Page:Conquest of France (1).pdf/4

4 brother, procured King Edward to be Vicar General of the Empire, ſo that, without being controul'd, he might command the nobles, and common people of thoſe countries, to further his purpoſe in the intended war.

But how ſecretly ſoever theſe things were carried, the French had private notice of what was doing, and ſtopped the army he had raiſed, at the importunity of Pope Benedict the eleventh, from paſſing into the Holy Land, to war againſt the Turks and Saracens, reſolving to defend his own country from the ſtorm. In the mean time King Edward ſo ſettled his affairs, that in the ſpring, he landed in France, with an army of 27,000 men, bringing a terror on the country; tho' the French had an army of 60,000 ſoldiers to oppoſe him, being accompanied with three kings, five dukes, ſix and twenty earls, and more than four thouſand lords and knights: and ſo both armies drawing into the field, and approaching each other; as the bloody blaſt was about to be ſounded, by the mediation of Jane, counteſs of Hanault, ſiſter to King Philip, and mother to King Edward's Queen, ſeparated from each other without ſtriking a blow, to the great diſcontent of the Engliſh, who full of valour thirſted to begin the battle.

King Edward laid aſide his pretenſions, but hearing the French King had ſent out a great