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YEAR 1337 A.D.

From Illustrations of Chaucerās England, edited by Dorothy Hughes, M.A., Longmanās, Green and CO.; London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras; 1919; pp. 1-4. 1

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[Schedule to be read by influential persons commissioned to explain the Kingās business before meetings to be held in all counties. (French.) ćFoedera,ä II, ii. 994. 28 August, 1337.]

THESE are the offers made to the King of France by the King of England to avoid war.

First, the King of England sent solemn messengers to the King of France, begging him to restore the lands that he is arbitrarily and unreasonably withholding from him in the Duchy of Guienne; at whose request the King of France did nothingā but at last he promised that if the King of England would come to him in his own person, he would do him justice, grace, and favour.

Trusting in which promise, the King of England crossed secretly into France, and came to him humbly requesting the delivery of his aforesaid lands, offering and performing to the said King whatever he ought, and more; but the King of France put him off always with words and treaty, and in reality did nothing; and moreover, during these same discussions, he wrongfully drew to himself more and more the King of Englandās rights in the aforesaid duchy.

Item, the King of England, seeing the stubbornness of the King of France, to have his goodwill, and that which he wrongfully detains from him, held out to him the following great offers, that is to say, when one was refused, he put forward another: —

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First, the marriage of his eldest son, now Duke of Cornwall, for the said King of Franceās daughter, taking nothing with him for the marriage;

Item, the marriage of his sister, now Countess of Gelders, for his son, with a very great sum of money;

Item, the marriage of his brother, the Earl of Cornwall, whom God assoil, for some demoiselle of his royal blood.

Item, to make recompense for the inconvenience, he offered him money, as much as he might reasonably wish to ask. Item, because the King of England was given to understand that the King of France wished to undertake the blessed voyage to the Holy Land, and desired greatly to have the King of England in his company, and therefore he would show him grace and favour, the King of England, so that no hindrance of the said voyage might be charged upon him, made offer to the King of France to pass over with him, with great force on the said voyage; on condition, however, that before his going he should make him full restitution of the aforesaid lands.

Item, then he offered to go with him on the said voyage, on condition that before his going, he should make restitution of the half, or of a certain part, of the said lands.

Item, afterwards he made him more ample offers, namely, that he would go with him, so that on his return from the Holy Land the King of France should make him such restitution.

Item, then to arrest the malice of the King of France, who was striving to charge the hindrance of the said voyage upon the King of England, he proffered his readiness to undertake the voyage with him, so that, upon his return, he should accomplish justice towards him.

But the King of France, who was striving by all means in his power to undo the King of England and his people, so that he might retain what he wrongfully withheld, and 3 conquer more from him, would accept none of the aforesaid offers; but seeking occasion, he busied himself in aid and maintenance of the Scots, the King of Englandās enemies, striving so to delay him by the Scottish war, that he would have no power to pursue his rights elsewhere.

Item, then, in deference to the King of France, and at the request of his envoys, the King of England granted the Scots respite of war, and truce, in the hope of parley concerning peace; during the which respite, the Scots slew the Earl of Athol and others, and seized many great men of the King of Englandās allegiance, and besieged and took castles and other places of the King and his people. And nevertheless, at the request of the said envoys, he offered the Scots a truce for four or five years, on condition that they would make restitution of the things which they had seized during the first truce, so that in the meantime, the aforesaid voyage might have been undertaken. But to this restitution the King of France would not assent, but maintained the Scots in their malice with all his might; and moved open war upon the King of England without just cause, and has sent to sea his galleys and his fleet, which he caused to be prepared under feigned colour of the said voyage, with great number of men-at-arms, to destroy the fleet and the subjects of the King of England. And these men have in warlike manner seized and carried off many English ships, capturing and killing those on board; and they have come to England, and to the King of Englandās islands, burning, slaying, robbing, and committing other horrible mischiefs, according to their power.

Item, then the King of England, by the counsel and advice of the great men and sages of his realm, wishing to avoid war so far as he could, sent solemn messengers to the King of France, to offer him whatever he could, without great disherison, in order to have peace with him. But the King of France, hardened in his malice, would 4 not suffer the said messengers to come to him, nor agree to peace, or talk of peace; but sent his host, great and strong, to take into his hands by force, the whole of the aforesaid Duchy, saying untruly, that the Duchy is forfeit to him; the which host is doing very great mischiefs in the Duchy, besieging and taking castles and towns.

Item, the King of France, to cover his malice, etc., is striving falsely to inform the Pope, and other great persons of Christendom, against the King of England, compassing with all his might to win not only the said Duchy, but all the lands of the King of England.

These things and others, as many as the King and his Council can think of, have been offered to the King of France in order to have peace; and if any man may know other fitting way, he will be glad and ready to accept it.







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