But suerlie the hearts of the Britains were wonderfullie changed, and
in no wise would consent to haue anie warre with the Frenchmen, if anie
reasonable peace might be concluded. For manie that hated the father,
bare good will and heartie loue towards the sonne, whose yoong yeares
and great towardnesse allured the hearts of manie to wish him well.
Hervpon was meanes made for a peace, which by the duke of Aniou his
consent (who bare the greatest rule in France in that season) a finall
accord was made, betwixt the yoong king and the duke of Britaine, so
that the duke should come and doo his homage vnto the French king, and
sweare to be true and faithfull vnto him: also that he should rid the
Englishmen out of his countrie, and helpe them with ships and vessels
to transport them home into England.
[Sidenote: The earle of Buckingham returned into England.]
The earle of Buckingham, when he vnderstood of this peace, was not a
little displeased in his mind, considering that the duke of Britaine
had delt so vniustlie with him and his nephue the king of England. But
the duke still excused him by his subiects, as though if he had not
thus agreed, he should haue beene in danger to haue lost his heritage
of that countrie. Finallie, the earle after he had ships prouided for
his passage, the eleuenth of Aprill departed out of Vannes, and came
to the hauen where his ships laie, and so went aboord in like maner as
other of his men did from other hauens, and shortlie after (when the
wind serued) tooke the sea, and returned into England, sore displeased
with the duke of Britaine for his great vntruth and dissimulation (as
he tooke it) notwithstanding all excuses to cloake the matter by him
alledged.
[Sidenote: The Scots inuade the English borders and spoile whole
countries carrieng awaie great booties.]
Whilest the Englishmen were thus occupied in warres against the
Frenchmen (as before |733| ye haue heard) the Scots could not rest in
quiet, but in reuenge for a ship, which the townesmen of Newcastell
and Hull had taken on the sea, knowing them to be pirates, determined
to doo what mischéefe they could vnto the English borders: for the
losse of that ship grieued them, bicause it was esteemed to be verie
rich, the goods that were in it being valued at seuen thousand marks.
Herevpon the Scots entring by the west borders, inuaded & spoiled the
countries of Westmerland and Cumberland, and comming into the forrest
of Inglewood, they tooke awaie with them such a number of beasts and
cattell, that they were reckoned at fourtie thousand heads of one and
other. Besides this, they cruellie slue all such as they could laie
hands vpon, and burnt vp all the townes, and houses as they passed: and
not content herewith, they stale vpon the towne of Penreth, when the
faire was kept there, slaieng, taking, and chasing awaie the people,
and after gathering togither all the goods and riches there found,
tooke it awaie with them, whereof there was such plentie as might haue
satisfied the couetous desire of a most greedie armie. They returned
by Carleil, but hearing that there were gotten into it a great number
of men out of the countries adioining, they durst not staie to make
any attempt against that towne, but compassed their waie to escape
with their booties home into their countrie, which they did, although
they lost some of their companie as they passed by an ambushment of
certeine archers of Westmerland and Cumberland, that were laid for them
of purpose. When the earle of Northumberland would haue gone foorth
to reuenge those iniuries doone to the countrie by the Scots, he was
written to from the king and his councell, to forbeare till the daie of
truce, at what time it might be knowen what was further to be doone in
the matter.
[Sidenote: An armie lingering in the north parts greatlie impouerisheth
the countrie.