Polydor.
The bishop of Winchester, and the bishop of Beauuois being both cardinals, were put in commission by pope Gregorie the eleuenth to treat betwixt the kings of England and France for a peace. But albeit they did their indeuour therein, and mooued both kings to the vttermost of their powers, yet their motions tooke none effect, and therefore was the warre pursued to the vttermost betwixt the parties, & namelie in Aquitaine, where the fortresses were so intermedled one with an other, some English, and some French, that one knew not how to beware of another, nor to auoid the danger, so that the countrie of Poictou and other the marches thereabout were in great tribulation. Sir Robert Knols, sir Thomas Spenser, sir Iohn Triuet, and sir Hugh Hastings, diuiding their powers insunder, went to recouer townes, some in one quarter, and some in an other, and certeine they assaied, but preuailed not: the inhabitants doubting to be punished for their vntruths, made such stout resistance.
The feare which the enimies had of sir Ro. Knols, Sir Berthrā de Cleaquin.
After this, the duke of Lancaster appointed sir Robert Knols to repaire againe to Calis, and by the waie (if occasion serued) to attempt the recouerie of Ponthieu. Sir Robert taking his iournie through France by Paris, came into the marches of Picardie: and bicause in comparison to this man, all the English capteins were litle feared of the Frenchmen, sir Berthram de Cleaquin, the constable of France, leauing the fortresses in the marches of Aquitaine sufficientlie stuffed with men of warre and munition, followed sir Robert Knols, still readie to assaile the hindermost companies, or else to set on the sides of his enimies. So that there chanced manie skirmishes betwixt them, & manie men were slaine on both parts; but at length, when sir Robert Knols saw no likelihood to atchiue his purposed intent in recouerie of the townes of Ponthieu, as Abuile and other, he drew streight to Calis, and the constable retired backe into France.
1372.
An. Reg. 46.
In this 46 yeare, sir Robert Ashton was sent into Ireland as lord deputie there, and in the same yeare, the duke of Lancaster being as then a widower, maried the ladie Constance eldest daughter to Peter king of Spaine, which was slaine by his bastard brother Henrie (as before ye haue heard.) ¶ Also the lord Emund earle of Cambridge maried the ladie Isabell, sister to the same Constance. ¶ Their other sister named Beatrice, affianced to Don Ferdinando, son to Peter king of Portingale, was departed this life a little before this time at Baionne, where they were all thrée left as hostages by their father, when the prince went to bring him home into his countrie (as before yée may read.) Froissard writeth, that the duke married the ladie Constance in Gascoigne, and that shortlie after he returned into England with his said wife and hir sister, leauing the capitall de Bueffz, and other lords of Gascoigne and Poictou in charge with the rule of those countries. By reason of that marriage, the duke of Lancaster, as in right of his wife being the elder sister, caused himselfe to be intituled king of Castile, and his said wife quéene of the same realme.
The earle of Hereford being sent to the sea, with certeine ships of warre, was incountered by the Flemish fléet, before an hauen in Britaine called the Baie, where was fought a sore battell, and long continued for the space of thrée houres: howbeit finallie the victorie abode with the Englishmen, notwithstanding that the Flemings were more in number, and better prouided for the matter. There were taken of them fiue and twentie ships, with their Admerall Iohn Peterson. They had béene at Rochell for wine, and now were come to the Baie for salt vpon their returne homeward, and hearing that the Englishmen would come that waie, staied for them, and first gaue the onset. For yée must remember, that by reason that the earle of Flanders had married his daughter to the duke of Burgognie, which he had first promised to the earle of Cambridge, there was no perfect fréendship betwixt the realme of England, and the countries of the said earle of Flanders.
Sir Guichard Dangle made knight of the Garter.
Polydor.