But the duke of Glocester & others, whose swords thirsted for French bloud,The duke of Glocester an [...] to [...]eace. A [...]r. Fl. ex Edw. Hall [...]ol. Ccxxxj. cried out on this peace; saieng that all their trauell, paines, & expenses were to their shame lost and cast awaie, and nothing gai|ned but a continuall mocke [and dailie derision of the French king and all his minions. This imagina|tion tooke effect without delaie. For a gentleman of the French kings chamber, after the peace was con|cluded, did demand of an Englishman, how manie battels king Edward had vanquisht? He answered, nine: wherein he himselfe personallie had béene.
A great honour said the Frenchman. But I praie you (quoth he smiling) how manie hath he lost? The Eng|lishman perceiuing what he meant, said: one, which you by policie, and by no strength, haue caused him to loose.
Well said the Frenchman, you maie ponder in a paire of balance, the gaine of nine gotten battels, and the rebuke of this one in this maner lost: for I tell you, that we haue this saieng; The force of Eng|land hath and dooth surmount the force of France: but the ingenious wits of the Frenchmen excell the dull braines of Englishmen. For in all battels you haue béene the gainers, but in leagues and treaties our wits haue made you loosers: so that you maie content your selues with the losse in treaties, for the spoile that you gat in warres and battels.
This com|munication was reported to the French king, who priuilie sent for the Englishman to supper, and not onlie made him good cheere, but also gaue him a thou|sand crownes, to praise the peace and to helpe to mainteine the same. Yet neuerthelesse, he being not a little mooued with these brags, declared all the communication to the duke of Glocester; who sware, that he would neuer haue set foot out of England, if he had not thought to haue made the Frenchmen once to assaie the strength & puissance of the English|men: but what so euer he thought, all things were tranferred vnto an other end than he could ima|gine.]