Polydor.
Froissard.
500 speares, & 115 other.
When the bishop therefore had set things in good forwardnesse for his iournie, he drew towards the sea side, and was so desirous to passe ouer, and to inuade his aduersaries, |758| that although the king sent to him an expresse commandement by letters to returne to the court, that he might conferre with him before he tooke the seas; yet excusing himselfe, that the time would not then permit him to staie longer, he passed ouer to Calis, where he landed the 23 of Aprill, in this sixt yeare of king Richards reigne. The armie to attend him in this iournie, rose to the number of two thousand horssemen, and fifteene thousand footmen (as some write) though other speake of a far lesser number. But it should seeme that they went not ouer all at one time, but by parts, as some before the bishop, some with him, and some after him.
The bishop of Norwich inuadeth Flanders.
Ia. Meir. Dunkirke woon & sacked by the Englishmen.
The earle of Flāders sendeth to the bishop of Norwich to know the cause of his inuasion of Flanders.
Now when he and the capteins before named, were come ouer to Calis, they tooke counsell togither into what place they should make their first inuasion; and bicause their commission was to make warre onelie against those that held with pope Clement, the more part were of this mind, that it should be most expedient for them to enter into France, and to make warre against the Frenchmen, whom all men knew to be chiefe mainteiners of the said Clement. But the bishop of Norwich was of this opinion, that they could not doo better than to inuade the countrie of Flanders, bicause that a litle before, earle Lewes hauing intelligence that king Richard had made a confederacie with them of Gaunt, had on the other part expelled all Englishmen out of his dominions and countries, so that the merchants which had their goods at Bruges, and other places in Flanders, susteined great losses. Howbeit there were that replied against the bishops purpose herein, as sir Hugh Caluerlie and others; yet at length they yeelded thereto, and so by his commandement they went streight to Grauelin, the 21 day of Maie, and immediatlie wan it by assault. Wherevpon Bruckburge was yeelded vnto them, the liues and goods of them within saued. Then went they to Dunkirke, & without any great resistance entred the towne, and wan there excéeding much by the spoile, for it was full of riches, which the Englishmen pilfered at their pleasure. The earle of Flanders lieng at Lisle was aduertised how the Englishmen were thus entered his countrie, wherevpon he sent ambassadors vnto the English host, to vnderstand why they made him warre that was a right Vrbanist.
The bishop of Norwich for answer, declared to them that were sent, that he tooke the countrie to apperteine to the French king, as he that had of late conquered it, whom all the whole world knew to be a Clementine, or at the least he was assured that the countrie thereabouts was of the inheritance of the ladie of Bar, which likewise was a Clementine: and therefore, except the people of that countrie would come and ioine with him to go against such as were knowne to be enimies to pope Vrbane, he would suerlie séeke to destroie them. And whereas the earls ambassadors required safe conduct to go into England by Calis, to vnderstand the kings pleasure in this mater, the bishop would grant them none at all; wherefore they went backe againe to the earle their maister with that answer.
The herald of armes sent to ye Flemings by the bishop of Norwich is slaine.