ord; Edward, by the
advice of d'Arteville, assumed, in his commissions, the title of king
of France; and, in virtue of this right, claimed their assistance for
dethroning Philip de Valois, the usurper of his kingdom.[**]

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 35.

** Heming. p. 303. Walsing. p. 143.

This step, which he feared would destroy all future amity between the
kingdoms, and beget endless and implacable jealousies in France, was not
taken by him without much reluctance and hesitation: and not being in
itself very justifiable, it has in the issue been attended with many
miseries to both kingdoms. From this period we may date the commencement
of that great animosity which the English nation have ever since
borne to the French, which has so visible an influence on all future
transactions, and which has been, and continues to be, the spring of
many rash and precipitate resolutions among them. In all the preceding
reigns since the conquest, the hostilities between the two crowns had
been only casual and temporary; and as they had never been attended
with any bloody or dangerous event, the traces of them were easily
obliterated by the first treaty of pacification. The English nobility
and gentry valued themselves on their French or Norman extraction:
they affected to employ the language of that country in all public
transactions, and even in familiar conversation; and both the English
court and camp being always full of nobles who came from different
provinces of France, the two people were, during some centuries, more
intermingled together than any two distinct nations whom we meet with
in history. But the fatal pretensions of Edward III. dissolved all these
connections, and left the seeds of great animosity in both countries,
especially among the English. For it is remarkable, that this latter
nation, though they were commonly the aggressors, and by their success
and situation were enabled to commit the most cruel injuries on the
other, have always retained a stronger tincture of national antipathy;
nor is their hatred retaliated on them to an equal degree by the French.
That country lies in the middle of Europe, has been successively engaged
in hostilities with all its neighbors, the popular prejudices have been
diverted into many channels, and, among a people of softer manners, they
never rose to a great height against any particular nation.

Philip made great preparations against the attack from the English,
a