hot which way to turn; for, befides the bufinefs of Portugal, the council of Ghent was in London to requeft as Governor, to aflift and direct them, one of the king's brothers, or the earl ofSalifbury. There were in this parliament many debates, as well refpecting the Flemings as the Portuguefe and the Scots ; for the war ftill continued in thofe parts by the truce not having been proclaimed. The duke of Lancafter, in particular, laboured hard' to obtain the command of a large body of men at arms and archers to carry to Portugal, and explained to the prelates, barons and com-, moners of the realm, how they were bound to aflift him and his brother in the recovery of their inheritance, which they had fvvorn and engaged tp do when their nephew the king was crowned, as was apparent by deeds then fealed. The duke complained bitterly of the wrongs that had been dorçe him and his brother by delaying the mat-ter; and that in trut^, when the earl of Cam-bridge had gone thither on the faith of their pro-mifing him every thing neceflary for fuch an expedition, they had meanly fulfilled their en-gagements : he was ^ to have had two thoufand lances and as many archers fent to him, but they never were ordered, which had caufed the fet-tlement of the difpute for their juft rights and inheritences tobefo much the longer delayed. , This fpeech of the duke of Lancafter was at-tentively heard, and fome of the moft able in the council declared he was in the right; but, the ne-ceflities of the kingdom being more preflin^ they muft be firft attended to. Some were : . — VIL. . R mûm 241