ss§ s Wanted to unite their armies, to be in greater force, and better enabled to meet the enemy ; for they believed all that had been told them refpeSing the French and Caftillians as true, and - outwardly fhewed much joy thereat. They would willingly have encountered their enemies, for they were con-vinced they could never bring their difpute to any decifion without a battle. • Sir William de Lignac and fir Walter de Pfcflac were always about the king's perfon, and accom-panied him wherever he went; for they had two or three titles a week intelligence from France of what was going en, and likewife from the duke o£ Bourbon. They were waiting ' for him, as he had begun his journey, by way of Avignon, to vifit the pope and cardinals ; and would not therefore offer combat during his abfence, nor would it have bmj\ becoming them fo to do. Among the ne4s thejr had from France, the moft furprifing was the ac-count of the duke of Brittany's arreft and confine-ment of the conftable in the caftle of Ermine, until he ranfomed himfelf, by paying down one hundred^ thoufand francs and the furrender of three caftles and a town, by which the intended invafion of Eng-land was prevented. They were greatly ?iftoni{hed, and could not imagine what the duke of Brittany meant by it : they, however, fuppofed that he muft have been inftigated thereto by the council of England. VOL. VUL U CHAP.