The French king set at libertie.
Also the duke of Normandie came from Bullongne to Calis, to visit his father, and to sée the king of England, in which meane time two of king Edwards sonnes were at Bullongne. Finallie, when these two kings had finished all matters in so good order and forme that the same could not be amended nor corrected, and that the French king had deliuered his hostages to the king of England, that is to saie, six dukes, beside earles, lords, and other honorable personages, in all to the number of eight and thirtie: on the morrow after the taking of their oths, that is to saie on the fiue and twentith daie of October, being sundaie, the French king was fréelie deliuered, and the same daie before noone he departed from Calis, and rode to Bullongne. The king of England brought him a mile foreward on his waie, and then tooke leaue of him in most louing maner. The prince attended him to Bullongne, where both he and the duke of Normandie with other were eftsoons sworne to hold and mainteine the foresaid peace without all fraud or colourable deceit: and this doone, the prince returned to Calis. Thus was the French king set at libertie, after he had béene prisoner here in England the space of foure yeares, and as much as from the ninetéenth daie of September, vnto the fiue and twentith of October. When the king of England had finished his businesse at Calis, according to his mind, he returned into England, and came to London the ninth daie of Nouember.
¶ Thus haue yée hard the originall begining, the processe, and issue of sundrie conflicts and battels, and speciallie of two, one of Iohn the French king vnluckilie attempted against England; the other of Dauid the Scotish king as vnfortunatlie ended. For both kings were subdued in fight, vanquished, and taken prisoners; with a great number of their noblemen, whereas they were in hope to haue gone awaie with the conquest, and to haue had renowme for their reward. Of which ouerthrow giuen to both these kings, with the clemencie of king Edward (in whose hands though their liues laie to be disposed as he list, yet he was so far from violating the same, that he shewed himselfe a woonderfull fauourer of their estates, and in fine not onelie put them to their reasonable ransoms, but restored them to their roialties, from the which their sinister lot had deposed them) Christopher Okland hath left this remembred:
In Angl. prœl. sub Edwardo, 3.
Plantageneta duos reges iam illustris habebat
Captiuos, tenuit comites custodia mitis
Multos ambabus claro regionibus ortos
Sanguine, quos sæuo bello cepere Britanni.
Attamen Eduardi viguit clementia regis
Tanta, & tanta animo virtus innata sedebat,
Vt pretio & pacto dimitteret ære redemptos
In patriam ad propriæ consanguinitatis amicos.
Strange woonders.
A great death.
In this foure and thirtith yeare of king Edward, men and cattell were destroied in diuerse places of this realme, by lightening and tempest; also houses were set on fire and burnt, and manie strange and woonderfull sights séene. ¶ The same yeare Edward prince of Wales married the countesse of Kent, which before was wife vnto the lord Thomas Holland: and before that, she was also wife vnto the erle of Salisburie, and diuorsed from him, and wedded to the same lord Holland. She was daughter vnto Edmund earle of Kent, brother to king Edward the second, that was beheaded in the beginning of this kings reigne, as before yée haue heard. And bicause the prince and shée were within degrées of consanguinitie forbidden to marrie, a dispensation was gotten from the pope to remooue that let. In this yeare also was a great death of people (namelie of men, for women were not so much subiect thereto.) This was called the second mortalitie, bicause it was the second that fell in this kings daies.
Hen. Marl.
The primat of Ardmach departed this life.