ing states. The Count of Hainault, whofe daughter Edward had married, foon became his fteady friend; and by his interceffion, aided by large remittances from England, the Duke of Brabant, the Archbishop of Cologne, the Duke of Gueldres, the Flemings, and several other powers were engaged to embrace the English alliance.

Edward's plan being now ripe for execution, in the beginning of the year 1338, and the twelfth of his reign, he failed over into Flanders, attended by many of his Nobles, and a confiderable body of English forces. He now affumed the title of King of France* as a plea for this invasion;

King Edward now for the first time quartered the arms of France with thofe of England. The inscription of the great feal was altered from Duke of Aquitain to King of France, the former being absorbed in the latter, and it was on this occafion that he adopted the motto of "Dieu & mon Droit," God and my right; alluding to the defign of maintaining his title to the crown of that kingdom.

whilft the German and the other Princes endeavoured to find some plausible pretext for joining in the league. Philip made neceffary preparations to repel this attack, and formed connections more cordial and powerful than thofe entered into by his antagonist. The allies of Edward having no other object for their interference than his money, they were flow in their motions, and irrefolute in their measures; it was confequently late in the fummer before the King could lead his forces into the field: he was even then obliged, in order to allure his German auxiliaries into his measures, to confent that the first attack fhould be made on Cambray, a city of the empire, which had been garrifoned by Philip: but on a nearer infpection, judging the attempt to be impracticable, he conducted them towards the frontiers of France.

Here he found by a fenfible proof the vanity of his expectations and the little dependence there is to be placed in foreign mer

cenaries.

cenaries. The Count of Namurė, and even the Count of Hainault his brother-in-law (for the old Count was lately dead) refufed to commence hoftilities against their liege Lord, and retired with all their troops. King Edward however entered the enemy's country, and encamped near Caffel, with an army of fifty thousand men, compofed chiefly of auxiliaries. Philip came within fight of him with an army nearly double to that of his opponent, and moft of thofe his native fubjects. It was daily expected that a battle would have enfued; but as the English Monarch was averfe to begin an engagement againft fo great an inequality, Philip thought it fufficient to elude the attacks of his invader without running any unneceffary hazard. The two armies faced each other for feveral days; mutual defiances were fent; and King Edward at laft retired in good order into Flanders, where he dif perfed his army. Though the English Monarch was unfuccefsful in this attempt, yet he gave proofs of great courage and conduct.

With half the force of his adverfary, and those consisting of mercenaries on whom he was affured he could place little dependence, he repeatedly defied his powerful competitor, and led back his troops without fuftaining any lofs.

King Edward was a Prince of too much fpirit to be difcouraged by the first difficulties of an undertaking; they only animated him to endeavour to retrieve his honour by more fuccessful enterprizes. Expensive as this expedition had been, he was not deterred by this confideration from profecuting his plan. He had contracted a debt of near three hundred thousand pounds; had anticipated all his revenue; had pawned every thing of value which belonged either to himself or the Queen; and was obliged to pledge himself to his mercenary allies, by defiring permiffion to go over to England to procure a fupply, promifing on his word of honour to return in person if he

did not remit them, the money: yet in

T

thefe, embarraffed circumftances he fuffered not his noble heart to be dejected, Relying on his fubjects love, he returned home, and procured from his Parliament great aids for the maintenance of the war. He obtained from the Barons and Knights an unufual grant for two years, of the tenth fheaf, fleece, and lamb (the fubfidies of that age) and from the Burgeffes a tenth of their moveables at their true value.

As Philip was apprized from the preparations which were making both in England and the Low Countries the year following, that he muft expect another inva-fion, he fitted out a fleet confifting of fourt hundred veffels, manned with forty thou-fand men, and ftationed them off Sluife, with a view of intercepting the King of England in his paffage. King Edward, notwithstanding he had received intelligence of this intended oppofition, and was ftrongly diffuaded

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