II. CHAP. but the great truce (so it was called) was carefully observed, and the money was faithfully paid by Robert his successor. Ineffec tual negotiation with John. But to adjust the rival claims of the kings of England and France was a matter of infinitely greater difficulty. By the pope's mediation a form of peace, subject to the approbation of Edward, had been agreed upon at Bourdeaux, before the prince of Wales and his captive sailed to England.1 Two legates followed them to London: and the negotiations recommenced. Edward required an enormous ransom for the king and the other prisoners, and demanded in return for his renunciation of all claim to the crown of France, the restoration of the provinces which had formerly belonged to his ancestors, to be holden by him in full sovereignty without any dependance on the French monarch. These were hard and galling conditions: yet such as perhaps might be justified by the existing state of affairs. The king of France was a captive : his son, the regent, was without authority: in In 1363, he proposed that in the event of his dying without issue, the crown should be given to Lionel duke of Clarence, the third son of Edward; but desisted at the earnest entreaty of his barons. Ford. xiv. 25. Soon afterwards in a conference with Edward, a plan of union between England and Scotland was suggested. In default of issue made by the king of Scots, the king of England was to succeed but the two kingdoms, their parliaments, and revenues to be kept distinct, and all their former usages and liberties preserved. This also came to nothing. Rym. vi. 426. The receipt in full is dated Dec. 1, 1385. Rym. vii. 417. 17 Id. vi. 19. II. some provinces the peasants had risen in arms, CHAP. plundering and demolishing the castles of the nobles: others were pillaged by parties of marauders, who formerly belonged to the English army, but were now disavowed by Edward: in Paris the provost of the merchants at the head of the populace set the royal authority at defiance and in Normandy the king of Navarre declared war against the regent, and was suspected of aspiring to the throne, as heir in the female line to Louis le Hutin. John, though he explained, and hesitated, and delayed, at length acceded to Edward's demands: the necessary instruments were sealed: and two prisoners of war returned to France to lay the treaty before the states, and obtain their ratification. But when their contents were disclosed, they were received with horror. Every Frenchman felt for the degradation of his country: and a peremptory refusal was unanimously returned. Aug. 12. Edward complained that he was again deceived by the insincerity of his adversaries, and bade them prepare for war at the termination of the truce. They endeavoured to retort the charge, by maintaining that the unreasonableness of his demands was a proof that he did not wish them to be accepted.18 In the beginning of autumn the king sailed Edward from Sandwich with eleven hundred transports, through marches France. Oct. 28. II. CHAP. conveying the most numerous and best appointed army, which had been raised in England for more than a century. From Calais this mighty host marched in three divisions at a considerable distance from each other, with long trains of waggons in the two intervals.19 In defiance of the season and of the enemy they forced Nov. 30. their way through Picardy, Artois, and Cambre sis, as far as Rheims, where the kings of France were generally crowned. It was Edward's intention to have the ceremony performed on himself in that city: but it was so gallantly defended by the archbishop and the inhabitants, that after wasting seven weeks before it, the king raised the siege, and marched into the dutchy of Bur1680 gundy. The duke Philip, unable to protect his people against so powerful an enemy, purchased 1360 Jan. 20. 19 Rym. vi. 142. Froissart gives a curious account of the baggage of the army. "I must inform you that the king of England "and his rich lords were followed by carts laden with tents, pavi"lions, mills, and forges, to grind their corn, and make shoes for "their horses, and every thing of that sort which might be want ing. For this purpose there were upwards of six thousand carts, "each of them drawn by four good and strong horses, which had "been transported from England. Upon these carts were also many vessels and small boats, made surprisingly well of boiled "leather: they were large enough to contain three men, to enable "them to fish any lake or pond, whatever might be its size and "they were of great use to the lords and barons during Lent: but "the commonalty made use of what provisions they could get. "The king had besides thirty falconers on horseback, loaden with "hawks: sixty couple of strong hounds, and as many greyhounds: so that every day he took the pleasure of hunting or fishing. Many lords had their hawks and hounds, as well as the king." 'Johnes' Froiss. c. 208, 4 II. a truce for three years by the payment of fifty CHAP. thousand marks,20 on the condition that he should remain neutral; that his dominions Mar. 10. should be free from contributions and hostilities; that his subjects should have permission to serve either prince out of the limits of Burgundy; and that if a majority of the French peers should acquiesce in the coronation of Edward as king of France, the dissent of the duke should be considered as a violation of the treaty.? 21 French coast. While Edward remained in Burgundy, the The English nation was thrown into confusion by fleet inthe sudden appearance of a French fleet, which sults the swept the channel, and insulted the coast with impunity. Winchelsey was taken and pillaged: March 8. and the report of the barbarities, which had been exercised on the captives, induced men of every profession, clergy as well as laity, to arm themselves in defence of their country. The king of France, for greater security, was by command of the council removed from place to place: troops were collected in the ports the most exposed to the enemy: all merchant vessels were seized for the king's use: the maritime counties were compelled to furnish a certain proportion of men at arms: and a fleet of eighty sail, with fourteen thousand men on board, was placed under the command of sir John Paveley, prior of the knights hospitallers. March 26. 20 200,000 moutons d'or. Rym. vi, 161-164. CHAP. The French now thought it prudent to retire: II. Edward a peace. but the English, to revenge the atrocities committed at Winchelsey, followed them to their own coast, and took and plundered the small isle of Saints on the coast of Bretagne,22 From Burgundy Edward turned to the north, consentsto followed the course of the Seine, and within a fortnight planted his banner before the gates of Paris. During the festival of Easter, the operations of war were suspended by mutual consent: but it was in vain that the papal legates attempted to open a negotiation. The lofty pretensions of the king of England, were met with equal obstinacy by the dauphin: whose confidence was strengthened by the numbers that crowded to his standard, by the severity of the weather, and by the distress of the English from the scarcity of provisions. After sending an idle challenge to his adversary, and wreaking his vengeance on the suburbs by setting them on fire, Edward decamped, with a threat that in the summer he would pay the capital a second and more formidable visit. Necessity compelled him to take the shortest road to Bretagne. At Guillardon, he was overtaken by the chancellor of France, with new proposals of peace. They were rejected: the chancellor persevered, and the king hastened his march. The precipitation of the English was like that of a defeated army, 22 Rym. vi. 167, 168. 180. |