o more hot for war,
than perhaps they had expected. It is said that he learned the defeat of
his navy at Ecluse from his court fool, who was the first to announce it,
and in the following fashion. "The English are cowards," said he. "Why
so?" asked the king. "Because they lacked courage to leap into the sea
at Ecluse, as the French and Normans did." Philip lost no time about
putting the places on his northern frontier in a state of defence, he
took up his quarters first at Arras, and then three leagues from Tournay,
into which his constable, Raoul d'Eu, immediately threw himself, with a
considerable force, and whither his allies, the Duke of Lorraine, the
Count of Savoy, the Bishops of Liege, Metz, and Verdun, and nearly all
the barons of Burgundy came and joined him. On the 27th of July, 1340,
he received there from his rival a challenge of portentous length, the
principal terms of which are set forth as follows:

"Philip of Valois, for a long time past we have taken proceedings, by
means of messages and other reasonable ways, to the end that you might
restore to us our rightful heritage of France, which you have this long
while withheld from us and do most wrongfully occupy. And as we do
clearly see that you do intend to persevere in your wrongful withholding,
we do give you notice that we are marching against you to bring our
rightful claims to an issue. And, whereas so great a number of folks
assembled on our side and on yours, cannot keep themselves together for
long without causing great destruction to the people and the country, we
desire, as the quarrel is between you and us, that the decision of our
claim should be between our two bodies. And if you have no mind to this
way, we propose that our quarrel should end by a battle, body to body,
between a hundred persons, the most capable on your side and on ours.
And, if you have no mind either to one way or to the other, that you do
appoint us a fixed day for fighting before the city of Tournay, power to
power. Given under our privy seal, on the field near Tournay, the 26th
day of July, in the first year of our reign in France and in England the
fourteenth."

Philip replied, "Philip, by the grace of God King of France to Edward,
King of England. We have seen your letters brought to our court, as from
you to Philip of Valois, and containing certain demands which you make
upon the said Philip of Valois. And, as the said letters did not come to
ourself, w