Ill They at length gave this as their unanimous anfwer.-—6 Dear fir, the queftion is of fuch importance, that we dare not advife you definitively upon it but recommend to you, dear fir, to fend ambaffadors fufficiently inftru&ed to the gallant earl of Hainault, whofe daughter you have married, and to lord John, his brother, who has before fo valiantly affifted you, to entreat their lordfhips to advife you how to a&, for in fuch a matter they are better informed than we can bé u if they agree with you in opinion, they will give you counfel who are the lords moft able to affift you^ and alfo point out the moft proper means of gaining them to your intereft/ ν The king agreed to this propofal, and entreated the Biihop of Lincoln to undertake this journey through afFe&ion to him, and defired two knights bannerets, and two counfellors learned in the law to accompany him on the embaffy. Theyfet out as foon as they could, embarked' and landed at Dunkirk ; whence they rode through Flanders to Valenciennes, where thfey found William earl ©fJHainault fo forely affli&ed with the, gout and gravel that he could not move. The lord John, his brother, was there alio,tby whom they were much feafted : and to them they explained the object of their million. Upon which the gallant earl laid, c I vow to God, if the king can fucceed in this, I ihall be much rejoiced ; for as you may eafily imagine, I feel more interefted for him who hasr married my daughter than for king Philip, who has · never