a 35. at Berwik. Berwick fell as a result of the battle of Halidon Hill which the Scots fought with the object of raising the siege. For an earlier siege of Berwick, in 1319, see No. X.
a 36. get, 'watch', 'be on the look out' (ON. gǽta).
b 5-6. Calais was at this time a convenient base for piracy in the Channel.
b 19. A bare: Edward III, whom Minot often refers to as 'the boar'.
b 24-6. In preparation for the long siege Edward III had built a regular camp beside Calais.
b 32. Sir Philip. Philip de Valois, Philip VI of France (1293-1350). His son, John Duke of Normandy (1319-64), who succeeded him in 1350, is of good memory as a lover of fine books. Two are mentioned in the notes to XI a 25 ff. and XI b 234. A splendid copy of the Miracles de Notre Dame, preserved until recently in the Seminary Library at Soissons, seems also to have been captured with his baggage at Poitiers, for it was bought back from the English by King Charles V. Another famous book produced by his command was the translation of Livy by Bersuire, with magnificent illuminations. The spirit of the collector was not damped by his captivity in England from 1356-60, for his account books show that he continued to employ binders and miniaturists, to encourage original composition, and to buy books, especially books of romance. See Notes et Documents relatifs à Jean, Roi de France, &c., ed. by Henry of Orleans, Duc d'Aumale (Philobiblon Soc., London 1855-6).
b 40. þe Cardinales. Pope Clement VI had sent cardinals Annibale Ceccano bishop of Frascati, and Etienne Aubert, who became Pope Innocent VI in 1352, to arrange a peace between France and England. But the English were suspicious of the Papal court at Avignon, and accused the cardinals of favouring the French cause.
b 82. Sir Iohn de Viene. Jean de Vienne, seigneur de Pagny (d. 1351), a famous captain in the French wars.
c 5 f. 'They (friends) are so slippery when put to the test, so eager to have <for themselves>, and so unwilling to give up <to others>.'