[1] [2] On friday next after All soules day,A parlement at London. the parlement began at London, in which the knights would in no wise agrée, that the statute made against spirituall men, for the prouiding themselues of benefices in the court of Rome should be repealed: but yet they a|gréed thus much, that it should be tollerated, so as with the kings licence such spirituall men might purchase to themselues such benefices till the next parlement. ¶ In this parlement aforsaid,

Abr. Fl. out of Henrie Knigh|ton canon of Leicester ab|beie.

The duke of Lancaster ambassador for the king, right honora|blie receiued into France.

there was granted vnto our lord the king one tenth of the cler|gie, and one fiftéenth of the people towards the expen|ses of Iohn duke of Lancaster, who in Lent next fol|lowing went ouer into France to the citie of A|miens for a finall peace betweene the kingdoms of England and France: where the king of France met him with a shew of great pompe and honor, sen|ding before him first of all to welcome him thither the citizens of the same citie on horssebacke in a ve|rie great number. Then afterwards, he sent earles and barons a great manie to the same end, then his two vncles, last of all went the king himselfe to meet him, and saluting him called him by the name of The most worthie warrior of all christendome, the inuincible woorthinesse of the king onelie excepted. And the duke had seauentéene daies (by couenant) to compasse this treatie of peace: at last he returned, hauing attendant vpon him in his traine the bishop of Durham, and the sonne of the duke of Yorke the earle of Rutland, with a thousand horssemen, set foorth in a woonderfull sumptuous sort with goodlie furni|ture. ¶ Also conditionallie a whole tenth and a whole fiftéenth were granted to him, if it chanced that he made anie iournie that yeare against the Scots. ¶ In this yeare, Abr. Fl. out of Henrie Knigh|ton canon of Leicester abbeie. the duke of Gelderland sent to the king of England letters of commendation & praise, wherein also were prouocations and stirrings vp to warre and warlike actiuitie, and to the exercise of kinglie noblenesse, the tenor whereof followeth:

12.1. The tenor of the said dukes letter to king Richard.

The tenor of the said dukes letter to king Richard.

_MAgnifice princeps, innata vobis probi|tas, & prudentum consilia (vt opina|mur) simul agerent in officium, quòd singula haereditaria iura, quae ex nata|litio vestram magnificant regiam maiestatem, tem|poribus vestrae discretionis altissima prouidentia munirentur illaesa; etsi quaeuis oppugnaret violen|tia, clypeo militari studeat regalis industria fortiter defendere sua iura. Et quòd vestram regiam per|sonam cõtingamus in affinitate, ni vetet Deus ipse, quin semper parati erimus vobis in vestris iuribus defendendis assistere cum duobus milibus lancearũ, [page 476] quando & quotiens disponemini ad bellica conuo|lare. Nec perire debeant iura propter verba aut pr [...]missa, quomodolibet ad hoc laborat versutia Gallicorum. Sanè serenissime princeps in orbem volat fama, nec ambigitur quòd propter lanam & innumerabilia vestra singularia commoda, sine quibus non viuit oriens neque auster, regna singu|la in pecunijs vos salutant. In comparatione igitur ad alios reges vobis confert Deus ipse diuitias cen|tuplatas. Probitas etiam militaris, & arcuum aspe|ritas, sine pari, taliter huc vsque extulere gentem magnanimam occidentis, quòd timor non paruus vestros inuadit aduersarios; & ad hunc diem im|pariter victoriosè dimicauit cum Gallicis Angliae gens austera. In pusillanimitate igitur (poten [...]issi|me princeps) contra naturam non obdormiat cor leonis; sed & quales vobis contulit vires natura, ipsas applicare dignemini actibus bellicosis, in de|fensionem reipublicae, iuris haereditarij sustenta|tionem, augmentúmque meriti, & incomparabi|liter chronicabilem probitatem cordis magnanimi tanti regis.

12.1. The same letter in plaine phrase verbatim Englished by A. F.

The same letter in plaine phrase verbatim Englished by A. F.

_MOst mightie prince, your roiall prowesse and the counsels of the sage, should altogither (as we thinke) moue you in dutie, by the most profound & deepe foresight of your discretion in time to mainteine and de|fend all and singular your rights & inheritance vnharmed, which by birth doo magnifie and make great your roiall maiestie, and if anie vio|lence whatsoeuer gainstand & assault the same, your kinglie diligence should indeuor with the shield of a warrior valiantlie to defend your title and right. And bicause we are neere you, & doo as it were touch your roiall person in aliance, vnlesse God himselfe doo forbid and hinder vs, we will alwaies be readie in all your rights to as|sist and aid you with two thousand pikes, when and how often soeuer you shall be disposed to rush out to battell. Your right ought not to be lost for words and promises, howsoeuer the craftinesse of the French labor to this purpose. Trulie most excellent prince, your renowme doth flie into the world, neither is it doubted but for your wooll sake, and other your singu|lar commodities being innumerable (without the which the east and the south can not liue) all realmes with their coines doo greet you. In comparison therefore of other kings God him|selfe hath bestowed vpon you riches a hundred fold. Your warlike prowesse also, & the rough|nesse of your bowes, being peerelesse, haue hi|therto so extolled the couragious nation of the west, that no small feare dooth inuade your ad|uersaries; and to this day the sterne people of England haue (none like them) victoriouslie incountered with the French. Therefore ô most puissant prince, let not the hart of a lion sleepe in cowardlinesse against nature: but what force and valiantnesse nature hath giuen you, the same vouchsafe to put in practise with feats of armes in defense of your common wealth, the maintenance of your right by inhe|ritance, the increase of your desert, and the peerelesse prowesse of so great a kings coura|gious hart right worthie to be chronicled.