When all the lords of the empire were assembled in the city of Halle, they had long deliberations together, and said to the King of England, “Dear sir, there is an ordinance of a very old date, sealed, that no king of France should take and keep possession of any thing that belongs to the empire. Now, King Philip has gotten possession of the castles of Crevecœur in Cambresis, and of Arleux in Artois, as well as the city of Cambray; for which the emperor has good grounds to challenge him through us,—if you will have the goodness to obtain his consent, in order to save our honor.” The King of England replied that he would cheerfully conform himself to their advice.
It was then determined that the Marquis of Juliers should go to the emperor, and with him knights and counsellors from the king, and some from the Duke of Gueldres; but the Duke of Brabant would not send any: he lent, however, his castle of Louvain to the king for his residence.
The Marquis of Juliers and his company returned from the emperor about All Saints’ Day; and, when he sent to inform the king of this, he congratulated him on the good success of his mission. The king wrote him for answer that he should come to him on the feast of St. Martin, and demanded of the Duke of Brabant to name the place where he wished this conference to be holden; who replied, at Arques, near to his own country. Upon this the king gave notice of it, that all his allies might be there.
The town-hall of Arques was hung with rich and fine cloths, like to the presence-chamber of the king. His Majesty was seated five feet higher than the rest of the company, and had on his head a rich crown of gold. The letters from the emperor to the king were publicly read, by which the King of England was constituted and established his vicar and lieutenant, and full powers granted to him to do all the acts of law and justice to every one, in his name, and also to coin money in gold and silver.
On this occasion an ancient statute was renewed and confirmed, which had been made in former times at the court of the emperor. It directed that any one meaning to hurt or annoy another should send him a sufficient defiance three days before he committed any hostile act; and that whoever should act otherwise should be degraded as an evil-doer. When all this was completed, the lords took their leave, and gave each other their mutual promises to be fully equipped, without delay, three weeks after the feast of St. John, to sit down before the city of Cambray; which of right belonged to the emperor, but had turned to the French.
CHAPTER XX.
King Edward and his Allies send Challenges to the King of France.
WINTER was now over, and the summer come, when, the feast of St. John the Baptist approaching, the lords of England and Germany made preparations for undertaking their intended expedition. The King of France also made his preparations to meet them; for he was well acquainted with part of what they intended, though he had not yet received any challenge. King Edward collected his stores in England, where he made his armaments ready; and, as soon as St. John’s Day was passed, transported them across the sea to Vilvorde, whither he went himself. He made all his people, on their arrival, take houses in the town; and, when this was full, he lodged them in tents and pavilions in the fine meadows along the side of the river. He remained thus from Magdalen Day until the feast of Our Lady in September, expecting week after week the arrival of the lords of the empire, especially the Duke of Brabant, for whom all the others were waiting. When the King of England saw that they came not, he caused them to be summoned to be at the city of Mechlin on St. Giles’s Day, according to their promises, and give reasons for their delays.
The lords of Germany, in obedience to the summons, came to Mechlin, where, after many debates, they agreed that the king should be enabled to march in a fortnight, when they would be quite ready; and, that their cause might have a better appearance, they determined to send challenges to King Philip. These challenges were written and sealed by all except the Duke John of Brabant, who said he would do his part at the proper time and place. They were given in charge to the Bishop of Lincoln, who carried them to Paris, and performed his errand so justly and well that he was blamed by no one. He had a passport granted him to return to his lord, who, as said before, was at Mechlin.
CHAPTER XXI.
King Edward creates Sir Henry of Flanders a Knight, and afterwards marches into Picardy.
AS soon as the King of England had passed the Scheld, and had entered the kingdom of France, he called to him the Lord Henry of Flanders, who was but a young esquire, and knighted him; at the same time giving him two hundred pounds sterling a year, properly secured in England. The king was lodged in the abbey of Mont St. Martin, where he remained two days. His troops were scattered round about in the country. The Duke of Brabant was quartered at the monastery of Vaucelles. When the King of France, who was at Compiègne, heard this news, he increased his forces everywhere, and sent the Earl of Eu and Guines, his constable, with a large body of men at arms, to St. Quentin, to guard that town and the frontiers against his enemies. He sent the Lords of Coucy and of Ham to their castles, and a great number of men at arms to Guise, Ribemont, Bouchain, and the neighboring fortresses on the borders of his kingdom; and came himself to Peronne, in the Vermandois. During the time the King of England was at the abbey of Mont St. Martin, his people overran the country as far as Bapaume, and very near to Peronne and St. Quentin: they found it rich and plentiful, for there had not been any wars in those parts.