The king of England, who faw that from this marriage the earl of Flanders muft become the ally of the king of France, was ignorant whether the earl would take part againft him ' with the duke of Burgundy his fon, who of courfe would be his heir to the county of Flanders, and what treaties had been entered into by the earl with the king of France. The king, therefore, was much harder upon the Flemings than before, and harafled them by fea and land, and whenever he found them in his own country with their merchandife. The king of France was not difpleafed at this, and would willingly have feen a war declared be-tween the Flemings and the Englifh : but the pru-dent men of Flanders and the citizens of the princi-pal towns were averfe to it, for the commonalties of Flanders maintained the quarrel between the two kings to be more juft on the part of England than of France. King Edward was gaining friends on all fides, and much need had he of them, from the appear-ance of the great wars and rebellions that were breaking out in his dominions beyond fea. He was given to underftand, that his coufin king Charles of Navarre, who at that time refided in lower Normandy, would join his party ; for he hated the king of France, on account of fome eftates which the king of Navarre claimed as his inheritance, and which the king of France denied his right to. Counfellors on each fide had frequently met, but they could never come to any agreement. The affair had remained in this fituation, and each was on his guard. The king of Navarre had amply E e 3 pro- 421