A.D. 1294. THE XING OE ENGLAND SEEKS ASSISTANCE. 501 In this year, too, the justiciaries going the circuit sat on the day of Saint Catharine, at the old stone cross at Westminster. This year, John of Peckham, archbishop of Canterbury, died, and was succeeded by Master Robert of Winchilsea, archdeacon of Essex. Wales now ceases to he free, A new archbishop rules his see. A.D . 1294. Edward, king of England, held his parliament at Westminster, after the feast of Pentecost, which was attended by John, king of Scotland, and by all the nobles of England ; and at this parliament were recited, in the hearing of all those then present, the reasons for the commencement and continuance of this war, and the reports of the ambassadors j and also the promises which had been made of re-establishing peace in England. At which statement each of the ambassadors of the lord the king showed his hand in all good faith, to the utmost of his power. At last, every one agreed to recover Guienne by force of arms. Then the king of Scotland granted to the king of England, for three years, the revenues of all his estates, which belonged to him by hereditary right, in the kingdom of England, as a subsidy towards the recovery of Guienne, contenting himself with those of Scotland alone. And the other earls and nobles promised him aid from their resources. Therefore from that day forth all passage across the sea was forbidden, by which the merchants incurred heavy losses, and the scarcity and dearness of corn increased every day in the English territories. But the king of England, being aware of the power of the king of France, and of the deceitfulness of the French, and of their customary and inveterate malignity, and considering in his own mind every thing that either could now, or might hereafter, tend to his security, sent embassies to the people of the province, and to the neighbouring kings and princes, to come to his assistance in his necessities, when they should see a suitable place and opportunity. In the mean time, the king of Arragon sends four of his chief nobles, men of the highest nobility and reputation, who, passing through the middle of France, with valuable presents, and being also attended by some persons in the disguise of poor men, who proceeded, if not publicly, at all events cautiously (whether they preceded or followed them I do not know), and who carried their letters,