defcended in a direâ line from the dukes of Brittany, as has been mentioned in this hiftory*) were fent to England as hoftages for their father, where they ftill remain in prifon ; for I have not as yet delivered them from it, nor from the power of the king of England, wherein the lord Charles •had put them. You have before feenf how king Edward of England, to ftrengthen himfelf in his war with France, had formed an alliance with the earl of Montfort, whom he had affifted, with advice and forces, to the utmoft of his ability, infomuch, that the earl had fucceeded to his wifhes, and was duke of Brittany. Had he not been thus fup-ported, • the lord Charles de Blois would have poffeffed feven parts of Brittany and the earl only five. ' You have read how, in the year 1347, there was a grand battle before la Roche-derrien, be-tween the forces of the countefs of Montfort, and of fir Thomas Hartwell and the lord Charles de Blois, ' in which the lord Charles was% defeated, and carried prifonçr to England. ' He was hand-fomely entertained there ; for that noble queen of England, the goo4 Philippa, (who, in my youth, was my lady and miftrefs) was, in a direâ line, his coufin-germau. She did every thing in her power to obtain his freedom, which the council were • not willing to grant. Duke Henry of Lan-, cafter/ and the other barons of England, declared, • Vol. i. chap, 15. f In chap. (jgt and the following, vol i. that