Page:Historyoffranc00yong.djvu/70

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46 HISTORY OF FRANCE. [chap. England was provoked by the quarrels of the Norman and Gascon sailors — the Normans being now subjects of France — who committed outrages in each other's ports. As superior lord of Aquitaine, Philip sent to have the Gascon offenders seized, and when the English garrisons would not give them up, cited Edward to answer in his court. Edward did not refuse compensation ; he sent his brother Edmund to represent him, and agreed that the castles in Guyenne should be yielded to Philip, who pledged himself to restore them in forty days. But at the end of that time, the mighty Edward found himself tricked, for, so far from the castles being restored, he was freshly cited before the Parliament of Paris, and adjudged to have forfeited his fiefs. This was just as he had a Scottish war and a Welsh revolt on his hands, and his barons were taking advantage of his distress to establish their right to be the only makers of taxes, and would neither go beyond seas to fight nor grant him the means of hiring troops. Edward's ally, Guy of Vanipicrrt', Count of Flanders, whose daughter was betrothed to his son, was seized and imprisoned, and only released on condition of breaking the alliance, and giving his daughter as a hostage to Philip. But Flanders being the great cloth factory of Europe, and England alone being peaceful enough for secure keeping of sheep, the two countries could not afford to be on bad terms, and Guy was no sooner free than he formed a fresh league with England, Lorraine, and Burgundy. But Philip was too strong for him, and Edward vainly tried to aid him, being prevented by the resistance of the barons and the war in Scotland. In truth Edward cared more for power in Britain than abroad, and Philip wanted to be free to pursue a desperate quarrel with the pope ; so in 1299 they agreed to let matters stand as they were in Guyenne, and that, while Philip ceased to assist the Scots, Edward should give up the Flemings. Guy had been again made prisoner, and declared to have forfeited his country, and Philip made a progress into Flanders, where the burghers found themselves mulcted to pay for all his needs. 22. Revolt of Flanders, 1302. — Still the Flemings would not submit. There was a great revolt at Brushes, where 3,000 Front h wore killed, and at Courtrai a son of the captive count took the command, and was joined by forces from all cjuarters. Robert of Artois was sent against