tie quitted St. Dents, and -his people overran the whole country., plundering it as far as Melun fur Seine*, where the queen Blanche his filter, the widow of king Philip, refidedThat lady^received him cheerfully, and gave up to him every thing ihe poffeffed.* The king of Navarre made this town and caftle his principal garrifon. He collected men at arms from all parts, and foldiers from Brabant, Ger-many, Hainaulf, Bohemia. People every where came willingly to ferve under him; for be paid them largely out of the treafures he bad aoMfied, through the means of the provoft of merchants, from the city ôf Paria, as well as from the neigh-bouring towns. . The lord Philip de Navarre withdrew his forces to Mantes f and MeulanJ, upon the river Seine, where he pofted garrifons. Every day their forces .were mereafed by thofe who were défirent of getting money. v In this manner did the king of Navarre begin his war upon the kingdom of, France ; which was especially dire&ed againft the city of Paris, for he was mailer of the three rivers, the Seinej Marne, and Oife. * Melun,—an ancient town in the iile of frapce, tea leagues mi a half from Paris. t Mantes,—in the ilk of France, capital of the Maçto», four-teen leagues from Paris. Î Meulan, or Meuitent,—irf the ifle of France, four leagutt Iran Mantes, ten from Paris. The 410