MarginaliaK. Edward aunswereth to the PopeMOst holy father, we vnderstand by the letters of the reuerend fathers in God the Bishop of Tusculan, and Stephan of the title of S. Iohn Priest, Cardinalls and Legates of the Court of Rome, as also by the letters of your holynesse sent vnto vs, that ye maruell greatly for that your sayd Legates were of purpose sent vnto vs and commaunded to entreate of a peace betwene our aduersary of Fraunce and vs, that we would not suffer them secretly to talke with vs, for the safegard of our honour: The intention of your hart to make the foresayd peace, complayning and bewayling therin the death of Christenmen, the losse of their goodes, the perill of their soules, the lamentable waylings of the poore, of the orphanes, the widowes, and destructiō of other pitefull persons, the pillage and robieries of Churches, and other mischeues innumerable, and namely the diminishyng of the Christen fayth in the East parts, which by the warre betwene our aduersary of Fraunce and vs is sore decayed, as the sayd letters plainly do importe: And that for asmuch as God hath geuen vs triumphant fortune, that so much the more we ought to abase and humble our hart and to be the readyer to make and encline to a peace. As touchyng these thinges holy father, we geue your holines to vnderstand, that as well vnto your foresayd Legates as other messengers sent from you vnto vs, we haue offered vnto euery of them reasonable wayes of peace. and euery daye declare the same, and that not secretly but opēly: For we doubt not to let our purpose be vnderstode, for he that is the high iudge both of him and vs, in whose disposition all thing lyeth, hath geuen vnto vs the crowne of Fraunce to our right and proper heritage. The which right, our foresayd aduersary hath by force, of long time detayned from vs we seekyng to obtaine the same in peaceable wise and yet do, if we might obtaine the same in any good maner: rather for the benefit of christen men and that the foresayd euils might cease, which by his wrongfull meanes onely haue increased and growen. Yet notwithstandyng as before this tyme you know we assented to a truce with certaine articles conteined in the same writyng, all this he hath infringed: Neither doth the wrong suffice him which he offereth vs in our foresayd heritage, but endeuoreth himselfe during the sayd truce to inuade our Realme of Englād and other our landes: and further maintayneth the Scottes and aydeth them to the vtter destruction of vs, our people, and landes aforesayd: wherby we were inforced for the safegard of our people and lands, by such lawfull meanes as we may, to defend our selues and put him from his wicked purpose. And furthermore, for the same our quarell beyng in the handes of God, haue we cōmon agaynst him to conquer our inheritaunce of Fraūce ouer whom God hath geuen vs diuers victories as we haue trusted he would by his rightwise iudgement and power, which thyng he hath shewed vpon vs (all chaunce of fortune set a part) in respect of our rightfull title therin, and without our desertes: Wherfore with all humilitie of hart we geue him thankes alwayes therfore, most deuoutly night and day praysing his holy name, for we acknowledge the same commeth not by our strength and force. Wherfore most holy father we desire your holines, and somuch as in vs lyeth requyre the same, that you that supply the place of the sonne of God in earth, and hath the gouernment of the soules of all Christen men and ought to be vpright and equall towardes all men without acceptiō of persons: that ye will receaue good information and true, of the obiections aboue sayd, and will put to your holy helpyng hand, as much as in you is, that our sayd aduersary of Fraunce may acknowledge his wrong which he hath done to vs herein, and may be by your ayde redressed, and that he in this hys wrong haue no maintenaunce and ayde at your hand. MarginaliaThe kyng appealeth from the pope to God.For if it be so, we then appeale vnto the iudge of iudges which suffereth for a tyme wronges to be done for the sinfull default of man, but in the end he redresseth the same, leauing no good deede vnrewarded, nor euill vnpunished: most humbly requyring him to be to vs a true and vpright iudge of all our controuersies, for his mercies sake, as in the meane tyme we repose our full trust and confidence in him. The holy spirite of God, &c.

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Moreouer duryng yet the siege of Callis, the French kyng had sent certaine offers to the men of Flaunders, that if they would relinquish the kyng of England and adhere to him.

First he would remit all their former transgressions.

Secondly, he would vnburden them of their interdict.

MarginaliaOffers made to the mē of Flaunders to forsake K. Edward.Thirdly, he would send vnto them such plenty of corne, that what was sold for xij. s. with them, should be sold for iiij. s. and that for vi. yeares.

Fourthly, he would store them with plenty of French woll, to make cloth for a small price, & that they might sell the sayd clothes both in Flaunders and in Fraunce: & that the Frēch men should vse the same cloth, for so much as all other maner of cloth should be forbid in Fraunce, so long as any of that (made of French woll) might be found.

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Fifely, he would restore to them these three Cities, Insulam, Rowacum, and Betonie.

Sixtly, he would defend them from all their aduersaries. And in pledge of the same, would send them money before hand.

Seuenthly, such as were able and forward men among them, he would reteine and promote them &c.

But these offers seming to proceede more of fayre wordes to serue the present turne, then of any harty truth, were not receaued. Then the Lord Iohn, Prince & heyre to the Frēch kyng, duryng the foresayd siege of Calys aboue mentioned, commyng with a mighty armey of French men, set vpō the men of Flaunders and English men in the towne of Cassels. MarginaliaThe Dolphin wyth the French discomfited at Casseles.In the which conflict during from mornyng to noone, the French men were vanquished and the young Dolphin driuen backe from whence he came. Of whose number diuers were slayne, and taken prisoners. Where on the other side (through the Lordes defence) not one is reported to be greuously wounded.

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Marginalia1347.As this passed on, not lōg after about þ^e vij. day of Iune. an. 1347. kyng Edward continuyng still his siege agaynst Calys, Philip the French king came downe with a mighty army, purposing to remoue the siege: where not farre of from the English host, he incamped himselfe. Whiche done, ij. Cardinals, Anibaldus, and Stephanus (procured for the same purpose)goyng betwene the two kynges, gaue to the kyng of England thus to vnderstand: that if he would condescend to any reasonable way of peace, the French kyng was ready to offer such honest profers vnto him, as to reason & to his contentation should seeme agreable. But in cōclusion when it came to talke, the nobles could not agree vpon the conditions. Wherfore, the French kyng seyng no other remedy, did it to be signified to kyng Edward: that betwen that present Teusday, & the next Friday, if he would come forth into the field, he should haue battaile geuen him. MarginaliaThe French k. flieth before the battaileThus the place beyng vewed of foure Captaines of either host, for the battaile to be fought: it so fell, that the French k. on Wednesday at night before the battaile should ioyne, secretly by night setting his pauiliōs on fire, returned backe with his army, out of the sight of the English men.

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Vpon the friday folowyng, they which were besiged MarginaliaThe towne of Calice wonne.in the towne of Calys, seyng the kyng to be retired (vpon whose helpe they trusted, beyng also in great penury and famine for lacke of victuals, and otherwise in much misery vehemently distressed) surrendered the towne to the kynges handes: who like a mercyfull Prince onely deteyning certeine of the chief, the rest with the whole commons he let go with bagge & baggage, diminishing no part of their goods, shewing therin more Princely fauour to them, then they did of late in Queene Maries dayes vnto our men, in recouering the sayd towne of Calys agayne.

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MarginaliaTruce cōcluded betwene England & Fraunce.After the winning thus of Calys as hath bene premised, kyng Edward remainyng in the sayd towne a certaine space, was in consultation concernyng his viage and procedyng farther into Fraunce. But by meanes of the foresayd Cardinals, truce for a certaine time was taken, and instrumentes made (so prouided) that certaine noble men as well for the French k. as for the kyng of England, should come to the pope there to debate vpō the articles. Vnto the which Kyng Edward, for peace sake was not greatly disagreyng. Whiche was. an. 1347. Ex Rob. Aues.

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MarginaliaAn. 1348
A vehement pestilence in England.The next yeare folowyng which was. an. 1348. fell a sore plague, whiche they call the first generall pestilence in the Realme of England. This plague (as they say) first springyng from the East, & so spreading Westward, did so mightly preuaile here in this land, begynnyng first at Dorcester & the countreys there about: that euery day lightly xx. some dayes xl. some lx. and mo dead corses were brought and layd together in one pitte. This begynning the first day of August: by the first of Nouember it came to Lōdon. Where as the vehement rage therof was so hoate, and did increase so much: that from the first day of February, till about the begynnyng of May in a Churchyard then newly made by Smithfield, MarginaliaNow called the charter house church yard.aboue CC. dead corses euery day were buried, besides them which in other Churchyardes of the Citie were laid also. At lēgth by the grace of Christ, ceasing there, it proceded from thence to the Northpartes. Where also the

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