Compare 1577 edition: 1 Matth. West. The merchants of Flanders procured the earle to conclude this league with king Edward, as some write, the rather in respect of the great commodities which rose to their countrie, by reason of the inter|course of merchandize vsed betwixt England and Flanders, and for that through aid of the English|men, they might the better withstand the malice, both of the French and of all other their enimies. This league being proclaimed in England, there were sent ouer into Flanders, the treasurer of the exche|ker, and diuerse other noble men, to fetch hostages from thence, and to giue to the earle fifteene thousand pounds of siluer, toward the fortifieng of his castels and holds. King Philip being hereof aduertised, by counsell of the peeres of his realme, sent two honora|ble personages, as the capteine of Mounstrell, and the capteine of Belquerke, which should attach the earle of Flanders by his bodie, and summon him to yéeld himselfe prisoner at Paris, within the space of fifteene daies next insuing.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The earle of Flanders [...] the [...]rench king.This attachment made, and summons giuen, the earle of Flanders sent his full defiance vnto the French king by the abbats of Gemblois, and Sene|fles, vnto whome he gaue sufficient letters procura|torie, to authorise them thereto, dated at Male in the yeare of Grace 1296, after the accounts of the chro|nicles of Flanders, which begin their yere at Easter: and so this chanced in the fiue and twentith yeare of king Edwards reigne, the wednesdaie next after the feast of the Epiphanie.The earle of Flanders accurssed. Herevpon was the earle ac|curssed, & Flanders interdicted by the archbishop of Reims, and the bishop of Senlis comming vnto Terwane for that purpose, about the fifteenth day of Iune, in the yeare 1297. But the lord Robert the earles sonne appealed from that interdiction to the pope,His sonne appealeth from the in|terdiction. and so the Flemmings tooke themselues frée & out of danger of the same. Earle Guie also obteined of king Edward, that it might be lawfull for them of Bruges, to buy wools, through England, Scotland and Ireland, as freelie as the Italians might by their priuilege and grant.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But to returne now to the dooings of king Ed|ward, who in this meane time, hauing perfect know|ledge of the league concluded betwixt the king of France and the king of Scotland, prepared an ar|mie, and first sent ambassadors into Scotland,Ambassadors sent to the K. of Scots. to giue summons to king Iohn to appeare at New|castell within certeine daies, that he might there shew the cause whie he had broken the league: and further, to declare vnto him that he was deceiued, if he thought he might serue two maisters, contrarie to the words of the gospell, and according to the old saieng which seldome neuer faileth in consequence,

Defuit ambobus qui vult seruire duobus.