ow opened by the
French. While these great negotiations were going on, a terrible
thunderstorm destroyed great numbers of men and horses in Edward's
camp.

Edward, believing it a sign of the displeasure of Heaven against his
expedition, fell on his knees, and within sight of the Cathedral of
Chartres vowed to make peace. A treaty was accordingly signed at
Bre'tigny near by. By it, Edward renounced his claim to Normandy and
the French crown. But notwithstanding that fact, all English
sovereigns insisted on retaining the title of "King of France" down to
a late period of the reign of George III. France, on the other hand,
acknowledged the right of England, in full sovereignty, to the country
south of the Loire, together with Calais, and agreed to pay an
enormous ransom in pure gold for the restoration of King John.

243. Effects of the French Wars in England.

The great gain to England from these wars was not in the territory
conquered, but in the new feeling of unity they aroused among all
classes. The memory of the brave deeds achieved in those fierce
contests on a foreign soil never faded out. The glory of the Black
Prince (SS238, 241), whose rusted helmet and dented shield still hang
above his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral,[1] became one with the glory
of the plain bowmen, whose names are found only in country
churchyards.

[1] This is probably the oldest armor of the king in Great Britain.
See Stothard's "Monumental Effigies."

Henceforth, whatever lingering feeling of jealousy and hatred had
remained in England, between the Norman and the Englishman (S192), now
gradually melted away. An honest, patriotic pride made both feel that
at last they had become a united and homogeneous people.

The second effect of the wars was political. In order to carry them
on, the King had to apply constantly to Parliament for money (SS217,
220). Each time that body granted a supply, they insisted on some
reform which increased their strength, and brought the Crown more and
more under the influence of the nation. (See Summary of
Constitutional History in the Appendix, p. xii, S13.)

The it came to be clearly understood that though the King held the
sword, the people held the purse; and that the ruler who made the
greatest concessions got the largest grants.

It was also in this reign that the House of Commons (SS213, 217, 262),
which now sat as a separate body, obtained the important power of
impeaching, or bringin