[1] [2] [3] [4] ¶ Sith then that we be come to this place, Polydor. it shall not be much amisse to rehearse somewhat of the right and title whereby king Edward did thus claime the crowne of France, hauing of purpose omitted to speake thereof, till now that he intituled himselfe with the name, & tooke vpon him to beare the armes also of France, vpon occasion before expressed.The issue of Philip le Beau. It is well knowne that Philip le Beau king of France had issue by his wife queene Ione three sons, Lewes surnamed Hutine, Philip le Long, and Charles le Beau: also two daughters, the one dieng in hir in|fancie, and the other named Isabell liued, and was maried vnto Edward the second of that name king of England, who begot of hir this Edward the third, that made this claime. The thrée sonnes of the fore|said Philip le Beau reigned ech after other, as kings of France. First after Philip the father,Lewes H [...]|tine. succéeded his eldest sonne Lewes H [...]tine, who had issue by his first wife Margaret, daughter to Robert duke of Burgogne, a daughter named Ione, the which was anon giuen in mariage vnto Lewes earle of Eu|reux: but she liuing not long, died without issue. Hir father the said Lewes Hutine married after the de|ceasse of his first wife, an other wife named Cle|mence, daughter to Charles Martell, the father of K. Robert of Sicill, whom he left great with child when he died. The child being borne proued a son, & was na|med Iohn, but liued not manie daies after. Then Philip the Long was admitted vnto the cro [...]e of France,Philip le Long. though manie stood in opinion that Ione the daughter of Lewes Hutine, which yet was aliue, ought to haue inherited the kingdome after hir fa|ther: and namelie Odo duke of Burgogne, w [...]le to the said Ione, was most earnest in that ma [...]ter, in fa|uour [page 357] of his néece. But might ouercame right, so that he was constreined to be quiet. Philip le Long, after he had reigned fiue yeares, died also, and left no issue behind him. Then lastlie Charles le Beau tooke vpon him the kingdome,Charles le Beau. and the seuenth yeare after died, his wife big bellied, which shortlie after brought foorth a maiden named Blanch, shal streightwaies hasting to follow hir father, liued no while in this world. By this means then the bloud roiall in the heires male of Philip le Beau was extinguished in his sonne the foresaid Charles le Beau, whereof the contention tooke beginning about the right to the crowne of France, betwixt the Frenchmen and Englishmen, which hangeth as yet vndecided till these our daies. For king Edward auerred that the kingdome of France apperteined vnto him as lawfull heire, bi|cause that he alone was remaining of the kings stocke, and touched his mothers father Philip le Be|au, in the next degree of consanguinitie, as he that was borne of his daughter Isabell.