lish, instead of being a cordial friend, was Edward's most
dangerous rival, and, in the opinion of his partisans, possessed a much
preferable title to the crown of France. That the prolongation of the
war, however it might enrich the English soldiers, was ruinous to the
king himself, who bore all the charges of the armament, without reaping
any solid or durable advantage from it. That if the present disorders of
France continued, that kingdom would soon be reduced to such a state of
desolation, that it would afford no spoils to its ravagers, if it could
establish a more steady government, it might turn the chance of war in
its favor, and by its superior force and advantages be able to repel the
present victors. That the dauphin, even during his greatest distresses,
had yet conducted himself with so much prudence, as to prevent the
English from acquiring one foot of land in the kingdom; and it were
better for the king to accept by a peace what he had in vain attempted
to acquire by hostilities, which, however hitherto successful, had been
extremely expensive, and might prove very dangerous. And that Edward
having acquired so much glory by his arms, the praise of moderation
was the only honor to which he could now aspire; an honor so much the
greater, as it was durable, was united with that of prudence, and might
be attended with the most real advantages.[*]

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 211.

These reasons induced Edward to accept of more moderate terms of peace;
and it is probable that, in order to palliate this change of resolution,
he ascribed it to a vow made during a dreadful tempest, which attacked
his army on their march, and which ancient historians represent as
the cause of this sudden accommodation.[*] The conferences between the
English and French commissioners were carried on during a few days at
Bretigni, in the Chartraine, and the peace was at last concluded on the
following conditions:[**] it was stipulated that King John should be
restored to his liberty, and should pay as his ransom three millions of
crowns of gold, about one million five hundred thousand pounds of
our present money;[***] [9] which was to be discharged at different
payments: that Edward should forever renounce all claim to the crown of
France, and to the provinces of Normandy, Maine, Touraine, and Anjou,
possessed by his ancestors; and should receive in exchange the provinces
of Poictou, Xaintonge, l'Agenois, Perigord, the Limousin, Q