The French king, after this departing, sore desi|red to make warre on the duke of Britaine: which he could not doo, except he were left out of the treatie. EEBO page image 700 Wherefore he sent the lord of Bouchage, and the lord of saint Pierre, to the king of England, intreating him by all waies and motions possible, to leaue the duke of Britaine for his alie, and not to haue him comprehended in the league. The king of England hearing them so seriouslie and so feruentlie speake against the duke of Britaine; with an earnest coun|tenance answered, saieng:
My lords, I assure you, if I were peaceablie at home in my realme, yet for the defense of the duke of Britaine and his countrie, I would passe the seas againe, against all them that either would doo him iniurie, or make warre vpon him.The French lords nothing further saieng, much maruelled why the king of England so suerlie claue to the duke of Britains partie: but they knew not (or else at the least remembred not) that Henrie earle of Richmond was within the power and dominion of the duke of Britaine, whome king Edwards phan|tasie euer gaue him would make once a title to the crowne of England, as next heire to the house of Lancaster. For he knew well, that if the duke of Bri|taine would transport him into England (where hée had both kinsfolks and friends) with neuer so small an aid (yea, though it were but the shadow of an ar|mie) then were he inforced newlie to begin againe a conquest, as though he had neuer woone the crowne, nor obteined the possession of the realme, which was the verie cause why he stucke so fore to the duke of Britains part.
The same night the lords returned to Amiens, and reported to their maister king Edwards answer, who therewith was not the best pleased. But plea|sure or displeasure, there was no remedie but to dis|semble the matter. This same night also, there came the lord Howard, and two other of the king of Englands councell, who had béene coadiutors to|ward the peace, to the French king to supper. The lord Howard said to the French king secretlie in his eare, that if it stood with his pleasure, he could per|suade the king of England to come to Amiens, yea, peraduenture as farre as Paris, familiarlie and friendlie to solace himselfe with him, as his trustie friend and faithfull brother. The French king, to whom this motion was nothing pleasant, calling for water, washed, and rose without anie answer ma|king: but he said to one of his councell, that he ima|gined in his owne conceipt, that this request would be made. The Englishmen began againe to com|mune of that matter, the Frenchmen politikelie brake their communication, saieng: that the king with all celeritie must march forward against the duke of Burgognie.
Although this motion séemed onelie to increase loue and continuall amitie betwéene the princes; yet the Frenchmen, hauing in their perfect remem|brance the innumerable damages and hurts, which they of late daies had susteined by the English na|tion (whereby continuall hatred increased against them in France) thought by policie and wisedome, with faire words and friendlie countenance, to put by this request, and to motion them rather to depart homeward, than to pricke them forward to Paris; where peraduenture they might be so interteined at this time, that they would at another come thither, both vndesired and vnwelcomed. This peace was said to be made onelie by the Holie-ghost, bicause that on the daie of méeting, a white dooue sat on the top of the king of Englands tent: whether she sate there to drie hir, or came thither as a [...]oken giuen by God, I referre it to your iudgment. At this treatie and méeting was not the duke of Glocester, nor o|ther lords which were not content with this truce; but the duke came afterwards to Amiens, with di|uerse other lords of England, to the French king, which both highlie feasted them, and also presented them with plate and horsses well garnished.