Allegiance to the Lord Edward of Caernarvon, late King, in these Words; I William Truffel, in the • Name of all Men of the Land of England, and of all the Parlia⚫ment Procurator, refign to thee Edward, the Homage that was ⚫ made to thee fometime, and from this Time forward I defy thee, and deprive thee of all PowerRoyal; and I fhall never be tendant on thee after this Time, A. • D. 1327:

His Wife was fabel, Daughter to Philip the Fair, King of France, and Sifter to Lewis Huton, Philip the Young, and Charles the Fair, all Kings of France. His Iffue was Edward of Windsor, so surnamed, because born at Windfor; John of Eltham, born at Eltham in Kent Joan, married to David Bruce, Prince of Scotland: Eleanor, married to Reynold, Earl of Gilder.

In the Fourth Year of this King's Reign, a Baker, named John of Stratford, for making Bread leffer than the Affize, was with a Fool's Hood, and Loaves of Bread about his Neck, drawn on a Hurdle thro' the Streets of London.

So terrible a Famine was in Eng

land, that upon St. Laurence Eve there was fcarce Bread to be got for Suftentation of the King's Houfhold, fo great a Mortality likewise accompanying this Dearth, that the Living were fcarce fufficient to bury the Dead. In the Time of Scarcity, the King fet forth an Order, That Wheat fhould be fold in the Market at Eleven Shillings the Quarter; a fat Ox ftalled or Corn-fed, at Twenty four Shillings; a fat Hog of two Years old, at Three Shillings Four Pence; a fat Hen for a Penny; and Twenty four Eggs for a Penny : But Victuals thereby became fo scarce in the Markets, that this Order was revoked, and the People left to feil as they could.

Merton College in Oxford brought forth in this King's, and his Son Edward's Reign, thofe four Lights of Learning, namely, John Duns, call'd Scotus the Subtile, who in a Fit of the Apoplexy, 'tis faid, was buried alive; Bradwardine the Profound; Ocham the Invincible, and Burle the Perfpicuous. And, as fome fay, Baconthorpe the Refolute, was of the fame College.

Now was the Knights Templars Order univerfally extinguished.

thered him, by running a burning Spit up into his Body, as he was about to disburthen Nature, September 22, 1327. His Body was buried at Gloucefter. To animate the bloody Regicides to the Commitment of this horrid Fact, 'tis said, this ambiguous Phrase was invented by Adam de Torleton, Bishop of Hereford, and fent to them by Mortimer, Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum eft. Gourney or Corney and his villainous Companions, when they would needs fhave the King on his Way to Barkly, left he fhould be known and rescued, inforced him to fit down on a Molehill; and the Rafcal Barber, infulting, told him, that cold Water out of the next Ditch fhould ferve for his Trimming at that Time: To whom the forrowful King anfwered, Whether you will or no, there fhall be warm Water, and therewith fhed Tears plentifully. But young King Edward at his Father's Death was upon the Borders of Scotland, where having invironed the Scots in the Woods of Tividale and Stanhope, by the Treafon of Mortimer they escaped, and he returned inglorious, after an huge Waste of Treasure, and great Peril of his own Person. For had not his loyal Chaplain ftept in and received the mortal Weapon in his own Body, the King's Life had been loft. Shortly after this, Peace was concluded with the Scots, upon dishonourable Terms to the English, by the Procurement of the Mother Queen, and her Minion Mortimer. Joan, the King's Sifter, mas married to David Bruce; the Scats in Derifion calling her Joan Make Peace. King Edward at the Treaty of Peace fealed Charters to the Scotif Nation, the Contents whereof were contrived by his Mother, Roger Mortimer, and Sir James Douglas, without the Privity of the

English Peers. He alfo delivered 1327. to them that famous Evidence called the Ragman - Roll, and like- Thomas wife quitted them of all his Claim Bradwarto the Government of Scotland, din, A..B. withal rendring back certain Jew- of Cant. els taken by the English from the Scots, amongft which was one of fpecial Note, called the Black Cross of Scotland. In the fame Year, being in the Year of our Lord 1327. died Charles the Fair, King of France, by whofe Death the Crown of that Kingdom devolved to Edward King of England, in Right of his Mother Queen Isabel, who was Daughter to Philip the Fair, and Sifter to Lewis Hutin, Philip the Long, and Charles the Fair, all Kings of France fucceffively; and all three dying without Iffue, the whole Right now feemed to be in Isabel, the only Child of the faid Philip that had any Iffue. But the French pretending a Fundamental Law, or Entail, called the Salique Law, by which no Woman was inheritable to France, fought to debar King Edward his Right, receiv ing to the Crown Philip of Valois, whofe Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair, advancing the Brother's Son, before the Daughter's Son, not following the Propinquity or Defcent of Blood, but Meliority of the Sex. Againft the Stream of the Queen, and her Lord Mortimer's abfolute Sway, fome great Perfons now ftood, among whom was the King's Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent, whofe Death the Queen and Mortimer fhortly procured, Nor was Mortimer's Fall now far off, for the King beginning to perceive his own Peril in the other's Potency, upon good Advice therefore furprized Mortimer with the Queen-Mother in Nottingham Castle, and by a Parliament held at Nottingham, Queen Isabel's

Dowry

1330. Dowry was taken from her, and only a Penfion of a Thousand Pounds Simon per Annum allowed her. Mortimer Ilip, A. B. was condemned in open Parliament of Cant. at Westminster, for caufing the young King to make a difhonourable Peace with the Scots, from whom he received Bribes; for procuring the Death of St. Edward of Caernarvon the late King: For over Familiarity with Ifabel the Queen-Mother: For fpoiling and robbing the King and Commons of their Treafure: He was ignominioufly drawn to Tyburn, then called the Elmes, where he was executed on the common Gallows, there hanging two Days and Nights, 1330. With him there died, for Expiation of the late King's Death, Sir Simon de Bedford, and John De verell, Efq;. About this Time befel great Diflurbances and Divifions in Scotland, occafioned by young Bruce and Baliol, both pretending Right to that Crown; which Opportunity King Edward took hold of, conceiving himfelf not obliged to ftand to that Contract made in his Minority by the Predominancy of his Mother and Mortimer, the Scots alfo detaining his Town and Caftle of Berwick from him. Wherefore he raised an Army, and with Ed ward Baliol marched to Berwick; which having befieged, David Bruce fent a puiffant Hoft to the Relief thereof, and at Halden Hill the English and Scots Armies joined Bat. tle, where the Scots were vanquished with a lamentable Slaughter of them. There died Archibald Doug las, Earl of Angus, and Governour of Scotland; the Earls of Southerland, Carrick and Rofs; the three Sons of the Lord Walter Stewart, and at least Fourteen Thoufand others, with the Lofs only of one Knight and ten other Englishmen. Hereupon Berwick was furrendred to King Edward, and Baliol was ac

cepted to be King of Scotland, and had Faith and Allegiance fworn unto him by the Scotifh Nobles. Which done, Baliol repaired to King Edward, then at Newcastle upon Tyne, where he fubmitted to Edward III. as his Father John Baliol had done to Edward I. After which the King of England affifted this Edward Baliol as his Homager, going himself in Person divers Times for fuppreffing the Brucean Party, which he kept under, till fuch Time that he was engaged against the French for the obtaining of that Kingdom, and the Recovery of fun. dry Towns and Places in Gascoigne, injuriously withheld from him by the French King. To remedy which Wrongs, the King of England had addrefs'd his Ambaffadors, but in vain; therefore that the World might take Notice of his juft Proceedings, he, in a large Letter directed to the College of Cardi nals, juftifies his Defign upon France to be equal and honeft: First, be caufe himfelf of any Male living was the nearest in Blood to the late K. Charles his Uncle. Secondly, becaufe the French had refufed to put the Caufe to Civil Trial. Thirdly, for that the Procefs of the Twelve Peers, in giving the Crown from him when he was under Age, was by all Laws void and fruftrate. Fourthly, for that Philip of Valois had invaded Aquitain, which belonged to the Crown of England, and detained fuch Places as he had wrongfully gained therein. Fifthly, For that the faid Philip had aided the Scots in their rifing against him. Edward having done this, he next makes a Confederation with the High and Low Dutch, and other Foreigners, then prepared a brave Army, his English Subjects contri buting liberally for the carrying on of the War. And to make his Cof

fer

fers the fuller, he made bold with the Lombards, and the moveable Goods of fuch Priories in England, as were Cells to Monafteries in France. Thus provided of Men and Monies, K. Edward failed with his Forces to Antwerp, and by the Importunity of the Flemings, he first affumed the Title and Armories of the Realm of France, quartering the Flower de Lis with the Lions. And entring France, he burnt and fpeiled the North Part thereof up as far as Turwin; then returning to Antwerp, he there kept his Christmas with his Queen Philippe; from wherce about Candlemas he fet Sail for England, where, in a Parliament holden at Wefiminfier, he obtained liberal Aids for the Support of his defigned Conqueft. In lieu of which he granted a general large Pardon of Trefpaffes, and other Dues to him, and confirmed Magna Charta, and Charta de Forefta, with fome others. Then upon June 23, he fhipped from Harwich to Sluys in Flanders, near which Place the French lay in wait with a Navy of 400 Ships, with Intent to intercept him; but Edward having the Advantage of Wind and Sun, furiously fet upon the French Ships, putting the Monfieurs fo hard to it, that a great Number of them chofe to caft themselves into the Sea, rather than to become Prifoners. Thirty Thoufand of them are confeffed to have been flain and drown ed, and more than half of their Ships were either funk or taken. The Lofs was fo very great on the French Side, that left the News thereof might too much afflict the King of France, his Jefter difclofed it to him, by oftentimes repeating this Saying in his Hearing; Cowardly Englih men, Daftardly Englishmen, Faint-hearted Englishmen. Why? faid the King at length: Because, faid the Jefter, they durft not leap out

of their Ships into the Sea as our brave Frenchmen did. From which Saying the King took a Hint of the Overthrow. After which famous Sea Victory obtained by the English, puiffant King Edward, with his Hoft confifting of near an hundred thoufand Men, fet down before Tournay; from whence he fent to the French King, whom he faluted only by the Name of Philip of Valois, challeng ing him to fight with him Hand to Hand in fingle Combat; or, if that pleafed not, then each to bring an Hundred Men into the Field, and try the Event with fo fmall a Hazard; or otherwife, within ten Days to join full Battle with all their Forces near Tournay. To which Philip made no direct Answer, alledging that the Letters were not fent to him the King of France, but barely to Philip of Valois. vertheless he brought his Army in Sight of the English Hoft, but by the Mediation of Queen Philippe's Mother and two Cardinals, a Truce was concluded between the two Kings till Midfummer next following.

Ne

The main Reafon inducing King Edward to yield hereunto, was the Want of Supplies of Money, thro' the Fault of his Officers in England, whom he ieverely purifhed at his Return. And now to weaken great Edward's Strength, the Pope put Flanders under Interdict, as having difloyally left their own Earl and chief Lord Philip, King of France. And Lewis the Emperor breaking League with the King of England, took Part with France; which when King Edward underftood, he angrily faid, I avill fight with them both. And not long af ter, he was upon the Sea with a very great Fleet, none knowing whither he would fteer his Courfe; but in Normandy he landed; where he took the populous and rich City of Caen,

H

and

Simon

1346. and with his dreadful Hoft, burning and fpoiling round about, marched up almost as far as the Walls of PaLangham, ris; where with his Army, in an EA. B. of nemy's Country between two Rivers Cant. Seine and Soame (the Bridges being broke down by the French) Edward defigned at low Water to have paffed over a Ford between Abbeville and the Sea, whom to intercept, the French King had fent thither before him Godner du Foy, with 1000 Horse, and 6000 Foot.

Howbeit, undaunted Edward entred himself into the Ford, crying, He that loves me, let him follow me, as one refolved to pass over, or there to die; the first of which he did; for his Soldiers following him, won the Paffage, putting du Foy to Flight. And now King Edward being come near to Crefie in Ponthieu, lying between the Rivers of Soame and Anthy, he there moft vigilently provided for his Defence against King Philip, who was ad vancing towards him with an Hundred Thoufand Men and upward. When the two Armies were within Sight of each other, the King of England, after he had called upon God, difpofed his Hoft into three Battles. To his Son Edward the Black Prince, he gave Order of the Van; the fecond Battle the Earls of Northampton and Arundel commanded; the third himself. And as if he meant to barricado his Army from flying, he caufed his Carriages to be placed in the Rear thereof, and Trees to be plafhed and felled, to top up the Way behind his Hoft commanding withal, that all fhould forfake their Horfes, and leave them amongit the Carriages. On the Enemies Part, the King of Bohemia and Earl of Alenfon had Charge of the Van-Guard, King Philip was in the main Battle, and the Earl of Savay commanded the Rear. The Sign

of Battle being given by K. Philip, a bloody Fight enfued, wherein the Black Prince was very hard befet ; therefore his Father was fent for to his Refcue, who upon the Hillock of a Windmill flood to behold the Fight, being in Readiness to enter thereunto when juft Occafion should invite him. But at that time he refufed to go, returning the Meffengers with this Anfwer, Let them fend no more to me for any Adventure that may befal, while my Son is alive; but let him either vanquish, or die, because the Honour of this 'brave Day shall be his, if God fuffer him to furvive.' Which he did, and beat the French out of the Field. Whereupon King Edward with his untouched Battle advanced towards his victorious Son, and affectionately embracing and kiffing him, faid, Fair Son, God fend you Perfeverance to fuch profperous Beginnings; you have nobly acquitted yourjelf, and are well worthy to have the Governance of a Kingdom intrufted unto you for your Valour. In the Field were found the dead Bodies of eleven Great Princes; and of Barons, Knights, and Men of Arms, above Fifteen hundred. There were flain the King of Bohemia, King of Majorca, Earl of Alenson, Duke of Lorrain, Duke of Bourbon, Earl of Flanders, Earl of Savoy, the Dauphin of Viennois, Earl of San cerre and Harcourt, Earls of Aumar!, Nevers, &c. Six Earls of Almain, befides others of great Account, with the Grand Prior of France, and Archbishop of Paris. Of the Commons then fell about 30000. Of the Engif Side not one Man of Note or Honour was flain.

A. D. 1346, from the Forest of Crefie, King Edward marched to Calais, and befieged it. In the Time of which Siege, the Governor thereof, for the fparing of Food,

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