Edward concentrated all his efforts on a new invasion of France.  In November, 1359, he marched out of Calais with all his forces.  His four sons attended him, and there was a great muster of earls and experienced warriors.  Among the less known members of the host was the young Londoner, Geoffrey Chaucer, a page in Lionel of Antwerp’s household.  In three columns, each following a separate route, the English made their way from Calais towards the south-east.  The French avoided a pitched battle, but hung on the skirts of the army and slew, or captured, stragglers and foragers.  Chaucer was among those thus taken prisoner.  Edward’s ambition was to take Reims, and have himself crowned there as King of France.  On December 4 he arrived at the gates of the city, and besieged it for six weeks.  Then on January 11, 1360, the King despaired of success, abandoned the siege, and marched southwards through Champagne towards Burgundy.  Despite the check at Reims, he was still so formidable that in March Duke Philip of Burgundy concluded with him the shameful treaty of Guillon, by which he purchased exemption from invasion by an enormous ransom and a promise of neutrality.

Edward next turned towards Paris.  The news that the French had effected a successful descent on Winchelsea and behaved with extreme brutality to the inhabitants, infuriated the English troopers, who perpetrated a hundredfold worse deeds in the suburbs of the French capital.  It seemed as if the war was about to end with the siege and capture of Paris.  The regent, unable to meet the English in the field, fell back in despair on negotiation.  Innocent VI. again offered his good services.  John sent from his English prison full powers to his son to make what terms he would, and on April 3, which was Good Friday, ambassadors from each power met under papal intervention at Longjumeau; but Edward still insisted on the terms of the treaty of London, for which the French were not yet prepared.  On April 7 Edward began the siege of Paris by an attack on the southern suburbs, but was so little successful that he withdrew five days later.  A terrible tempest destroyed his provision train and devastated his army.  These disasters made Edward anxious for peace, and the negotiations, after two interruptions, were successfully renewed at Chartres, and facilitated by the signature of a truce for a year.  The work of a definitive treaty was pushed forward, and on May 8, preliminaries of peace were signed between the prince of Wales and Charles of France at the neighbouring hamlet of Bretigni, whither the peacemakers had transferred their sittings.  There were still formalities to accomplish which took up many months.  King John was escorted in July by the Prince of Wales to Calais, and in October he was joined by Edward III., who had returned to England about the time that the negotiations at Bretigni were over.  The peace took its final form at Calais in October 24, 1360.  Next day John was released,