ing his abfence in France, feveral of the wifeft Prelates and Counsellors being appointed as the real Governors. The reft of

the Leaders were Henry Plantagenet, Duke of Lancaster, the King's Coufin-german; Roger Lord Mortimer, Earl of March, and Conftable of England; Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and Robert Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, Marfhals of the army; Ralph Stafford, Earl of Stafford ; William Montague, Earl of Salisbury and King of Man; Humphry Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Effex; William Bohun his brother, Earl of Northampton; and John Vere, Earl of Oxford; the Lord Henry Piercy and his eldest Son Sir Henry, who was afterwards created Earl of Northumberland; with the Lords Ralph Neville, Edward Spencer, John Chandos, Walter Manny, Reginald Cobham, John Grey, John Mowbray, Roger de la. Warre, Thomas Felton, John Willoughby, James Audeley, Ralph Baffet, John Carleton, Bartholomew Burgherfh, John Fitzwalter, O 2 Edmund

Edmund Pierpoint, and John Botetourt, (the Predeceffors of feveral noble families now extant) besides many Knights of great repute: exclusive of these noble persons, a great number of Lords and Gentlemen, strangers, drawn by the high renown and splendid fuccefs of King Edward and his Son, were emulous to fight under their banners.

The Dauphin and the three estates of the kingdom of France, feeing fo formidable an enemy approach, were the more easily reconciled and united for their country's defence but the young Prince, warned by the ill-fuccefs of his Father, refolved to act only on the defenfivé; he accordingly prepared to elude à blow which it was impoffible for him to refift, by putting all the confiderable towns in a posture of defence; having fupplied them with ftrong garrifons, he then fixed his own ftation at Paris, with a view of allowing the invaders to waste their fury on the open country.

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 seven weeks, though without fuccefs, it being defended by John de Craon their Archbishop with great bravery.

During the fiege feveral ftrong detachments were fent 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 Lancafter, 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 Gascon Knight. Having ravaged Champaigne till they came to Cerney en Dormois, a strong caftle, they made a yigorous

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gorous affault on it; and the Lord of Mucidan being slain, all the Lords fwore they would not ftir till they had taken the place: the Gascoigners, enraged at the loss of their Commander, plunged into the ditches, and mounting the walls with their targets over their heads forced the caftle, putting in the first transports 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 fubfistence 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 pleafure, 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 ftorm, which his valour fometimes fuggefted, 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 prefervation 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 purchafing 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 fet on foot to prevent a further effufion of blood, but without fuccefs: this induced

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