executing their pretended purpose.

* Du Tillet, Recueil de Traites, etc. Heming. p. 325, 326.
Walsing, p. 149.

While the French and English armies lay in this situation, and a general
action was every day expected, Jane, countess dowager of Hainault,
interposed with her good offices, and endeavored to conciliate peace
between the contending monarchs, and to prevent any further effusion of
blood. This princess was mother-in-law to Edward, and sister to Philip;
and though she had taken the vows in a convent, and had renounced the
world, she left her retreat on this occasion, and employed all her pious
efforts to allay those animosities which had taken place between persons
so nearly related to her and to each other. As Philip had no material
claims on his antagonist, she found that he hearkened willingly to the
proposals; and even the haughty and ambitious Edward, convinced of his
fruitless attempt, was not averse to her negotiation. He was sensible,
from experience, that he had engaged in an enterprise which far exceeded
his force; and that the power of England was never likely to prevail
over that of a superior kingdom, firmly united under an able and
prudent monarch. He discovered that all the allies whom he could gain
by negotiation were at bottom averse to his enterprise; and though
they might second it to a certain length, would immediately detach
themselves, and oppose its final accomplishment, if ever they could be
brought to think that there was seriously any danger of it. He even
saw that their chief purpose was to obtain money from him; and as his
supplies from England came in very slowly, and had much disappointed his
expectations, he perceived their growing indifference in his cause,
and their desire of embracing all plausible terms of accommodation.
Convinced at last that an undertaking must be imprudent which could only
be supported by means so unequal to the end, he concluded a truce,
which left both parties in possession of their present acquisitions,
and stopped all further hostilities on the side of the Low Countries,
Guienne, and Scotland, till midsummer next.[*] A negotiation was soon
after opened at Arras, under the mediation of the pope's legates; and
the truce was attempted to be converted into a solid peace. Edward here
required that Philip should free Guienne from all claims of superiority,
and entirely withdraw his protection from Scotland: but as he seemed
not anywise entitled to m