MATTHEW OT WSBTMTJISTEB. A.D. 1293. of the English by different kinds of death, and hang others to the yards of the masts of the ship, together with some dogs, at which the barons of the Cinque Ports were indignant, and speedily equipped their ships with all necessary naval appointments, to avenge the injury done to the English. And passing over the swelling back of the sea with a numerous fleet, they slew with the sword their enemies who came to encounter them, and threw their carcasses into the sea, without respect to their rank, and did not letone single survivor escape, and brought back their vessels, and baggage, and wines, and other necessaries to their own homes, and all the contents of their ships, dividing the ships and their spoils among themselves; of which spoils the king of England would not accept anything, on the ground of not having given his sanction to their design, because they had done what they had done without his command ; therefore the French, being alarmed and thrown into confusion, went to the lord their king, entreating his aid. And accordingly, ambassadors are sent between the two kings to treat of the establishment of peace ; but the end could not be expected yet, unless kingdom should rise against kingdom, at the instigation of Charles, the brother of the king of France, a man of great nobleness and influence. However, by sea the English forces prevailed. In the meantime, the Cistercian abbots, fearing for their skins, who previously, without any objection, had been accustomed from time to time to visit their principal monastery in Burgundy, coming from the English territories to the seacoast, hearing evil reports, returned home again, without having obtained leave from their fathers, because they heard terrible news at Dover from the bishop of London and other ambassadors of the king of England, arriving from the king of France. But the scholars who were studying at Paris, with other students of England, in like manner returned to their native land. So, while the kingdoms of France and England were being agitated by these storms, a certain noble count, namely, the count de la Barre, whose power, to a great degree, depended on the empire, arrived in England for the purpose of marrying the eldest daughter of the lord the king of England, by name Eleanor, attended by a numerous company of noble knights and others. And the king received him honourably, and carried him about with him for several days.