[Sidenote: Commissioners eftsoones met to common of peace.]
During that gréeuous mortalitie and cruell pestilence before remembered, the pope at the instant request of the English cardinals, granted vnto all those that died in England, being shriuen and repentant of their sinnes, cleane remission of the same, by two buls inclosed vnder lead. The duke of Lancaster about the feast of All saints met with the French commissioners againe at Bruges. There was with him the duke of Britaine, the earle of Salisburie, and the bishop of London. For the French king there appéered the duke of Burgognie, the earle of Salebruch, and the bishop of Amiens. And at saint Omers laie the duke of Aniou, the archbishop of Rauenna, and the bishop of Carpentras tooke great paine to go to and fro betwéene the parties: but they were sofar at ods in their demands, and as it were of set purpose on the French behalfe, that no good could be doone betwixt them. The French king required to haue Calis raced, and to haue againe fourtéene hundred thousand franks, which were paid for the ransome of king Iohn. The king of England demanded to haue all the lands restored to him in Gascoigne and Guien cléerelie exempt of all resorts. So when nothing could be concluded touching a final peace, the truce was renewed to indure till the feast of S. Iohn Baptist next insuing, which should be in the yeare 1376.
[Sidenote: The lord Latimer. Dame Alice Perers. Sir Richard Sturrie. The request of the commons.]
In this fiftith yeare, king Edward assembled his high court of parlement at Westminster, in the which was demanded a subsidie of the commons for the defense of the kings dominions against his enimies. Wherevnto answer was made by the common house, that they might no longer beare such charges, considering the manifold burthens by them sustained in time past. And further they said, it was well knowne the king was rich inough to withstand his enimies, if his monie and treasure were well imploied: but the land had béene of long time euill guided by euill officers, so that the same could not be stored with chaffer, merchandize, or other riches. The commons also declared whom they tooke and judged to be chéefe causer of this disorder, as the duke of Lancaster, & the L. Latimer lord chamberleine to the king; also dame Alice Perers, whom the king long time kept to his concubine; and also one named sir Richard Sturrie, by whose sinister meanes and euill counsell the king was misled, and the land euill gouerned. Wherefore the commons by the mouth of their speaker sir Péers de la Mere, required that those persons might be remooued from the king, and other more discréet set in their roomes about his person, and so put in authoritie, that they might sée to his honour and weale of the realme, more than the other had doone before them.