Page:History of Wat Tyler and Jack Straw.pdf/5

                  (  5  ) and most of the courtiers .—This glorious and ever menorable deed was performed in the Year 1378.

The next year the third of the reign of the King of France, presuming to take the advantage of the King’s minority, with. some Spanish aid, landed in the South- West part of England, ransacked and burned the towns of Plymouth, Dart- mouth. Rye and other coast towns, and were then marching farther into the main land, until, by the Earl of Cambridge, uncle to the King, and the Earls of Saiis- bury and Buckingham, and their forces they were encountered, and beat back to their ships, but soon alter landed again’ and did very considerable damage to the towns of Dover, Winchelsea. Hastings, and Gravesend, from v/hence, uninter- rupted they returned to France.

For the prevention of the like injuries for the future, and revenge for those al- ready offered, a parliment was assembled at Westminster; in which a subsidy of four pence per poll of each sex through- out the whole kingdom, above the age of fourteen years, was granted to the King, the levying of this lax procured much