e southern provinces of France with
horror and devastation.[*]

The flames of war were at the same time kindled in Brittany. Charles of
Blois invaded that province with a considerable army, and invested the
fortress of Roche de Rien; but the countess of Mountfort, reenforced by
some English troops under Sir Thomas Dagworth, attacked him during the
night in his intrenchments, dispersed his army, and took Charles himself
prisoner.[**] His wife, by whom he enjoyed his pretensions to Brittany,
compelled by the present necessity, took on her the government of the
party, and proved herself a rival in every shape, and an antagonist to
the countess of Mountfort, both in the field and in the cabinet. And
while these heroic dames presented this extraordinary scene to the
world, another princess in England, of still higher rank, showed herself
no less capable of exerting every manly virtue.

The Scottish nation, after long defending, with incredible perseverance,
their liberties against the superior force of the English, recalled
their king, David Bruce, in 1342. Though that prince, neither by his
age nor capacity, could bring them great assistance, he gave them
the countenance of sovereign authority; and as Edward's wars on the
continent proved a great diversion to the force of England, they
rendered the balance more equal between the kingdoms. In every
truce which Edward concluded with Philip, the king of Scotland was
comprehended; and when Edward made his last invasion upon France, David
was strongly solicited by his ally to begin also hostilities, and to
invade the northern counties of England. The nobility of his nation
being always forward in such incursions, David soon mustered a great
army, entered Northumberland at the head of above fifty thousand men,
and carried his ravages and devastations to the gates of Durham.[***]
But Queen Philippa, assembling a body of little more than twelve
thousand men,[****] which she intrusted to the command of Lord Piercy,
ventured to approach him at Neville's Cross near that city; and riding
through the ranks of her army, exhorted every man to do his duty, and to
take revenge on these barbarous ravagers.[*****]

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 136.

** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 143. Walsing, p. 168. Ypod.
Neust p. 517, 518.

*** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 137.

**** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 138.

***** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 138.

Nor could she be persuade