There was come to the duke of Lancaster a knight of the marches of Almaine, called sir Robert de Namur with an hundred speares: but yet the duke of Lancasters host was but one handfull of men, in respect of the huge number of the French armie, wherin were (as Froissard writeth) foure thousand knights beside others. But yet for all his great puissance and number of men, he would not aduenture to assaile the Englishmen in their lodgings, as it was thought he would haue doone, but kept himselfe and his men vpon the hill, from the foure and twentith of August, vnto the twelfth of September, and then dislodged not much to his honour, howsoeuer writers doo excuse it, declaring how his brother had giuen him streight commandement, that in no wise he should fight with the Englishmen: and that when he had sent to his brother for commission either to fight, or to remooue, he was commanded to turne with all spéed vnto Paris, and to breake vp his armie for that time. Some there be that write, how that after both these hostes had lien the one against the other a long space, to the reproofe of both chiefteins, it chanced that the lord Thomas Beauchampe earle of Warwike came thitherward by sea, to be at the battell, which he heard would shortlie follow betwéene the two armies: but yer he was come to land, the Frenchmen for feare durst no longer abide, but secretlie in the night departed and fled towards Hesdin, and so to Paris, for the which their flight, the duke of Burgognie was after blamed of his brother the French king.
Froissard.
The quéene of England departeth this life.
Hir thrée petitions to the king.
In this meane while, that is to saie, on the euen of the Assumption of our ladie, died that noble princesse, the ladie Philip quéene of England. It is said that when she perceiued that she must néeds depart out of this transitorie life, she desired to speake with the king hir husband, and when he was come to hir with a sorowfull hart to sée hir in that state, she tooke him by the hand, and after courteous words of induction, she required of him to grant hir thrée requests.
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The first request was, that all such merchants, and other men, with whom she had bargained in any condition, might be answered of all such debts as she owght them, whether they dwelled on this side the sea or beyond.
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The second request was, that all such ordinances and promises, as she had made to churches, as well within this realme, as in the parts of the further side the sea, might be performed.
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