of Hainault, who governed the whole country. He was a wife man, a valiant knight and a good Frenchman. This high fteward had fo much weight, and was fo greatly beloved by the duke and duchefs, that he overfet all the expectations of the Englifh, with the affifiance of the earl of Blois, fir John de Blois his brother, the lords de Ligny and de Barbançôn, and exerted himfelf fo that duke Al-bert and the whole country remained neuter, and would not take either fide, which was the anfwer made by the lady Jane duchefs of Brabant. King Charles of France, who was wife and artful, had taken the previous meafures, and fettled all this bufinefs three years * before. He well knew that he had good friends in Haiaault and Brabant, efpecially among the greater part of the counfellors of the principal noblemen. In order to put a bet-ter colour on his war, he had copies made by learn-ed men of different papers relative to the peace, which were figned at Calais ; in which he ftated all the fa&s in his favor, and thofe articles the king of England and his children had fworn to maintain, and to which they had fubmitted by fealed deeds, with the orders which they ought in confequence to have given to their fubje&s : in fhort, all the points and articles which were favorable to him, and con-demned the a&ions of the Englifh. Thefe papers were made public in thé town-halls, and in the pre- • Three years. Dcnys Sauvage fofpeâs it ought to be three months, but gives no reafon for it. VOL. III., E e fence 4 /