rty, on the promise of delivering, as his ransom, the
town of Guisnes, near Calais of which he was superior lord: but as John
was offended at this stipulation, which, if fulfilled, opened still
farther that frontier to the enemy, and as he suspected the constable of
more dangerous connections with the king of England, he ordered him to
be seized, and without any legal or formal trial, put him to death, in
prison. Charles de la Cerda was appointed constable in his place;
and had a like fatal end: the king of Navarre ordered him to be
assassinated; and such was the weakness of the crown, that this prince,
instead of dreading punishment, would not even agree to ask pardon for
his offence, but on condition that he should receive an accession of
territory: and he had also John's second son put into his hands, as a
security for his person, when he came to court, and performed this act
of mock penitence and humiliation before his sovereign.[*]

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 144.

{1355.} The two French princes seemed entirely reconciled; but this
dissimulation, to which John submitted from necessity, and Charles from
habit, did not long continue; and the king of Navarre knew that he had
reason to apprehend the most severe vengeance for the many crimes and
treasons which he had already committed, and the still greater, which
he was meditating. To insure himself of protection, he entered into a
secret correspondence with England, by means of Henry, earl of Derby,
now earl of Lancaster, who at that time was employed in fruitless
negotiations for peace at Avignon, under the mediation of the pope. John
detected this correspondence; and to prevent the dangerous effects
of it, he sent forces into Normandy, the chief seat of the king of
Navarre's power, and attacked his castles and fortresses. But hearing
that Edward had prepared an army to support his ally, he had the
weakness to propose an accommodation with Charles, and even to give this
traitorous subject the sum of a hundred thousand crowns, as the purchase
of a feigned reconcilement, which rendered him still more dangerous.
The king of Navarre, insolent from past impunity, and desperate from the
dangers which he apprehended, continued his intrigues; and associating
himself with Geoffrey d'Harcourt, who had received his pardon from
Philip de Valois, but persevered still in his factious disposition, he
increased the number of his partisans in every part of the kingdom. He
even