The earle of Bar inuadeth Champaigne.
In the meane time, king Edward not sléeping his businesse, procured Guie earle of Flanders to ioine with him in league against the Frenchmen. This Guie was the son of Margaret countesse of Flanders, whom she had by hir second husband William lord of Dampire in Burstoine. Also king Edward procured Henrie earle of Bar, to whome (as before ye haue heard) he had giuen his daughter Eleanor in marriage, to make warre vpon the Frenchmen, so that at one time the erle of Bar inuaded the countrie of Champaigne, and the earle of Flanders made incursions vpon those countries of France which ioine vnto Flanders. King Philip hereof aduertised, sent forth one Walter de Cressie with a great armie against the earle of Bar, so that besieging the chéefest towne of Bar, he constreined the said earle to leaue off his enterprise in Champaigne, and to returne home, for doubt to lose more there than hée should win abroad.
A mariage concluded.
The earle of Flanders arrested.
But now to touch more at large the circumstances of the occasion that mooued the earle of Flanders to make war against the French king. I find (in Iacob Meir) that there was a marriage concluded betwixt the lord Edward the eldest son of king Edward, and the ladie Philip daughter to the foresaid Guie earle of Flanders, which marriage was concluded by Henrie bishop of Lincolne, and the earle Warren, being sent ouer as ambassadours by king Edward, vnto the said earle Guie for the same purpose. In the yeare following, the said earle of Flanders, togither with his wife, comming to visit the French king at Corbeill, were arrested, and sent to Paris, there to remaine as prisoners, bicause that the earle had affianced his daughter to the French kings aduersarie, without his licence neither might they be deliuered, till by mediation of the pope (who must néeds meddle in the matter by virtue of his peremptorie power, & all christendome must veile the bonnet to his holinesse, or rather abhominablenesse,
Ille etenim toto sese iubet orbe colendum,
Cui nisi parueris, crede perire licet)
The pope intermedleth in the matter.
The earle of Flanders forced to agrée with the French king.
and suertie had vpon the promise of Amedie earle of Sauoy, they were set at libertie, with these conditions, that they should deliuer into the French kings hands their daughter, which was so affianced vnto K. Edwards sonne, and further couenanted, not to conclude any league with the king of England, but in all points t'obserue a certeine peace which was concluded with Ferdinando earle of Flanders, in the yeare 1225. And if earle Guie brake the same peace, then should he be excommunicated, and all his countrie of Flanders interdicted by the archbishop of Reims, and the bishop of Senlis, iudges appointed herein by authoritie of the pope.
The earle of Flanders released returneth home.