MO' wards it, if they had not been afraid nf the mit chief that might come from Brittany ; and this delayed it much. There was caufe for their fears ; for the duke, who had received infohma-tion of the challenge of the duke of Gueldres, and of the king's eagernefs to march againft him, was only waiting until the ting had quit-ted the kingdom, to introduce the Engltfh, With whom he had formed an alliance, into his duchy. The duke had, by his fubtle arts, gained over the principal towns to his intereft, fuch as Nantes, Vannes, Rennes, Tfeguier, Guerrande, Lamballe, St. Malo, and St. Matthieu de Fine Poterne, but had failed in his attempts to gain the nobles. He hoped, indeed, they would ac-company the conftable into Germany, and give him freer fcopefor his war. He filled his towns and cailles with all forts of flores, artillery and provifions, plainly fhewing he preferred war to peace. He had likewife formed a ftrict alliance with ' his brother-in-law, the young king of Navarre, and had promifed him, that if he fucceeded in his attempt to bring over a body of Englifhmen at arms and archers, he would lead them in-ftantly to Normandy, and recover for him all thofe towns and places the late king of France had won ' from his father by himfelf, or the lord de Coucy and others. The king of Navarrç in-dulged in thefe hopes, and paid every refpectful compliment to the duke of Lancafter at Bay-onne, with whom he entered into an alliance. On the 7th day of April, in the year of grace 158S,