decree paffed in the parliament of Paris for his enlargement, Philip refufed to fet him free. Avarice and ambition feem to have had a share in this determination, as it is well known that he refused to release his prifoner, unless he would deliver up Brest and Hennebon to him, and renounce all claim to the Duchy of Britany. But of all the crimes of this faithlefs and perjured Monarch, none ftained his character with a more indelible mark of infamy, and rendered him more the object of univerfal hatred and deteftation, than his treatment of Oliver de Cliffon, who had ferved him and Charles de Blois with great zeal and ability, Oliver had been taken prifoner at the fiege of Namur, and being given up by King Edward in exchange for Lord Stafford, in preference to another Knight whom Philip would rather have chofen, that King, naturally fufpicious, imagined he had entered into fome private agreement with Edward: actuated by this fufpicion he ordered him to be feized and thrown into prifon; foon after i 2 after his arreft, this unfortunate Nobleman was beheaded at Paris without form or trial, his body hung on a gibbet, and his eftate confifcated. The Britons were fo highly incensed at this cruel and tyrannical proceeding, that the inhabitants of Vannes expelled the garrison, and declared in favour of the Count de Mountford. These circumstances, inftead of opening the eyes of Philip to a fense of his own crimes, ferved only to ftrengthen his fufpicions; and as he knew no other way of keeping people in their duty but by force and terror, he immediately gave orders for apprehending ten other Noblemen of Britany, who, though they had all diftinguished themselves in the service of Charles de Blois, were put to death in the fame ignominious manner that had been practised on Oliver de Cliffon. His treachery was no lefs confpicuous in another instance; for having fet up a round table in oppofition to that of King Edward, and iffued fafe-conducts for the protection of all ftrangers, he feized feveral Lords of the the Count de Mountfort's party, and put them to death, contrary to the rules of chivalry and of honour. He was fucceeded by his fon John, a Prince unlike his Father, diftinguished by many virtues, particularly by a scrupulous honour and fidelity: he was not deficient in perfonal courage, but he wanted that prudence and forefight which the perplexed fituation of his kingdom, at that time convulfed by inteftine commotions, and oppreffed by foreign wars, required. Charles King of Navarre, who received and deferved the epithet of Wicked, was continually fomenting divifions among the King of France's fubjects, and giving him perpetual difquietude, although allied to him by blood and marriage. No fooner therefore was the truce be tween England and France expired, than King Edward took advantage of his competitor's embarraffment, and prepared to re new new once more his claims on that crown: to this purpose he proposed to attack his enemy both on the fide of Guienne with an army commanded by the Prince of Wales, and on the northern parts in his own perfon. In profecution of this plan young Edward failed for Bourdeaux, on board a fleet of three hundred fail, attended by the Earls of Warwick, Salisbury, Oxford, Suffolk, and other English Noblemen. Immediately after his arrival, being joined by the vaffals of Gascoigné, he took the field reduced without interruption many towns in the neighbouring provinces, and ravaged the whole country: after an incurfion of fix weeks, he returned with a vast booty and many prifoners to Guienne, where he took up his winter quarters. King Edward's invasion from Calais was of the fame nature, and attended with the fame iffue. In the enfuing fummer the Prince of Wales, encouraged by the fuccefs of the preceding campaign, took the field with an army army of twelve thoufand men, of which not more than four thousand were English. All Hiftorians agree that this was the utmoft amount of the forces with which he performed fuch wondrous decds, and gained immortal honour. With this small body of troops the Prince ventured to penetrate again into the heart of France: his defign was to join his brother John of Gaunt, to whom King Edward had given the command of an army in Normandy; but finding all the bridges on the Loire broken down, and King John advancing towards him with a moft formidable force, he thought it prudent to retire again into his Father's dominions without persisting in his attempt. The Prince lofing fome days before the Caftle of Remorentin, it gave the French army, which was nearer than he had expected, an opportunity of overtaking him. The following unexpected incident occafioned this hindrance, and was the means of bringing |