r recounting the various truces made between the kings of
England and France, and showing how frequently they had been broken by the
French party, to the decay of the English power, except when revived by the
victories of Edward the Third and Henry the Fifth. This part of the
discussion is concluded with a representation (p. 41) of the lamentable
condition of the French subjects of the English crown, when put out of
their lands and tenements. "Heh allas! (thei did crie,) and woo be the tyme
(they saide) that ever we shulde put affiaunce and trust to the Frenshe
partie or theire allies in any trewes-keping, considering so many-folde
tymes we have ben deceived and myschevid thoroughe suche dissimuled
trewes!"

Yet, notwithstanding all these discouragements, a confident trust is
expressed that the inheritance of France will at length be brought to its
true and right estate.

The writer then proposes (p. 41) a question to be resolved by divines, How
be {viii} it that at some times God suffereth the party that hath a true
title and right to be overcome, yet for all that a man should not be
discouraged from pursuing his right. He mentions the last unfortunate
overthrow sustained at Formigny[12] in 1450, and the consequent loss of
Guienne and Bordeaux.

After which follows (p. 43) "another exhortation of the historier,"
addressed to the "highe and myghtifulle prince, king of Englonde and of
France, and alle y^e other noble princes and other puissaunt lordes and
nobles of divers astates olde or yong."

A brief recommendation ensues of the deeds in arms of that mightiful prince
of renommee Henry the Fifth and the three full mighty and noble princes his
brethren; where, in the commendation of Humphrey duke of Gloucester, the
second hand has inserted a note of his "bokys yovyng, as yt ys seyd to the
value of M^l marks, of the vij sciences, of dyvinite, as of law spirituall
and cyvyle, to the universite of Oxford."

Allusion is made (p. 46) to the order of the Garter, "founded (as yt ys
seyd) in token of worship that he being in bataile, what fortune fille,
shulde not voide the feeld, but abide the fortune that God lust sende;" of
which fellowship sir John Chandos, seneschal of Poictou, had been a right
noble exemplar. The historical reminiscences of the author then again lead
him on to the disastrous period during which the continental possessions of
England had been lost, "within the space of one year and fourteen (fifteen)