of Edward becoming King of France and holding the maritime provinces, while Charles as his vassal should be lord of Paris and the interior districts.  English mercenaries, who had lost their occupation with the truce, enlisted themselves in the service of Navarre.  Robert Knowles, James Pipe, and other ancient captains of Edward fought for their own hand in Normandy, and built up colossal fortunes out of the spoils of the country.  Some of these hirelings appeared in Paris, where the citizens welcomed allies of the Navarrese, even when they were foreign adventurers.  However, Charles went so far that a strong reaction deprived him of all power.  He was able to prevent the ratification of the preliminaries of 1358.  But in that year the death of Marcel was followed by the return of the regent to Paris, the expulsion of the foreign mercenaries, the collapse of the estates, and the restoration of the capital to the national cause.  The short-lived horrors wreaked by the revolted peasantry were followed by the more enduring atrocities of the nobles who suppressed them.  Military adventurers pillaged France from end to end, but the worst troubles ended when Charles of Navarre lost his pre-eminence.[1]

    [1] An admirable account of the state of France between 1356
    and 1358 is in Denifie, La Desolation des Eglises en France
    pendant la Guerre de Cent Ans, ii., 134-316 (1899).

When the truce of Bordeaux was on the verge of expiration, the French king negotiated a second treaty by which he bought off the threatened renewal of war.  This was the treaty of London, March 24, 1359, by which John yielded up to Edward in full sovereignty the ancient empire of Henry II.  Normandy, the suzerainty of Brittany, Anjou, and Maine, Aquitaine within its ancient limits, Calais and Ponthieu with the surrounding districts, were the territorial concessions in return for which Edward renounced his claim to the French throne.  The vast ransom of 4,000,000 golden crowns was to be paid for John’s redemption; the chief princes of the blood were to be hostages for him, and in case of failure to observe the terms of the treaty he was to return to his captivity.  The only provision in any sense favourable to France was that by which Edward promised to aid John against the King of Navarre.

The treaty of London excited the liveliest anger in France.  “We had rather,” declared the assembled estates, “endure the great mischief that has afflicted us so long, than suffer the noble realm of France thus to be diminished and defrauded."[1] Spurred up by these patriotic manifestations, the regent rejected the treaty, and prepared as best he could for the storm of Edward’s wrath which soon burst upon his country.  Anxious to unite forces against the national enemy, he made peace with Charles of Navarre, who, abandoned by Edward, was delighted to be restored to his estates.

    [1] Froissart, v., 180, ed.  Luce.