e of the English king, disclosed the whole transaction to
Edward.

The king bade him continue to carry out his arrangements with De Charny,
leaving it to him to counteract the plot. Had he issued orders for
the rapid assembly of the army the French would have taken alarm. He
therefore sent private messengers to a number of knights and gentlemen
of Kent and Sussex to meet him with their retainers at Dover on the 31st
of December.

Walter was one of those summoned, and although much surprised at the
secrecy with which he was charged, and of such a call being made while
the truce with France still existed, he repaired to Dover on the day
named, accompanied by Ralph and by twenty men, who were all who remained
capable of bearing arms on the estate.

He found the king himself with the Black Prince at Dover, where they had
arrived that day. Sir Walter Manny was in command of the force, which
consisted in all of 300 men-at-arms and 600 archers. A number of small
boats had been collected, and at midday on the 1st of January the little
expedition started, and arrived at Calais after nightfall.

In the chivalrous spirit of the times the king determined that Sir
Walter Manny should continue in command of the enterprise; he and the
Black Prince, disguised as simple knights, fighting under his banner.

In the meantime a considerable force had been collected at St. Omer,
where a large number of knights and gentlemen obeyed the summons of
Jeffrey de Charny. On the night appointed they marched for Calais, in
number five hundred lances and a corresponding number of footmen. They
reached the river and bridge of Nieullay a little after midnight, and
messengers were sent on to the governor, who was prepared to receive
them. On their report De Charny advanced still nearer to the town,
leaving the bridge and passages to the river guarded by a large body of
crossbow-men under the command of the Lord De Fiennes and a number
of other knights. At a little distance from the castle he was met by
Almeric de Pavia, who yielded his son as a hostage according to his
promise, calculating, as was the case, that he would be recaptured by
the English. Then, having received the greater portion of the money
agreed upon, he led a party of the French over the castle to satisfy
them of his sincerity. Upon receiving their report that all was quiet
De Charny detached twelve knights and a hundred men-at-arms to take
possession of the castle, while he him