fubje&s had good right and juft caufe to break the peace, to make war upon the Englifh, and deprive them of the poffeffions they had on this fide the fea. ' The king was alfo fecretly advifed, after much deliberation, in fuch words as thefe : c Dear fire, undertake with courage this war : you have a very good caufe to induce you to do fo : and know, that as foon as you fhall have determined upon it, you will find that many in the duchy of Acquitaine will turn to your fide ; fuch as prelates, barons, earls, knights, fquires, and citizens of the principal towns ; for as the prince proceeds in levying this hearth tax, in the fame proportion will hatred and ill-will follow from all ranks, as they will be very miferable fhould he fucceed in his attempt. As for thofe of Poitou, Saintonge, Rouergue, Quercy, and la Rochelle, from their nature they cannot love the Englifh, who in their turn, being proud and prefumptuous, have not any affeâion for them, nor ever had. Add to this, that the officers of the prince are fuch extortioners, as to lay their hands on whatever they can find, and levy fuch heavy taxes, under the name of the prince,, that they leave nothing to the fubjeft : befides, the gentlemen of the coun-try cannot obtain any offices, for they are all feked on by the Englifh knights attached to the prince.* By thefe arguments, the king of France was de-termined to declare war ; and the duke of Anjou, who at that time was at Touloufe, took great pains to bring it about j for he was very defirous that the war fhould be renewed with the Englifh, as he was ont 372