[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The consta|ble of France demandeth battell.The morrow after being thursdaie, and the twelfe of Nouember, the constable of France, and other Frenchmen, came to the end of the causie of Calis, with letters of credence, offering battell on tuesdaie next following vnto the king of England, in pre|sence of the duke of Lancaster, the earles of North|ampton, and the lord Walter de Mannie, who in the kings behalfe declared to the constable, that the king of England,The answer made to him. to eschew shedding of bloud, would fight with the French king bodie to bodie, so to trie their right: and if he liked not of that match, then if he would choose thrée or foure knights to him that were neerest to him in bloud, he should choose the like num|ber. But when this offer would not be accepted, the English lords offered battell the next day, being fri|daie, or else on saturdaie following, at the French|mens choice: but the constable of France and his companie, continuing in their first offer, refused both those daies. Then the English lords accepted the daie by them assigned, with condition, that if they brought not king Edward to giue battell that day, they would yeeld themselues prisoners, so that the Frenchmen would likewise vndertake for their king. The consta|ble hauing no answer readie, staied a while, and after flatlie refused to make any such couenant. Finallie, when the English lords perceiued their aduersaries, not to meane battell, as their words at the first pre|tended, they brake off, and both parties returned home. The king of England staied till the tuesdaie, and paid the strangers their wages, and so came backe into England.Berwike ta|ken by Scots On the sixt of Nouember, whi|lest the king was thus abroad in Picardie, the Scots verie earlie in the morning of that daie, came priui|lie to Berwike, entred by stealth into the towne, and sle [...]ing three or foure Englishmen, tooke it, with all the goods and persons within it, those excepted, which got to the castell.