A few days after
they reached the capital the king gave a great festival in honour of the
visitors, and there was a grand tournament at which the king and all the
princes of the blood tilted. The English ambassadors were splendidly
entertained, but their proposals were considered inadmissible by the
French court, for Henry demanded with Katherine the duchy of Normandy, the
county of Pontieu, and the duchy of Aquitaine.
No direct refusal was given, but the king said that he would shortly send
over an embassy to discuss the conditions. Many handsome presents were
made to all the knights and noblemen, and the embassy returned to England.
Sir Eustace left them near Villeroy with his party, and stayed two days at
the castle. Sir John Aylmer said that he would prefer that Guy should
return home with Sir Eustace and that he himself should remain as
castellan, for he thought that there was little doubt that war would soon
be declared; he said that he himself was too old to take the field on
active service, and preferred greatly that Guy should ride with Sir
Eustace. Long Tom made a petition to his lord that he too should go to
England for a time.
"If there was any immediate chance of fighting here, my lord," he said, "I
would most willingly remain, but seeing that at present all is quiet, I
would fain return, were it but for a month; for I have a maid waiting for
me, and have, methinks, kept her long enough, and would gladly go home and
fetch her over here.
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