The Earl of Flanders, finding his own force insufficient to cope with his revolted subjects, sought the aid of the young Charles the Sixth of France, whose assistance, readily granted, led to the defeat of the Flemings, and the death of Philip Van Artevelde, at the famous battle of Rosbecque. The Illumination represents the Earl soliciting the aid of the King of France at Peronne, where the interview took place. [Illustration: <f>The Murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury.</f>] PLATE XXV. THE MURDER OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. In the revolt headed by Wat Tyler, John Ball, and others, many excesses were committed; among others, the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Tower, which, according to Froissart, happened in the following manner:--“The king having agreed to a parley with the rebels in a meadow at Mile End, passed out of the Tower with his retinue, for the purpose of proceeding there; the mob, taking advantage of the open gates, rushed in, and running from chamber to chamber, at last found the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was Chancellor of England, and put him instantly to death.” They also murdered the Prior of St. John’s, and a Franciscan Friar, a doctor of physic, as represented in the Illumination. [Illustration: <f>Edward III. before Rheims.</f>] PLATE XXVI. EDWARD III. BEFORE RHEIMS. The present Plate represents King Edward the Third before the city of Rheims, whence it appears his followers proceeded to pillage the country round to a considerable distance in every direction, which our chronicler naïvely terms, “seeking adventures.” After seven weeks, the siege was abandoned, without attempting any serious assault; and the scene of operations transferred to Troyes and other places in Champagne, where a similar mode of warfare was carried on. The illuminator has bestowed extraordinary pains in the enrichment of the tents and in delineating the cannon and other preparatives for a siege. This Plate is from the fine Manuscript in the Bibliothèque Royale, Paris. [Illustration: <f>Interview on the Thames between Richard II and the Insurgents.</f>] PLATE XXVII. INTERVIEW BETWEEN RICHARD II. AND THE INSURGENTS. In the commencement of the Wat Tyler rebellion, an interview was attempted between the king and the rebels at Rotherhithe, which is thus described by Froissart:--