isi • . Chap, cxfct. *Hfe Mm OF FRANCE COLLECTS A LARGE FORCE* TO OPPOSE THE KING OF ENGLAND. ^HUSj whilft the Englilh were burning and de-ftroying great part of Normandy, the king of Prance was, not idle, but had iffued out his fum-mons to the lord John of Hainault who came to him with a powerful company of knights from Hainault and elffewherei he alfo fent to every earl, baron and knight that were dependent on him. They obeyed his futnmons in fuck numbers as Prance had not feen for a hundred years ; but as thole in foreign countries were at great difiances, they were long before they arrived, and the king of England had overrun and deftroyed the whole diftriâ of Coutantin in Normandy, to its great de-triment. - t • When king Philip firft heard of the deftru&ion the king of England was making in his realm, he fwore that the Englifh fhould never return without his having combated with them; and, that the mif-chief they had done to his people fhould be dearly paid for. He haftened, therefore, to difpatch his letters : he fent firft to his good friends in the em-pire, becaufe they were at the greateft diftance, and alfo to the gallant king of Bohemia, whom he much loved, and to'the'lord Charles of Bohemia his fon, who had then the title of king of Germany, which he had obtained, as was well known, through the influence of his father and the king of France, and • ' K2 • he