by the French king began to vnderstand the victorye of hys part to be lost, and the English men to be victorers.This victory achiued, the fame therof spreadyng abroad in England, first was not beleued till letters therof came frō the kyng to prince Edward his sonne, beyng then at Waltham, directed to the Bishops and prelates of the realme, the effect of whiche letters here followeth vnder written.

MarginaliaThe letters of K. Edward to the bishops of England.THe bountifull benignitie of Gods greate clemencie poured vpon vs of late, for your true certification, and reioysing, we though good to intimate vnto you. It is not vnknowen (we suppose) to you, and to other our faythfull subiectes, which also haue been partakers with vs of the same, with what stormes of boysterous warres of late we haue been tossed and shaken, as in the great Oceane. But althoughe the risyng surgies of the sea be marueilous, yet more marueylous is the Lorde aboue: who turning the tempest into calme, in so great daungers, so mercyfully hath respected vs. For where as we of late dyd ordayne our passage, vpon vrgent causes, into Flaunders: the lord Philip de Valoys our bitter enemye vnderstandyng therof, layde agaynst vs a mightye nauy of shyps, entending therby eyther to take vs, or at least to stop our viage. Whych viage if it had been stayd, it had ben the cutting of, of all þ^e great enterprises by vs intended and takē in hand, and moreouer we our selues brought to a great confusion. But the God of mercies seyng vs so distressed in such perils and daungers, hath graciously and beyond mās expectation sent to vs great succour and strength of fyghting soldiours, and a prosperous wynde after our own desyres. By the meanes and helpe wherof, we set out of the hauen into the seas, wher we eftsones perceaued our enemies, well appointed and prepared wyth a mayne multitude to set vpon vs, vpon midsommer day last past. Agaynst whom notwithstanding, Christ our Lord and Sauiour hath tendred to vs the victory: through a strong and vehement conflict. In the which conflict, a mighty number of our enemies wer destroyed, and well neare all their whole nauie was taken: wyth some losse also of our part, but nothyng lyke in comparison to theirs. By reason whereof, we doubt not but our passage by the seas hereafter shall bee more quiet and safe for our subiectes, and also many other cōmodities shall ensue thereof, as wee haue good cause to hope well of the same. For which cause, we deuoutly considering the heauenly grace so mercyfully wrought, vpō vs. do render most humble thankes and prayse to Christ our Lord and sauiour. Beseching hym, that as he hath been, and alwayes is ready to preuent our necessities in tyme of oportunitie, so he wil cōtinue hys helpyng hand euer toward vs, and so to direct vs here temporallye, that wee maye raygne and ioye wyth hym in heauen eternallye. And in like sorte we requyre your charity, that you also wyth vs rysyng vp to the prayse of God alone, who hath begon so fauourably to worke with vs to our goodnes, in your prayers and diuine seruice do instantly recommend vs vnto the Lord, trauelyng here in these foren coūtries: & studiyng to recouer not onely our right here in France, but also to aduance the whole catholyke churche of Christ, and to rule our people in iustice. And that also ye call vpon the Clergy and people, euery one through hys dioces to do the same, inuocating the name of our sauiour: that of hys mercye he will geue to vs his hūble seruant a docible hart, so to iudge & rule here vpon rightly, doyng that which he hath commaunded: that at length wee may attayne to that whych he hath promysed. &c. Whych letter was wryt to the bishops and prelates. an. 1340.

After this foresayd victory vpon the sea, and newes therof with due thankes to our sauiour: sent into England the kyng strikyng into Flaunders, came to Gaunt in Brabāce, where he had left the quene, who ioyfully receaued hym, beyng a litle before purified or churched as we terme it of her second sonne, whose name was Ihon and commonly called Ihon of Gaunt, and was earle of Richmonde and Duke of Glocester. MarginaliaA counsaile of Villenorth.At Villenorth the kyng assembled his counsell, whereat were all the noble men of Flaunders, Brabante, and Heynalt, conioyning together in most firme leage, the one to helpe & defend the other, with the kyng of England, agaynst theMarginaliaFlaunders, Brabant and Heynalt take parte with k. Edward.French kyng, purposing and determyning from thence to march towardes Turney and it to besiege. But the French kyng vnderstandyng their counsel, fortified and victualed the same before their commyng thether: Furthermore the sayd French kyng the same tyme to stop the siege of kyng Edwarde, sent with kyng Dauid of Scotland a great power, to that intent to make inuasiō in England, thereby the sooner to cause the kyng to remoue his siege. In þ^e meane while, kyng Edward wrote his letters to Philip de Vallois, making vnto him certein requestes, as in the same hys letter here folowyng is to be seen: Who for that he wrote not vnto him, as kyng of France, but by the name of Philip de Vallois, refused to aunswere him touchyng the same, as by theyr letters here placed may be seene.

MarginaliaThe letters of k. Edward to the Frēch kingPHilip de Valois, of long tyme we haue gentelly requested you by our Ambassadoures (by all the resonable meanes we myght) to that intent you shoulde haue rendered vnto vs our lawfull ryght and inheritaunce to the crowne of Fraunce, which from vs a long tyme you haue by great wronge and force deteyned. And for that we well perceaue you meane to perseuere in the same your purpose and iniurious detinew, without making any resonable answere to our demaund: We let you vnderstand, that we are entred into the countrey of Flaunders as the soueraigne lord of the same, & so passe through the countrey: and farther signifye vnto you, how that by the helpe of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and our righteous cause therin, and with the power of the sayd coūtrey, our people, and allies: we purpose to recouer the ryght which we haue to that inheritaunce you detayne frō vs by your iniurious force, & therfore approch we towards you to make a shorte end of thys our ryghtfull chalenge if you also will do the lyke. And for that so great an hoste assembled which we bring with vs on our part (supposing you also on the other parte to doe the lyke) cannot long remayne together without greate destruction both to our people and countrey, which thyng euery good christian ought to eschew: especiallye princes and others which haue the gouernment of the same, auoyding by as short an ende as may be the mortalitie of christen mē, according as the quarell is aparant betwene you and me. For the which causes here touched, let the chalenge (if you thinke meete) be betwene our one persons and bodyes discussed, that the great nobilitie and prowes of ech other may of euery one be seene. And if you refuse thys waye, then let ther (to fynish thys chalenge) be an hundreth of the best souldiers you can chewse out of your parte, matched with so many of our liege subiectes to try the same. And if of these two wayes, you refuse both the one & the other, then that you will assigne vnto vs a certayne daie before the towne of Turnaye to fyght with vs power agaynst power, which may be within ten daies next insuing after the date of these our letters: offering the sayd conditions vnto you aboue specifyed (as we would all the world to know & vnderstand) not vpon any orgoile, presumption, or pryde we take therin: but for the causes before alleadged, and to the end that (the will of our Sauiour Iesus Christ betwixt vs two herein declared and shewed) rest and peace myght growe amongst Christen men: The powers & force of Gods enemyes, abated: and in fine, the limites of Christianitie enlarged and enfranchesed. And therfore hereupon consider with your selfe what way you will take concerning our foresayd offers, & by the bearers of these our letters send vnto vs herein quicke and spedie answere. Geuen vnder our great seale at Chyn in the plaine of Leece the. xxvij. day of this present moneth of Iulie.

MarginaliaThe answer of the French K. to K. EdwardPHilip by the grace of God king of Fraunce, to Edward king of England. We haue sene the letters which you haue sent vnto our court to Philip de Valois: wherin are contayned certayne requestes which you make to the said Philip de Valois: But for that the said letters come not as directed vnto vs, neither yet the sayd requestes seme to be made vnto vs (which thing clearely