ward Bayllewle captayne ouer the towne and leauyng also behind him other knights, squiers, and souldiers as well to kepe the same as other holdes the kyng had conquered in Scotland and fronters therof: He returned w^t his people towardes London, permittyng euery man to departe and go what way them liked.

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MarginaliaSir Rob. de Artois a noble man of Fraunce inciteth the king to procure his title in FrāceThen syr Robert de Artoies, a noble mā of France, & whiche descended of the blood royal, being in England with the kyng: ceased not often tymes to aduertyse the king and put him in memory of his good and right title to the inheritaunce of the crowne of Fraunce.  

This syr Robert, for a certayne displeasure þ^t Phillip the French king tooke agaynst hym for a certayne plea whych by him was moued before þ^e king: was fain for the safegard of his lyfe to flee the realme of Fraunce, and so came to the kinges court. King Edward was not vnwyllyng at all to heare thereof, but tooke delight often times to reason and debate that matter wyth hym concernyng hys right, title, and inheritaunce to the crowne of France. MarginaliaThe kyng deliberateth with his counsel concerning the title of Fraunce.But yet notw^tstanding, he thought it not good to make any attempt therunto without aduised and circumspect counsail, for that it contayned matter of no small, but most difficult importance: neyther yet he tooke it to deserue the same either of wysdom or prowes to let so good a title to die, or so fyt oportunitie to passe. Wherfore, he calling together certaine of his counsail, vsed theyr deliberate aduises touching the seriousnes of this matter. MarginaliaEmbassadors are sēt to the earle of Heynalt concerning the title.In fyne, it was by them thought good, that the kyng should send certayne embassadours ouer to the Earle of Heynalt, whose daughter he had maryed, as wel to hear hys aduise and counsell herein: as also of what friendes and ayde, by hym and hys meanes in this so great an expedition to be begunne in the Empyre, to him myght be procured. The king hereunto condescendeth, and apointeth for this embassage the bishop of Lincolne wyth. ij. other Barenets, and two Doctors: MarginaliaThe Embassadours returne with answer frō the earle that pleaseth the K.who in suche speedye wyse made their voiage, that in short space they returned agayne to the king w^t this answer: That not onely þ^e erle his counsel and aduise, should be herein prest to the king of Englād their master, but also þ^e whole coūtry of Heynalt. And further, for that to suche an expedition as appertayned he said, the prouince of Heynalt was but a small matter to make accompt of: he would procure for the kyng greater ayde and frendship in the Empyre, as the Duke of Brabant his cousen Germayne, and a puisant prince, the duke of Gwerles, the archbishop of Colayne, the Marques of Iuliers. &c. whych are all good men of warre, and able to make x. M. fyghting men sayth he. Which aunswer wel lyked the king, and made him ioyous thereof. MarginaliaKing Philip of Fraunce heareth of the kynges purpose, & stayetheth hys viage of the Croisne.But this counsell of the kyng as secrete as it was, came to Philip the French kinges eare: whereupon, he stayed the voiage of the Croisie whych then he had in hande, sending foorth countermandes to stay the same, til he knew farther the purpose of the king of England.

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The kyng hereupon hymself taketh shipping accompanied as to a king appertayned, and when he had consulted with all the foresayd lordes of the empire in thys matter and vnderstood their fidelitie: hee made his repayre to the Emperour at whose handes he was wel intertayned and honorable receaued, MarginaliaK. Ecwarde assigned lieftenaunt Generall of the empyre.whom the emperor appoynted to be his Lieftenant generall, hauing therby more autority both to wyll and commaunde such as for thys his expedition he trusted vnto, and made made conuention with. Thys hearing Philip, prepared his army and rigged his Nauie, that so soone as the kyng should enter the dominion of Fraunce, they also might enter England, requiring like for like.

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The kyng of England, after the feast of saynt Iohn Baptist, according to his purpose, prepared all thynges ready to such an expedition, conducting his army and gaMarginaliaThe first viage of K. Edwarde into Fraunce.theryng greater strength in þ^e Empire, as before to hym was promised: vsing the Emperours autoritie therin, as his lieftenaunt generall, howbeit at the charge altogether of the kyng of England. The French kyng as soone as kyng Edward, had landed his armey at Macline in Flaunders, and hearing of the defiance, which the kyng and other noble men of the Empire had sent vnto hym: MarginaliaSouthampton burnt of the Frenchmen.Sent certeine ships lying ready therunto, and waytyng for such oportunitie vpon the coste of England, and dyd so much that vpon a Sonday, whilest the townes men were at the church litle lookyng for any such matter, entered the hauen of Southampton, tooke the towne & spoyled the same, defloured maydens, enforced wiues, brent, kyld, tooke captiues, and caried away riche spoyles and great booties to their shippes, and so agayne departed in to Fraunce. Further, as the king of England had allied him self with þ^e noble men of the Empire, & had the frendly fauour of þ^e Emperour also thereunto: so the French kyng made the lyke leage and aliance with Dauid the king of Scottes, whom the king had so hardly delt with all in Scotland (as partly before you herde) and kept the most part of Scotlād vnder his subiection: Bindyng the sayd Dauid as well by writing, as othe and pledge, that without his cōsent he should make no peace nor cōclude any truce with the kyng of England. MarginaliaThe Scots styrred vp against England by the French kyng.Who again assured hym, of ayde, rescue, and help, & to recouer his kyngdome and dominiō to his vse: and forthwith sent certein Garrisons and bandes into Scotland to kepe play with the Englishmen & there to fortifie diuers places till further oportunitie serued. He also fortified with men, money, vittell, and munition, the town of Cambrey: which he suspected would be besieged, lyeng so neare vpon the Empire as in dede it came to passe. For, k. Edward departyng from Machelyne, set forward his host towards Heynalt, and by the way assembled such power, as in the Empire he looked for, marchyng forward still till that they came to Cambrey & it besieged with 40000. men: while that with an other companie, the Flemings, Brabāters, and Holiners, went to S. Quentin. But in effect, neither there, nor at Cambray nor els where: any thyng notorious was achiued, but the sommer beyng well spēt and litle preuaylyng in the siege of Cambrey, beyng of situation strong & well defenced therwithall with mē & munition: brake vp the siege, and marched further into the hart of Fraunce towardes Mutterel. Whiche thing the French kyng hauing vnderstāding of, prepared him selfe to giue battaile to the kyng of England, who with an other great army came to Vironfosse, where dayes were appoynted to meete in battaile: but in ende, nothing was done nor attempted betwene þ^e princes. And þ^e kyng of Englād (w^tout any battail either giuing or takyng) returned w^t his army frō thēce to Gaunt. MarginaliaThe pope cause of the kings remouyng out of Fraunce.Cōcerning the cause of the sodain remouing of the kyng out of Fraunce, semeth most specially to ryse of the Pope: whiche at the same tyme sent downe his legates, for the order of a peace to be taken betwene the kings. Marginalia1340.At Gaūt was gathered by the kyngs appointement all the nobles as well of Englande, as of the empire in counsail together what was best to be done. Where playne aunswere was made to the king of Englād, þ^t vnles he would take vpon hym the clayme and title of Fraunce, as his lawfull inheritāce and as kyng therof prosecute his warres: It might not be lawfull for thē any further, to ayde the kyng of Englād, or to fight with him agaynst the Frēch kyng: for that the Pope had bound them in two milliōs of Floranes of gold, and vnder payne of excommunication, þ^t they should not fight agaynst the lawful kyng of Fraunce. MarginaliaThe kyng of England taketh the title of Fraunce.Wherupon, the kyng thought good therefore presently to make open chalenge to the realme & crown of Fraūce: and further, to quarter and intermingle the armes of Fraunce, with the armes of England in one

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