Townes burnt in Thierasse.
In the meane while, now that king Edward was come backe into England, the warres were hotlie pursued against his fréends, that had their lands néere to the borders of France, and namelie against sir Iohn de Heinault lord Beaumont, for the Frenchmen burned all his lands of Chimaie, except the fortresses, and tooke from thence a great preie. All the frontiers were full of men of warre, lodged within townes in garrison, as at Tournie, Mortaigne, S. Amond, Dowaie, Cambrie, and in other smaller fortresses. These men of warre laie not idle, but were dooing oftentimes in Flanders, and sometime otherwhere, neither was the countrie of Heinault spared, though the earle (as yée haue heard) did not onelie refuse to serue the king of England against France, but also when the same king entred France, he resorted to the French king, and serued him; yet by the suggestion of the bishop of Cambrie, who complained of the Hainuiers, for the damages which they had doone him, the French garrisons of the frontiers thereabouts were commanded to make a road into that countrie, which they did, burning the towne of Asper, and brought from thence a great bootie. The earle of Heinault sore mooued therewith to haue his lands so spoiled and burnt, defied the French king, and ioining with his vncle the lord Beaumont, entred with an armie into Thierasse, tooke & destroied Aubenton, with Mawbert, Fonteine, Daubecuille, and diuerse other.
Flanders interdicted.
Ad. Merim.
Adam Merimuth.
Iac. Meir.
The earles of Salisburie & Suffolke taken.
The countrie of Heinault inuaded.
In this meane time the French king procured the pope to pronounce his cursse against the Flemings for their rebellion, and to suspend all diuine seruice that ought to be said in anie hallowed place, so that there were no priests to be found that would take vpon them to saie any diuine seruice: wherevpon the Flemings sent ouer into England certeine messengers to giue notice to king Edward how they were intreated, but he sent them word that he would bring at his comming ouer vnto them, priests that should saie masses and other seruice, whether the pope would or not, for he had priuilege so to doo. ¶ In Aprill, William Melton archbishop of Yorke departed this life, after whome variance rose in the election of a new gouernour to that church, so that two were elected, William la Zouch and William Killesbie: but at length William la Zouch tooke place, being the 43 archbishop that had sit in that seat. ¶ The earles of Salisburie and Suffolke, which were left in Flanders by king Edward to helpe the Flemings, shortlie after Ester, or (as other haue) in the time of Lent, were discomfited by the garrison of Lisle, and taken prisoners as they would haue passed by that towne, to haue ioined with Iaques Arteueld, meaning to besiege Tournie; but now by the taking of those two earles that enterprise was broken. The duke of Normandie with a great armie entred into Heinault, burning and wasting the countrie, euen to the gates of Valenciennes and Quesnoy. And thus were they occupied in those parts, whilest the king of England prepared himselfe with all diligence to returne into Flanders.