his
pretensions, which must have immediately involved him, on very unequal
terms, in a dangerous and implacable war with so powerful a monarch.
Philip was a prince of mature years, of great experience, and at that
time of an established character both for prudence and valor; and by
these circumstances, as well as by the internal union of his people, and
their acquiescence in his undoubted right, he possessed every advantage
above a raw youth, newly raised, by injustice and violence, to the
government of the most intractable and most turbulent subjects in
Europe. But there immediately occurred an incident which required that
Edward should either openly declare his pretensions, or forever renounce
and abjure them. He was summoned to do homage for Guienne: Philip was
preparing to compel him by force of arms: that country was in a very bad
state of defence: and the forfeiture of so rich an inheritance was, by
the feudal law, the immediate consequence of his refusing or declining
to perform the duty of a vassal. Edward therefore thought it prudent
to submit to present necessity: he went over to Amiens, did homage to
Philip, and as there had arisen some controversy concerning the terms
of this submission, he afterwards sent over a formal deed, in which
he acknowledged that he owed liege homage to France;[**] which was in
effect ratifying, and that in the strongest terms, Philip's title to the
crown of that kingdom. His own claim indeed was so unreasonable, and so
thoroughly disavowed by the whole French nation, that to insist on it
was no better than pretending to the violent conquest of the kingdom;
and it is probable that he would never have further thought of it, had
it not been for some incidents which excited an animosity between the
monarchs.

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 22.

** Rymer, vol. iv. p. 477, 481. Froissard, liv. i. chap. 25.
Anon, Hist. p. 394. Walsing. p. 130. Murimuth, p. 73. 195

Robert of Artois was descended from the blood royal of France, was a man
of great character and authority, had espoused Philip's sister, and by
his birth, talents, and credit was entitled to make the highest figure,
and fill the most important offices in the monarchy. This prince had
lost the county of Artois, which he claimed as his birthright, by a
sentence, commonly deemed iniquitous, of Philip the Fair; and he was
seduced to attempt recovering possession by an action so unworthy of his
rank and character as a