France the acceptance or refusal of such exorbitant demands.
He summoned a meeting, to be held at Paris on the 19th of May, of
churchmen, nobles, and deputies from the good towns; but "there came but
few deputies, as well because full notice had not by that time been given
of the said summons, as because the roads were blocked by the English and
the Navarrese, who occupied fortresses in all parts whereby it was
possible to get to Paris." The assembly had to be postponed from day to
day. At last, on the 25th of May, the regent repaired to the palace. He
halted on the marble staircase; around him were ranged the three estates;
and a numerous multitude filled the court-yard. In presence of all the
people, William de Dormans, king's advocate in parliament, read the
treaty of peace, which was to divide the kingdom into two parts, so as to
hand over one to the foes of France. The reading of it roused the
indignation of the people. The estates replied that the treaty was not
"tolerable or feasible," and in their patriotic enthusiasm "decreed to
make fair war on the English." But it was not enough to spare the
kingdom the shame of such a treaty; it was necessary to give the regent
the means of concluding a better. On the 2d of June, the nobles
announced to the dauphin that they would serve for a month at their own
expense, and that they would pay besides such imposts as should be
decreed by the good towns. The churchmen also offered to pay them. The
city of Paris undertook to maintain "six hundred swords, three hundred
archers, and a thousand brigands." The good towns offered twelve
thousand men; but they could not keep their promise, the country being
utterly ruined.

When King John heard at Windsor that the treaty, whereby he had hoped to
be set at liberty, had been rejected at Paris, he showed his displeasure
by a single outburst of personal animosity, saying, "Ah! Charles, fair
son, you were counselled by the King of Navarre, who deceives you, and
would deceive sixty such as you!" Edward III., on his side, at once took
measures for recommencing the war; but before engaging in it he had King
John removed from Windsor to Hertford Castle, and thence to Somerton,
where he set a strong guard. Having thus made certain that his prisoner
would not escape from him, he put to sea, and, on the 28th of October,
1359, landed at Calais with a numerous and well-supplied army. Then,
rapidly traversing Northern France, he did n