French King. And whatever Monsieur du Serres alledges that the Vicount Melun Great Chamberlain of France having made him put off Crown Sword and Spurs joyned his Hands together and received his Homage yet that no more than a Verbal Homage was then done appears not only from the Acknowledgment of Monsieur f Mezeray p. 6. par 2. â—im 3. Mezeray an Author infinitely more diligent and wise than Du Serres but also by the King of England's own Letters afterwards which in order shall follow according to the Originall This was a mighty Disappointment to the King of France who had expected a more formal and full Homage in Presence of all these his Honourable Friends and Allies But no more could now be obtain'd and since no Evidence to the Contrary appear'd as yet Authentick enough at least to King Edward's satisfaction he was obliged in Honour to smother his Discontent before that Royal Assembly and so said openly Dear Cozen of England we will not here be thought desirous to impose any thing upon You against Right and Equity What you have already done sufficeth for the Present So that upon your Return when you have consulted your own Records and seen what your Predecessors have done on like Occasions you will send unto us under your Broad Seal an acknowledgement of the same Thus he spake and so the Assembly broke up as it should seem in friendly manner howbeit King Philip revolved deeply in his Mind of this affront put upon him where he had look'd for such High Honour and upon that account as well as because of those pretences which he knew King Edward might justly make to his Crown he secretly devised how when most separated from his people he might g Knighton p. 2555. n. 10. surprize and seise his Person till he should make his own Conditions with him But this Counsel was not so closely agitated but that Henry Burwash Lord Bishop of Lincoln a Man of a great Reach who came over as the King 's Chief Counsellour and Governour had got some inkling or conjecture thereof at least and so privately informed the King his Master of the Danger he was in He for his part easily apprehending the matter left France suddenly with his whole Company e're any Man imagin'd how or why and so coming safely into England went directly for Windsor where his Queen Philippa lay who was extreamly satisfied with his safe Return and there had her Female Curiosity abundantly satisfied as to all her Enquiries after the State and Welfare of her Uncle King Philip and the rest of her kindred whom he had lately seen But King Edward brought home a sting along with him whereby he thought his Honour wounded and which never let him be at rest till he had prov'd himself Worthy of the Crown of France thô he never attain'd to the Possession of it From this time it run continually in his Head that France was too Noble a Kingdom to be despised for he had never before seen any thing so Pompous there or if he had his tender Age would not permit him to make any just estimate thereof But now whatever he had met with gave him the more concern because he look'd on it as of Right his own however injuriously taken from him The mean l Frois ibid. while as if all this was too little provocation King Philip not thus satisfied resolves to press the unwilling Prince to a more particular acknowledgement and therefore soon after pursues him
was slain with 7000 Christians the Pagans obtaining but a bloody Victory with the loss of no less than 58000 Men This Battle was struck on the Feast of St. Catherine being the 25 of November The Other was between the Castilians of Spain and the Moors of Granada of which because it bears some reference to the succeeding Affairs I shall take leave to speak something more particularly It may be remembred that when I spake of the Dishonourable Peace made with Scotland at Northampton I took occasion to mention a Voyage which the Lord James Douglas the famous Warriour of Scotland had undertaken to the Holy Land there to offer up his dead Master King Robert's Heart at the Sepulchre of our Blessed Saviour Now as soon as he had well provided for so long and important a Journey he took the Noble Heart of his Lord King Robert g Hector Bâ—et l. 15. fol. 311. b. n. 70. embalmed and enshrin'd in a Golden Box and with a Gallant company of choice Knights and valiant Gentlemen of whom the Lord William Sinclare and Sr. Robert Logan were chief he set forth for the Holy Land. And here Hector according to his usual way makes no more adoe but boldly affirms that he came to Jerusalem offer'd up the Heart stay'd a while fought many Glorious Battels wan much Renown brought the Saracens to a Peace on conditions very advantageous to the Christians richly rewarded the Priests and Holy Men there and away came he again safe and sound as could be till he touch'd the Spanish Coast about Andaluzia or the Boetic Province where finally he lost his Life But Buchanan in this place more modest h Buchan l. 8. p. 279. acknowledges that his Death happen'd not in his Return but in his Passage to Jerusalem and therein agrees with i Frois c. 20. fol. 11. Froisard a most credible Historian in the main who thus reports the whole matter Earl Douglas being well purvey'd of all things sets sail immediately from a Port of Murray in Scotland directing his course for Sluce in Flanders where he design'd to enquire if there were any Knights or Noblemen who to advance the honour of Christ and purchase unto themselves true Renown would adventure to accompany him in this his Expedition to the Holy Land. Having therefore accordingly sent into the Country thereabout to publish his Intention he lay on Board before Sluce the space of twelve Days himself not once offering to touch the Land so firmly was he set on the performance of his Royal Master's Injunctions And all the while that he might the better allure Companions in Arms to partake with him in this hazardous Enterprise he kept a stately and magnificent Port making on Board triumphant Noises with Trumpets Clarions and other Instruments of War as if he had been King of Scotland himself He had with him in his own Ship two Knights Bannerets and six other Knights with 26 lusty Esquires and other young Gentlemen to attend his person and all the Vessels he was served in were of Gold or silver And whoever came on Board to visit him were nobly entertain'd with Banquets Wine and spices every one after his Quality While thus he lay to the great pleasure and satisfaction of the Country at the end of twelve days he had certain News that Alphonso the XI King of Castille and Leon held war with the Moors and Saracens of Granada Upon this report he thought it every whit as meritorious to fight against Infidels in Spain as in the Holy Land and that it could no way thwart with his dead Masters Command if he should endeavour to exalt the Cross of Christ against Mahometanisme to which cause himself had both living and dying devoted his own Royal Heart Desirous also to leave some Token of the Scottish Valour in the furthermost Parts of Spain and concluding after all to perform at his leisure the Voyage to Jerusalem he at last resolves to be a partaker in these honourable Wars Whereupon hoising sail directly for Spain he arrived happily at the Port of Valencia where he landed with all his Company but such as were appointed to look to the Fleet. Thus this Gallant Scot having well refreshed himself and his Troops rode bravely forward toward the King of Spain whom he found with his Army facing the Enemy on the Frontiers of his Kingdom toward the Realm of Granada To make short his service was well accepted and thereupon the King of Spain resolv'd to give his Enemies Battle The King of Granada seeing the Christians advance set forward also to meet them with innumerable Forces And now both Armies wanted but little of joyning when the Generous Earl Douglas fearing to come too late to so glorious a Banquet with all his Company strake spurs to his Horses sides and couching his Spear rushed fiercely among the thickest of his Enemies all the way crying out a Douglas a Douglas as he that nothing doubted but to be well back'd by King Alphonso The Enemy thô vastly Numerous was strangely amaz'd at this vigorous and resolute Onset and either out of Dismay or Policy open'd their Ranks to receive them giving also back a little to abate the Fury of the first shock Certainly had the Castillians immediately seconded this Noble Knight with but half that Bravery the Moors had either wholly been overthrown or at most gain'd but a Bloody Victory But whether 't was Fatal oversight or Discretion not to Engage with such vast Numbers in confidence of a few seeming-rash Strangers or whether 't was a certain stupor and excess of Admiration or a desire to stay a while beholding the Effects of such Gallantry or foolish Envy or base Cowardise or that they could not come up timely enough King Alphonso however Brave and Victorious at other times stood now still and joyned not the Battle Whereat the Moors encouraged immediately surrounded the Deserted Scots with their Numerous Forces and there the Gallantest Captain in the World being abandon'd to Infinite Multitudes of Barbarians was miserably at last hewen in pieces with all his Martial Company Thô they left such Marks of their exceeding Valour behind that the Infidels who felt and saw their Fury thought them Invincible till they beheld them slain before their Eyes Thus by occasion of a superstitious Vow of the Late King Robert was Scotland unfortunately depriv'd of a Noble Captain and many other Brave Souls at a time when most she needed their Assistance at Home This Lord Douglas bare for his Arms k Frois c. 17. fol. 8. Azure a Chevron Argent but his Posterity in Memory of this his Enterprise and Death do l Hâ—linshead hist Sâ—ctl p. 227. bear the Bloody Heart for their Arms to this day And indeed he was one of the first Builders of his Name and Family in Scotland being a great Champion to his Native Country and as great a Terror to all the English Borderers For m Knighton p. 2559. n. 50.
Grievance to the whole Kingdom Among other of their Licentious Practises the Lord Chief Justice e Knighton p. 2559. n. 60. Sr. Richard Willoughby going after Christmas towards Grantham was taken by one Richard Fulvile and by force carried into a Wood hard by where being siesed by certain of these Lawless Fellows he was compell'd to lay down immediately Ninety Marks as a Ransom for his Life and also to swear never to discover them Upon News of these and the like Insolencies the Young King resolving now to be Master of his Crown sends forth his Justices of Trailebaston two and two with Power to enquire after all Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Escheators and others who had abused or neglected their Offices by Extortion Bribery Fear or Favour and after all such as had failed in the due Execution of the Laws whereby these Licentious People began first to take such Boldness upon them The form of the Writ thô of moment I forbear to transcribe because 't is already Extant in f Holinshead Engl. Chron. p. 840. Holinsheads Chronicles and elsewhere But least the Law should fail of Power to maintain it self the Young King takes to him some choice Troops of Armed Men with many Light-Horsemen well mounted and marches forth in Person to discover these Enemies to Government Some Parties of these Audacious Villains were met with by him nor did they much decline the matter Success had made them so Impudent But Majesty and Vertue are more Valiant than Vice and Rebellion so that they are all soon Worsted by the Brave Young King and become an Example to others some of them being slain in Skirmish many Hang'd and Quarter'd a few Beheaded others imprison'd and put to great Fines and in short such Order taken with all that the whole Kingdom was kept in Peace and quiet at Home all his Reign after VI. On the Thirtieth g M.S. p. 14. Sr Rob. Cotton Statute Bock c. of September or the Morrow after St. Michael being a Monday the King held his High-court of Parliament at Westminster to consult about the Affairs of Guienne and other his Lands beyond the Seas as also concerning a Peace to be had with France and to conferr about the Matters of Ireland These were by John Stratford Bishop of Winchester and then Lord Chancellour of England offer'd as the reasons inducing the King to call that Parliament The Affairs of Guienne were not in so ill a posture the h Knighton p. 2563. Earl of Vlster being now there and Sr. John Darcy Justice of Ireland having been sent thither the Year foregoing i Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 371. especially because of the late Composure between England and France the French being also at this time about a Treaty with England Yet because then a Peace is most likely to be made on good Conditions when he that treats is in a posture of Defence it was thought fit to provide something for the Defence of those Parts however And therefore Sr. John k Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 151. a. St. Philibert a Baron of great prudence and valour was now by the King appointed to be Major of the City of Bourdeaux having an assignation of an 100 l. allow'd him for the Expences of his journey thither thô this Worthy Gentleman deceased about two Years after Sr. Oliver Ingham a mighty Baron and One of the Twelve appointed for a Guide and Counsellour to this King at his Coronation had now his l Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 104. Patent which had been granted him seven Years before for the Seneschalsie of Aquitain renewed and not long after he was sent over with pretty considerable Forces Of whose valourous Exploits this Book will not be silent At the same time the Lord m Dugd. 2 Vol. p 34. Ashmole p. 693. Bartholomew Burwash senior was constituted Seneschall of Ponthieu in Picardy which King Edward held in right of his Mother with whom that Earldom was given upon her Marriage with the King his Father As for Ireland it was resolved that the King in Person should go thither that to prepare his way a certain power of Armed Men should go before him under able Commanders and that those especially who held any Lands there should make speedy repair thither for Defence of that Kingdom as also that all learned Men in the Law who should be appointed as Justices or otherwise to serve in Ireland should by no means be excus'd on any pretence whatsoever And further 't was order'd that search should be made into his Majesties Records to see what Methods had been formerly taken for the civilizing and governing that Country As to the Affairs n M. S. p. 14. §. 3. Sr Rob. Cotton's Abridgement p. 9 §. 3. with France the King by his Chancellour demanded whether he had best treat with that Crown by way of Amity or Marriage The Commons humbly conceived that Marriage would be the best way whereupon certain were appointed to consult about this Treaty and a o Ashmole p. 675 Commission was given to Sr. John Darcy and Sr William Trussel to treat and agree with King Philip or his Deputies upon the Premises Now for the better understanding of this Matter it appears from the Records as we shall more fully shew hereafter that near this time King Philip being taken up with thoughts about the Holy War that he might be sure of King Edward of whose pretences to that Crown he was jealous had offer'd to enter into a strict Alliance with him by p Ashmole p. 675 Sandferd p. 184. a Marriage between a Daughter of his and the young Prince Edward of England And lest that might not suffice had importun'd him to be his Fellow in Arms and in Person to accompany him into Palestine or as q Odoric Rainald Add. tâ—ad Annal. Barerâ—i 1331. â— 29 c. Others say into Spain to fight against the Moors of Granada But because nothing was done in this Matter yet only it was refer'd to the foresaid Commissioners to advise about it we shall remitt the further prosecution hereof to the next Year to which it more properly belongs Yet this we must not pass over that now upon Occasion of the King 's being invited into France the former Resolution that he should personally go into Ireland took not effect this Year and as for the next other Business put it off and the Scotch Affairs the Year following wholly null'd it so that the King went not thither at all as it had been here resolved only an Armed Power was sent thither the Year after this In this Parliament St. Hugolin the Granchild of the Lord Hugh Spencer the Elder who with his Son Sr. Hugh had in the late Revolution been illegally executed by Queen Isabell having first by his great Valour r Holinshead Engl. Chron. p. 880. in holding his Castle against the said Queen compounded for his life and since that Obtaining his Majesties Gracious Pardon was now
Upon Request of the Commons that all Men might have their Writs out of the Chancery for Fees of the Seal only without any Fine according to that of Magna Charta Nulli vendemus Justitiam the King granted that Writs which were of Course should be so and that for such as were of Grace he would Command his Chancellour to be therein Gracious It is Enacted that Bigamy shall be Tryed only in Court Christian It is Enacted that Justices of Assise after their Assise taken shall not depart before they have made Delivery of their Goal on pain of loosing their Fees. It is Enacted If any Delivery be taken before any other Justices than such as are appointed thereto contrary to the Statutes at Northampton that the same may be void It is Enacted that no Purveyance be made but for the King. The Commons Petition That Remedy may be had against Oppressions of the Clergy for Probates of Wills and Citations for Trifles The King will herein do his Best and chargeth the Bishops to do the Like That every Infant acknowledging any Statute or Recognisance may at his Full Age Averre his Nonage The King reply'd There was a better Law than by Averment That all Men may have Delivery of their Beasts which escape into any Hay or Forest without any Fine to the Forester who accounteth them Forfeits and that Coroners may Execute their Office there The Coroners shall Execute their Office there and Wardens of Forests shall be commanded to keep their Officers from Extorting That certain may be appointed to hear the Debates between the Town of Great Yarmouth and Little Yarmouth The Judgements therefore made between them shall stand That Remedy may be had for the true making of Woollen Cloaths according to the Assize The King will Provide for the Execution of the Statute That no money be Exported out of the Realm The King will Provide therefore That Pardons may be granted for the Debts due to King John and Henry the Third for which Process came daily out of the Exchequer The King will Provide an Answer the next Parliament That Remedy may be had against Sheriffs and their Officers for Gathering of Green Wax The Statute therefore made shall stand For e In Derso ejusd Ret that the Staple was ordain'd to endure at the Kings Pleasure It is now Enacted that the same Staple should be revoked and that all Merchants-Strangers may freely buy any Staple Wares paying the due Custom Sundry Justices in several Counties were appointed to enquire of the Felonies of Bennet of Normanton Lastly because Sr. Geoffry Scroop Lord Chief Justice was to be employ'd in the Kings Weighty Affairs it was Enacted that the Kings Bench should be continued in Warwickshire after Easter next Sr. Richard Willoughby being appointed to supply his Place for the time with the Assistance of Sr. William Shareshull one of the Justices of the Bench. II. This is the Summ of what I find transacted in this Parliament which being adjourn'd the King who was desirous to keep a watchfull Eye over Scotland passed on and held his Whitsuntide f Whitsâ—nday fell on the 15 of May. at Newcastle upon Tine Whither soon after Edward Bailiol King of Scotland Sirnamed the Conquerour came to him well and Honourably attended with the Nobility of either Nation and there g Walsingh hist p. 115. Holinshead p. 896. Ashmole p. 645. on the Day of Gervasius and Prothasius which is the 19 of June in the Church of the Preaching Fryers render'd his Homage and swore Fealty unto him for his Kingdom of Scotland and the Isles thereto belonging with the Ceremony of Kneeling while the Words of the Homage were pronounced after which he h Vid. Selden's Tit. Hâ—nâ—r p. 52. kissed the King of Englands Cheek all being performed in the Presence of several Archbishops Bishops Earls and many other Barons of both Nations Here King Bailiol acknowledged the King of England as Superior Lord of Scotland swearing to hold his Realm of him his Heirs and Lawfull Successours for ever Then and there also he gave and Granted to King Edward in Requital of his Expences and Labour in the Wars on his Behalf Five whole Counties next adjoyning to the Borders of England as Barwick Roxborough Peblis and Dumfres with the Towns of Hadington and Gedeworth and the Castles and Fortresses of Selkirk Etherick and Gedeworth So that all and each of these should from thenceforth be wholly separated from the Crown of Scotland and annexed to the Crown of England for ever And all this was confirmed by Oath Scepter Writings and Authentick Subscription Moreover King Bailiol by the Advice and Consent of his Scotch Nobles in Requital of King Edward's Cost and Labour for his Sake and to Nourish a continual Sence of his Gratitude Granted for him and his Heirs Kings of Scotland to King Edward and his Heirs Kings of England for ever That i Fabian p. 202. whensoever he the said King of England or any of his Heirs should have War either at Home or Abroad the Scots at their own proper Costs and Charges should assist him or them with 300 Horse and a 1000 Foot well Furnished for the War which said 1300 Men the Scots were to pay for one whole Year But if the King of England should not within the said Space end his War then he the said King of England should take them into his Pay as he doth his own Souldiers But this Homage of the Bailiols was so highly stomached by the hardy and couragious Scots that thô for the present they were necessitated to smother their Resentments and indeed could never be able to drive him wholly from his Kingdom as upon the same account was done to his Father he being constantly sustained by the English Yet what with their restless strugglings for Liberty and their frequent and obstinate Rebellions they so tired him out at the long run that seeing himself also old and childless he at last was fain to resign the whole Kingdom with all his Right and Title thereto unto his Superior Lord King Edward of England as hereafter will be shewn at large Yet at the same time k Knighton p. 2566. n. 50. David Strabolgi Earl of Athol Sr. Alexander Moubray and other Scotch Lords that held Lands Tenements and Fees in England did their Homage to King Edward for the same When also the Lord John l Mill's Catal. Honâ—r p. 606. Dreux Duke of Bretagne in France and Vicount Limouvicen Son to Arthur once Duke of Bretagne and Nephew to John the brother of Arthur late Duke thereof who died without Issue the 8 of February this Year performed m Walsing Hypod p. 113. n. 10 Adam Muâ—â—mouth his Homage to King Edward on the 24 of June at Newcastle for the Earldom of Richmond in England Which Earldom thô our common Historians say it was lately given to the Lord Robert of Artois as I have shewn before appears n Catal.
Lenox Menteith and Stratherne came laden with Spoil and Prey to St. Johnston where he found the King of England his Brother lately return'd thither from his victorious March beyond the Scottish Mountains This Town had been lately destroy'd by the Scots who despair'd to maintain it for their own behoof But now King Edward order'd it to be rebuilt fortifi'd and encompassed with a strong Wall Ditch and Rampire VI. The King of u Knighton p. 2567. France all this while did what he could by Policy to hinder King Edwards Proceedings and withdraw him home again before he might perfect any Conquest in Scotland To that end again he sends his Ambassadors to him and procures Others to be sent from the Pope x Vid. Odoric Rainald ad An. 1335. §. 36 with Letters bearing date apud Pontemsorgiae Avenionensis Dioecesis 2 Kal. Aug. Anno Pontif. 1. to endeavour a Peace between King David and him and to request his Company once more in the Holy War But King Edward observing his pragmaticall Curiosity in Affairs no way relating to him and also his unsincere way of Address sent him short Word That he was able of himself blessed be God without any help from him to wage war with the Infidels when he should see fit unless He and his Adherents by their Malice and underhand Dealings should stand in his way And that he neither could nor would undertake any Foreign Expedition while his Enemies the Scots continued so rebellious against him who were also by him abetted and encouraged in their Rebellion Thô both as a Christian Prince and a Kinsman he ought rather to compose War and Strife among two Christian Nations and even to assist him with all his Might in his just Wars than to nourish up his Capital Enemies unjustly against him VII Thus King Edward put him off at that time and proceeded with such success in his Affairs in Scotland that about the Feast of the y Augusti 15. Assumption of our Lady most of the Scotch Nobility being wholly tired out and fearing yet much more z Walsingh hist p. 116. Adam Murimouth came in and submitted themselves to King Edward of England at St. Johnston where both the Kings then were among whom thô the Lord Strabolgi came not in person for fear of the Kings sudden Displeasure yet by his Advocates and Letters he so humbly sued for Peace and Pardon and so well acquitted himself of all Treason that he with the rest was accepted on these Conditions a Ces sont les Choses le Pointz accordez c. Murimouth c. Stow p. 232. Knighton p. 2566. n. 30. c. These are the Points and Articles agreed on betwixt the Council of the Kings of England and Scotland on the one Party and the Lord Alexander Moubray the Lord Geoffry Moubray the Lord Geoffry Roos Dr. William Bullock Clerk and the Lord Eustace de Lorrain having full power from David Strabolgi Earl of Athol and Robert Stuart of Scotland on the other Party to treat on accord and confirm all Points enterparled and to be enterparled betwixt the said Kings and the said Earl and Robert Stuart as appeareth by the Letters Patents of either Party 1. Imprimis it is accorded That the Earl of Athol and all the Great Men and Others of the Commonalty of Scotland which were willing to come in to the King of Englands Peace shall have Life and Limb Lands and Tenements Fees and Offices which they ought by right or by inheritance to have in Scotland those except which by common Assent should be excepted In such manner that all Offences and Misdemeanours which they had committed in the Realm of England from the beginning of the World to the Date of these Presents shall be pardon'd without Imprisonment or any other Molestation 2. Item That the Earl of Athol and the Lord Alexander Moubray shall still hold those Lands Tenements and Fees in England which they held at their departure from Newcastle upon Tine when they paid Homage to the King of England 3. Item That the Franchises of the Kirk of Scotland shall be maintained after the ancient Usage And that the Laws of Scotland in Burroughs Towns and Sheriff-wicks within the Lands of the King of Scotland be used after the Old Way as they were used in the time of King Alexander And that the Offices of Scotland be administred by Men of the same Nation yet so as that the King of Scotland of his Prerogative Royal may at any time according to his pleasure advance to places of Office Men of any Nation whatsoever 4. Item That all those who being in the same case with the Earl of Athol have Lands and Tenements within the Lands of the King of England shall still hold those Lands and Tenements Possessions Fees and Offices as they had them at their departure from Newcastle upon Tine when they paid Homage to the King of England those except who by common Assent shall be excepted and if they be impleaded for their Lands and Tenements aforesaid they may have their Defence and Recoveries in any Court according to Law. 5. Item As touching the Demand which the Earl of Athol claimeth that the King of England would release him his Lands in England which he hath in gage for 800 Marks the King neither ought nor will do that but as for his Mannor of b Stow Byphingdone quod corrigo autoritate Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 96. ubi legitor Bulinden in Com. Buck. Bulindon which the said Earl laid to pledge for c Stow 250 l. sed Knighten CC li. ubi li pro l. à Stow acceptim per errorem cum stat li. pro libris two hundred Pounds it is accorded That if the said Earl of Athol come within one Year and make true payment of the said Money that the King shall cause the said Mannor to be restored unto him 6. Item That as touching the Castle and Lands of Chilham the said Earl shall be in the same point that he was before at his departure from Newcastle upon Tine when he paid Homage to the King of England and shall have his Recovery by Law and the King promiseth in good Faith to take Order that he shall have the Law of his Kingdom without favour on either Party 7. Item That as touching the Lands which the said Earl claimeth in Norfolk whereof he hath Charters the King promiseth that having seen first his Charters by Advice of his Council he will do him reason And if in any case any man surmise Treason upon the said Earl he may defend himself with his Body according to the Laws and Usage of Scotland and upon the Marches And that all those in his case have the like Grant. 8. Item that as to the Pardon which William Ramsey Knight demandeth for the Trespass by him done to William Lord Montagu in beating down his Castle of Haghterdorne the same William shall be ready to make satisfaction in
Peace and Concord would not only be rendred difficult but which God of his infinite Mercy avert impossible And moreover it doth not seem less worthy of consideration how mightily by occasion of the present Wars your Majesties Subjects are as it is said many ways exhausted of their Mony and other their Goods and are like upon continuance of such Burthens which God forbid to be further grieved And that the Event of War is doubtfull but especially upon the Divine Indignation to be feared Wherefore We more earnestly in the Lord require and exhort your Royal Magnificence nevertheless beseeching You by the Mercies of God that taking the Premises and what else may occurr to your Royal Wisdom into your Princely Consideration you may by taking Truce with the said King and renewing the Peace obviate the dangers both of your Self most Dear Son and of your People and so please God who loveth Peace and delighteth in Peace-makers rendring thereby your self more acceptable unto Him and confirming the strength of your whole Kingdom And that therefore you would incline to the wholsom Admonitions and Perswasions of ourdear Sons Peter of the Title of St. Praxedis Priest and Bertrand of St. Mary in Aquiro Deacon Cardinals of the Apostolick See our Nuntio's who are zealous of your Royal Honour and Success and whom we have lately by Advice of our Brethren sent to those Parts for that purpose Truly considering the Premises and that we might prevent the like dangers and innumerable more which are ready to follow from the said Wars and that between You our most Loving Son and the said King who is by the near Tye of Blood and Affinity joyned unto You the fulness of Peace and mutual Charity may flourish We wish with most ardent desires a Reformation of this Peace and if perhaps it cannot be obtained by the Instance of the said Cardinals yet if You O most Dear Son and the said King disposing your selves to mutual Concord acceptable to God amiable to Men profitable to Christendom and many ways the best for both of You will but consent that We also in our own Person should intend as Friendly Moderators to the Reformation of Peace taking a mutual Truce and granting a Cessation from Arms for a convenient time wherein the Treaty of Peace may be begun continued and if the Lord of Mercies grant brought to an happy End We thô we are continually occupied with weighty and importable Affairs even above our strength do notwithstanding thrô Desire of the said Peace hereby offer Our selves ready as far as conveniently and with honesty may be done effectually to interpose in the Reformation of this Peace to the Quiet Profit and Honour of each Party our share of Sollicitude as it shall be administred unto Us from above Concerning all which we request your Royal Majesty upon the most mature Deliberation to write unto Us your Pleasure Given c. at Avignon x Kalen. Jan. Anno Pontif iv To this Letter of the Popes the King of England wrote this Answer * * Walsingh hist p. 130. To the most Holy Father in God Benedict by Divine Providence Bishop of the Holy Roman Church Edward by the Grace of God King of France and of England and Lord of Ireland Devout Kissings of his Holy Feet We received with due Reverence and Devotion the Letters of your Holiness sent last unto Us wherein your Goodness persuades us to renew the Peace or take a Truce with the Lord Philip of Valois graciously adding that You in your own Person would intend to the Reformation thereof as a Friendly Moderator if We and the said Philip would consent thereto Surely We considering in the Lord your Holinesses Affection which is so sollicitous for the quiet of your Sons do humbly return You all possible Thanks for that your wholsom Persuasion and an Offer so condescending and so pious and in a firm love and confidence of your Integrity we desire to follow your Counsel and particularly to conform Our selves to your Holy Pleasure But it is now notoriously known how the said Philip contrary to Justice hath usurped unto himself the Kingdom of France lawfully devolved unto Us by the Death of the Lord Charles of Famous Memory the last King of France our Uncle And not content with this he hath seised into his hands our Lands in the Dutchy of Aquitain as many as he was able in Hostile manner invading our Islands in the Sea and also our Kingdom of England with that very Fleet which under colour of an Holy Expedition beyond Sea he pretended to rig forth having sworn for the Cause of Christ He hath also excited the Scots to rebell against us designing altogether to oppress us that so according to his unsatiable Desire of Sovereignty he may the more freely withhold from us our said Kingdom of France and other our Hereditary Lands To whom as we remember we have written before to your Holiness We have offer'd many desirable Methods of Peace willing even to purchase Quiet of him thô with no small Resignation of our own Rights But he long holding us in suspense by divers specious Treaties and exposing us to vast Expences that so he might drain our Exchequer and render us thereby unable to recover our Rights hath at last took no care to give us any Satisfaction but still his Persecution encreased and rag'd against Us Wherefore necessity so compelling We are now come to the Parts beyond Sea to take unto us the Assistance of our Friends to revenge the Injuries done and to repulse those that would have been done by him unto Us and to obtain our Hereditary Rights Which certainly we intend not to neglect but will pursue them when we cannot by any other agreeable way by Force of Arms God being our Help And althô in Presence of the Reverend Fathers Peter of the Title of St. Praxedis Priest and Bertrand of St. Mary in Aquiro Deacon Cardinals and Nuâ—tio's to your Holiness who have laudably and sollicitously labour'd in the Affair of Peace the said Realm of France which by all Right is known to belong to Us hath been demanded and We have under certain ways of Peace caused our said Will to be sincerely open'd to the foresaid Cardinals always offering Our selves ready to embrace any reasonable Method of Peace on condition the Adverse Party will agree thereto Yet neither by the said Cardinals nor by Others could we know to this Day that he the said Philip would do or offer any thing of Satisfaction unto Us. And truly if then he had made but never so small Offers to shun the hazards of Wars and the prosuseness of Expences we should have made a reasonable Answer thereupon but now we see not what we can do farther with our Honour in the way of Peace But for all that if it shall now please the foresaid Lord Philip to offer us any Reasonable Way or if your Prudent Consideration or the said Lords Cardinals shall open unto
and other Profits rising of the said Realm of England shall be set and dispended upon the Maintenance of the Safeguard of our said Realm of England and of our Wars of Scotland France and Gascoign and in no place elswhere during the said Wars Besides which extraordinary Grant of the Lords and Commons the Clergy also at the Motion of the Archbishop freely gave unto the King a Tenth Here also because the King in his Style was called King of France and had alter'd his Arms whereby his Subjects might think themselves in danger of becoming a Province to France that being the greater Kingdom the Kings Letters Patents of Indemnity were granted beginning d Vid. Statute Book 1 Vol. p. 82 Edvardus c. Edward by the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland to all those who these Letters shall hear or see Greeting Know ye that whereas some People do think that by reason that the Realm of France is devolved unto Us as Right Heir of the same and forasmuch as We be King of France our Realm of England should be in Subjection to the King and Realm of France in time to come We having regard to the Estate of our Realm of England and namely that it never was nor ought to be in Subjection nor in the Obeisance of the Kings of France which for the time have been nor of the Realm of France And willing to provide for the Safety and Defence of the said Realm of England and of our Liege People of the same do will and grant and establish for Us and for our Heirs and Successors by Assent of the Prelates Earls Barons and Commons of our Realm of England in this our present Parliament summon'd at Westminster the Wednesday next after the Sunday in Midlent the xiv Year of our said Reign of our Realm of England and the First of France that by the cause or colour of this that We be King of France and that the said Realm to Us pertaineth as afore is said or that We cause Our Selves to be named King of France in our Stile or that We have changed our Seals or our Arms nor for Commands which We have made or hereafter shall make as King of France neither our said Realm of England or the People of the same of what Estate or Condition they be shall not in any time to come be put in Subjection or in Obeisance of Us nor of our Heirs nor Successors as Kings of France as aforesaid nor be subject nor obedient but shall be free and quit of all manner of Subjection and Obeisance aforesaid as they were wont to be in the time of our Progenitors Kings of England for ever In Witness whereof c. Certain Bishops and Lords require of his Majesty to be saved harmless for those great Summs of Money wherewith they stood bound on the Kings Behalf to the Duke of Brabant in case the Duke of Cornwall should not Marry with the Daughter of the said Duke which Request was granted and all with the Letters Patents aforesaid was enrolled in the Chancery The Petitions also of the Clergy by Assent were made into a Statute beginning Edvardus c. and enrolled as above After this certain fit Persons there named were appointed for several Affairs some to hold Debate of matters concerning Flanders some to speak with the Merchants touching Exchange to Brussels and to confer with the Merchants of England some to dilate with Priors Aliens of which we shall speak more hereafter others to advise touching the Defence of the North Marches others to treat about the Affairs of Gascoign and others how best to preserve the Islands and the Sea-coasts As to the Keeping of the Peace and performing of Covenants between the Duke of Brabant and Others on the Kings Behalf that was all to be debated in the Kings own Presence Concerning the raising of Money that was refer'd to the Commons But because the Taxes last granted were not duly answer'd to the King by those who had been entrusted with the Care thereof Certain Persons were now appointed to take the Accounts of Sr. William de la Pole Sr. John Charnells and Paul de Monteflore and Others who had received Money Wooll and other Goods to the Kings Use Whereupon Sr. William de la Pole and the Rest had Day given them to shew their Accompts each of them finding their sufficient Sureties The Earl of Derby and the Lord Wake were Sureties for Sr. William the same Earl of Darby and the Lord John Montgomery for Sr. John Charnells John Lord Dacres and Reginald Lord Cobham Sr. John Shareshull and Sr. John Stradling stood for Paul de Monteflore Sr. John Sturmy and Sr. John Charnells were bound for William Welchborne and the Earl of Huntington engaged for Pierce Dyme and other Merchants of Barton Thereupon the Parliament was Protogued till Wednesday in Easter Week then ensuing At which time certain were appointed to sit on Petitions had before the King When also the Bishops at the Kings Request promised never to dissent from the Kings Promise made for the Customs of Wooll but by Common Assent of Parliament A Motion to remember to Repeal a Commission made to Sr. Robert Waterford of the e Appâ—ser M.S. Opposer in the Exchequer Also to remember to respit the Prior of St. Dennis near Southampton and of Southwick from paying of the Tenths and Fifteenths And to direct a Commission to Sr. Robert Popham to be Sheriff of Southampton during the Kings Pleasure It is Enacted that the King may with the Assent of his Allies make any reasonable Peace In this Parliament in f M.S. Sr. R. Cotton ibid. Dagd 2 Vol. p 113. consideration of the many Good Services done by the Marquess of Juliers the King made him Earl of Cambridge and gave him in Fee a 1000 l. per annum till he could provide for him so much of Hereditaments Whence it appears that the Learned Antiquary g Cambden Brit. Mr. Cambden was mistaken who says that King Edward the Third for the Love he bore to Queen Philippa his Consort created the Lord John of Hainault her Uncle Earl of Cambridge And that upon his Revolt to the French he devested him thereof and conferr'd it upon William Marquess of Juliers Sisters Son to that Queen Whereas the said Lord John was not now nor of some Years after Revolted to the French as We shall shew in due place so that he could not yet forfeit with Edward nor is there any thing at all in Our publique Records that may give the least Countenance to this Assertion of that Famous Man as the Diligent Sr. William Dugdale acknowledges Whereas it is most Evident that at this time the Marquess of Juliers was created Earl of Cambridge as We have shewn But We have not made this Observation upon so Great and Venerable a Person out of Envy or Ostentation rather thrô love of Truth alone and to infer
These Letters were dispatch'd away b Holinshead ibid. p. 922. Sandfords Geneal Hist p. 164. Walsingh hist p. 150. n. 20 hypod p. 116. Adam Murimouth M.S. to the Pope by Sr. John Shoreditch Knight a Man of great Gravity and deep Knowledge in the Law Who coming to Avignion and being conducted into the Pope's Privy Chamber where his Holiness then sat among his Cardinals humbly presented these Letters from the Three Estates of England assembled together in Parliament The Letters being once read the Knight made Answer to what the Pope thought fit to object against them and particularly he instanced in the Deanry of York which his Holiness had lately taken up for one of the Kings Enemies Whereat the Pope with some Emotion reply'd Well well it is not unknown to Us who made and endited these Letters and We are sensible how you are not the Author But there is one who endeavours to pinch us narrowly whom we shall find a way to bring down For we understand these Affairs well enough and will not suffer them to be too nicely handled by others He added that there was a Knight of England who accustomed himself to speak derogatory to the Church of Rome wherewith he could not but be highly offended especially since he saw his Honour invaded with Impunity In conclusion he promised to answer the Letters of the Lords and Commons of England in reference to the Contents thereof Whereat the Cardinals rose up and departed in great seeming Displeasure and the Knight having taken his leave left the Court and without longer tarrying went for Bourdeaux in Guienne about other of the Kings Business Either because he was so commanded or least otherwise on some Pretence or other he might have been detained there against his Will. The Pope never theless soon after sent an Answer directed to the King in Behalf of those Cardinals for whom he had before made Provisions which now the King by vertue of his Prerogative Royal had deprived them of The Tenour whereof followeth c Antiquitates Britannicae p. 237 n. 50. Walsingh hist p. 152 n. 10. Adam Murimuth c. XI CLEMENT the Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to his most Dear Son in Christ the Lord Edward the Illustrious King of England Greeting and Apostolical Benediction Lately after the Creation of new Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church having before taken a provident and mature Deliberation We judg'd it highly requisite both for the Honour of God and of his Holy Church and also for the publick Utility that those Cardinals who partake with Us of our Labours and Burthens in dispatching those great Affairs which from all Parts as to their proper Chanel flow into the Apostolick See should also have agreeably wherewithall to supply their Necessities according to the Dignity of their State and Condition Whereupon having consider'd of the most proper and lawfull Ways and Means whereby the said Provision might with less burthen to the Churches and their Clergy be made We gave out of Ecclesiastical Benefices then vacant in sundry Realms of Christendom and also of such as should from that time be vacant unto each of the said new Cardinals for their Support our Special Grants unto such a certain Summ and under certain Forms and Limitations so distinguished as We judged might be proportionable to the several Provinces Now since unto two Cardinals born in the Dukedom of Aquitain to wit our beloved Sons d d Victorellus de Vit. Pontif. p. 894 895. concerdat cum Histericis nâ—stris Ademare of the Title of St. Anastasia and Gerard of the Title of St. Sabina Priests We have made the like Grants of Benefices within your Kingdom and Territories most Dear Son contained in Form for them and other the said Cardinals with great Deliberation ordained and they for the obtaining the said Grants have sent their Proctors and Ecclesiastick Messengers being Persons of Wisdom and Learning unto the Parts of your Kingdom of England the said Proctors and Messengers when being enter'd the said Kingdom they began there to pursue the Business of their said Lords were not only hinder'd in their said Business by the Kings Subjects and Officers but also confined and after that in very Disgracefull manner ejected the said Kingdom as We have too well understood by the too-unwelcome Relations thereof Truly most Beloved Son if the Premises which about the said Proctors We have premised are founded upon real Truth considering the sincere Devotion which You are known to bear towards the Lord and toward the Holy Roman Church your Motheâ— as the Kings of England your Progenitors of Famous Memory in their Days have born We cannot easily believe that they proceeded from your Knowledge But this is certain that not only in your said Kingdom and Territories but in a manner in all Kingdoms and Countries as well near as remote whereever the Catholick Faith flourishes We have made the like Grant to other new Cardinals Where notwithstanding except the said Rebellious Denial which if it be true We mention with grief of Heart We have hitherto heard of no manner of Refusal For We thought and still do think it sufficiently advantageous for your Royal Honour and Interest that Cardinals especially such who are naturally affected to your Royal Honour and Interest should obtain Ecclesiastical Benefices in your Kingdom and Territories Because thereby they may be induced more freely and frequently to promote your Princely Advantage And we wish to God that those who are fed with the Crums of the said Roman Church and by her have been exalted to Honours and Preferments were not too probably suspected not without a Note of most Detestable ingratitude and to their own peril to have procured the foresaid impediments unto Her Whereby they have to the great hazard of their Souls rendred themselves liable to Excommunication and other Punishments and Sentences promulged against such Persons by the Canons Which respect the happy Encrease of the Health Fame and Honour of your Majesty towards which if with Loyal Endeavours these Men had attended they would not by doing the contrary so eagerly hunt after their own filthy Lucre under the pretence of their Prince's Service Finally We entreat your Royal Excellence and most earnestly exhort You in the Lord that diligently within your Princely Breast considering the Premises and what else shall occurr to your Royal Wisdom You would graciously order those things which were done against the said Proctors and Others authorized by the said Cardinal Ademare who are reported to have been afterwards taken and confin'd to be decently amended and revoked and that your Royal Majesty would cause the said Proctors being upheld by the Royal Favour in the Prosecution of the said Affairs in the same Kingdom to rejoyce with full Security for the Reverence of God and of Us and of the said See not lending your Royal Ears to those things which may bring any Offence to God Dishonour to the said Church
Calamity both to Us and Our Subjects unless We take more sound and speedy Care in this Matter For the Right of Patronage which We and Our Subjects have in these Benefices is thereby infringed Our Court in which only Cases concerning the Right of Patronage to the said Benefices ought to be discussed is deluded and so the Rights of our very Crown are both shamefully and to our great Detriment invaded the Treasure of our Kingdom exported to Foreigners not to say to our Enemies perhaps with this subtle Intent that thus the Priesthood of the Kingdom being depressed and its Wealth exhausted the Realm it self may be rendred more weak against the Storms of Adversity All which Incommodities together with others which follow from the Premises were lately made manifest unto Us in our Parliament by the Community of the said Realm together with their Unanimous and Earnest Petition subjoyned that We would speedily prevent the foresaid Mischiefs which seem utterly insupportable to our said Community We therefore by this their Representation plainly beholding the Depression of the Church of England and the Disherison of our Crown with all the foresaid Evils which if longer dissembled would probably very much encrease do now refer them unto You who are the Successour of the Prince of the Apostles who received Command from Christ to Feed and not to Sheer the Lords Sheep and to confirm and not depress his Brethren heartily requesting that duly weighing and considering the Premises how of Right Magistrates are to be created from among the People and that according to the saying of the Prophet They shall make Vinedressers of the People from the same place Which We read to have been the Practise of the blessed Apostles when they set over the Converted Heathen Persons who had knowledge of their tongues And also remembring that Exuberance of Devotion wherewith our Royal Family and the Clergy and People of our said Kingdom have hitherto continued in the Obedience of the said See wherefore Your Paternal Affection ought not to heap Burthens and Grievances upon them but rather as a Father who lays up for his Children to alleviate the Weight of the said Impositions and Provisions and Burthens which thus arise from the Apostolick See Permitting further that Patrons may not lose their Right of Patronage and that the Cathedral and other Churches of the said Kingdom may have their free Elections and the Effects thereof Which Churches our said Progenitors have long since upon each of their Vacations freely of their Royal Prerogative confer'd on fit Persons and afterward at the Request and instance of the said See have under certain Forms and Conditions granted that the Elections should be made in the said Churches by the Chapters of the same which Grant was also on due deliberation confirmed by the Apostolick See. But yet now against the Form of the Concession and Confirmation of the said Churches the said See by these her Reservations and Provisions doth take away the said Elections from the said Chapters and from Us also our Right and Prerogative which according to the Form of the said Concession belong unto Us in this part wherefore by the Law of our said Kingdom since the Conditions of our Grant are not observed the Concession it self is revolved unto Us again and the whole state of the Matter reverts to its Original Upon the Premises therefore We pray that your Goodness would vouchsafe to the Honour of God and the salvation of Souls and also to take away the foresaid Scandals and Prejudices to provide a speedy and wholsome Remedy that We and our Subjects who desire as We ought to Revere your most Holy Person and the Holy Roman Church these Intolerable Evils being once removed may rest in the sweetness of your Fatherly Love and that our Devotion may flourish again being refreshed by the Clemency of your Pious Moderation extended unto Us The most High preserve You in the Government of his Church many and happy Days Given at Westminster the 26 of September in the 4 Year of Our Reign of France and of Engalnd the 17. This Letter is said to have been of such force i Walsing Brit. Antiq. in titulo hujus Epistolx that neither the Pope nor his Cardinals could tell reasonably how to answer it for that time wherefore they were obliged to comply therewith King Edward notwithstanding what Odoricus Rainaldus says by Advice of his Parliament k Holinshead Engl. Chron. p. 922. proceeded to prohibit these Collations and Provisions in his Realm on pain of Imprisonment and Death it self Wherefore the Pope seeing him proceed with so High an hand thought fit somewhat to dissemble the Matter for fear of exasperating too far till at last by degrees his Compliance gain'd what by severity could not be expected However now We find that King Edward in the beginning of the next Year set forth his Royal Prohibition against the Popes Provisors bearing date 20 of January in the Year of his Reign of England the 18 and of France the 5. But this being extant in Adam Murimouth's Ancient M. S. We shall refer the Curious thither having already as We fear dwelt too long on this Matter And thus as my Author says had the King persevered accordingly he had utterly taken away all manner of Provisions but in such a noise of War as followed he thought it safer now and then to yield somewhat to so * Lat. tam irritâ—b lem patron powerfull a Father than to stand at open Defiance with him And now to the Wars of Bretagne wherein We shall find the King Personally Engaged about this time XIV King Edward according to the Vow he had made to take a severe Revenge for the Death of his Dear Friend the Lord Robert of Artois was within little more then a Moneth after his Death with a great Army ready to take the Sea at Sandwich On the l Ashmole p. 653. Fourth of October He went on board in a Ship called the George and landed at a Port not far from Vannes at the very place where the Lord Robert of Artois had landed after his Fight at Sea with Don Lewis The Kings Preparations m Frois c. 93. were so great that he was three Days in landing all his Warlike Provision and so on the Fourth Day he marched straight to Vannes which he intended to Besiege having before sent to view it the Lord Walter Manny who came to wait on him from the Countess then at Hennebond the Lord John Striveling and the Lord William Fitz-Warine le Frere who upon their return encouraged him to attempt the Place But they knew not how the City was now in an Extraordinary manner provided with all things necessary and many good Souldiers were there under the Command of the former Captains the Lord Oliver Clisson and the Lord Henry du Leon n Knighton p. 2582. n. 40. to whom were added the Lord of Lomine and the Lord of
at last she also was caused to be hanged by Charles of Durazzo who succeeeded her in the Kingdom As may be seen at large in the Histories of Italy and Naples On the 16 of September this same Year p Mezeray p. 21. Philip King of Navarre Deceased whose Son Charles by the French firnamed the Wicked succeeded to the Crown being then under Age and in the Tuition of his Mother Queen Joan of France He was a Prince of extraordinary parrs of Mind and of Body of exquisite Beauty Courage and Address but his Inconstant Nature his unseasonable Ambition and his inveterate Envy to the House of France to which he was so nearly ally'd rendred him low and vile in the Eyes of all Men. Walsingham q Hist p. 153. n. 30. c. reports a strange and almost but that it is attested with such Circumstances incredible Story of an Accident that happen'd about this time in the North-parts of England to a certain Young Man of the Lord t Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 741. William Baron of Greystokes Family As this Young Man says my Author was riding thrô Corn-fields and beheld the Corn waving like the Sea growing thereby perhaps giddy he thought he saw a certain Ruddy-complexion'd little Pygmy-fellow to raise his Head by degrees above the Corn till the more he consider'd him still the more he seem'd to encrease in Stature who coming towards the Young Man took hold of his Bridle and whether he would or no led him into the corn to a place where it seem'd to him there sat a most Beautifull Lacy among many young Damsels like her self This Lady commanded him presently to be taken from off his Horse and to be torn and mangled over all his Body and after all to be slead Whereupon she her self as he thought having dissected his Scull in the middle took out his Brains and then clos'd up the empty Scull again This done she order'd him to be set again upon his Horse and so let him go Immediately upon which being wholly void and destitute of understanding he began to fall mad and to make furious gestures as it appeared when he came to the next Town Hereupon a certain young Damsel who also belonged to his Lords Family and had loved him most tenderly came to him with some Assistants and took care of him and lest he should do any Mischief to himself or those who tended him caused him to be lock'd in Fetters This Maid carried him to many Holy places beyond Sea for the recovery of his Wits but having found no Remedy there she at last returned with him into England and still he complain'd of being haunted by the little Red fellow who at first appeared unto him At whose presence thô bound with three or four Chains he would always break them Having remain'd in this condition for six Years he was then at the Shrine of St. John of Beverley in Yorkshire made whole again in this manner Being fallen into a gentle slumber it seem'd to him that another most Beautifull Lady did again open his Scull and restore his Brains which had been taken away by the former Lady to their right place Accordingly upon his waking being perfectly recover'd of his senses he Married the foresaid Damsel who had so lovingly taken Care of him in his Madness of whom in time he begat 15 Sons After which his Wife dying he went into Holy Orders and was made Priest and promoted to the Church of Thorp-Basset in Yorkshire But while one day he was celebrating Mass with Great Devotion and as the Custom was elevated the Host for the People to behold the foresaid Red Fellow appear'd unto him again saying From henceforth let him whom You hold in your Hand be your Keeper For he knows better how to keep you than I do As I give no credit so neither do I desire to gain any to this Story But I must needs Remark that with a strong Consonancy thereto Ariosto the Italian Poet. acccording to the Tradition of the Church hath made St. John the President and Healer of Mad-men And ſ Adan 1373. Mezeray tells us of a certain Plague of Frenzy which was called St. John's Dance This Year died t Walsingh hist p. 154. n. 10. Dr. Anthony Beck Bishop of Norwich being as was supposed poison'd by his own servants for his boisterous and turbulent Humour for his severity to the Monks of his Church and for his Appealing to the Court of Rome in opposition to John Stratford Archbishop of Canterbury Who by a strange mistake in Godwin u Catal. Bps p. 425. is called Robert Winchelsey when he himself in the Title of Canterbury acknowledges John Stratford Archbishop of that See and no where mentions the other after the sixth Year of Edward the Second In his stead William Bateman x Godw. Catal. Bps p. 426. Doctor of the Civil Law and a Cambridge Man of Corpus Christi College Born at Norwich and Archdeacon of the same Church was now elected Bishop by the general Consent of the whole Convent He is acknowledged the Founder of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge and to have given certain Lands to the Maintenance thereof Which College is now Worthily Governed by the Worshipfull Sr. Thomas Exton Knight Doctor of the Laws a Man in our Days Renowned for his Loyalty Wisdom and Generosity He also Founded the Hall of the Annunciation of our Lady and gave one of the University Chests Nor content to have done good himself he perswaded one Gonwell or Gonvill to Found another Hall in the same University which many Years after being much enlarged at the Cost and Charges of a Learned Physician named John Key or Caius is now called Gonvill and Caius's College in Respect of both the Founders And the Master hereof at this time is the Learned and Worshipfull Robert Brady Dr. in Physick and a stout Asserter of the Rights of English Monarchy in the worst of times Wherefore together with the foremention'd Sr. Thomas Exton our Loyal University hath more than once chose him for her Burgess in Parliament This Year also the Lady Mary de Valence Daughter of Guy de Chastillon Earl of St. Paul Kinswoman to King Edward and Third Wife of Emery de Valence Earl of Pembroke being y Mill's Catal. of Nobility p. 1096 desirous to advance Learning Founded a College in Cambridge called by her Title Pembroke-Hall Endowing it with Large Possessions From which Princely Seminary many notable Lights of Learning and Piety have continually been brought forth and many more are daily expected it being at present under the Care and Custody of the Reverend Nathaniel Coga Doctor in Divinity a Person of great Loyalty Judgement and Candour CHAPTER the TWENTY SECOND The CONTENTS I. Vpon the Popes pressing the two Kings to hasten the Treaty of Peace they send their several Agents to Avignon Some Heads of their several Pleas but nothing done II. King Edwards Resolute Answer to a Nip of the Popes
by a Commotion of War between Us and Him have offer'd to the said Philip divers Friendly Methods of Peace not without a great Diminution of our own Rights that so we might as we desire pursue the War of Christ in the Holy Expedition beyond Sea against the Blasphemers of the Christian Name which alass is too much neglected to the no small Ignominy of Christendom he by his Fox-craft driving us off with Incertainties would in effect yield nothing unto Us but still by feigned Treaties hath abundantly heaped Injuries upon Injuries Wherefore not willing to neglect the Gift of God who in the Devolution of the said Kingdom hath shewed unto Us his marvellous Kindness but desiring as it is fitting in hope of the Divine Assistance and a Confidence of our Righteous Cause to take pains about the Recovering and Maintaining of our Hereditary Rights since by peaceable Ways we could not prevail Necessity so requiring we descended with an Armed Power into Bretagne to reform the Injuries done and to prevent those that otherwise by him would be done unto Us and also to the Obtaining of our Hereditary Rights Being willing to set forth powerfully to the Succour of those that adhered unto Us rather than to expect at home the Dangers threatned unto Us. And while thus we were occupied in our Wars there repaired unto Us the Reverend Fathers Peter Bishop of Palestrina and Annibald Bishop of Tusculan Cardinals Nuntio's of the most Holy Father in Christ Pope Clement VI and of the Apostolick See desiring us in the Name of the said Lord the Pope to admit of a Truce with the foresaid Lord Philip for a time during which space there might be a Treaty held before the Lord the Chief Bishop concerning a final Peace and adding that the said Lord the Pope did believe to find out a way whereby a Peace might very well be reformed And in hope of an Agreeable Peace to be made by his Holy Mediation and especially for Reverence of the said Lord the Pope and the said See We consented to the said Truce And moreover We took care to send Commissioners endued with sufficient Power to his Holinesses Presence and accordingly there was a Truce taken between Us and the said Lord Philip so that a was to be observed every where within the Dominions of both Parties especially within the Dukedom of Aquitain between Us and the said Philip and our Acherents and his even thô they should pretend to have a Right in the said Dukedom of Aquitain and that all Coadjutors and Allies of the Parties should remain in such a Possession of Things and Goods as they had in the time of making the Truce and under other Forms and Conditions more fully expressed in the same And when thrô a smiling hope of Peace in Confidence of the said Truce returning into England having sent a few of our Servants into Bretagne for the Governance of those Parts and of our Coadjutors there we had designed to send our Commissioners to the Presence of the said Lord the Pope in order to a Treaty of Peace there came unto Us certain News not a little stinging our Mind namely of the Death of certain Noblemen our Adherents who were taken in Bretagne and by the special Command of the said Philip contrary to the Form of the said Truce shamefully and tyrannously put to Death at Paris And also of the great Slaughter and Devastation of our Liege People and Places in Bretagne Gascogne and elsewhere and of his subtle and secret Treaties held with our Allies and Subjects whom so he endeavoured to take off from Us and to Bind unto himself and of other his Injuries not easily to be numbred and of his Offences against the said Truce on the Part of the said Philip done and attempted both by Land and by Sea whereby the said Truce on the Part of the said Philip is notoriously known to be dissolved And althô the Truce being thrô Fault of the said Philip thus broken we might as even yet lawfully we may have justly resumed War against him forthwith Yet notwithstanding to avoid the ill Effects of War being desirous first to prove if by any Amicable way we might obtain a Reparation as to the Premises more than once we sent sundry our Ambassadors to the Presence of the Lord the Pope as well to treat of the Peace aforesaid as to require Reformation of the said Abuses attempted and done within the Limits appointed for the said Treaty for that Purpose also frequently prolonging the said Term reserving always unto our selves a Liberty of Resuming the War by Default of the said Philip sought out against Us. And truly the Terms appointed for the Treaty are now past and no Reasonable way of Peace hath yet been opened unto Us or our said Ambassadors Nor hath the said Philip in the least taken care to reform the said Abuses althô he hath been thereto required and admonished by the Letters of the said Lord the Pope as the said Lord the Pope by his Letters unto Us hath written but there are always multiplied against Us Tyrannies Conspiracies and Alliances to our Subversion by the said Philip who subtily practises against the Form of the said Truce Not to say any thing of the excessive Enormities of the Pope's Legate lately sent into Bretagne for the Conservation of the said Truce who more earnestly rais'd the contention which he ought to have allayed not approving himself a Conservator of the Truce but rather a Party against Us and Ours Concerning which the said Lord the Pope by his leave did apply no Remedy althô as was fitting he was thereto required Wherefore We ought to be excused before God and his Holiness if when We can receive no other Remedy We endeavour to repell the Violence and Injury done unto Us Especially since We have a most just Cause and which is most notorious to the world And therefore esteeming the foresaid Truce to be as indeed it is dissolved and broken from the Causes aforesaid which we know and in place and time will-prove to be True by the foresaid Philip and his Adherents especially those who in the said Dukedom of Bretagne pretend to have Right and that We are free and acquitted of the Observance thereof Him the said Philip as a Violator of the said Truce and our Enemy and Deadly Persecutor and an Unjust Usurper of our Kingdom of France and a Rash Invader of our other Rights justly Necessity so requiring We defie protesting that We will not attempt any thing to the Offence which God forbid of his Holiness or of the Apostolick See which by all means We desire to revere as we ought nor to the injury of any One but only with due Moderation to pursue our Rights and to defend Our Selves and our Rights For it is always our Intention amicably to admit of a Reasonable Peace when We may obtain it But these things g g The Letter to the Pope differs from this
tast of his Courage and a free Opportunity of Enriching his own Men and ravaging the Lands of his Enemies Nor could he intend to retreat for safety to his own Lands in the Earldom of Ponthieu as b Mezeray ibid. some say because they as well as others that belonged to him were now in the Hands of the French King as may appear by the King of Englands frequent Complaints thereof in his Letters As for the Army of the Flemings which Others c Glov Villani l. 12. c. 64. p. 874 say he went forth to joyn in Picardy we cannot think that any such Design or Appointment was had or made because no such Effect appeared afterward even thô all Impediments were removed X. However d Frois c. 125. when the Parisians saw such Dreadfull Fires so near their own Walls they were in great doubt of themselves And King e Mezeray p. 26. ad hunc annum Philip himself was extreamly incensed to behold from his Capital City the heart of his Kingdom in Flames Wherefore he resolved forthwith to remove to St. Dennis having first commanded all the Penthouses in Paris to be pulled down But when the Parisians saw their King ready to leave them they came flocking to him and upon their knees said Ah Gracious Prince What means Your Majesty thus to forsake Your Royal Chamber of Paris The King reply'd Good People fear you nothing For the English shall come no nearer to you than they are already Why Sir said they they are not above 2 Leagues off now and when they shall hear of Your Departure they will come and Assault us and without You we are not able to hold out against them Sir for Gods sake tarry here still and defend your Loyal City of Paris Speak no more said the King of this Matter For I am resolved to go to St. Dennis to my Men of War and I will encounter the English and give them Battle whatsoever chance shall betide me And thereupon f Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 65. p. 875. having left for the Guard of the City and of his Queen and Children 1200 Men of Arms besides the Inhabitants and Footmen he rode forth to St. Dennis about 2 Leagues Northward of Paris where he g Frois Du Chesne c. found the King of Bohemia and his Son Charles Elected King of the Romans the Lord John of Hainalt the Duke of Lorraine the Earl of Flanders of Namur of Bleis and other great Lords and Knights with their Troops ready to serve him All this time King Edward while his Men were repairing the Bridge lay at h Frois ibid. Du Chesne p. 664. Poissy in the Nunnery where he kept the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady on the 15 of August and sat in his Royal Robes of Vermilion Scarlet furr'd with Ermines without sleeves having the day i M.S. Vetust Latin. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantabr before published by Proclamation that for Reverence of the approaching Solemnity no man whatsoever should offer during that Festival to commit any outrage by Fire or Depredations on pain of Life and Limbs But that all should devoutly solemnize the Praises of the Mother of God. While this Bridge was thus repaiting by the English the French King k Fabian p. 222. sent thither 2000 Souldiers to hinder the Workmen but the Archers by their continual shooting with their home-drawn Bows slew the greater part of them So that the Rest flying the Work was brought to Perfection Wherefore the Day after this Feast the Bridge being ready King Edward passed over in his former Array having l Fabian p. 221. fired the Town of Poissy but spared the Nunnery in Honour of its Founder Philip the Fair who was his Grandfather by the Mothers side Being thus passed over the Seyne and entred into le Vexin Francois he marched toward Pont-Oyse which is a City of great Defence but the Vanguard being past the Town the Rere-guard Assaulted it and took it where more than 300 Men of Arms of the Enemy were slain The next Day one of the English Marshals namely the Lord m Frois c. 125. Du Chesne p. 664. Godfry Harcourt together with the Earl of Suffolk and the Lord Hugh Spencer riding out on one Hand with 500 Men of Arms and 1300 Archers met by chance with a great Number of Burgesses of Amiens on Horseback who upon King Philips Command were riding to Paris for the better Defence of that City in case of Necessity The English immediately fell upon them with great Coâ—rage and the French Defended themselves a while as Valiantly for they had four good Knights of Amiens to their Captains and they exceeded the English in Number and were all very well armed So that at the beginning many were reversed on both parts and the Skirmish continued something doubtfull But at last the English by their obstinate Valour and great Experience prevailed and then the Burgesses were well-nigh all taken or slain so that about n Ashmole p. 655. Martin p. 118. Frois ibid. c. 1200 of them remain'd Dead in the Field and all their Carriage Baggage and Harness o Sr Tho. de la More apud Stow p. 242. being 302 Carts and Waggons laden with Crossbows Quarrels Armour and Victuals fell to the Conquerours share besides 60 Gentlemen Prisoners Thus the p Frois c. 125. fol. 62. King of England marched in Hostile Manner thrô Vexin Francois into Beauvaisis burning and destroying all before him Now it is to be remembred that on the Second Day after King Edward had passed the Seyne he being then at Aunevil within 3 Leagues of Beauvais there q Ashmole's Garter p. 655. ex Record came Letters unto him from King Philip signifying that he would give him Battle as on that Thursday or else on the Saturday Sunday or Monday following On Condition he would in the mean while forbear destroying the Country In Answer whereto King Edward immediately sent him this Letter following EDWARD by the Grace of God King of France and England and Lord of Ireland unto the Illustrious Lord Philip Earl of Valois r r Ex Original Gallico apud M.S. Vet. Lat. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantabr cui titulus Acta Edvardi Filii Edvardi Tertii Ret. Norman 20. Ed. 3. m. 21. in Derse Sr. Philip of Valois We have read your Letters wherein you signifie unto Us that You will Combat with our whole Power between St. Germaine de Prez and Valgirart de la Paris or between Franconville and Pont-Oyse this Thursday or on Saturday Sunday or Monday next following provided that neither We nor our People do any Damage Spoil or Waste Whereupon We give You to know that thrô Assurance in God and the Clear Right which We have to the Crown of France which You Usurp injuriously to the Disherison of Us our Country God and Right We are come not in any Pride or Presumption into
And immediately the Lord Robert Stuart Prince of Scotland joyn'd furiously with the English Van the other two Battails disposing themselves the same way This fight was well maintain'd and with much Bravery on both Sides And the English Archers and the Crossbows of Genoua brought up the first Course of this Martial Banquet but the English had much the better share for their Shot endured longer and did more Execution But Prince Robert resolving not to stand aloof at such Disadvantage pressed hard forward to come to handy Strokes so that the Archers were obliged to yield him Way as their manner was in Extremity by opening to the Right and Left Thô even at that instant they gall'd him on each Flank However now he joyn'd with the Lord Percy 's Battail and maintain'd the Fight with much Courage and Honour the Scots manfully laying about them with sharp and heavy Axes with which they gave mighty Strokes cleaving Helmets and Shields so that for a while the English were very hard put to it Which when King Bailiol saw as one that consider'd no such Danger being in other places the chief Power of the Scots lay here and not doubting but if the English were rendred absolute at the beginning so good an Omen would add Courage to them and Terrour to the Enemy he resolved presently to fall on here and accordingly comes up with 4000 Horse on a good round Trot in very dreadfull Order This new and unforeseen Enemy so amazed the Hearts of that Battalia of Scots who already had found themselves well enough match'd that all their Martial Ardour began to languish immediately and the English were exceedingly exalted in their Courages Which when Prince Robert and the Earl of March perceived and that already their Men began to give back in some Disorder hoping to bring them off by an early Care and so to prevent that Loss which else they saw inevitable they gave Order to Retreat and drew off not only pretty well but considering the Circumstances wisely Nor let any Man here reckon me Partial as if because our Present Soveraign King James the Second is derived from the Loyns of that Lord Robert Stuart I should appear diligent in putting a fair Gloss upon this his Flight which some Authors have condemned and for which King David afterwards for a while disinherited and excluded him in his Passion from the Right of Succession For I appeal to all that have duely consider'd the History of Robert Stuart as well before as after this Day not only in these Papers which yet are sincere but in any either Scotch or other Writer whether he was not generally reputed for a Person both of good Conduct and Courage unquestionable Insomuch that during King Davids Absence in France he had in a manner freed all Scotland from the English Yoke and when in time he came by Right of Succession to wear that Crown himself he certainly maintained his Honour and his Kingdom not only against King Edward himself but even to the very end of his Life But to return whatever King David whose Heat and Rashness could not let him see so clearly thought of this Matter either then or afterwards either his Military Skill or at least the Genius whose Care it was to preserve the Founder of the Illustrious Family of the Stuarts perswaded him to this timely Retreat Which Example had King David with the rest of his Army follow'd either their Loss had been nothing at all or very inconsiderable The English being not able to compell them to any thing against their Minds much less to pursue them too close without breaking their Order and perhaps exposing themselves to some notable Disadvantage VIII However King David disdained to follow those whom now he look'd on if not as Cowards yet as Traytors and Desertors For he was jealous that his Nephew Robert retreated thus with design to leave him expos'd to be cut off that so the Crown might fall to Him. Wherefore now he fought with the more Resolution being fully determin'd either to repair this Fault or not to survive it But at that instant his Adversary King Bailiol having clear'd his hands of the Van of the Enemy whom he thought not fit as yet to pursue comes in with his fresh Troops and falls upon King Davids Battail in the Flank the English Van pressing hard upon him in the Front which together with the late Disaster so discouraged the Scots that they were no longer able to endure unshaken but began by degrees to give back At what time the y Knighton p. 2590. n. 30 40. Monks of Durham being in the Steeple of their Church and upon the Leads and Battlements beholding the Scots upon the point of Loosing all and some actually flying and fled lifted up their Voices altogether and fill'd the Air with the Noise thereof crying aloud and praising God and singing for Joy even with weeping Tears Te Deum laudamus Which Voice the English hearing as if it had been just at their backs took thence a more confident Faith in God and resisted the Enemy more vigorously and trod them down more valiantly For whatever some say affirming that Durham was now destroy'd also it is certain that as we said before the Monks of that City had compounded with the Scots for themselves their Mannors and Tenants thereabouts on Consideration of a 1000 l. Sterling to be by them paid the next Day without any further Delay Which yet being deliver'd by this Victory they did not pay And it was King Davids Design to leave these Parts in pretty good Case till his Return for he z Knighton ib. thought to visit the Monastery of Beverly and other Religious Places in Yorkshire that abounded with Riches and even to attempt the City of York it self For he imagin'd there would be none able to resist him but that all the Strength of England was now before Calais When therefore King Davids Battail also was broken and the Scots began to fly the English fell more furiously on those that still kept the Field resolving not to hazard so glorious a Victory by an inconsiderate and rash Pursuit Wherefore many Scots were gather'd up by Prince Robert and Earl Patrick who hover'd a far off in so considerable a Body that the English durst not too freely follow the Chace especially the Victory not being yet clearly their own And yet neither could they by any means prevail with their Men to make another Attempt against the Enemy because their Friends came flying that way continually and so added to their former Discouragements As for King David he failed nothing either in the Duty of a Good Captain or of a Valiant Souldier but more than once rallied his disorder'd Men and encouraged them both by his Words and his Example So that those who were most near unto him were even asham'd to forsake so Valiant a Prince and therefore long they held together close in a Ring like a Tower of Steel
together with an handsome Gratuity and a promise of much more upon his Return to him unto Reims with an Answer When this Indigent fellow had received the Letter he revolved many things in his mind considering of what consequence such a Matter might prove at last and he said to himself Well! Colinet thou may'st be poor but thou shalt never be a Traytor Wherefore now contrary to his Oath and Promise to Gawin but agreeable to the Duty he ow'd to his King and Country he took his way toward Paris and presented the Letter to the French King in which was set down the whole Manner Tune and Means how and when the City of Laon should be betray'd When the King understood the whole Series of this Black-Treason he instructed Colin how to behave himself in returning with an Answer and to fit his return according to the time as if he had been at Calais with the King of England and so at a convenient day to go to Reims according to Gawin's appointment During which Interval King Philip wrote secretly to the Provost of Reims that as soon as Colin Tomelin was come to Dr. Gawin with his Answer the said Gawin should be attached and had unto Prison all which was accordingly executed When Process was made against him forasmuch as he was in Holy Orders the Provost of Reims sent him to the City of Laon where he was put in the Bishops Prison But when the Commons of Laon heard how there was a Man Prisoner there who would have betrayed their City they rose in great uproar and would have broken up the Prison with intent to tear him in pieces But the Bishop who is an Earl and one of the Twelve Peers of France and of the Supream Judges so pacified them by his Officers that for that time they went back again to their several Houses The next day to quiet the People he was brought forth to his Judgement and there because he was a Clergyman only condemned to perpetual Prison But for his greater Infamy and shame he was further Order'd to be set up on high in a Tumbrel or Dung-Cart bare-headed to be seen of all Men and so with vile Instruments of wretched Musick as Bagpipes and the like to be carried thrô the High-street of the City unto the Bishops Prison aforesaid there to remain close Prisoner during his Life But he was not carried far in this Manner when the Common people fell upon him with great moutings pelting him with dirt and stones so rudely that before he had finished half his Progress he was stoned to Death after which his Body was buried in a filthy Moor hard by the City With him also his Only Son being in some measure guilty of his Fathers crime was condemned to perpetual Imprisonment But being excused the shamefull Riding was not expos'd so to the Fury of the Rabble wherefore he had his Life but lost his Liberty for ever Shortly afterward b Faban p. 275. there was also executed at Paris a Burgess of the said City who as was laid to his charge had undertaken to betray that great Metropolis of the Kingdom to King Edward For which Fact he was first dismembred of his Legs and Arms and afterwards hanged up by the Neck on the great Gallows of Paris called Monfaucon But in relation to these two supposed Treasons for my part I cannot see how onely one or two Persons can be supposed capable of Betraying such Considerable Places as Laon and Paris near which the King of England had no Garrisons and as for Himself he was then too far off being at Calais Nor could he be able with all his Forces to take and hold Possession of two such Cities especially of Paris even thô he had left the Siege of Calais Wherefore I rather think the whole Matter amounted to no more than this that some certain Persons who either shew'd small satisfaction in King Philips Government or were less carefull of their Carriage and Speech in such a Juncture or lay obnoxious to the Malice or Spight of any prosligate Wretches wanted not Evidences to swear home against them and lay Matters to their Charge which thô never so improbable were then accounted no less than Treason by a Prince so mortally jealous as King Philip was VIII Now the French King having found all his peacefull Overtures with the Flemings ineffectual especially now that they had proceeded so far as to quarrel with their young Lord the Earl of Flanders for the Sake of King Edward his Adversary as well to revenge his own and the Earls injuries as hoping by some notable Success against them to enduce them to some Reasonable Terms resolves c Serâ—es p. 12. in Phil. Val. is Speed p. 580. Fâ—x p. 506. c. to send his Son John Duke of Normandy with a Considerable Army against them But Duke John it seems was born under no better Stars than his Father for having besieged Cassel a Town between St. Omers and Ipres he was at last in a Sally set upon couragiously by the Flemings being joyned with a good Body of English from Calais and compelled to raise his Siege without Honour but not without considerable Loss For the Conflict enduring from Morning till high Noon the French were utterly vanquished and enforced to break up having left behind them many Hundreds of their Men as well slain as Prisoners whereas on the other Side rather by a Miraculous Protection of Heaven than any Chance of War not one is reported to have been grievously wounded among the Flemings and their English Auxiliaries To this Town above all the Towns of Flanders King Philip ow'd an ill-will because d Fabian p. 264. Jacob Meyer Ann. Flandr l. 12. p. 153. in the beginning of his Reign when he laid siege unto them in Person the Inhabitants had in derision of Him and his Title caused a Red Cock to be painted on a White Cloth under which in great Letters they wrote this following Rhyme and hung iâ— over the Walls Quand ce Coq icy chantera Le Roy Trouvé ca entrera Which signifies When this Cock shall crow clear The Found King shall enter here At which Lines the French King was horribly vexed especially because they Nick-named him the Found King as if having no manner of Title the Frenchmen had as it were upon diligent search found him out to hold Pretensions against King Edward After this Repulse at Cassel Duke John collecting his shatter'd Forces made yet another Attempt upon Lilers a Town of Flanders by the River Navez between Arien and Bethune But here also he received another Repulse so as he could hardly come off with the rest of his Troops to his Father who stormed and fretted exceedingly at these fresh Disgraces IX All this while was the Siege of Calais carried on with great Application but the Defendants held out with equal Obstinacy For thô King Edward's chief trust was to reduce them by Famine yet
Battle of Durham among whom the Lord Robert Stuart Prince of Scotland was especially numbred Thô both before that and since he had given sufficient Testimonies of his Courage and Conduct and had also by his Government during his Masters Imprisonment and his Care and at last Success in working his Delivery as plainly demonstrated his Loyalty But however King David rather than acknowledge his own Rashness in occasioning that Overthrow laid it so vehemently upon his Nephew Roberts Leaving the Field o Holinsh Chron. Scotl. p. 243. Hector l. 15. that now at last that Act whereby the Crown of Scotland for want of Lawfull Issue begotten of Davids Body was for ever entailed on the said Prince Robert and his Heirs was by his Procurement repealed disanulled and wholly made void and his other Nephew the young Lord p Odor Rainal vecat Alexand. alii Johann sed Rainaldi fides prastantior Alexander Son and Heir to the Earl of Southerland by his youngest Sister Jane was declared Heir Apparent to the Crown of Scotland in the Room of Prince Robert who was Eldest Son of the Lady Margaret King David's Eldest Sister Which Act all the Lords of Scotland were sworn to observe and maintain Whereupon the old Earl of Southerland Father to this Prince Alexander verily believing that his said Son could not now miss of the Crown of Scotland gave away the most part of his Lands dividing them among his Friends and Relations especially to the Noble Families of the Hayes the Sinclares the Ogilbies and the Gourdons thereby to bind them the faster unto his Sons Interest But all this Precaution fail'd for shortly after the Lord Alexander his Son being one of the Pledges then remaining in England for the Security of King David's Ransom together with most of the other Hostages died of the Plague which then again raged in this Kingdom as we shall see shortly Whereupon Prince Robert Stuart being then again easily reconciled to the King was once more acknowledged and by Act of Parliament established Rightfully the Heir Apparent to the Crown of Scotland in as full manner as he had been before The mean while especially at the Instance of the Pope the Clergy of Scotland agreed to contribute the Tenth Penny of all their Fruits and Revenues towards the payment of their Kings Ransom And at the same time the said King nothing unmindfull of his Promise made to King Edward before his Deliverance moved his Lords and Barons in a Matter which yet himself was not willing to succeed in thô being bound by Oath so to do he urged it notwithstanding with all the Application he could Namely q Odor Rainal ad ann 1358. §. 4. Scotici Scriptures Holinsh c. That provided he himself should decease without Issue they would agree that the Crown of Scotland and all the Rights thereof should be entirely transferred to the King of England's Eldest Son and to his Lawfull Heirs for ever But to this unexpected Proposal the Lords answer'd all with one Voice That as long as any of them were able to hold a Sword in their Hands they would never yield to be subject to England King David was well pleased with this their Resolution and look'd upon himself now as discharged from attempting any thing further that way Because he had only engaged to King Edward That if the Scotch Nobility would consent he would Entail the Crown upon his Eldest Son. IV. But we have too long left the Duke of Lancaster at the Siege of Rennes in Bretagne from whence as we shew'd r Vid. Lib. 3. c. 2. §. 2. p. 527. before King Edward at the Cardinals Remonstrance had sent him a peremptory Command to rise forthwith upon sight of his Letters Now the mean while the Duke by a strict and long Siege for it began on the 3d of December in the Year foregoing and ended not till the latter end of July in this Year had mightily straitned the Place having moreover ravaged and eaten up the Country all about to supply his Army but I dare not say with Å¿ Leland Collect. 1 Vol. p. 824. vid. Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 788. Leland that by a Detachment sent from the Siege he wan Autry and Semay lying on the River Aysne on the Marches of Lorraine for to any one that considers the Distance of those Parts from Bretagne it will seem ridiculous to imagin it I had rather in that Place read Vitray on the Vilaine on which River the City of Rennes also stands However t Knighton p. 2616. once Charles of Blois came thither with 10000 Men to raise the Siege but when he saw the English Duke ready to receive him in the Field and yet at the same time to make good the Siege with another Part of his Army holding it not likely to succeed as then he retired Whereupon the Besieged beginning to doubt of their Affairs sought for an occasion to parly with the Duke but they design'd to do it as it were by Chance that so they might obtain the better Conditions First therefore they request a safe Conduct for a Bishop and six Knights whom they sent to re-consecrate a Church without the Walls which being polluted by a Murther committed therein had been shut up for some time These seven having obtained a safe Conduct and the Work for which they went being done upon their return thrô the Camp were invited by the Duke to Dine with him and there at Table in Discourse it was question'd what might be the Meaning that the Defendants delay'd to yield up the Town since there was no Body able to succour them or to raise the Siege The Bishop having received Instructions before-hand said they should not refuse to yield upon good Conditions the Duke said they could not expect any better Conditions as things were now than to submit Themselves and Goods to his Clemency However after much Altercation Matters were brought at last to this Issue That the Inhabitants should give to the Duke an u Fab. say but 60000. a Scute 6 s. 8 d. i. e. a Noble English hundred thousand Scutes of Gold toward the Charges he had been at so that they should be otherwise free both in their Body and Goods and further that they should give Security that upon the Duke's Demanding the Town for the Use and Behoof of the King of England they would deliver it unto him to set what Captain he should please over them These things were established and agreed to on both sides and thereupon the Duke named them a Captain but because he would not expose the City to Plunder he appointed only certain Troops to go and take Possession of it in his Name he himself tarrying without the Town with the Gross of his Army One x Meâ—eray ad hunc annum says how he had sworn not to rise from before Rennes untill he had entred in Person and should see his Banners planted upon the Rampiers
de Coucy who was the Chief in those Parts on the French Side caused his Castles and Houses to be so well kept that the Navarrois could find no Advantage there And the Lord Canon Robsert was so watchfull over them that they feared him above all others For many times he cut off several of them as he could pick them up about the Country We spake before how the Lord John of Picquigny kept Garrison at le Herelle not far from Amiens in Picardy being a fast Friend to the King of Navarre as who had not only against his Trust deliver'd him from Prison but also openly affronted the Dauphin for his Sake This Man dealt under-hand with Firmin Cockerell Mayor and certain of the Burgesses of Amiens l Jâ—nes Meâ—â—r Ann. Flandr l. 13. p. 183. and used so much Address Subtlety and 〈◊〉 Language that they were at last persuaded to introduce him into the City For this purpose they had secretly conveyed into their Houses certain Armed Men who were to joyn the Navarrois upon their coming thither Accordingly one Evening the Lord John of Prequigny the Lord William of Granville he that had so subtely taken the Castle of Eureux the Lord Fondregas and two or three more Persons of Quality marched silently and came with 700 Fighting Men to the Gate of Amiens that looks towards Herelle in confidence of their Friends within who according to their Promise had lest the Gate ready open for them As they were entred those Armed Men who lay expecting them in the City being hid in Chambers or Cellars came forth and assembling together cried aloud Navarre At this frightfull Noise the Citizens awoke and rose and went to Arms crying Treason Treason making all speed toward the Gate where the Noise was between the City and the Suburbs These few made indeed some Resistance but too inconsiderable to beat the Enemy back So that if the Navarrois had briskly push'd their first Advantage forward they had most certainly carried the Place But while they stood dallying to see what number of Friends they had within and how their Enemies were order'd to receive them there came thither a timely Succour to the Town For by a strange Chance or rather some secret Impulse the Lord Moreau of Fiennes Constable of France and the Earl of St. Paul who were at Câ—â—bie with a strong Garrison took a Resolution to ride forth that Night to Amrens and made such haste that by another Gate they came into the City by that time the Navarrois had won the Suburbs and were now contending to win the City also Which surely they had presently done but for this wonderfull and unexpected Obstacle But these French Lords immediately upon their Arrival drew to the Gate where the Medley was so hot with their Banners display'd and in good Order to receive them But they offer'd not to issue forth at the Gate because they saw the Fauxbourgs irreparably lost The Inhabitants the mean while being hugely encouraged with their Presence lighted up Torches and Links and made Fires that all things appeared as plain as at Noon Day When the Lord of Picquigny saw these unexpected Succours doubting he might lose more than he could win he caused the Retreat to be sounded and so retired in very good Order but they had already overran all the Fauxbourgs which they plunder'd and now in their Retreat set on Fire sparing neither Houses of which there were above 3000 nor Churches nor any thing else And so they return'd with their Plunder and Prisoners to their several Garrisons As soon as the Enemy was thus drawn off the Constable and the Earl of St. Pâ—â— sent a Troop to every Gate of the City commanding the Officers on pain of Death to suffer no Man to go out of the Town that Night So early next Morning taking to their Assistance several Aldermen of the City they went to certain Burgesses houses who were suspected of Treason Of these they took seventeen with the Mayor who were immediately convicted and beheaded openly in the Market-place the Chief whereof was the Abbot of Gars who had as it was proved consented to the Treason having lodged the greater part of the Armed Men within his House In the City of Laon also about the same time were put to Death for a like Cause six of the Chief Burgesses and the Bishop himself had been served in the same manner iâ— they could have got him For Treason was laid to his Charge of which he could never acquit himself But He having a timely intimation of the Discovery gat off in Disguise and went straight to the King of Navarre then at Melun on the Seyne who received him joyfully IX Such Miseries in those Days was the Flourishing Realm of France subjected to insomuch that althô the Navarrois and other Robbers by open Violence made such Havock abroad yet were they also by secret Treachery in as great Danger at home For as War and Desolation stood battering them without Doors so Treason lay undermining them within Wherefore all the Nobility and Gentry and whoever had the Custody of Towns and Castles stood upon their Guard and kept good Watch continually And surely so it behoved them to do for the King of Navarre had many Well-Wishers in that Kingdom so that if a Wonderfull Providence had not been concerned to prevent the total Ruine of France it had inevitably seen its last days then For he being wholly transported with an irreconcileable hate against his Native Country not content with these Miseries which he had already created m Da Serres c. began to sollicite the King of England also and to urge him incessantly to a War representing unto him that now was the only time to make the Crown of France his own for ever King Edward could not but observe a ready way to effect his Designs in this Confusion but knowing the Ambitious and Inconstant Humour of the King of Navarre he could not trust him And so either out of a just Respect to the Truce or fearing that upon the appearance of his Forces all these Domestick Parties would unite against him as is usual in such cases he omitted or rather scorn'd to make use of this Opportunity But surely that which some French n Mezeray Da Serres c. Authors say how by small Succours sent to Navarre he design'd to ballance the Parties to the intent to weaken them both is absolutely false and precarious For 't is confest by o Frâ—is c. 200. Froisard and the better sort of the French Writers also that during the Truce King Edward was not at all concerned in Navarre's quarrel with France and thô several Englishmen were notoriously engaged in these Wars yet it was both p Walsing â—â—st p. 166. â— 1. without the Consent and against the Will of the King of England as he himself solemnly q Knighton p. 2618. n. 60. protested to the French Ambassadors upon their Complaint
This pious and reasonable Request King Edward granted but as for the Tender of his Service in the Wars he said he hop'd to have no more occasion of making War in France there being now such a likelihood of a lasting Peace to be established between the two Nations But shortly after he heard a Walsing Hyp. p. 125. n. 10. Knâ—ghton p. 2618. n. 60. how the French indeed were willing to pay unto him 600000 Florens in Part of the Three Millions for the Redemption of their King but they refused to deliver him such Hostages as he demanded for his Security Which when he understood being extreamly incensed he sent word to the Estates of France that then they should look to themselves and be ready to receive him by the time wherein the Truce was to expire King David of Scotland tarried several Weeks with his Queen at London having his Lodgings prepared in the Gray-Fryers now called Christ-Church During his Stay there were many friendly Entercourses between him and the two Kings of England and France King Edward feasting and caressing them in Royal Manner for it was not till the next Year that King John was closely confin'd thô we have mention'd it before Particularly this Year he kept his Christmas with them both at London where he sat between the two Kings at one Table and not as some report between the two Captive Kings in Ostentation of his great Fortune for as it appears these two Kings were not Captives together in England during any one Christmas at all King John being brought Prisoner into England in May and King David being released the September following But King David as his Guest might now be reasonably expected to sit at his Table And King John as Davids Friend and Edwards Cousin to have so much Respect shewn unto him for that time at least Besides since Pride is so loathsome especially to them over whom she insulteth it is not to be imagin'd that these two Kings should ever after so entirely love and respect King Edward as they did had he entertain'd them with such supercilious Haughtiness at this time That Monarch's Soul was elevated to such a degree of Generosity that he absolutely reigned in the Hearts of these two Princes who came after they were at Liberty of their own Accord to visit him as a Friend as we shall shew in due Place XIV This b Sandfords Geneal hist p. 146. Walsingh hist p. 165. Stow's Chron. p. 264. Survey of London p 421. Knâ—ghton p. 2618. n. 54. Year the Lady Isabella the Queen Mother of England who was Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all successively Kings of France departed this Life in her great Climacterical or 63d Year after almost 28 Years Confinement because of her Concern in the Ruine of King Edward the II her Lord and Husband Her Punishment was easie and temper'd with Respect for all the while she had a liberal Allowance of 4000 l. per annum and freedom enough thô under the Eye of a Keeper and the King her Son did once a Year at least pay her a Visit and often shew'd her many notable Diversions and Princely Recreations Alan Buchet in his Annals of Aquitain and nom him c James Meyors Annal. Flandr l. 12. p. 152. James Meyor says that being big with Child by Mortimer she was presently put to Death by her Son Edward but the Notoriety of this Falshood appears not only from the concurrent Testimonies of all Authors and Records but especially from thus that besides many others at divers times we shall find Pope Innocent the IV to direct his Letters unto her bearing d Extant Tom. 4. Epist Secret. p. 158. vid. Odor Rainal ad ann 1356. §. 4. al as Date Avin XIV Kal. Julii An o Pontif. W. i.e. An o Dom. 1356. Wherefore let those Authors look to their Credit as well as they can 't is certain they wanted Care or Honesty but to return This Queen was married to King Edward the II in the 12 Year of her Age was his Wife 20 Years and his Widow about 31 being as was thought a Widow of her own making And yet truly I am persuaded partly from the Consideration of her long and happy Life after as well as from many other Circumstances apparent from the History that upon her first coming with Armed Force into England she had no design in the World against the King her Husband but only against the Spencers But that Mortimer and Others who were already obnoxious to the Law upon the account of Treason for their own Security drove her on so far by their Cunning that she was not able to retire And afterwards when the King was deposed they so terrified her with making her believe that if ever he recover'd his Crown he would certainly burn her that she complied with the Design for his Destruction However she proved occasionally almost Fatal to her Native Country of France her Birth affording that Title to King Edward which in those Days produced a War of above Fourscore Years Continuance wherein besides many thousand great Losses that Realm suffer'd three Memorable Defeats as at Cressy and Poictiers under King Edward and at Agencourt under King Henry the V. And even unto this Day the Kings of England are from her furnished with a just Pretence whenever they shall please to resume a Quarrel with that Kingdom She died at the Castle of Risings near London on the Wednesday before St. Bartholomew's Day being e Hoc ann G. Dom. Lit. the 22d of August An o Dom. MCCCLVIII having first lived to see her Son the most Glorious Prâ—nce of all Europe and the Right which she had convey'd unto him to be in a manner asserted by the Decision of God Himself in the Captivity of the French King by the Valour of her Grandson the Prince of Wales She was most honourably interred on the 27th of September following being a Thursday in the Midst of the Quire of the Gray-Friers now called Christ-Church in London under a magnificent Tomb of Alabaster The Church not being yet dedicated Queen Joan also of Scotland sirnamed Joan of the Tower Sister to King Edward of England and Daughter to Queen Isabel aforesaid deceased toward the end of this Year without Issue But that it is better to leave an Honourable Report than Children behind And certainly if King David her Husband had never been oppressed with Adversity she might have been accounted happy but then she had never been extolled with that Commendation which her Vertue and Conjugal Affection doth claim from all Posterity For f Holinsh Scotl. p. 244. during the seven Years Exile which King David had formerly led in France when he was expelled his own Kingdom by the English Forces she would by no means forsake Him oâ— his Fortune but faithfully and constantly adhered to him both then and
the King was resolved to execute the Statute of Apparel and therefore charged them all to promote the same After which he demanded of both Houses whether they would have such Matters as they agreed on to be by way of Ordinance or of Statute they answer'd by way of Ordinance that they might amend the same at their Pleasure and so it was done Then the King thanked them for their Pains taken and so dismist them for that time VII A Convocation x Regist Arch. Cant. Simon Islip fol. 186. b. Selden's Titl Honor. c. 5. § 43. p. 815. of the Province of Canterbury being held this Year under Archbishop Islip the Holy-days were by a Canon retrenched to a far less Number than before which indeed amounted to few more than We now observe in England Excepting to particular places the Days of Dedication of Churches and the Saints days Patrons thereof and also the Double Festival of y Lindâ—ood de Feriis C. eâ— Scriptur is St. George liberty being left to Work on any other Saints Days VIII This Year z Knighton p. 2627. n. 40. departed this Life the Fair young Lady Elizabeth Dutchess of Clarence leaving one only Daughter behind her by Duke Lionel her Husband called Philippa who afterwards was Married to Edmund Mortimer Third Earl of March Lord and Baron of Wigmore Trim Clare and Connaught as also of the Lordship and Town of Ludlow By him She had Roger Mortimer Fourth Earl of March whose Son Edmund dying without Issue his Daughter Anne was Married to Richard Plantagenet Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund Langley Duke of York Fifth Son of King Edward the Third and so convey'd her Title to her Son Richard Duke of York who thereupon openly challenged the Crown of King Henry the Sixth the Son of Henry the Fifth the Son of Henry the Fourth the Son of John of Gaunt King Edwards Fourth Son when as by the Mothers side himself was the Son and Her of Anne Daughter and Heir of Roger Mortimer Son and Heir of Edmund Mortimer by the Lady Philippa sole Daughter and Heiress of Prince Lionel Duke of Clarence King Edward's Third Son. And thô this Richard failed in the attempt yet his Son Edward afterwards call'd the Fourth obtain'd the point having destroy'd the House of John of Gaunt in the Third Generation after his Son Henry of Bolingbroke had depos'd King Richard the Second by Rebellion King Edward solemnized the Funerals of this great Dutchess of Clarence and a Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 167. gave Command to the Keeper of his great Wardrobe to deliver out Four Cloths of Gold Baudekin or Tinsell and Nine of Baudekin of Lucca to be offer'd for himself and his Queen at her Funeral Her Body b Sandford's Geneal Hist p. 220. was solemnly interred in the Chancel of the Augustine Fryers at Clare in Suffolk Queen Philippa who together with the Lady Catherine Countess of Warwick and Daughter to Roger Mortimer First Earl of March had stood her Godmother took her young Daughter Philippa into her Care and Protection She being then in the Eighth Year of her Age. This Year also Edward Bailiol who was in his time King of Scotland till he resign'd his Title to King Edward of England c Knighton p. 2627. n 50. departed this Life at Doncaster in Yorkshire without Issue being the last of the Family of John Bailiol So that hereby there was no pretence left to any to disturb the Then-uncontroverted Right of David Bruce King of Scotland and consequently of Prince Robert Stuart who being the Eldest Son of King David's Eldest Sister succeeded him in the Kingdom upon King David's Dying also without Issue as we shall see about Ten Years hence On the d Gedw Catal. Bps p. 371. Walsing hist p. 173. Dagd Warw. p. 557. Fourteenth of August Dr. Ralph Shrewsbury Bishop of Bath and Wells departed this Life being succeeded by Dr. John Bernet who was translated thither from Worcester and William Wittlesey Bishop of Rochester supply'd his place at Worcester whose vacant See was filled by Dr. Thomas Trillick Dean of St. Pauls London IX About this time e Knighton p. 2627. n. 40. one Walter Winkeburne was for some Capital crime or other so violently prosecuted by one of the Knights Hospitallers that whether Guilty or no he received Judgment to be Hanged and Hanged he was Being after such a time cut down as he was carried for Dead to be laid in the Church-yard of St. Sepulchers at Leicester he began to revive in the Cart and being thereupon carried for safeguard into the Church was there perfectly recover'd and carefully watched by the Clergy of Leicester lest the Sheriff should take him away to hang him again while some were sent to tell the King who was then in those Parts of the Adventure and to beg his Charter of pardon since the Person had in a manner satisfied the Law and that his miraculous Recovery might seem no bad Argument of his Innocency Accordingly King Edward presently after granted him his Charter of pardon in the Abbey of Leicester saying these Words which Knighton affirms that himself heard from him Since God hath given him Life I 'll give him my Charter Such another Case happen'd at London in my Time about the Year 1670 upon the Body of one Savage an hopefull young Man who gave great testimony of his Repentance both before and at the place of Execution After he had hung a full Half Hour his Body being granted to his Friends for Burial they perceiving some signs of Life to remain put him into a warm Bed and at last perfectly recover'd him thô by his own Confession he had been guilty of the Murther and Robbery laid to his Charge But he had not such Fortune as this Walter Winkeburne for before King Charles the Second could be made acquainted with the Accident the Sheriff having an inkling of the matter by the indiscretion of his Friends came and took him away to the Gallows again where finally he died X. In this Season either because the Wars being now ended those who had been Souldiers had rather do any thing than return to their former Occupations or thrô relaxation of Discipline there Å¿ Knighton p. 2628. n. 10 c. arose Swarms of Theeves and High-way Men in several parts of England who set upon Travellers and brake up Houses and robbed Churches and the Shrines of Saints and carried away the more pretious Reliques and all the Rich Offerings Particularly they robbed the Abbey of Thornton in Leicestershire and took away the Image of our Lady of Mirivale out of her Chappel and the Image of our Lady of Monks-Kirkby and the like they did in many other places thô most of the Authors were taken and hanged Some of these People stole away the Head of St. Hugh formerly Bishop of Lincoln which after they had spoiled it of all the Gold Silver and precious Stones belonging unto it they
Garrison resolv'd to die every Man rather than to yield up the Place thô the Townsmen would gladly have received the French if they durst Wherefore the Captains of France sent to Tholouse for Four great Engines which they made ready and reared up against the Walls casting therewith both Night and Day massie Stones and huge pieces of Timber against the Fortress besides which they set their Pioneers a Mining But the Englishmen with great Courage comforted each other and slighted all their Art and Fury thô at last for want of Succour We shall find them to be taken only by reason of the Mines But for the present We shall leave them V. While these French Captains d Frois c. 252. f. 152. were thus busie in Quercy the Duke of Berry was in Anvergne with a great Power of Men of War the chief Leaders whereof were the Lord John of Armagnac his Uncle the Lord John de Villemur the Lord Roger Beaufort the Lord of Beaujeu the Lord Villiers the Lord of Semur the Lord of Tarascon Sr. Hugh Dauphin and many more who ravaged about the Marches of Rovergue Quercy and Limosin where they did much Harm and at first found no great Opposition And besides this application of Force there were not wanting other Arts not then so frequent in the World but since those Days very common which made use of the help of the Church to blow up a Fire of Combustion in the State. For the subtle Dukes of Anjou and Berry prevailed with the Archbishop of Tholouse who was a Politick and Learned Prelate to go to the City of Cahors of which place his Brother was then Bishop and here together these two Brothers so elegantly preached and set forth the Right of King Charles against King Edward's Pretensions that the whole City turned French and sware unto the French King Faith and Homage from that time And with these Arts the Archbishop rode about thrô the Country and every where took care to set forth the Equity of his Masters Quarrel with such advantage of popular Arguments and the Reputation which he added thereto from Religion and Scripture Proofs that together with the Terror of the Duke of Berry's Arms and those of the Duke of Anjou who hover'd thereabout he obliged no less than sixty Towns Cities Castles and Fortresses to submit to the Obedience of the French King who had indeed the cheif place in their Hearts before And as this Archbishop went abroad abetting and maintaining the King his Masters Cause in and about the Marches and Limitations of Languedoc So also in Picardy divers other Prelates and Clergymen brought the Right of the Two Kings into their Pulpits where they discussed the Matter so plausibly that King Edward was ever concluded in the wrong And the Common People who in those Days readily swallowed more Course Morsels than these were fully satisfied with all that was said thô in my Opinion it is not only below the Dignity of Princes to make use of such abject Devices but also no way corresponding to the same of Learning and Religion to appeal so fawningly to the Vulgar whom as they please they may easily cheat with false Colours But in France Dr. William Dorman was especially remarkable for these Tongue Victories for he rode about from Town to Town and from City to City and spake with such power and force of Rhetorical Insinuations and handled his Points so cleverly that all who heard him believed in a manner every Word he said and the Controversie between the two Kings was so artificially represented by him that the French King had apparently the Advantage on his side Besides all this King Charles himself was so moved with Devotion e Frois ibid. Mezeray c. that he not only caused Fastings and Processions to be used throughout his Realm by the Clergy but Himself also and his Queen would often attend them going barefoot and in all Churches there were put up continual Prayers to God devoutly requiring and imploring of his Majesty to assist and maintain the Right of the Realm of France which had suffer'd so great Tribulation for so many Years Nor was King Edward less Pious or less honourably Politick For he also used the same Method thrô his Kingdom the rather that his Subjects might be the more ready to venture their Lives and Fortunes in a Cause which they first understood to be Just and Right There was at that time one Dr. Simon Tibuld alià s Sudbury Bishop of London a Man very well seen in the Canon Law and the Scriptures and of great Eloquence who made many Sermons in the most publick places of the City declaring and proving unto the People that the French King had renew'd the War not only against his Oath but also against all Right and Reason with manifest Injustice Fraud and Perjury all which together with King Edward's Title to France he demonstrated with great force of Argument and Rhetorick to the ample satisfaction of all his Auditors And I must confess that it might not seem unnecessary for both the Kings to provide that their Subjects should be generally informed of the particulars of their Quarrel that so they might more teadily and with a good Conscience assist their several Masters in this War at which both the Nations were sufficiently alarum'd already And King Edward himself who was as well furnish'd with Wisdom as Valour nothing doubted but that this War would prove as great and as momentous as ever any he had been engaged in because of the Advantage which the French King had gain'd by surprising him thus as chiefly because of the new Method of this his politick Enemy and also of the Mutability of his French Friends Wherefore he thought it fit for his behoof to stirr up all his Assistants and Allies that might any ways lie opportunely to divert the impending Mischief And so he sent into Brabant and Hainalt to learn whether they would own his Quarrel or no and especially he desired Duke Albert of Bavaria who at that time govern'd the Country of Hainalt instead of his Elder Brother Duke William who had been for some time before Distracted and continued so to the day of his Death to open his Country upon Occasion and to let him go and come into France or tarry there if need should be with an Army Duke Albert at the Request of the King of England his Uncle especially because Queen Philippa his Dear Aunt urged him also thereto readily granted to have his Country open for the use of King Edward being not â—â—tle perswaded to this Matter by Edward Duke of Gueldres who was Son to King Edward's Sister Eleanor and had lately married Duke Alberts Daughter and with him concurred the Duke of Juliers who was Cosen German to the said Albert of Bavaria These two Lords were strictly bound to King Edward the one being as we said before his Nephew and the other the Cosen German to King Edward's Children and to
the said Duke of Hainalt and yet by many other Ties were they obliged to the English Interest and each of them was by Covenant retain'd to serve King Edward with a 1000 Spears apiece at their own Charges And therefore they not only advised the King now to bring over Duke Albert but they also Themselves joyn'd their Perswasions so that what by their Means and the English Gold he was at first won to declare himself for England But when the Lord of Cominges who was then in the Court of France heard thereof he hasted into Hainalt where he menaged Matters so cunningly with the Lord John Verchin Seneschal of Hainalt by whose Advice all the Dukes Matters were chiefly order'd and who in his Heart lov'd the Interest of France beyond that of England that by the Concurrence of the Earl of Blois and the Lord John of Blois his Brother together with the Lord of Ligny and the Lord of Brabanson who were all well belov'd with the Duke and Dutchess of Hainalt King Edward's Design was wholly quash'd and the labour of his Ambassadors overthrown Thô even they could obtain no more of the Duke than this that both He and his Country would stand Neuter in the Affair and the same Answer was also return'd by the Lady Jane Dutchess of Brabant For at that time her Husband was absent being in France where he contracted secretly a League with that King. VI. And surely King Charles of France who was a notable Politician had secretly prepared himself many Friends both in Hainalt and Brabant almost two years before and had brought over to his Interest the greater part of the Chief Counsellors and Friends of all the Great Lords of both Dukedoms And now to put the better Gloss upon his renewing the War and to make his Cause more plausible in the Eyes of the World he copied out divers Extracts of the Letters relating to the Peace made at Bretigny and ratified at Calais and therein he set forth the Substance of what he according to his Obligation had done and of what the King of England and his Children had not done thô by Oath and Honour bound thereto All along producing such Articles and Points as made for Himself and against King Edward but cunningly concealing smothering or colouring what made to a contrary purpose So that his Cause seem'd only just and the English bare all the Blame And also he privately caused certain Learned in the Laws to be Feed to set forth their Opinions at large concerning the Right of the French King against the King of England both as to the Matter of the Crown and also to the Superiority and Resort of Aquitain and there are yet f M.S. Reverendi Dr. Joh. Spencer S.T.P. C.C.C. apud Cantab Magistri Decani Ecclesiae Cathed Eliensis Extant two Discourses on that Point written by two Famous Doctors of those Days belonging to the University of Bononia in Italy whose Names were John de Lyana and Richard de Salicete Many of which Papers and others of the like Nature together with his own Letters the French King procured to be published in the Courts of all the Princes and Great Lords his Neighbours the better to prepare them to allow of his Quarrel So that King Edward to save his Credit was obliged also to use his Pen against this New sort of Enemy and to justifie and defend his Claim and to prove the Breach of the Peace to lie wholly at the French Kings Doors which he performed notably by his Letters sent into Germany and other Places where he valued his Reputation or thought to have any Friends From which Humour of both the Kings g Paul. Aemyl p. 294. c. Paulus Aemylius rather ambitious to shew his Rhetorick than Historical Fidelity has invented two notable Declamations which he ingeniously enough fancies to have been said before Charles the Emperour and his Son Wenceslaus the one by an English Orator in Behalf of his Masters Cause and the other by a Frenchman who holds the contrary opinion Whereas if that Author had consulted Decorum he would have remembred that King Edward often protested to acknowledge no Mortal whether Pope or Emperour as Judge of his Controversie and that he had but little Reason to expect to find the Emperour any thing favourable to him since he slew his Father at the Battle of Cressy and could not be ignorant how mightily he was addicted as well as more nearly allied to King Charles and the House of France Wherefore we who religiously endeavour to avoid these Gaudy Vanities thô we have Matter enough of Authentick Arguments to fill up a Speech or two yet preferring the venerable simplicity of Truth to all the Fucoes of Vain-Glory shall here set down the Arguments on both Hands as they were then really stated by the Best Lawyers of both Kingdoms in which doing 〈◊〉 where our Authorities cannot be seen our Faith be called in question We declare not only that our selves are wholly ignorant in this as well as many other Sorts of Learning but that the Ancient Copies are to be seen in Latine in a M.S. of the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls and in English in another M.S. of the Reverend Dr. Spencer Dean of Ely and Master of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge which English Copy appears to have been with much Care translated from the other by some Person of Quality for the Use of that Most Noble Prince of Wales Henry Eldest Son to King James the First And to omit the several Preambles touching Succession of Women and Succession by Representation as also touching Distance of Degrees and Collateral Succession I shall the readiest way come to the Matter but first thô in some measure we have more than once stated the Case before it is necessary for Evidence sake here again to set down the Matter of Fact as it happen'd in the Realm of France Videlicet That King Philip Son of St Lewis King of France had two Sons lawfully begotten Philip the Fair and Charles of Valois And that the said Philip being Eldest after the Death of his Father obtain'd the Kingdom and that Charles deceased leaving behind him Philip of Valois his Son lawfully begotten That afterwards Philip the Fair begat Three Lawfull Sons Lewis Philip and Charles and also One Daughter named Isabel who was married to the King of England and brought forth Edward the Third whilst the foresaid Philip Grandfather to the said Edward remain'd alive That at last Lewis and Philip Brothers to Isabell being Dead without Issue Male King h This to be favourably taken for Philip died first and then his Three Sons in order succeeded Arguments for the French Kings Right Philip their Father also died That after him reigned the foresaid Charles his only Son surviving who likewise died without Issue Now according to the State of the Fact the Question doth rise in Law to be this The Lady Isabell next
is Offence Otherwise if we should understand that because the Mother is not to be admitted to the Kingdom the Son must be in Right expelled from the same the Kingdom of the Jews contrary to the Foundation of our Faith should not lawfully have come to JESVS CHRIST who not by Society of Man but by the Working of God was born of the Virgin Mary a Woman descended from the Royal Stock of David neither admitted nor perhaps to be admitted to that Kingdom yet we do assuredly believe that he was then True and Lawfull King of the Jews And far be it from our thoughts that JESVS the Son of David by Royal Succession should either break or unty the Knot of Observing the Law seeing he came to accomplish the Law and not to break it And this Excellent Example of Lawfull Succession may reasonably stop their Mouthes who babble against our Right to the Realm of France viz. That they be not separated either by Constitution or Construction of the Law in Regard of Lawfull Degree and Order of Succeeding whom in that Regard the same Reason joyneth as Equal Neither were we duly called in this Business 13 Reason because not called which did so greatly concern our Prejudice And moreover our Procurators who were then in France that for Us and in our Name they might propose and oppose what should be Expedient were not only not admitted in Judgment but repelled with terrible Commination of Death And so that which was passed by the Twelve Peers of France doth nothing relieve or justifie our Adversary And if the Examination of our Case had pertained to the said Peers which it did not because they are not our Competent Judges Yet they setting apart the Office of Judges did unjustly in regard of Us to whose Minority to whose Tender Age at that time Favour should have been afforded perform the office of open Spoilers whose Process in Prejudice of Us althô it had been made by Competent Judges our Minority should have rendred of no Effect 14 Reason because in Minority And yet the same could not stand in Force against a Man of Age being debarred from such Defence as proceedeth from the Law of Nature which cannot be taken away by any Prince or Positive Law of State. Let us see now what flattereth the Conscience of him that possesseth the Kingdom of France due and devolved unto Us by Right upon what Favour of Law he feedeth with what Colour of Justice he is cloaked when he wanteth Ground of Law to sustain the Justice of his Cause against Us. Among other things he is said to pretend Objections taken from Us Two Objections Homage and Oath the Homage which We acknowledged unto his Grandfather for the Dutchy of Aquitain and the Oath which We made unto him for the same That He who could say nothing in his proper Right might find somewhat to say by fetching Objections to oppose from Us Supposing it sufficient to supplant a Child as We were then that he had against Us Full and Free Rule in the Realm of France But the First of these is taken away by Authority of special and express Law The First Objection answered whereby a Minor is relieved in his Harms insomuch as an Act tending to his Grievance is altogether void Therefore the Acknowledgment of Homage done by a Minor over-carried by Weakness of Age to his Exceeding Loss and also as it appeareth by the great Prejudices upon the same Homage intended against Him circumvented doth not endammage that Minor whom the special and good Provision of Law preserveth from Harm For who will not say that a Minor is both harmed and deceived if by acknowledgment of Homage He shall unduly both subject his Dutchy and also lose the Kingdom of France when as it is said it is Notorious in Law that this Minor is King of France to whom alone and to none other as King that Dutchy is subject For when the Duke of Aquitain becometh also King of France the Dignity of a Duke settleth in the Kingdom and is incorporated and confounded with the Royal Dignity and the Name thereof is extinguished as being a less thing adjoyned to the Greater Even as when a small River runneth into a greater both the Waters and the Name are therein drowned For who will say that ever it was thought that a Minor in express Terms acknowledging Homage for a Dutchy shall secretly lose his Right to a most Excellent Kingdom And so in the Speech utter'd by a Minor exceedingly both damnified and deceived not only that shall be comprehended which is expressed being respectfully not great but that also which is very Great being neither expressed nor imagined Whereas if small Matters be expressed and a General Clause followeth the Clause compriseth no Matter of higher Nature than was before expressed Neither doth the Law intend that Thing to be spoken which appeareth not to have been meant The Second Objection of the Oath made by the Minor in acknowledging his Homage is altogether untrue as it may appear by sight of the Homage The second Colour removed which was acknowledged And that Argument which is said to be inforced against the same Minor viz. that Homage simply made is taken by Custom to presuppose and imply an Oath cannot work any Raim to the Minor For such Custom is deny'd and althô it should without prejudice be granted yet is it not of force as before is touched to hurt a Minor that by doing Homage he shall be said so to be engaged by his Oath that the Extremity of the Novell Constitution Sacramenta Impuberum should take place against him Answer to the Novel Constitation Sacramenta Impuberum For seeing that Authentick Constitution doth rigorously and newly dispose against Wretched Minors who are endamaged in that an Oath shall prejudice them in Contracts concerning Affairs of their Estates this must be understood of a true Corporal Oath Generally for restraint of things that are Odious and especially that those Acts which take away Religious Relief of Minors be not drawn into Consequence For a Civil or Imaginary Act is not of equal Force with a Natural Act which is required in an Oath to the Prejudice of a Minor where the Law doth not specially ordain what shall be held of like estimation Also the Words of the said Authentick do exclude the Reason of an imaginary Oath for that it saith not simply The Oaths of them under Age but The Oaths of them under Age voluntarily made For an Oath voluntarily made by a Minor is of such a Nature that it can by no reason be equall'd by an Oath which a Minor shall be imagin'd or supposed to have made except special Constitution of Law shall so provide Those Oaths likewise which are called Voluntary or are supposed by General Custom receive no derogation by special privilege granted unto Minors Also by Authority of Great Doctors the said Authentick requireth an Actual Oath to
besides his own Cauteous Humor the Lord Clisson who was one of the Chief of his Council and had his Ear most cast many doubts in the way and said Sir be not easily tempted to send forth your People against those Madmen yonder The best way to beat them is to deny them Battle they will then fall away of themselves You may let them go on thus for a while for they cannot take your Inheritance from You nor drive You out of your Kingdom by their Smoak Sr. Robert Knolles therefore finding he could not obtain a Battle began to dislodge with his Army on the Tuesday Morning having fired all the Neighbouring Villages about which he had encamped that the Fire and Smoak were seen at Paris Now there was a Knight in the English Army who had made a Vow the day before to ride up to the Gates of Paris and strike at the Barriers with his Spear And therefore when the Army began to March away he left his Rank in order to accomplish his Vow with his Spear in his Fist his shield about his Neck on a good Horse and arm'd at all Pieces but his Head his Esquire bearing his Helmet after him on another Horse But when he came near to Paris he took and clapt on his Helmet and so leaving his Esquire behind set spurs to his Horse and came on a full Carriere to the Barriers which were then open It was at the Gate of St. James his and there stood there at that time the Earl of St. Paul the Vicount of Rohan the Lord of Chauny the Lord of Crespy Sr. Edward of Renty and Sr. Angerant Dourdan who all wonder'd what this Knight intended to do For by his Riding they thought he design'd to enter into the City But it seems he intended no such Matter for having struck once or twice at the Barriers as before he had vow'd to do he turned the Reins of his Horse and rode back again But when the Frenchmen saw this they laugh'd him to scorn saying Go thy ways in Gods Name thou hast shew'd thy Knighthood enough of all Conscience The Gentleman's Name We can't recover nor whether he was an English or a Scotch Man or of what other Country only the Blazon upon his shield h Frois ibid. was Gules Two Fusils in a Fez Sable a â—ordure indented Sable But in the Suburbs he met with an hard Rencounter which he little expected for as he passed along the street there was before him a Butcher a sturdy big bon'd fellow with a sharp Axe in his Hand Who had before observed the behaviour of this Knight and intended to give him a Mark if he could conveniently As therefore he return'd and rode on carelesly heeding no Body this Butcher slipt on one side and gave him such a stroak between his Neck and Shoulders that he fell flat upon his Horses Neck and yet recover'd again but at that instant the Butcher redoubled his Blow so strongly that the Axe entred into his Flesh With that the Knight fell down to the earth but his Horse ran away and went to the Esquire who took him by the Bridle as he stood at the end of the street wondring what was become of his Master For he had seen him ride to the Barriers and after he had struck thereat with his Spear return again Wherefore now he rode a little forward to see what was the Matter and there he spy'd his Master lying on the ground among four or five lusty fellows who laid on him as if they had been beating on an Anvil with a Massy sledge At this the Esquire was in such a bodily fear that he durst by no means go any further and besides he thought his Master by that time past help wherefore he rode back with his Masters Horse in his Hand to the Army and told what misadventure had happen'd unto him whereat they were sorry So the Knight was there slain by the Butcher and the rest with him after which the Lords of France who stood at the Barriers and saw all the Passage laid up his Armour and caused his Body to be decently buried in Holy Ground That Night the English Army lodged between Paris and Montleherry by a little River named Yvette For they always us'd to take up betimes XX. While Sr. Robert Knolles i Frois c. 282. was employ'd in this Expedition on the one part and the Black-Prince on the other Hand with his two Brethren lay before the strong City of Limoges Sr. Bertram of Clequin with his two hundred Spears ravaged about on the one side of Limosin but he never lay in the Field so much as one Night for fear of being snap'd by the English whom he knew so strong in those Parts And yet every Day he rode about endeavouring by all means to conquer and win Towns and Castles and still at Night he would retire for shelter into some Fortress belonging to the Lord Lewis of Maleval or to the Lord Raimund of Marvejols or some other who had revolted to the French side The Prince of Wales knew of all this his Progress very well and Complaints were brought unto him dayly how cruelly Sr. Bertram harassed the Country But for all that he would not leave the Siege no thô Bourdeaux had been in Danger to be lost because of his Oath and Thirst of Revenge He only pressed it on the more violently that so he might be again at Liberty to attend other Matters Thus Prince Edward lay before the City of Limoges for the space of a Month or more in all which time he made neither Skirmish nor Assault but continued to undermine them Day and Night he trusted so well to the skill of those whom he employ'd in that Matter The Captains within the Town perciev'd plainly that they were undermin'd and made many Countermines to destroy the English but they made so many false Mines and by great skill in Mathematicks ran their ways so variously till they came to the Place design'd and so amused their Enemies by flinging out Earth on one side the Town when they had advanced their Mine to the other that at last they brought their Work to Perfection without suffering the least harm from the Counterminers Then the Captains of the Miners went to the Prince and said Sir when ever now it shall please Your Royal Highness to command us we shall in so many Hours cause a great Pain of the Wall to fall down into the Ditch so that you may enter the City at your ease without any danger The Prince being extreamly pleased with these Words said Then our Pleasure is that early to morrow Morning all things may be ready for our Entrance as you have promised Then Orders being given secretly thrô the Army and a strong Brigade of Footmen and Archers being appointed to enter at the Breach so to open the Gates for the Prince whose Resolution also concerning the Inhabitants was now known the Miners set fire to
little longer and let them go on in Gods Name for thus they will never be able to wrest your Kingdom from You They will weary and spend themselves to no purpose but long they cannot subsist For behold when a Storm or Tempest ariseth if Men will but keep within Doors it wasteth away of it self without much harm doing and thus you shall see it will happen to these Englishmen And here we shall take our leave for the present of the Duke of Lancaster and what remains of this Expedition till we have Dispatched other Matters that fall in this place XIV It may be remembred y Frois c. 311. fol. 191. b. how we spake lately of Sr. Robert Knolles that he came to his Castle of Derval which was his Inheritance and that he wholly cancell'd and brake off the Treaty made between his Men and the Duke of Anjou who also laid claim to the same Castle as which had been formerly given unto him by the Lord Charles of Blois when he took to Wife the said Lord Charles his Daughter Thô after the Death of the said Lord Charles John of Monford the true Duke of Bretagne gave it to Sr. Robert Knolles a Knight of England to him and his Heirs for ever in Requital of his many signal Services done unto him in all his Wars Therefore now the Duke of Anjou went in Person before Derval resolving by Siege or Assault to win the Place But about the time he first came thither the French King sent hastily unto him to the Constable to the Lord Clisson and all the Knights of Bretagne Poictou and the low Marches and the rest that lay with the Duke before Derval commanding them to return with all their Power into France to assist his Brother the Duke of Burgundy in coasting and cutting short the Duke of Lancaster who was then marching thrô France Upon this the Duke of Anjou sent to those within Derval urging them to make haste and yield up their Castle as they had promised But when the Day was come and past whereon it was to be deliver'd and yet no such thing once offer'd the Duke began to wonder what they meant for thô he knew how Sr. Robert Knolles was got in with some Succour both of Men and Provision yet he hop'd they would not break the Obligation to which they were bound and thereby expose the Lives of their Hostages However not daring to linger much here because of the French Kings Letters he sent an Herald to Sr. Robert Knolles and especially to Sr. Hugh Bright who had made the Agreement with him which Herald being admitted into the Castle said Gentlemen my Lords have sent me hither to know the Reason why you don't take care to acquit your Hostages and deliver up the Castle according to Covenant to which Sr. Hugh you are bound by Oath To this Sr. Robert Knolles answer'd Herald tell your Masters that without my leave my Men could make no Composition concerning the Delivery of what was not their own Go to them again and tell them so from me The Herald return'd with this Answer and was sent back again with this Message Gentlemen my Lords send you once again word by Me how the Composition was that you should not receive any one into your Fortress till the day prefixed and yet since that Agreement was made and before the appointed term of two Months was ended they have admitted you Sr. Robert Knolles into their Fortress which they ought not to have done Wherefore Sir know for certain that unless you yield up the Castle forthwith your Hostages shall lose their Heads Herald answer'd Sr. Robert for all the Menacing of your Masters I will not lose my Castle so by God! Tell them they may do their worst but if so be that the Duke put my Men to Death let him know that I shall serve him like for like For here within I have both Knights and Esquires of France my Prisoners and thô I might have an 100000 Franks for their Ransom yet they shall surely die every Man of them if he offers to do so to the Hostages With this Answer the Herald went his way and reported what he had heard Presently whereupon the Duke of Anjou all enflam'd as he was with Anger call'd for the Executioner and caused the Hostages being two Knights and an Esquire of England to be brought before the Castle whose Heads were all immediately struck off in sight of Sr. Robert and his Men. Then the enraged Sr. Robert Knolles caused a broad board to be thrust out at one of the Hall Windows and four Prisoners which he had there with him Three Knights and One Esquire for whom he might have had a great Ransom all these he order'd to be brought thither and so the Executioner struck off their Heads flinging down their Bodies one way and their Heads another into the Ditch After this unhappy sight the Frenchmen brake up their Siege and went all into France the Duke of Anjou returning to Paris to the King his Brother But the Constable the Lord Oliver Clisson and the rest rode toward the City of Troyes in Champaigne for the English were then in the Marches thereabout having passed the Marne and directing their Course toward Auxerre XV. Now since the Christian Religion which might chiefly expect to be Defended by the Arms of the French and English being destitute almost of all Aid was in a manner overwhelmed by the Victories of the Infidels it is to be remembred that Pope Gregory XI had the last Year induced the Two Kings to hold a Treaty at Calais But that being dissolved without any good effect he again prevail'd with them to hold another at Bruges this Year and therewithall z Greg. XI Tâ—m 2. Epist sâ—â— p. 237 238 239. Vid Odâ—r Râ—â—nâ—l â—d hâ—â—c 〈◊〉 §. 22. sollicited both Edward and Charles to embrace peaceable Counsels To which that he might prepare the Minds of those Nobles who were to be on both sides at this Treaty in the Names of the Two Kings he directs his Letters also to them wherein having set forth the Miseries of Christendom in General arising from this Discord he gives them a shrew'd innuendo that those of them who shall be found to be in Fault if Peace doth not ensue are to expect no less then the Utmost the Church can inflict GREGORY the Bishop servant of the servants of God to his Dear Sons in Christ the Ambassadors of our Most Dear Son in Christ Edward the Illustrious King of England Commissioned to treat of and to reform a Peace between Him and our most Dear Son in Christ Charles the Illustrious King of France at Bruges in the Dioecese of Tournay Greeting and Apostolical Benediction Considering how much the Hostile Commotion of the Two Kings so long radicated and so hurtfull to the whole World hath been and is prejudicial to the Affairs of the Holy Land and not only induces the Babylonish Tyrant to