On the other part, Lewes who all this season remained at London, being sore dismaied for the losse of his people, began to feare euerie daie more and more, least by some practise he should be betraied and deliuered into his enimies hands. Therefore he went about to make himselfe as strong as was possible, & fortifieng the citie, sent messengers into France, to require his father to send him more aid. His father sorie to heare of his sons distress, and loth that he should take the foile, caused his daughter the wife of Lewes, to prepare a power of men, that the same might passe with all spéed ouer into England to the aid of hir husband. For the French king himselfe would not séeme to aid his sonne, bicause he was excommunicated: but his daughter in law, hauing licence and commission thereto, gat togither thrée hundred knights, or men of armes, whome with a great number of other souldiers and armed men, she sent downe to Caleis, where Eustace the moonke had prouided a nauie of ships to conueie them ouer into England. But how they sped you shall heare anon. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: The diligence of the earle of Penbroke.] In the meane time the earle of Penbroke approched towards London, purposing to assaile the citie now in this opportunitie of time, letting passe no occasion that might further his procéedings, night and day studieng how to recouer the realme wholie out of the Frenchmens hands, and to set the same at libertie: so that what was to be deuised, he did deuise, and what was to be doone, that he did, not forslowing anie occasion or opportunitie that might be offered. The English barons also calling to mind the benefit which they had receiued at the Frenchmens hands in time of their most néed, sought now by all means possible, some waie how to procure a peace betwixt king Henrie and the said Lewes, thinking by that means to benefit themselues, and to gratifie him in lieu of his former courtesie bountifullie shewed in a case of extremitie, which bicause it was obteined in a wished time was the more acceptable, whereas being lingered it had béene the lesse welcome, as one saith, [Sidenote: _Auson. in epig._] Gratia quæ tarda est ingrata est, gratia námq; Quùm fieri properat, gratia grata magis. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] [Sidenote: Hubert de Burgh assaileth the French fléet.] [Sidenote: The French fléet is vanquished.]