In this meane time the French king procured the pope to pronounce his cursse against the Flemings for their rebellion, and to suspend all diuine seruice that ought to be said in anie hallowed place, so that there were no priests to be found that would take vpon them to saie any diuine seruice: wherevpon the Flemings sent ouer into England certeine messengers to giue notice to king Edward how they were intreated, but he sent them word that he would bring at his comming ouer vnto them, priests that should saie masses and other seruice, whether the pope would or not, for he had priuilege so to doo. ¶ In Aprill, William Melton archbishop of Yorke departed this life, after whome variance rose in the election of a new gouernour to that church, so that two were elected, William la Zouch and William Killesbie: but at length William la Zouch tooke place, being the 43 archbishop that had sit in that seat. ¶ The earles of Salisburie and Suffolke, which were left in Flanders by king Edward to helpe the Flemings, shortlie after Ester, or (as other haue) in the time of Lent, were discomfited by the garrison of Lisle, and taken prisoners as they would haue passed by that towne, to haue ioined with Iaques Arteueld, meaning to besiege Tournie; but now by the taking of those two earles that enterprise was broken. The duke of Normandie with a great armie entred into Heinault, burning and wasting the countrie, euen to the gates of Valenciennes and Quesnoy. And thus were they occupied in those parts, whilest the king of England prepared himselfe with all diligence to returne into Flanders. [Sidenote: _Gaguin._] [Sidenote: A great nauie prepared by the French king.] [Sidenote: The king of England taketh the sea.] The French king being aduertised, that the king of England meant shortlie to returne into Flanders with a great power, in purpose to inuade the realme of France on that side, assembled a nauie of foure hundred ships vnder the leading of thrée expert capteins of the warres by sea, as sir Hugh Kiriell, sir Peter Bahuchet, and a Geneweis named Barbe Noir, appointing them to the coasts of Flanders to defend the king of England from landing there, if by any meanes they might. These thrée capteins or admerals came and laie with their ships in the hauen of Sluise, for that it was supposed the king of England would arriue there, as his meaning was indéed, wherevpon when his men, ships, and prouisions were once readie in the moneth of Iune, he tooke the sea with two hundred saile, and directing his course towards Flanders, there came vnto him the lord Robert Morley, with the north nauie of England, so that then he had in all about thrée hundred saile, or (as other saie) two hundred and thrée score. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._] [Sidenote: The king of England setteth vpon his enimies.] [Sidenote: Additions to Triuet.] [Sidenote: The victorie of the Englishmen at the battell of Sluise.]