ventured out to anfwer their challenge, and th€f continued their route without interruption Int* Brittany. You might then have marched from Calais to Bordeaux, without any one daring tt oppofê you $ but I am perfuaded whoever fhould now attempt it would be combated i for he whé at prefent figns himfelf king of France is young, aftive, and has a ftrong defife to achieve fômè gallant enterprife. He would therefore fight with us, whatever might be the confequences, and that is every thing we could defire ; for it has been by battle and vi&ories over the French, who are fb rich, that we are become wealthy t if peace con* tinue, we fhall languifh and become more ener* rated than ever, ince my nephew came to the throne of England. Things cannot long remain in this ftate, before the people will perceive and redrefs them. The king raifes heavy taxes on the merchants, who are greatly difcoptented : he fquanders the money no one knows how, and thus is the kingdom of England impoverifhed. True it is, that he gives largely to thofe about him, and in whom he confides, but the people pay for this, and it wil flhortly caufe a rebellion ; for they al-ready begin to murmur, and to fay publicly that fuch meafures muft not longer be fuffered. ' * The king gives out that as fbon as the truces between France and England fhall be figned, he will make a voyage? to Ireland, and employ there his ' men at arms and archers. He has already been there, and gained but fktle, for Ireland is not worth conquering : the Irilh tfre a poor and Z 3 wicked 341