the heart of a lion," thenceforth carried
on the war on behalf of her husband and son. In the spring of 1342 she
obtained the help of King Edward the Third of England, which however was
fitfully rendered, as he took either side in turn to suit his own
convenience. Some account of her famous exploits is given in the story,
and is familiar to every reader of Froissart's Chronicle. Shortly after
this the Countess brought her son to England, and betrothed him to the
King's infant daughter Mary; but she soon returned to Bretagne. In 1345
the Count of Montfort escaped from his prison in the disguise of a
pedlar, and arrived in England: but the King was not at that time
disposed to assist him, and Montfort took the refusal so much to heart
that--probably combined with already failing health--it killed him in
the following September. When the war was reopened, the Countess took
captive her rival Charles de Blois, and brought him to England. The
King appointed her residence in Tickhill Castle, granting the very small
sum of 15 pounds per annum for her expenses "there or wherever we may
order her to be taken, while she remains in our custody." (Patent Roll,
25 Edward the Third, Part 3.) It is evident that while treated overtly
as a guest, the Countess was in reality a prisoner: a fact yet more
forcibly shown by an entry in December, 1348, recording the payment of
60 shillings expenses to John Burdon for his journey to Tickhill, "to
bring up to London the Duchess of Bretagne and the knight who ran away
with her." This seems to have been an attempt to free the prisoner, to
whom, as the upholder of her husband's claim on the throne of Bretagne,
the King of course accorded the title of Duchess. The testimony of the
records henceforward is at variance with that of the chroniclers, the
latter representing Marguerite as making sundry journeys to Bretagne in
company with her son and others, and as being to all intents at liberty.
The Rolls, on the contrary, when she is named, invariably speak of her
as a prisoner in Tickhill Castle, in keeping of Sir John Delves, and
after his death, of his widow Isabel. That the Rolls are the superior
authority there can be no question.

The imprisonment of Charles de Blois was very severe. He offered a
heavy ransom and his two elder sons as hostages; King Edward demanded
400,000 deniers, and afterwards 100,000 gold florins. In 1356 Charles
was released, his sons Jean and Guyon taking his p