EARLY HISTORY 47 



them and their kingdoms, they shall be good and loyal friends 

 and allies against every man living, and ready to die to defend, 

 keep, and maintain the franchises, liberties, privileges, rights, 

 dues and customs aforesaid ; Except (on the part of) the said 

 King of England, Monsieur John, Duke of Brabant, in Brabant, 

 and his heirs descended from him and the daughter of the 

 King of England, and except (on behalf of) our said lord the 

 King of France, the excellent Prince, Monsieur Albert, King 

 of Almaigne [and] his heirs Kings of Almaigne, and Monsieur 

 John, Count of Hainault in Hainault. And that the one 

 shall not be of counsel nor aiding where the other may lose life, 

 member, temporal estate, or honour. 1 



Monsieur Reymer Grymbaltz, Master of the navy of the said King 

 of France, who calls himself admiral of the said sea, deputed by 

 his lord aforesaid for his war against the Flemings did after the 

 said alliance made and confirmed, and against the form and force 

 of the same alliance and the intent of them that made it, by 

 commission of the King of France wrongfully usurp the office of 

 admiralty in the said sea of England and did exercise it for a 

 year and more taking the people and merchants of the kingdom of 

 England and elsewhere passing through the said sea with their 

 goods, and committed the people so taken to the prison of his 

 said lord the King of France, and by his judgment and award 

 caused their goods and merchandises to be delivered to the re- 

 ceivers of the said King of France deputed for this purpose in 

 the ports of his said kingdom, as to him forfeit and acquired. 

 And the taking and detaining of the said people with their said 

 goods and merchandises, and his said judgment and award con- 

 cerning the forfeiture and acquest of them, he has justified 

 before you, Lords Auditors, in writing, according to the authority 

 of the said commission of the admiralty aforesaid by him thus 

 usurped, and during a prohibition commonly made by the King 

 of England by his power, according to the tenor of the third 

 article (sic) of the alliance aforesaid, which contains the words below 

 [above] written, requiring that he may thereupon be quit and absolved, 

 to the great damage and prejudice of the said King of England and of 

 the prelates and nobles and others above named, Wherefore the 

 said proctors in the names of their said lords do pray [you 

 Lords] Auditors aforesaid that you would cause due and speedy 

 deliverance of the said people with their goods and merchandises 

 thus taken and detained, to be made to the Admiral of the said 

 King of England, to whom the cognizance thereof of right belongs, 

 as above is said, so that, without disturbance from you or any 



1 The rest is on the back of the membrane. 



