The English ambassadors said there was no doubt, but that either the
king himselfe, or his vncles shuld be there at the day assigned,
with full authoritie to conclude anie agréement that should seeme
reasonable, and so those ambassadors returned with great gifts
presented on the kings behalfe to ech of them, sir Robert Briquet
excepted, vnto whome it séemed the French king bare no great good will,
for that being a Frenchman borne, he had euer serued the Nauarrois or
Englishmen, and was now one of king Richards priuie chamber. The king
of England (as some write) was once minded to haue passed the seas
himselfe, to haue met the French king at Amiens, at the time appointed,
but finallie the duke of Lancaster, the bishop of Durham, and others,
were sent thither with a traine néere hand of a thousand horsses. At
their comming into France, they were roiallie receiued: for the French
king had made no lesse preparation for the duke of Lancasters comming,
than if he had béene emperor. The duke of Lancaster verelie was
estéemed to be a verie mightie prince, and one of the wisest and sagest
princes in all christendome, in those daies; so that it séemed the
French king reioised greatlie, that he might come to haue conference
with him. There were with the French king héere at Amiens, his brother
the duke of Thoureigne; his vncles, the dukes of Berrie, Burbon, and
Burgognie, & a great number of earles, lords, and other nobles of the
realme of France. Before the Englishmens comming, for auoiding of
strife and debate that might arise betwixt the English and French,
a proclamation was set foorth conteining certeine articles, for the
demeanor which the French men should obserue towards the Englishmen.
[Sidenote: The truce prolonged for a yeare. _Thom. Wals._]
Whilest they there remained, all the Englishmens charges were borne
by the French king, from their setting foorth from Calis, till they
came backe thither againe. As touching their treatie, manie things
were proponed, diuerse demands made, and some offers, though to small
purpose, for they tooke not effect, insomuch as they departed without
concluding anie thing, further than that the truse which was to end
at Midsummer next, was prolonged to continue one yéere more, that
in the meane time, the lords and estates of the realme of England
might assemble, and with good aduise deliberate, whether it were more
expedient to agrée vnto a determinate peace, or to pursue the doubtfull
chances of warre. And such was the end of that roiall ambassage, to
the furnishing foorth whereof, the king demanded an aid as well of the
abbats and priors, as of the cities and good townes through the whole
realme.
[Sidenote: A councell at Stamford.
The duke of Gelderland commeth into England.
The duke of Gelderland dissuadeth the king from peace with the French
and Scots.]
Anon after the returne of the duke of Lancaster, and other the
ambassadors that had béene at Amiens, a councell of the lords and
chiefe states of the realme was called at Stamford, the which (as if
it had béene vnto a parlement) there came foorth of euerie good towne
certeine persons appointed to deliberate and take aduise in so weightie
a matter, as either to conclude vpon peace, or else vpon warre. But
in the end they brought little or nothing to passe, sauing that they
agréed to haue the truce to indure for twelue moneths longer: both
kings sware to obserue the same, afore such as were appointed to sée
their othes receiued. About the same time came the duke of Gelderland
into this realme, being the kings cousine, a right valiant and hardie
gentleman: he was honorablie receiued and welcomed of the king, and
of his vncles, the dukes of Lancaster and Glocester. This duke of
Gelderland counselled the king not to conclude |818| peace, either
with the Frenchmen or Scots, except vpon such conditions as might be
knowne to be both profitable and honorable to him and his realme,
promising that if he had occasion to make warre against either of
those two nations, he would be readie to serue him with a conuenient
power of men at armes of his countrie. After he had béene here a time,
and highlie feasted and banketted, aswell by the king as other great
estates of the realme, he returned home, not without diuerse rich gifts.
[Sidenote: The Londoners refuse to lend the king a thousand pounds.]
The king about this season sent to the Londoners, requesting to borrow
of them the summe of one thousand pounds, which they vncourteouslie
refused to lend: and moreouer they fell vpon an Italian or Lombard (as
they termed him) whom they beat and néere hand slue: bicause he offered
to lend the king that monie. Whereof when the king was aduertised, he
was sore mooued against them, and calling togither the most part of
the péeres and noble men of his realme, declared vnto them the froward
dealings of the Londoners, complaining sore of such their presumption.
The lords and great men, séeming not greatlie to fauour the Londoners,
gaue counsell that the insolent pride of those presumptuous persons
might with speed be repressed. The citizens of London in those daies
(as should appeare) vsing their authoritie to the vttermost, had
deuised and set foorth diuerse orders and constitutions to abridge the
libertie of forreners that came to the citie to vtter their commodites.
Religious men that wrote the dooings of that age, seemed also to find
fault with them, for that they fauored Wicliffes opinions, & therefore
did charge them with infidelitie, and mainteining (I know not how) of
Lollards & heretikes: but howsoeuer the matter, went they fell at this
present into the kings heauie displeasure.
[Sidenote: A great fire kindled about a little sparke.