would not suffer anie of his people to issue foorth of the gates, but commanded them to be readie onelie to defend the walles and gates, although he had a great power of men of warre within the citie, beside the huge multitude of the inhabitants. The Englishmen to prouoke their enimies the sooner to saile forth, burnt diuerse parts of the suburbs, and rode euen to the gates of the citie. When they perceiued that the Frenchmen would not come foorth, about thrée of the clocke in the afternoone they departed out of the field and withdrew to their campe, and then the king and all the English host remooued towards Chartres, and was lodged at a place called Dones. Thither came to him the bishop of Beauuois then chancellor of Normandie, with other, and so handled the matter with him, that a new daie of treatie was appointed to be holden at Bretignie, which is little more then a mile distant from Chartres, vpon the first day of Maie next insuing.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster persuadeth the king to agrée.]
In which daie and place appointed, the foresaid duke of Lancaster, and the said earles and other commissioners met with the said bishop, and other French lords and spirituall men to him associate, on the behalfe of the duke of Normandie then regent of France, to renew the former communication of peace, in full hope to bring it to a good conclusion; bicause king Edward began to frame his imagination more to accord with his aduersaries, than he had doone of late, chéefelie for that the duke of Lancaster with courteous words and sage persuasions, aduised him not to forsake such reasonable conditions as the Frenchmen were contented now to agrée vnto, sith that by making such manner of warre as he had attempted, his souldiers onelie gained, and he himselfe lost but time, and consumed his treasure: and further he might warre in this sort all the daies of his life, before he could atteine to his intent, and loose perhaps in one daie more than he had gained in twentie yeares.
[Sidenote: An hideous storme & tempest of wether.]
Such words spoken for the wealth of the king and his subiects, conuerted the kings mind to fansie peace, namelie by the grace of the Holie-ghost chéefe worker in this case. For it chanced on a daie, as he was marching not farre from Chartres, there came such a storm and tempest of thunder, lightening, haile and raine, as the like had neuer béene séene by anie of the English people. This storme fell so hideous in the kings host, that it séemed the world should haue ended: for such vnreasonable great stones of haile fell from the skie, that men and horsses were slaine therewith, so that the most hardie were abashed. There perished thousands thereby, as some haue written. Then the king remembring what reasonable offers of agréement he had refused, vpon remorse of conscience (as by some writers should appeare) asked forgiuenesse of the damage doone by sword and fire in those parts, and fullie determined to grant vnto indifferent articles of peace, for reléefe of the christian inhabitants of that land: and so shortlie after, by the good diligence of the commissioners on both parts, an vnitie and finall peace was accorded, the conditions whereof were comprised in fortie and one articles, the chiefe whereof in effect were these.