The English army having ravaged Picardy advanced into Champaigne, Edward having a strong defire to be crowned King of France at Rheims, the ufual place in which that ceremony is performed; he therefore laid fiege to that city, and vigorously carried on his attacks for feven weeks, though without fuccefs, it being defended by John de Craon their Archbishop with great bravery.

During the fiege feveral strong detachments were sent out to forage, whereby many rencounters happened: the most remarkable atchievement performed by these detached parties was by one under the command of the Duke of Lancaster, accompanied by the Earl of Richmond the King's third Son, the Earl of March, the Lord John of Chandos, the Lord James Audeley, the Lord Burgherfh, and the Lord of Mucidan a Gafcon Knight. Having ravaged Champaigne till they came to Cerney en Dormois, a strong caftle, they made a vigorous

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gorous affault on it; and the Lord of Mucidan being flain, all the Lords fwore they would not stir till they had taken the place: the Gafcoigners, enraged at the lofs of their Commander, plunged into the ditches, and mounting the walls with their targets over their heads forced the caftle, putting in the first tranfports of their fury all the garrifon to the fword, except Sir John Caples the Governor, and a few Knights.

King Edward foreseeing the plan of defence laid down by the Dauphin, had (as before obferved) brought with him as many neceffaries as poffible for the fubfiftence of his army; he had alfo with him for his amufement thirty falconers with hawks, and fixty couple of hounds; with these the chief of the Nobility hawked and hunted at their pleasure, thus paffing away a tedious winter.

Still finding an obftinate refiftance from the inhabitants of Rheims, and that an at

tempt

tempt to take it by storm, which his valour fometimes suggested, would occafion the lofs of many troops, having alfo greater defigns in agitation, the King decamped and marched into Burgundy. On his approach, Philip the young Duke fent his Chancellor and fome other Noblemen to Edward, offering one hundred thousand nobles for the preservation of his country from further ravages: this offer was accepted, and the English army withdrew from his territories. The King then bent his march towards the Nivernois, which faved itself by a like compofition; but the other provinces. not purchasing the fame favour, he marched towards Paris, laying wafte the territories through which he proceeded.

On the last day of March he encamped before that city, taking up his quarters at Bourg-la-Reine within two fmall leagues of it. During the feftival of Eafter feveral treaties were set on foot to prevent a further effufion of blood, but without fuccefs: this induced

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induced King Edward to draw his whole army nearer to Paris, when he fent the Duke of Lancafter with his Heralds to challenge the regent, then in the city with a very confiderable force, to battle, affuring him at the fame time, that if the French were victorious he would never after claim or affume any right to the crown of France. Whilst the Duke was on this errand, the King knighted no less than four hundred

*

young

* On these occafions two fpecies of Knights were generally created, Knights-Bachelors, or Knights-Bannerets: the former is the first degree of military honour; and in time of war or of hafte, the initiation confifted only of a gentle touch on the fhoulder with the flat fide of a sword; the latter dignity is fuppofed by Camden to have been inftituted by King Edward himfelf, as a recompence of martial prowess: it was reckoned an intermediate rank between a Baron and a Knight-Bachelor, and might be termed Vexillarius Minor, the leffer banner-bearer, as before this order was created, the right of carrying a fquare banner belonged only to the Barons. There is alfo a difference between Knights-Bannerets and KnightsBachelors, in the occafions and circumftances of their creations; the Banneret being only created at a time when the King's standard is erected, and he bears a banner of his own in the field, whereas the Knight-Bachelor might be

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young Gentlemen, to encourage them to a valiant behaviour should a battle enfue.

But the Duke of Lancaster foon returned with an answer, that the Dauphin declined to accept the defiance; when the King granted Lord Walter Manny leave, on his earnest request, to go at the head of the new-made Knights and a confiderable body of troops to skirmish near the barriers, and to burn what they could of the fuburbs, hoping by this means to provoke the French to iffue out: the affault was vigorous and lafted from morning till noon, the French

be dubbed at any time. A Knight could not be made a Banneret till he was able to raise and maintain a certain number of men; but a Knight-Bachelor not being able to do this, marched under the banner of fome of the Barons. The ceremony used in making a Banneret is thus: He is brought into the field between two fenior Knights, with trumpets founding before them, and Heralds carrying a banner of his arms called a Penon; in this manner being brought before the King, the tip of his banner is cut off, that of an oblong it might become a fquare, like that of a Baron: his Majefty then having wifhed him fuccefs, he returns to his tent conducted as before,

defending