[1] [2] [3] About [...]he beginning of the two: and fortith yeare of king Henries reigne, the lord Iames Audelie that had béene ouer with the king of Almaine, and was latelie returned home in companie of the lord Hen|rie, sonne to the said king (who came backe from his father about the feast of saint Michaell last past) vn|derstanding how the Welshmen in his absence had [page 257] burnt, wasted, and destroied his lands, possessions, and castels, which belonged vnto him in the confines of Wales, he meant to be reuenged of those iniuries, and inuading them, he slue a great number of them, so reuenging the death of those his freends,The lord Audelie war|reth vpon the Welshmen. seruants and tenants, whome they before had murthered. The Welshmen were not so discouraged herewith, but that they brake vpon him out of their starting-holes and places of refuge through the marishes, and slai|eng their enimies horsses, put them backe to their power, & ceassed not to doo what mischeefe they could, by spoiling, killing, and burning houses and castels where they might come vnto them, and so the realme of England was dailie put to losses & hinderances. For out of Wales, England was accustomed to be furnished with horsses, cattell, and other things, to the great profit of both the countries. About the same time there was an ambassage sent from the king of England to the French king by the bishop of Wor|cester,Ambassadors sent into France. the elect of Winchester, the abbat of West|minster, the earle of Leicester, & Hugh Bigod earle Marshall, with Peter de Sauoy, and Robert Wal|cron. The effect of their message was to require re|stitution of those countries, lands, cities, and townes which had bene euicted out of the hands of king Iohn and others, apperteining by right of inheritance to the king of England. These lords did their message, but as was thought, they had no towardlie answer, but rather were put off with trifling words & scorne|full [...]awnts, so that they returned shortlie againe all of them, the abbat of Westminster onelie excepted, who remained there behind for a fuller answer, not [...]nelie to those requests exhibited on the part of the king of England, but also on the behalfe of the king of Almaine. The marshes towards Wales in this season were brought almost desert, by reason of the continuall wars with the Welshmen,The marshes of Wales sore impouerished. for what with fire & sword, neither building nor liuing creature, nor any other thing was spared, that fire & sword might bring to ruine.