manded from them bow he fhould act;* - and de-fired fir Walter to give him his opinion. Sir Walter was unwilling to fpeak before the members of the council ; but, as the king would have it fo, he faid,—c Sir, matters are come to the conclufion we • always foretold, that your enemies would be worn down and deftroyed, without ftriking a blow. Since their fick fo humbly ask afliftance and comfort in your coun-try, you fhould grant their requeft ; but on con-dition that, if they recover, they do not return to the duke of Lancafter or to the king of Por-tugal, but continue (heir road ftraight home-ward, and that they engage not to bear arms againft you, nor the realm of Caftille, for the term of fix years. ' We alfo hope you may be fuccefsful in obtaining leave for them to pafs with fafety through Navarre and France/ The king was well contented with this ad-vice, for it was what he was inclined to ; and he was indifferent what terms were made, fo that he got rid of the Englifh. He replied to fir Walter ; *You have loyally counfelled mè, and I thank you : it ihall be done as you pro-pofe/ The Englifh knights were fent for, and con-ducted into the prefence chamber, where were the king and his whole council. The bifhop of Burgos, as chancellor, and a great orator, thus addreffed them ; € Ye knights of England, at-tached to the duke of Lancafter, who have been fent hither by his conftable, liften to the anfwer the king gives to your requefts. • Out of his great 15