CHAP. IX.
How the King having recovered the Isle of Angle-Sea from the French, sailed with a great Power into France, to revenge the injury done to his Subjects, and overthrowing their Army, made them dearly purchase Peace.
THe Kings victories daily increasing, the terrour of his name spread wide, and made the most re-doubted Monarch tremble, yet durst Page [unnumbered] France (then powerfull at Sea) invade our Coast, and with fire and sword spoiled many Sea-Towns, carrying away great booty, as also the people, the men they made row in their Gally, and the women to satiate their prodigious Lust: When as the crys of his suffering sub∣jects reaching his ear, where he was delighting himself with his Queen, he resolved once more to forsake the Camp of Venus, and her soft de∣lights, to court Fame and Glory in the Camp of Mars; whereupon having sent to Lotharius for Restitution, and receiving rather scorns than a satisfactory answer from that imperious King, he made great preparations for the War, and had at that time twelve Saile of Ships sent to his aid by his Brother of Danemark; when being in a readi∣ness with an Army of 34000, he coasted the Country; and putting in∣to the Bay of Marselies, with his shot of Arrows that flew like Haile, drove the defendants from the shore, on which himself with his own Standard first leaped, and stood like an inraged Lyon, though a thou∣sand shafts flew round his Head, and many rebounded from his glitte∣ring shield; but long it was not e're the valiant Knights of the Order (imitating their Soveraign) thrust their ships on Land, and putting their Souldiers in Battel-aray, charged furiously upon the formost Battailian of the Enemy, lead by the Duke De Vallois, so that being over-set, they retreated in great disorder, and finding no place to be received, broke the Ranks of their friends; when as the Duke De Ne∣vers advanced with the right wing of Horse to their succour, but was so gau•ed with the shot of Arrows, that the Horses mischiefed more the Riders than did the Brittains.
In this confusion the King drawing out 6000 of his choice men, charged upon the disordered Enemy with such courage that he pierced their main Battel, making lanes of death wherever he came, cutting off Arms, Heads, and Legs, insomuch that the Danish General Giro∣neus imitating him, the French Souldiers (routed in all parts) left their Commanders and fled, insomuch that the slaughter of the Nobi∣lity was great, a fate ever incident to that Kingdom; nor would they trust to the weak wall of Marselies, but flying to Lyons and Paris, left that part of the Country naked, to be possessed of the Brittains.
The terror of this overthrow alaruming the French Court, and find∣ing that brought home to 'em which they had used to others abroad, the people with Tears besought their King to appease the Conquorer in time, and thereby prevent worse desolation, who considering his tottering Kingdom was at stake, sent four of his prime Lords to beg Page [unnumbered] a weeks Cessation or Truce, to which King Arthur (whose aim was more at Glory and Renown than Advantage) accorded; during which time, the King having raised a Million of crowns, sent them in divers Waggons, with other rich Presents, to purchase his Peace, and the departure of his new-come Guest, yet prevailed they not e're he had made his acknowledgment for the indignity put upon the Kings Am∣bassadors, and deliver the Town and Port of Marselies, to be possessed as a pledge of future Peace by the Brittains for the space of 20 years to come, and upon pain of forfeiting it for ever, no Hostilitys to be used by Land, nor depradations by Sea. These Articles accorded, the King hastened to his own Country with the greatest part of his Army, leaving only 2000 Souldiers in Marselies; and having amply rewarded the Danes, dismissed them.
