Hainault, who was unable toride 01* horfeback ; and before his brother John. They managed matters fo well, by a plentiful diftribution of florins among the principals and others, that they agreed to defy the king of France, and to go with the king of England whenever and wherever he pleafed, and that each would ferve him with a certain number of men at arms, with helmets furmounted •'• with crefts. Now is the time come when we mult fpeak of * lances, swords, and* coats of mail ; and I inform you, that the above named lofds promifed the ambaffadors from England, that they would ally themfelves with the lords on the otherfide of the Rhine, who had the power to bring à large number of men at arms, but they muftfirft be furniihed with the means to fix them. Thefe lords from Germany then took their leave, and departed to their own country j the Engliih lords remained fome little time longer with the earl of Hainault. They fent many meflages to Raoul, biihop of Liege, and would moft willingly have drawn him over to their own party ; but he would do nothing againft the king of France, whofe liegeman he was, and to whom hé had fworn fealty. The king of Bohemia was not fent to, becaufe they knew he was fo connected with the king of France, by the marriage of John duke of Normandy with the lady Bona, daughter of that king, that he would never a$ againft him. CHAP.